The best online hearing tests of 2024

Online hearing tests are a great starting point to see if you may have hearing loss. They are convenient and easy to use. However, your results can be skewed if you don’t follow every instruction, including calibrating your volume correctly. In addition, online hearing tests are not as comprehensive as in-office hearing tests and cannot diagnose the type or source of your hearing loss. Audiologists have expertise and better tools, and they work in sound-treated rooms with professional equipment, per Healthy hearingTherefore, even if your online test does not detect any problems, it is worth taking an in-person exam if you are experiencing any problems with your hearing or ears.

Online tests typically consist of only one or two of the following test types:

• Pure tone, where tones of different frequencies are listened to
• Speech-in-noise or background noise, where a specific sound is listened to above background noise
• Speech audiometry, which tests how well you can hear spoken audio at different volumes

An in-office hearing test may include all of the above types of tests and more. These include (but are not limited to):

• Bone conduction testing, which tests specific areas of the ear for problems such as fluid buildup
• Tympanometry, which tests how well your eardrum moves
• Otoacoustic emission testwhich looks at the function of your inner ear
• Physical examination of the structures of the ear

Although online hearing tests are usually free, in-office hearing tests can incur a fee. However, if you have health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, annual hearing tests are likely covered. Otherwise, costs vary by provider or location.