Starkey Hearing Aids: Models, Features, Prices, and Reviews

Starkey hearing aids are the flagship brand of Starkey Hearing Technologies, one of the world's top hearing aid manufacturers. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Starkey is the only US company among the "Big Five," a group of companies that collectively controls more than 80% of the global market for hearing aids.

William (Bill) F. Austin founded Starkey Hearing in 1967, initially as an earmold fabrication and repair service shop for hearing aids. The company soon began building its own hearing aids and gradually expanded sales worldwide. In the past decade, Starkey has invested heavily in research and development, delivering innovations in sound processing, wireless technologies, and miniaturization. Today, Starkey Hearing has more than 5,000 employees and operates in more than 100 countries.

Starkey hearing aid technologies

Starkey makes premium hearing aids for all levels of hearing loss, programmed by a hearing care professional (HCP) based on the results of your hearing test. In recent years, the company has established a position as a leading developer of emerging hearing aid technologies, including artificial intelligence-driven hearing aids. Here are some notable Starkey "firsts":

• In the 1970s, Starkey created waves in the industry by establishing one of the first trial periods available for hearing aids—now a standard consumer safeguard for professionally dispensed hearing aids. It also introduced some of the first in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids.
• In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Starkey was among the first to advance miniaturization technology to deliver "invisible hearing aids" that sit deep within the ear canal.
• Starkey was also an early entrant in the Made-for-iPhone hearing aid market with its Halo and Livio hearing aids.
• Starkey claims its artificial intelligence (AI) sound processing system, Starkey Sound™, makes it easier for hearing-aid wearers to understand speech in noisy environments.
• In 2018, Starkey introduced what it called the "first hearing aid with integrated sensors and artificial intelligence”; for example, a sensor-based fall-detection feature alerts medical responders if you take a spill.
• In 2020, Starkey began selling their Livio hearing aids with integrated sensor technology in a rechargeable custom-fitted form factor, and also launched a table microphone for improved hearing in groups.
• In 2021, Starkey launched Evolv AI, which offers health sensors, fall alerts, telehealth capabilities, and hands-free phone calls on iPhone.
• In 2023, Starkey introduced Genesis AI, a completely new hearing aid platform “reimagined from the inside out” that the company believes will come to define AI-assisted hearing healthcare.

In addition to iPhone compatibilities, Starkey added native audio streaming for select Android smartphones in early 2020.

Starkey hearing aid models

Starkey provides a broad line of hearing aids for all forms of hearing loss. Multiple levels of technology and features accommodate users' individual needs. Its model styles include custom invisible in-the-ear (ITE) and receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids as well as powerful behind-the-ear (BTE) solutions.

Starkey Genesis AI hearing aid

In February 2023, Starkey launched its latest flagship hearing aid, Genesis AI, which the company bills as having "all new everything”: an all-new processor, all-new sound, all-new design, and an all-new app and patient experience. The new Genesis AI is powered by one of the fastest and most advanced chips in the hearing industry, with 6 times more transistors, 10 times more memory, and 4 times faster processing than its Evolv AI predecessor. According to Starkey, this enables it to "redefine" AI and machine learning in hearing aids; it can make over 80 million adjustments per hour and mimic the human brain to quickly and more accurately “fill in” the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.

The new Genesis AI comes in most styles, ranging from the tiny Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) custom in-ear product to its Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) models, as shown in the photo above. It also retains all the "healthable" and fitness tracking aspects (step-counting, social engagement tracking, etc.) and unique fall-detection and language translation features, among other attributes, found in Evolv AI.

But the primary goal of a hearing aid is to help you hear better while seamlessly integrating itself into your world of sound. The deep neural network (DNN) and Neuro Sound Processing inside Genesis AI is designed to hear speech in noise more intuitively and naturally, hear soft sounds without distracting noise, and reduce your overall listening effort. Starkey has also widened the dynamic range of the hearing aid by 20 dB, meaning you'll be given a more transparent listening experience when in quiet and loud environments without hearing a lot of distortion.

Genesis AI offers Bluetooth streaming (except in the non-wireless CIC and IIC models) for Apple iOS and Android, with hands-free calling for compatible iOS devices. Using a new antenna, the hearing aids have improved their wireless range by up to 40%, so you can be farther away from your iPhone when taking calls, listening to music, or when using the Starkey TV Streamer. It also provides 2-way audio for iOS devices so it essentially acts like a set of high-quality headphones during video conferences on FaceTime, Zoom, Teams, etc.

Here are some of the key features and unique offerings available from Genesis AI:

Key features of Genesis AI

The following features are available in Genesis AI. Many are also available in Evolv AI and a comparison chart below is offered below for a full breakdown of features in the two product families.

• Onboard DNN processing and Neuro Sound Technology - Evolv AI’s primary sound processing engine relies on DNN and a patented additive compression system designed to reduce background noise and enhance speech clarity in multiple environments.
• Edge Mode+ - A kind of "booster" when you're in a challenging listening situation, when you hit the Edge Mode+ button in the MyStarkey app, the aid conducts an AI-based analysis of the environment and makes smart and immediate adjustments. New in Edge Mode+ are controls so you can orient it to favor either "Comfort" or "Speech Clarity."
• Hands-free calling - Evolv AI supports hands-free calling on iOS devices running iOS 15 or higher.
• Long battery life - Genesis has some of the longest advertised battery life—for both rechargeable and disposable batteries—available.
• Fall detection - Detects when you fall and sends an alert message to selected contacts.
• MyStarkey App - New with Genesis AI, the MyStarkey app is an upgrade over the former Thrive app, giving you control of the hearing aids while letting you see and share information like step counting, hearing aid usage, social engagement, and more, with pre-selected people.
• Translate - Communicate with people who speak other languages via a translation tool—now upgraded to 70 languages from 27 in the Thrive app.
• Transcribe - Conversations are transcribed into text that can be saved or shared.
• MultiFlex Tinnitus Pro - Creates a comforting and customizable sound stimulus that you and your hearing professional can fine-tune to soothe the unique, irritating sounds you hear.
• Find My Phone - Using your hearing aids and Thrive Assistant, you can now locate your lost or misplaced phone by having it ring.
• Step counting - Tracks your daily steps, measures movement and monitors more vigorous physical activity.
• Brain tracking - Monitors the brain-health benefits of wearing hearing aids by tracking active listening.
• Tap controls - Enables you to easily stop or start audio streaming by simply tapping your ear twice.

Battery life and recharging Genesis AI

Another thing that jumps off the page when reviewing the Genesis AI is battery life. The advanced processing, sensors, and streaming that enable the above key features all require power. When considering their very small size, extending battery life in hearing aids is a real challenge for hearing aid engineers.

Starkey Genesis AI has one of the longest battery lives of any hearing aid on the market with up to 51 hours. The mRIC, is the smallest rechargeable mRIC with sensor technology and offers up to 41 hours of battery life; the custom ITE and ITC rechargeable hearing aids provide up to 42 hours on a single charge.

Also new with Genesis are the charging case options. For RICs and BTEs, the StarLink Charger and StarLink Premium Mini Charger serve as a charging station and case. Both come with on-board turbo charging—which can rapidly charge the hearing aid, providing 3 hours of use time with only 7 minutes of charging. The Starlink Premium charger has an onboard battery that holds 3 extra charges for people who need it on the go; the StarLink Charger does not include an onboard battery and must be plugged into an external power source to charge the hearing aids.

The in-ear wireless models (ITC and ITE) can use either the Custom or Premium Custom Chargers, with the Premium Charger having an onboard battery. These chargers are almost identical in appearance to those used for Evolv AI custom models (see below).

Genesis AI models with disposable batteries

The newer wireless RIC 312 and CIC both use size 312 disposable batteries and last for 5-6 and 7-8 days, respectively, depending on streaming.

The non-wireless CIC model uses either size 10 or slightly larger size 312 zinc-air batteries with an expected battery life of 5-7 or 8-10 days, respectively, for all but the ultra-power receivers. The non-wireless IIC uses a size 10 battery and these should last for 5-7 days.

A note about Starkey custom hearing aids and the genuinely unique Starkey Genesis AI and Evolv AI CICs

Starkey is well regarded among audiologists and hearing care professionals for their expertise in manufacturing custom (in-ear) hearing aids. In fact, Starkey founder Bill Austin is credited with being a major catalyst for the rapid growth and acceptance of custom hearing aids in the United States that started in the 1970s. And, even today, when BTE and RIC hearing aids make up about 85% of all hearing aids, Starkey remains a strong advocate for greater use of custom in-ear hearing aids and earmolds.

Today, both the Genesis AI and Evolv AI CICs are good examples of Starkey's "go-to" reputation for custom in-the-ear hearing solutions. These CICs are the industry's only rechargeable, Bluetooth-compatible, almost-invisible hearing aid for both Apple and Android, with fully hands-free phone calls for iPhone.

The video below by Audiologist Matthew Allsop provides details about the Evolv AI wireless CIC; the Genesis AI wireless CIC has almost identical features and benefits with the added bonus of some more advanced processing.

Starkey Signature Series of custom hearing aids

In February 2024, Starkey released a new line of extremely small custom non-wireless hearing aids called the Signature Series. The new product line, which utilizes the Genesis AI chip, includes two completely-in-canal (CIC) models in rechargeable (R) and disposable-battery options and a battery-powered invisible-in-canal (IIC) model:

Signature CIC R NW: Starkey reports this is the world's smallest rechargeable hearing aid, but is still able to operate for up to 38 hours before charging.

Signature CIC NW: A non-wireless CIC with a size 10 battery that provides up to 6 days of use before a battery change (with 16 hours/day use).

Signature IIC NW: Starkey's tiniest hearing aid that uses the Genesis AI platform for people who want the ultimate discreet solution for their hearing. The IIC uses a size 10 battery that lasts up to 7 days before a battery change.

All Signature hearing aids are IP68 rated—the gold standard for Ingress Protection in hearing aids for dust/dirt and moisture protection. Although these hearing aids are too small to have directional microphones, they do feature premium transient noise reduction, wind and machine adaptations, music enhancement, and feedback cancellation.

My Starkey App

The My Starkey app acts as the control center for Genesis AI beyond the push-buttons on the devices. It allows you to adjust volume and program settings, stream calls, count steps and monitor your health-related data, and translate languages, set reminders, and more. Some of its features include:

• Audio streaming - Steam music, TV, and other audio devices directly from your smartphone or wireless devices
• Edge Mode+ - Now on the front screen of the app, you can access this function to enhance hearing in challenging listening environments
• Smart Assistant - Use your voice to adjust settings, set reminders, and ask questions
• Personal health monitoring - Track steps, social engagement, and achieve well-being goals
• Fall detection - The app continues to employ the industry’s first and only fall detector that, when activated by your HCP, can detect if the user has fallen and alert a loved one or caregiver
• Hear Share - With your permission, your HCP can set it up so a friend or family member can see the health and wellness data for added peace of mind
• Learning Center - Starkey offers an impressive array of instructional videos and tutorials on how to use Genesis AI and the My Starkey app
• TeleHear - Your HCP can use this function to make remote hearing aid adjustments in some cases, saving you a trip to the clinic
• Firmware updates - You can update your hearing aid system at your convenience without visiting your HCP

The app is compatible with Apple iOS 14 and higher, and Android 7.0 and higher. Check the Starkey compatibility listings for full details about your phone.

Starkey Evolv AI hearing aid

Introduced in August 2021, the Evolv AI hearing aid family has many of the same features you'll find in Genesis AI, but most notably lacks advanced DNN processing, extended battery life, and wireless range found in the newer device. However, Evolv AI does provide direct audio streaming (iOS and Android), hands-free calling (iOS only), sensor-based accelerometers to detect falls and monitor real-time health information, and AI software designed to improve speech understanding in background noise.

Evolv AI is available in a wide range of form factors. Wireless connectivity is available in all but the very smallest IIC hearing aid. The BTE and RIC options come in a variety of color options ranging from black, white, and silver to espresso, bronze, and champagne.

Starkey Sound™ for clear speech

When Starkey launched Evolv AI, Chief Technology Officer Achin Bhowmik, said “Evolv AI hearing device will make 55 million adjustments - automatically”. Starkey Sound is a proprietary sound processing platform that monitors and adapts to your listening environment to optimize sound—Starkey claims that the system is “designed to automatically suppress background noise and designed to increase speech audibility and intelligibility with machine learning technology”.

Starkey Evolv AI expert reviews

HearAdvisor recently reviewed the Starkey Evolv AI hearing aid and the hearing aid made the independent test lab's 2023 Expert Choice Winners list, obtaining an exceptional SoundScore of 4.1 on a 5-point scale (you can listen to sound samples of the device at the above link).

Also see what HearingTracker Audiologist Matthew Allsop has to say about their performance in the video below:

Charging Evolv AI

There are two charger types available for Evolv AI, the Standard Charger and the Mini Turbo Charger. The Standard Charger is a portable plug-in charger that comes with Evolv AI RIC R and delivers three full charges on the go. The Mini Turbo Charger is a pocket-sized charger that is sold separately and delivers four charges on the go.

Evolv AI Custom

Evolv AI Custom is a custom-fitted in-the-ear version of the Evolv AI. The Custom is rechargeable, and includes the same embedded sensors as the behind-the-ear model. Metal charging contacts, a push button, and microphone ports are seen on the exterior faceplate of the Custom. Edge mode is also available via a double-tap.

Comparing Genesis and Evolv

Genesis AI represents a big step forward for Starkey, as it improves upon at least four major facets of the user experience: sound quality and speech in noise, battery life, streaming, and the enhancement of the user-device interface via the My Starkey app—items that directly impact benefit with the device. There are, of course, many other improvements in Genesis AI; for example, the number of languages translated increased from 27 to over 70, Edge Mode+ now includes new controls for specifying if you want to emphasize comfort or speech clarity, and much more.

However, the table below demonstrates that Evolv AI also has many of the same features as Genesis AI; it's just that some key listening advances are missing and its chip processing platform isn't as powerful. The bottom line: Evolv AI remains an exceptional product in terms of both features and performance, and it has also scored high in our Hear Advisor ratings.

Thrive remote care app

The Thrive Hearing Control smartphone app works with Evolv AI and legacy Livio AI hearing aids to perform wellness tracking, activity tracking, brain health tracking, and language translation functions. All versions of Evolv AI and Livio have access to a hearing aid finder function, iOS audio streaming for phone calls and multimedia audio, hearing-aid remote control, personalized listening programs, geo-tagged listening programs, audio notifications, an adaptive car mode, and accessories for wireless audio streaming from Bluetooth devices.

The Thrive app also activates the AI capabilities in the hearing aids. Among other things, it manages fall detection and alerts, enables voice-to-text transcription, automatically monitors hearing aid performance, translates words from 27 languages into English, allows the hearing care provider to make remote adjustments, and controls accessories.

Picasso custom in-ear hearing aids

Picasso is Starkey's value line of four in-ear hearing aids that are custom-made for the individual contours of your ears and ear canal. All use disposable batteries and are offered in 4-10 technology levels, depending on the style. From the smallest to the largest style, the IIC and CIC use a size 10 hearing aid battery; the ITC uses a size 312 battery, and the full-shell ITE uses a size 13 battery.

Picasso is compatible with Starkey's 2.4 GHz SurfLink streaming accessories, which gives you access to wireless connectivity with TVs, MP3 players, and other Bluetooth-ready mobile devices if desired. Among several features, Picasso has an advanced anti-feedback system to stop hearing aids from whistling, and systems for increasing speech audibility and overall comfort using Starkey Sound (see above). The larger hearing aids (ITC and ITE) in the product line also use an Acuity Immersion Directionality system designed to restore the natural benefit provided by the contours of your outer ear (pinna).

Starkey tinnitus solutions

Starkey offers personalized tinnitus relief solutions with all its product models and technology levels. The company's Multiiflex Tinnitus Technology, adjustable via the My Starkey and Thrive smartphone apps, generates tinnitus masking sounds that the user can customize to bring relief from ringing and other noises in the head. There are two main components to Multiflex:

• Audiogram-shaped noise: Because not everyone's is the same, this algorithm sets the level of each individual noise band in relation to your unique hearing configuration determined by your audiogram—and not to an overall average as some programs do.
• Stimulus personalization tool: This expands on the above with a more customized spectral shape for the tinnitus masker with the goal of placing the masking noise in the best frequency (pitch) bands, based on real-time automatic measurements.

Now available at more technology levels within the product families, Starkey's tinnitus algorithm intelligently sets the tinnitus stimulus according to your audiogram. And up to 24 bands of frequency adjustments enable hearing-aid users to work with the audiologist to find the masking sound that works best for them. Starkey also offers its Relax app (available for both Apple and Android) that you can self-adjust to create customized relief sounds coupled with soothing images to accommodate the changing behavior of your tinnitus.

Starkey hearing aid accessories

Starkey provides a number of accessories that improve hearing aid performance in challenging listening environments, while watching TV, when on the phone, and in numerous other ways. To learn which accessories work with the hearing aids you wear, consult with your hearing healthcare provider.

Remote Microphone +

Remote Microphone + streams audio from a variety of sources to Evolv AI and Livio hearing aids. Among other things, it lets you use your hearing aids to connect directly to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

And the Mini Remote Microphone can be clipped to the clothing and makes it easy to hear a conversation partner from across the room.

In February, 2020, Starkey introduced the Table Microphone, which is designed “for group settings like meetings, family gatherings or noisy restaurant environments.”

TV audio streamer

When plugged into either analog or digital outputs on the TV or other audio source, the streamer transmits audio directly to your Evolv AI and Livio hearing aids.

Trulink remote controller and app

With the TruLink 2.4 GHz wireless platform, you could use your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch to stream audio to your Starkey’s Halo iQ hearing aids. You could also control volume and program settings.

Starkey also offered the hand-held TruLink Remote to adjust Halo iQ hearing aids. It let you control memory and volume adjustments, mute your hearing aids, or toggle several other special features without having to use the smartphone.

Surflink accessories

Surflink accessories were used to connect Bluetooth-ready mobile devices to Starkey Muse, Soundlens and Z Series hearing aids, SurfLink streaming solutions include; SurfLink Mini Mobile for cell-phone calls; and SurfLink Remote Microphone 2, which could be worn by a conversation partner to aid one-on-one conversations or settings with multiple speakers.

SurfLink Media 2 streamed audio in stereo from TVs and MP3 players to your hearing aids. Surflink Remote was a hand-held push-button controller for hearing aid volume and other functions. And SurfLink Mobile 2 was a cell phone transmitter, assistive listening device, media streamer and hearing aid remote all rolled into one.

Legacy hearing aid models and accessories

Starkey continues to support earlier hearing-aid models based on previous generations of its sound-processing technology. Because these models still provide high-performance functionality, some audiologist may still sell them at lower price points than the latest models.

Livio Edge AI hearing aids

Starkey Livio marked a "jumping off point" for Starkey in 2018, as it was the successor to Starkey's Halo iQ hearing aid family and represented the company's first multipurpose sensor-driven hearing aid—including fall-detection and inertial sensors, fitness and wellness tracking using a “brain and body score,” a real-time language translator, and the ability to control the aid just by tapping it. Livio was made available in multiple BTE and ITE form factors and used the Thrive app. Like Evolv AI, Livio Edge AI also supported direct audio streaming (iOS and Android) and had sensors, AI, and fall alerts. Livio AI made the list of Dr. Cliff’s top hearing aids of 2021.

Other legacy hearing aids

Starkey Muse and Muse IQ hearing aids came in multiple styles, including RIC, BTE, and ITC. The family provided advanced sound processing and included a rechargeable RIC solution. Muse hearing aids were also compatible with Starkey's 2.4 GHz streaming accessories.

Starkey Halo hearing aids featured advanced sound processing, noise reduction, and directional microphones. The Made-for-iPhone functionality provided wireless streaming of audio and phone calls from iOS devices, and Starkey TruLink 2.4 GHz wireless enabled (with accessory purchase) wireless audio streaming from Android phones and external microphones.

Starkey Z Series hearing aids came in form factors ranging BTE to CIC. They featured frequency shifting to replicate high-frequency sounds at lower frequencies and provided a full range of connectivity options utilizing Starkey's 2.4 GHz streaming accessories.

The Starkey Xino RIC 10 was a receiver in-the ear hearing aid that had a telecoil and used size 10 hearing aid batteries. The Starkey 3 Series was a family of hearing aids that came in multiple form factors and with five technology levels.