Eargo 8 vs. JLab Hear OTC

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.

The JLab HEAR OTC Hearing Aid offers an affordable and user-friendly solution for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring customizable sound settings and a sleek design. Extensive testing reveals its effective performance in various environments, making it a reliable choice for everyday use.

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.

JLab Hear OTC achieved a SoundScore of 3.65/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #26 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.

The portable charger is flimsy and HEAR have a lower egress rating of IPX4. However, with some extra care and cleaning they should hold up to regular daily use.

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.

HEAR do not offer enough power for all-day use with a battery life of 10 hours (less with streaming). The battery life is however respectable for a wireless earbud.

Not yet rated by our experts

HEAR offer wireless connectivity for both iOS and Android users. I personally experienced stable streaming and phone calls with my iPhone 12.

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 JLab Hearing Health app offers a nice feature set for personalization. Some elements could be more user friendly, but it makes sense after a little troubleshooting.

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.

HEAR are comfortable and had good retention in my ears. They completely seal your ear when worn properly but feel less “plugging” as they are lightweight.

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.

This is highly personalized, but HEAR look like modern earbuds and distance themselves from the negative stigma some attribute to hearing aids.

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

JLab Hear OTC has a value score of 5.0/5 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 ran into a few issues with my initial Bluetooth pairing but HEAR and the touch controls work well otherwise.

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.

JLab falls short on actual hearing care as help is limited to their online Help Center and or standard Customer Support.