Eargo Review: The Company Is Winding Down - Do Not Buy

Your devices keep working. The company states they will continue to provide amplification and core functionality, and the app is operating normally for now. This is not a situation where your hearing aids stop at a deadline. But act on the things that are time-limited, and act now rather than in October. Submit any warranty claim before the stated cut-off. The notice says claims submitted through September 15th will be processed. Administration after that is undecided. If anything about your devices is faulty, marginal, intermittent or not right — submit the claim now, in writing, and keep a copy with a timestamp. Do not wait to see whether it gets worse. Order replacement consumables now. Tips, domes and wax guards are the parts that determine whether a hearing aid remains usable. Availability is explicitly described as limited by inventory. Buy a reasonable stock while you can — and check whether generic equivalents from third-party suppliers fit your model, since that is your route once official parts run out. Confirm your email address is current with the company. The notice says all future updates will be sent by email. You can update it via the app or customer service. This is the only announced channel for anything that follows. Process any eligible refund now. Support staff are described as equipped to process eligible refunds during this window. If you are inside a return period, do not sit on it. Do not update your phone's operating system carelessly. This is the practical risk nobody flags. If the app stops receiving updates, a future iOS or Android release can break compatibility, and the app is how you adjust your hearing aids. Consider delaying major OS upgrades on the phone you use to control them, and check community reports before updating. Save your settings and your audiogram. Screenshot your current app configuration and note your programme settings. If you have a hearing test result, get a copy — you will need it when you buy your next devices, and it saves paying for another assessment. Contact details from the notice: support@eargo.com and 1-615-299-5632, Monday to Friday 8am–8pm CT and Saturday 8am–5pm CT. If you paid by credit card recently and the product fails, know that card chargeback rights and any extended warranty benefit your card provides operate independently of the manufacturer. Check your card's purchase protection terms — this is precisely the scenario they exist for. And if you bought recently on finance, contact the finance provider to understand your position; consumer credit arrangements sometimes give you rights against the lender when goods or services fail.

The good news for anyone shopping is that this market improved substantially when the FDA established a regulatory category for over-the-counter hearing aids. What that means practically: Adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids directly, without a prescription, a medical exam or a fitting appointment. Prices have fallen sharply, and several established consumer electronics and hearing manufacturers now compete in the category. Devices are available through pharmacies, warehouse clubs, consumer electronics retailers and online. Your realistic options, in rough order of cost: Over-the-counter hearing aids from a major manufacturer with a strong retail presence. Buy from a retailer with a good return policy and a physical location, which is the practical hedge against exactly the situation Eargo customers are now in. Warehouse club hearing centres, which offer testing, fitting and materially lower prices than traditional channels — and the advantage of a retailer with a satisfaction guarantee behind the purchase. Prescription hearing aids through an audiologist. More expensive, but you get professional fitting, real-ear measurement, and ongoing adjustment — which genuinely matters for more than mild loss, and for anyone who has struggled with self-fitting. Personal sound amplification products are a different, unregulated category and are not hearing aids. They are not a substitute for a device intended to treat hearing loss. The buying checklist this episode should teach everyone: Who stands behind it in three years? Prefer a manufacturer with a long track record or a retailer with a strong guarantee. A hearing aid is a multi-year purchase and app-dependent devices are only as durable as the company behind the app. What happens if the app dies? Ask whether the device retains usable function and adjustability without the phone app. This is now a question worth asking out loud. What is the trial period? Many states set a minimum return window for hearing aids; a generous trial is essential because self-fitting takes weeks to judge. Are consumables standard or proprietary? Standard domes and filters are cheaper and outlive any single company. What does a repair cost out of warranty, and who does it? And check whether you have coverage you have not used. Some employer plans, some Medicare Advantage plans and some state Medicaid programmes include hearing benefits. Original Medicare generally does not cover hearing aids, which surprises people. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides hearing aids to eligible veterans, which is a substantial benefit that goes underused. Hearing aids are also generally an eligible expense for HSA and FSA funds — worth checking before you spend post-tax money.

Whatever happens commercially, the health side does not change, and some of it is urgent. See a doctor rather than buying any device if you have: Sudden hearing loss, especially in one ear. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a medical emergency. Treatment outcomes are substantially better when it is treated promptly — within days, not weeks — so this warrants urgent medical attention rather than a shopping decision. Hearing loss in one ear only, or noticeably asymmetric hearing. This needs investigation. Ear pain, drainage or discharge. Ringing in one ear only, or pulsatile tinnitus that beats in time with your heartbeat. Dizziness or vertigo with hearing loss. A history of ear surgery, significant ear trauma, or a visible deformity. Suspected impacted earwax. This is common, causes real hearing loss, and is fixed by having it removed — not by amplification. Do not use cotton buds or ear candles. Over-the-counter hearing aids are intended for adults 18 and over with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. They are not appropriate for children, for severe or profound loss, or for any of the situations above. Why untreated hearing loss matters more than people think: It is associated with social withdrawal, depression and reduced quality of life, and the isolation effect is often the biggest cost long before anyone notices the hearing itself. There is a documented association between hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults, and this is an active area of research. The association is not proof that treatment prevents decline, but it is a reason to take hearing loss seriously rather than accepting it as an inevitable part of ageing. It affects safety — alarms, traffic, and communication with clinicians. On expectations, because this is where people give up: Hearing aids amplify; they do not restore normal hearing. Eargo's own site footnote makes exactly this point. Adaptation takes weeks. Your brain has to relearn sounds it has not processed in years, and the first days can feel harsh and artificial. Wear them consistently — a few hours daily building up — rather than trying them once and abandoning them. Background noise remains the hardest problem for any device at any price. A poor fit is the commonest reason a device fails. If it whistles, hurts, or falls out, that is a fitting problem to solve, not a reason to stop. Protect the hearing you still have. Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and entirely preventable — use hearing protection with power tools, firearms, machinery and loud music, and keep headphone volume moderate. A useful rule: if you cannot hear someone speaking at arm's length, it is too loud.

Is Eargo going out of business? Eargo's own homepage states that its parent company, LXE Hearing, has begun a wind-down of its US operations, after being unable to identify a viable path forward. Read August 12, 2026. Will my Eargo hearing aids stop working? No. The company states they will continue to provide amplification and core functionality, and the app is operating normally at present. How long will support last? Customer service representatives are described as available "through at least September 15th", and warranty claims submitted by that date will be processed. Beyond that, the company says it cannot guarantee availability of support services. Will the app keep working? For now. The company states it "will not be available indefinitely" and its own FAQ notes the notice does not say whether future software or firmware updates will be made to fix bugs or maintain compatibility with new phone operating systems. What should I do right now if I own a pair? Submit any warranty claim in writing before the cut-off, order replacement tips, domes and wax guards while inventory lasts, make sure the company has your current email, process any eligible refund, and screenshot your app settings. Can I still buy Eargo hearing aids? The pricing page and shop serve the wind-down notice rather than products. We would not recommend buying regardless. What should I buy instead? Over-the-counter hearing aids from an established manufacturer, bought through a retailer with a strong return policy — or prescription devices through an audiologist for more than mild loss. Warehouse club hearing centres are a well-priced middle route. How do I contact Eargo? The notice gives support@eargo.com and 1-615-299-5632, Monday to Friday 8am–8pm CT and Saturday 8am–5pm CT. Does Medicare cover hearing aids? Original Medicare generally does not, which surprises many people. Some Medicare Advantage plans, some employer plans and some state Medicaid programmes do, the VA provides them to eligible veterans, and they are generally an eligible HSA and FSA expense. When is hearing loss a medical emergency? Sudden hearing loss, especially in one ear, needs urgent medical attention — outcomes are substantially better with prompt treatment. Also see a doctor for one-sided loss, ear pain or discharge, dizziness, or one-sided or pulsatile tinnitus.