Eargo Link vs. Yeasound RIC800

The Link by Eargo is an over-the-counter hearing aid designed to offer discreet and user-friendly hearing enhancement. It features advanced sound processing technology, competitive pricing, and has been positively reviewed by independent labs for its performance and reliability.

It's streams to both both iPhone and Android, and scored in the top 5% of all OTC hearing aids tested by the independent HearAdvisor Lab.

The Eargo Link achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked in the top 23% in the OTC Hearing Aid category. With a SoundScore of 4.00/5, it performs above the category average of 3.43, demonstrating competitive overall sound quality in HearAdvisor's standardized testing protocol.

Yeasound RIC800 achieved a SoundScore of 4.46/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #1 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

The Eargo Link seem to be a slight regression in build quality and have an IP54 rating, which is lower than other Eargo models. This means they are not water-proof and will require extra care to continue working well long term.

Yeasound RIC800 have an ingress protection rating of IPX8. They appear well-built and approach the feel of a prescription hearing aid.

I liked the portable charging case and magnetic locks. However, the 9 hour rechargeable battery life means they will not last all day and will be better suited for situational use rather than all-day hearing help.

RIC800 last up to 31 hours per charge and take around 3 hours to recharge. You can expect shorter battery life while streaming, although the batteries should still last all day.

I was impressed with Eargo Link's audio quality for both streaming and hands-free calls. The Bluetooth 5.3 compatibility is a significant upgrade from Eargo's other products that don't support streaming.

RIC800 offer wireless control and streaming with Bluetooth. While we could not test this on Android, functionality was fairly good on iOS with a few noted drawbacks.

Not yet rated by our experts

RIC800 offer fairly good sound customization for a preset-based OTC hearing aid. I liked the addition of a 3-band equalizer and access to controls over noise reduction and microphone settings.

Link were moderately comfortable in my ears and feel like typical wireless earbuds. I was able to switch through the included ear tips to find the right fit for both comfort and sound quality.

I found RIC800 very comfortable thanks to their small design and lightweight.

With their modern earbud-like appearance, Link is definitely more bold than other Eargo models. While I like the earbud look, you will have to decide whether you prefer a more discrete hearing aid option.

Yeasound RIC800 look like modern receiver-in-canal hearing aids and could easily be mistaken for prescription devices.

The Eargo Link offers solid performance for its $799 price point, though several competitors in the same price range achieve higher scores.

Yeasound RIC800 has a value score of 4.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Instead of typical multi-function buttons, Link uses touch sensors. These worked well, and more reliably than other products I've tested, though the app would be a nice addition for manual controls.

RIC800 were easy to use and get in my ears, though you may need some practice if you have not worn receiver-in-canal devices before.

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.

Yeasound offers remote assistance from their technical support team. To our knowledge, they are not offering audiologic support from licensed providers at this time.