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Hearing aids: types and styles
Hearing aids vary to best suit your degree of hearing loss, the shape of your ear canal, and your lifestyle. Here’s more about the different types and styles.
Book a free hearing test to see which one may be right for you.
Types of hearing aids Hearing aid styles Book a FREE hearing test
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Types of hearing aids
Here are the main types of hearing aids—all available at HearingLife.
Rechargeable hearing aids
Rechargeable hearing aids now come in both BTE and ITE styles.
Place your hearing aids in the charging base overnight and enjoy up to a full day’s charge when you wake up.
Rechargeable hearing aids remove the inconvenience of repurchasing and changing small, disposable hearing aid batteries.
They are also better for the environment and can save you money over time.
Learn more about rechargeable hearing aids
Bluetooth® hearing aids
If you choose a hearing aid with Bluetooth® technology, you can connect it to your TV and stream the audio directly in your hearing aid.
It is also possible to connect a hearing aid to other Bluetooth® compatible devices, such as mobile phones, computers, and tablets.
They can also double as a wireless headset, allowing you to listen to music and take hands-free phone calls.
CROS hearing aids
A CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signals) hearing aid is a hearing solution designed for people with little to no usable hearing in one ear and normal hearing in the other.
With a CROS system:
- A microphone is worn on the ear with no usable hearing.
- Sounds picked up on that side are wirelessly transmitted to the better-hearing ear.
- This allows the wearer to be aware of sounds coming from their poorer side without needing to turn their head.
A CROS system does not restore hearing in the affected ear, but it improves awareness of surrounding sounds, helps with conversations, and can make listening in everyday situations easier and more comfortable.
BiCROS hearing aids
A BiCROS (Bilateral Contralateral Routing of Signal) system is intended for individuals who have no usable hearing in on ear and a hearing loss in the better ear.
With a BiCROS system:
- The microphone on the poorer ear captures sounds from that side and sends them to the better ear.
- The hearing aid on the better ear also amplifies sound to compensate for the hearing loss in that ear.
- This allows the wearer to be aware of sounds coming from their poorer side without needing to turn their head.
Hearing aid styles
There are two main styles of hearing aids: behind-the-ear (BTE) and in-the-ear (ITE).
Here is a breakdown of how they differ.
Behind-the-Ear
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are the most recommended hearing aid type. This is because they treat a wide range of hearing loss severity.
They are also big enough to house more hearing aid features, while still small enough to conceal behind your ear.
Different BTE hearing aids include:
Behind-the-ear (BTE)
Receiver-in-canal (RIC) or receiver-in-the-ear (RITE)
While they sit behind your ear, BTE hearing aids deliver sound through a tube to a custom earpiece that sits in your ear.
BTE hearing aids are ideal for mild to profound hearing loss because they offer
- Robust features
- A long battery life, and
- Durability.
BTE hearing aids are also easier to handle if you have dexterity issues.
In-the-Ear
In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing aids are custom-fit to sit fully in the outer ear. ITE hearing aids are easy to handle, offer good battery life and are best suited for mild to severe hearing loss.
Different ITE hearing aids include:
In-the-canal (ITC):
Sits at the front of the ear canal.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC):
Sits in the canal and is slightly bigger than an IIC hearing aid. It can be half shell or full shell.
Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC):
Sits deep in the ear canal.
NXT in-the-ear (nxtCIC):
Sits deep in the ear canal and can be fitted with a dome or custom micro mold.
Hearing aid types comparison table
There’s more than one factor to consider when choosing a hearing device. To make sure you get the one that’s right for you, you’ll need to consider a few things, such as the severity of your hearing loss, ear canal shape, dexterity, lifestyle, your budget and other personal preferences. The guide below will help you get to grips with the differences between the main types of hearing aids.
 Behind-the-ear Plus/Ultra Power |
 Completely-in-the-canal |
 In-the-canal |
 Half/Full shell in-the-ear |
 miniRITE (Receiver-in-the-ear) |
miniRITE R (Receiver-in-the-ear) |
 Invisible-in-the-canal |
|
| Most discreet | ✔ | ✔ | - | - | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bluetooth connectivity | ✔ | - | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Long battery life | ✔ | - | - | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Easy to adjust volume and programs | ✔ | - | - | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Exchangeable battery | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - | ✔ |
| Rechargeable battery | ✔ | - | - | - | - | ✔ | - |
| Mild to moderate hearing loss | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Severe hearing loss | ✔ | - | - | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Profound hearing loss | ✔ | - | - | - | - | - | - |