| Provider type | Test price | Aid from-price | Aftercare | Source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS NHS audiology, after a GP referral (or self-referral where your area allows it) | Free | Free, on long-term loan. Usually behind-the-ear; occasionally receiver-in-the-ear | Batteries, repairs and follow-up appointments free. There may be a charge to replace a lost or broken aid | nhs.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Audika Hearing-care chain (Hidden Hearing and Amplifon UK are now Audika) | Free, age 19 and over | No from-price published. Audika says it "can't give you an exact price" before a test | Servicing for the life of the aid; 24-month warranty; 60-day money-back guarantee; batteries free for three years. Optional Oneplan cover from £75 a year | audika.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Boots Hearingcare High-street pharmacy chain | Free in store | From £695 a pair (Essentials). Rechargeable from £995. Top tier from £4,195 | Lifetime aftercare; up to four years' warranty; 90-day money-back guarantee; annual hearing tests | bootshearingcare.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Specsavers High-street optician chain | Free in store | From £500 a pair (Advance range). Listed models up to £3,000 a pair. Rechargeable from £1,000 | Aftercare with a two-year follow-up; four-year warranty; 100-day money-back guarantee; charger or four years' batteries | specsavers.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| All About Hearing Independent audiologist, Suffolk | £30 hearing screening (30 minutes, pass or fail) or £60 comprehensive assessment (75 minutes) | Devices from £999. The page does not say whether that is per aid or per pair | Fitting, manufacturer warranty and an aftercare programme included. Length not stated | allabouthearing.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| The Hearing Specialist Independent audiologist, south-west London (four clinics) | £59 assessment | From £1,695 a pair. Single aids from £798. Premium tier up to £4,400 a pair | Four-year warranty and four years of unlimited aftercare included | thehearingspecialist.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
- Boots Hearingcare: The same Boots page also says, in general terms, that private aids "typically start from around £695 per device". Its own price line says £695 per pair. Ask for the quote in writing. (checked 5 October 2026)
- Specsavers: Specsavers says other levels of branded technology are available beyond the models it lists, so £3,000 is the top of its published list, not a ceiling. (checked 5 October 2026)
Each row is the provider's own published wording, opened by Pete on 5 October 2026. Rows are grouped by type and listed alphabetically within each type. That is not a ranking. Prices are for a pair unless the row says otherwise. A provider may change a price at any time; its written quote is what counts. We delete a row we cannot re-open. Listing a provider here does not mean it is a partner of ours. Full list on Sources.
What can this site do, and what can it not do?
This is not medical advice. We are not a clinic, not the NHS, not an audiologist and not a hearing-aid shop. We do not test hearing, fit aids, diagnose, read an audiogram or hold an appointment. We cannot tell you whether a hearing aid would help you.
Do not use this form if you have sudden hearing loss in one ear, sudden dizziness with hearing loss, or bleeding from the ear. NICE guideline NG98 (last updated 2 October 2023) says hearing loss that came on over three days or less, within the last 30 days, should be seen by a specialist within 24 hours. Ask for a same-day GP appointment, call 111, or go to A&E.
What we can do: show the prices we opened and dated, explain the NHS and private routes, and, if you ask, pass your request to one independent audiology clinic that covers your area. That is free for you. The clinic may pay us.
How does asking a clinic to contact you work?
- Test or aids. A hearing test tells you where you stand. Hearing aids are a separate decision after it. The test is often free; the aids are where the cost is.
- One ear or both. Say which. A change in one ear only is worth raising with a GP first. How many aids, if any, is for you and the audiologist after the test.
- Clinic or home. Most people go to a clinic. A home visit is a different product. No partner clinic takes home-visit requests yet, so we only pass on clinic requests.
- Ask one clinic to contact you. Use the form. One partner clinic may call or email you. Nothing is booked until you agree a time and a price with them.
Why is a private hearing test free?
Because it is usually a shop appointment, and the shop earns its money on the aids, not the test. That is not a reason to avoid it. It is a reason to know what you are walking into. When we opened their pages on 5 October 2026, Specsavers said hearing tests "are free of charge for everyone" with "no obligation for you to buy a hearing aid". Boots Hearingcare said its test is "completely free, no pressure, no obligation". Audika advertised a free test with "No obligations", for people aged 19 and over.
Is a free hearing test a full diagnostic assessment?
Not necessarily, and we do not call one that unless the provider does. Each chain uses its own words, so here they are, checked 5 October 2026:
- Specsavers: its hearing test page offers "a free, comprehensive hearing check" and says "A comprehensive hearing assessment by one of our qualified hearing professionals is free." The terms at the foot of the same page say: "A hearing check by one of our qualified hearing professionals is free. No obligation to buy a hearing aid. A hearing assessment may be chargeable. Ask in-store for details." Its aftercare page adds that if you decide to buy, "we'll do a thorough hearing assessment".
- Boots Hearingcare: "a free, thorough hearing assessment". The same page describes the in-store hearing check as "a quick, 15-minute check" and says tests "usually take 15-30 minutes".
- Audika: a free test including an ear examination and a "comprehensive hearing assessment" with tone tests and a speech-in-noise test, with same-day results.
So ask, when you book: is this a screening or a full assessment, and which tests are included? NICE guideline NG98 (last updated 2 October 2023), recommendation 1.5.1, lists what an audiological assessment should record, including a full history, otoscopy (looking in the ear), pure tone audiometry and, if indicated, tympanometry. The NHS website (page last reviewed 12 November 2024) says a hearing test usually takes 15 minutes to an hour.
What is a paid screening, and how is it different?
Some independent clinics charge and name the difference. On 5 October 2026, All About Hearing in Suffolk listed a £30 hearing screening (30 minutes, one "you either pass or fail") and a £60 comprehensive assessment (75 minutes). The Hearing Specialist in south-west London listed a £59 assessment. A screening is not the same as a full assessment. See hearing test cost.
What do the aids cost after a free test?
This is where the money is. Checked 5 October 2026, each provider on its own:
- NHS: free on long-term loan after a referral, with free batteries and repairs (NHS website, opened 5 October 2026).
- Specsavers: pairs from £500, rechargeable from £1,000 (checked 5 October 2026).
- Boots Hearingcare: pairs from £695, rising to £4,195 for its top tier (checked 5 October 2026).
- Audika: no price published; it says it "can't give you an exact price" before a test (checked 5 October 2026).
- The Hearing Specialist: pairs from £1,695, single aids from £798 (checked 5 October 2026).
- All About Hearing: devices from £999, per aid or per pair not stated (checked 5 October 2026).
More on hearing aid cost and aftercare.
What is not included in a free test?
- Hearing aids. They are paid unless the NHS is fitting them.
- Wax removal. A different appointment, often with its own fee. Specsavers' terms mention £55 for wax removal in store (checked 5 October 2026).
- A diagnosis of the cause. A test measures your hearing. Some results lead to a GP or specialist referral instead of aids.
Can I take my results away and think?
Yes. Specsavers, Boots Hearingcare and Audika all say there is no obligation to buy. Ask for a copy of your results so you can compare quotes. We cannot read them for you.
Is a free hearing test really free?
The test is. On 5 October 2026, Specsavers, Boots Hearingcare and Audika advertised free tests with no obligation to buy. The aids are the cost, unless the NHS is fitting them.
Is a free hearing test the same as a full hearing assessment?
Not always. Specsavers' terms say "A hearing assessment may be chargeable", and Boots Hearingcare describes its in-store check as a quick 15-minute check. Ask whether you are booked for a screening or a full assessment.
Do I have to buy hearing aids after a free hearing test?
No. Specsavers, Boots Hearingcare and Audika all say there is no obligation to buy. Ask for a copy of your results and compare quotes.
Want one clinic to call you? Request a private hearing appointment. Free for you; the clinic may pay us.