Audien Hearing Atom Pro 2 vs. Eargo 8

Audien’s Atom Pro 2 is an easy-to-use, budget-friendly OTC option with excellent battery life, but our hands-on experience and HearAdvisor lab results show weak speech clarity—especially in noise—leaving it a “you get what you pay for” choice for mild needs rather than a true disruptor.

Eargo 8 is Eargo's latest flagship OTC hearing aid, featuring automatic sound environment adjustments, enhanced audio fidelity, and patented device-health monitoring. Designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, it emphasizes user convenience, extended battery life, and robust customer support.

Audien Atom Pro 2 achieved a SoundScore of 2.48/5 and a SoundGrade of C in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #45 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Eargo 8 achieved a SoundScore of 2.85/5 and a SoundGrade of C in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #39 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Audien Atom Pro 2 hearing aids lack an IP rating, so they might not be the best against moisture or dust. While using them they feel decently built and they do come with an excellent portable charging case.

Eargo 8 hearing aids appear to be well build with an IP68 rating, offering great protection against moisture and debris. The portable charging case is also a nice addition and should protect Eargo well when not in use.

They boast a 24-hour battery life, which is impressive for their small size. Recharging is on the longer end and can take up to 5 hours.

Eargo are extremely small making their 16 hour rechargeable battery life impressive. The case offers additional on-the-go power and I found the magnetic charging bays a nice easy to use addition.

Not yet rated by our experts

I found Eargo's app to be packed full of useful features like the Sound Match hearing assessment and automatic noise reduction controls. You have plenty of options for personalization though adjustments are not always reliable as Eargo relies on phone speaker commands instead of Bluetooth.

I did not find Atom Pro 2 to be the most comfortable OTC in-ear hearing aids. This was likely due to their larger size and not being tailored to a standard ear shape.

Comfort will vary by individuals depending on your tolerance to a deeper fitting hearing aid. Overall, I found them moderately comfortable through they can cause a tickling ear sensation due to their fit.

The design of Atom Pro 2 falls between a custom hearing aid and wireless earbud. They are only available in a medical beige color, which is meant to match skin color, but will not suit everyone. The case does include a UV cleaning light which is a nice touch.

Eargo's instant-fit, completely-in-the-canal, style is unique discrete. If you are interested in a nearly-invisible OTC hearing aid you will love their design.

Audien Atom Pro 2 has a value score of 3.6/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Eargo 8 has a value score of 2.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

I found Atom easy to use though they can be more challenging to insert and remove due to the small pull tab. Two features I really liked were the larger program buttons and easy to use portable charger.

Handling can be challenging with Eargo 8 due to the small size and reliance on tap controls. Furthermore, Eargo relies on acoustic indicators for wireless communication, which is less reliable than Bluetooth and caused me several problems.

Like many OTC products, Audien does not offer remote assistance from hearing experts, support is limited to email and phone customer support.

Eargo is one of the first direct to consumer hearing aids, but support is unfortunately limited to to their Client Care team and personal hearing professionals. While Eargo claims they work alongside audiologists, it is not the same as direct professional hearing care.