Eargo 8 vs. Elehear Beyond Pro

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.

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.

Elehear Beyond Pro achieved a SoundScore of 4.78/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #2 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

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.

Elehear Beyond Pro hearing aids have an IPx5 rating, meaning you will need to protect them from moisture and dust. However, they appear to be build from quality materials and come with a robust portable charging case.

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.

Beyond have a reported battery life of up to 20 hours per charge, which is enough to get most people through the day. The case also offers on-the-go power and can recharge Elehear in around 2.5 hours, longer if the portable-charger needs to be simultaneously recharged.

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Beyond are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling.

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.

The Elehear app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance from Brighter to Deeper. At this time, Beyond are "preset-based", though you can get a more customized fit using their ElePro feature.

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.

I found Beyond Pro fairly comfortable in spite of their larger body size. Be sure to test various ear tips to find optimal comfort and hearing benefit. You may want to try the included tulip domes as the default closed domes plug your ear significantly.

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.

Beyond have a more modern receiver-in-canal design, although the body size is larger than many other hearing aids. While this should not effect comfort much, it may make them more noticeable based on your ear size and hairstyle.

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

Elehear Beyond Pro has a value score of 4.7/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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.

I did not run into any issues while using Beyond Pro or the Elehear mobile app. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.

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.

Unlike many OTC devices, remote support from licensed audiologists is available through the ElePro app feature. This offers several benefits, but one we particularly liked was the ability for Elehear providers to recommend program settings based on their app or web based hearing assessment.