Pillar guide
Hearing aids in Canada: styles, technology and cost
Hearing aids come in many different styles and technology levels, making it challenging to understand the difference between the various options. This guide helps explain the difference, and the key things to understand before deciding on a technology option.
How does a hearing aid actually work?
Every hearing aid, regardless of style, works the same way. One or two microphones, depending on the style of device, pick up sound and convert it into an electrical signal. A digital processor analyses that signal and reshapes it based on your audiogram. A receiver then delivers the sound into your ear canal.
It is important to understand that a modern hearing aid does not simply make everything louder. Hearing aids today amplify specific frequencies based on your hearing loss, amplifying where you need it and leaving the frequencies with residual hearing alone. Modern hearing aids also compress loud sounds so that they remain comfortable, and not too loud. This type of amplification is what separates a prescription hearing aid obtained from a hearing care professional from a personal sound amplifier, such as the over-the-counter (OTC) devices found online.1
What differs between technology levels is how intelligent the processing scheme is at handling difficult listening situations, such as when there are several people speaking or background noise is present. Our guide to hearing aid technology covers the individual features in more detail.
Which style of hearing aid is right for you?
The style of hearing aid determines how visible the hearing aid is, how much amplification it is able to deliver and whether it has Bluetooth capability.
Use the filters below to see which style may suit your individual priorities. It is important to consult with a hearing care provider to see what their recommendation is, based on your personal preferences and individual hearing loss.
Style finder
Filter by what matters to youBTE
Behind-the-ear
The electronics sit in a case behind the ear, connected by a clear tube to a custom earmould. The largest style, and the most capable: room for a big battery, powerful amplification without feedback, and controls big enough to use without looking.
Best for: Strongest choice for severe to profound loss, for children, and for anyone who finds small devices fiddly.
RIC
Receiver-in-canal
A slim case behind the ear connects by an almost invisible wire to a receiver that sits in the canal. Moving the speaker into the ear keeps the body small and leaves the canal more open, which makes your own voice sound more natural.
Best for: The most commonly fitted adult style, and the usual starting point for mild through severe loss.
ITE
In-the-ear (full shell)
A single custom-moulded shell fills the bowl of the outer ear. Nothing sits behind the ear, which suits glasses and masks, and the larger faceplate leaves room for a manual volume control and a longer-lasting battery.
Best for: People who want a one-piece device with physical controls and no behind-the-ear component.
ITC
In-the-canal
A custom shell filling the outer portion of the canal — smaller and less noticeable than a full-shell in-the-ear aid, while keeping just enough faceplate for a small battery and, on some models, wireless streaming.
Best for: A middle ground for mild to moderate loss when discretion matters but total invisibility does not.
CIC
Completely-in-canal
Sits entirely within the canal with only a small removal cord showing. Being deep in the ear means less wind noise and a more natural use of your own outer-ear acoustics, at the cost of battery size and on-device features.
Best for: Mild to moderate loss where being barely visible is the priority.
IIC
Invisible-in-canal
The smallest style made, placed deep in the canal and effectively invisible in normal conversation. There is no room for rechargeability or a wireless antenna, batteries are tiny and short-lived, and insertion and removal take steady fingers.
Best for: Mild to moderate loss where invisibility outweighs every other consideration.
How the styles compare side by side
The same six styles, with the specifications that most often decide the choice. Visibility is relative to a typical ear and hairstyle; suitability ranges reflect what each style can deliver without feedback.
| Style | Where it sits | Suits | Visibility | Rechargeable | Streaming | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTE | Case behind the ear, tube to a custom earmould | Mild – profound | Most visible | Widely | Yes | Easiest |
| RIC / RITE | Case behind the ear, thin wire to a receiver in the canal | Mild – severe | Discreet | Widely | Yes | Easy |
| ITE | Custom shell filling the bowl of the outer ear | Mild – severe | Noticeable | Some models | Yes | Easy |
| ITC | Custom shell in the outer part of the canal | Mild – moderate | Subtle | Rare | Some models | Moderate |
| CIC | Custom shell sitting fully inside the canal | Mild – moderate | Barely visible | No | Rare | Needs dexterity |
| IIC | Custom shell placed deep in the canal | Mild – moderate | Essentially invisible | No | No | Needs dexterity |
Rechargeability and streaming availability move quickly as manufacturers release new platforms — treat this as the current shape of the market rather than a permanent constraint.
What do you get for paying more?
Manufacturers sell most hearing aid families in several technology levels built on the same physical device. Going up technology levels does not make the sound louder and does not change what your audiogram needs, but it allows for more sophisticated handling of noise in complex listening environments.
Entry-level hearing aids are able to amplify sound well in a quiet room and when speaking with a single communication partner. As you increase technology levels, the hearing aids add faster and more granular noise reduction, allowing the devices to separate speech from competing noise better.
- If you are mostly at home, one-to-one, in quiet environments — a lower tier device may suit your needs.
- If you work, socialise or eat out in noisy restaurants — mid to upper tiers will perform better in these challenging situations.
- If you are choosing based on the cost of the devices — compare what is included in that cost.
What do hearing aids cost, and what help is available?
Hearing aids in Canada are typically priced per ear, and the amount quoted usually bundles the professional services such as the assessment, fitting, verification, programming adjustments and follow-up visits. Sometimes these services are included during the warranty period of the device, and other times they are included over the life of the hearing aid. This is why it is important to understand what is included in the cost you are being quoted. Our guide to hearing aid prices in Canada looks at the current ranges depending on technology level and what is included.
Depending on the province you live in, some of this cost can be covered by provincial device programs, as well as veterans’ benefits, Indigenous health benefits, workers’ compensation for occupational noise loss, private insurance and federal tax credits if you are eligible. The companion guide to hearing aid funding across Canada looks at each.
How does getting fitted actually work?
Buying hearing aids is a course of care, rather than a transaction. Hearing aids require life-long maintenance to ensure that they are working properly for you. A typical path in Canada runs like this.
The fitting path
Five appointments, start to follow-up- 1
Diagnostic hearing assessment
A full diagnostic hearing test producing an audiogram, typically performed with speech-in-noise testing. This allows the hearing care professional to establish where you require amplification, and also rules out any potential medical causes that need treating first.
- 2
Discussion and selection
Your hearing assessment narrows down the style of hearing aid that may work for you. In addition, your lifestyle, dexterity, budget and funding eligibility narrow this down further. Ask what is included in the cost, what the trial terms are, as well as the warranty that is included with the devices.
- 3
Fitting and verification
The hearing aids are then programmed to your hearing loss and verified with real-ear measurements to confirm what amplification the device is delivering inside your ear canal, rather than what the fitting software predicts.
- 4
Trial and acclimatisation
Most clinics offer a trial period, during which the hearing aids can be returned or exchanged if you are not seeing the improvement you were hoping for. During the first few weeks with the devices, expect that your own voice and everyday sounds will seem unnaturally sharp at first. Over time, the brain re-adapts and this becomes less noticeable the more that you wear the hearing aids.
- 5
Follow-up and ongoing care
Fine-tuning appointments once you have worn the hearing aids, periodic cleaning, servicing and re-testing are all important ongoing care factors. Hearing changes over time, so it is important to have your hearing re-tested and the hearing aids adjusted on an annual basis.
Questions worth asking before you commit
- What is the total price per ear, and exactly which appointments, adjustments and repairs does it include?
- What does the same device cost one tier down, and what would I lose?
- Will you verify the fitting with real-ear measurement?
- How long is the trial or return period, and is any part of the payment non-refundable?
- What is covered by warranty, for how long, and is loss and damage included?
- Am I eligible for provincial funding, and will you handle the application paperwork?
- Do you fit devices from more than one manufacturer?
- What happens if my hearing changes — are re-programming appointments included?
Common questions
Do I need one hearing aid or two?
Are cheaper online or over-the-counter hearing aids worth considering?
How long do hearing aids last?
Will a hearing aid restore normal hearing?
Rechargeable or disposable batteries?
Sources
- Health Canada — hearing aids are Class II medical devices under the Medical Devices Regulations (SOR/98-282), and a manufacturer needs a medical device licence before selling one in Canada.
- World Health Organization — Deafness and hearing loss fact sheet.
- Government of British Columbia — Approving access to over-the-counter hearing aids, 17 June 2026. B.C. is the first province to permit non-prescription sales; the position elsewhere in Canada still differs by province.
This guide is general information about hearing devices, not medical advice, and device suitability depends on a hearing assessment. Speak to an audiologist or hearing instrument practitioner about your own hearing before purchasing.