| 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 often free?
Because it is usually a shop appointment, and the shop earns its money on the aids, not the test. 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", and Boots Hearingcare said its test is "completely free, no pressure, no obligation". Audika also advertised a free test for people aged 19 and over. Free is genuinely free for the test. The aids, if you decide to buy them, are the cost. More on free hearing tests.
What does a free test include?
Each chain uses its own words, so we quote them rather than relabel them. On 5 October 2026, Specsavers described "a free, comprehensive hearing check", starting with a camera check of the ear canal and eardrum. Boots Hearingcare described "a free, thorough hearing assessment" and an "ear health check". Audika promised "same-day results". We do not call any of these a full diagnostic assessment unless the provider says so. Ask which tests are included.
The NHS website (page last reviewed 12 November 2024) lists tests an audiologist may use: pure tone audiometry (beeps through headphones), speech audiometry (words instead of beeps) and tympanometry (how the eardrum moves). It says a test usually takes 15 minutes to an hour.
What does a paid test at an independent clinic cost?
On 5 October 2026, All About Hearing in Suffolk listed a £30 hearing screening (30 minutes, which it describes as 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. If a screening suggests a problem, expect to be offered the longer test.
What should I ask before I book?
- Is this a screening or a full assessment, and which tests are included?
- Will I get a copy of my results?
- Is there any obligation to buy, and what do aids cost if I want them?
- How long is the appointment, and can someone come with me?
- What happens if my ears need wax removal? That is a different appointment, often with its own fee.
Is an online hearing test enough?
No. The NHS website says simple online tests for adults aged 18 and over can tell you whether you need a face-to-face test. An online test is a first step, not a diagnosis.
How do I get a free NHS hearing test?
Ask a GP. The NHS website says a GP can refer you to a hearing specialist (audiologist) for a free test. Some areas also let you refer yourself to an NHS hearing service. Ask the GP surgery what applies locally. See NHS or private.
How much is a private hearing test?
Often free at a high-street chain. On 5 October 2026, Specsavers, Boots Hearingcare and Audika advertised free tests, and the independent clinics we checked charged £30 to £60.
Is a free hearing test a sales appointment?
It is usually a shop appointment, and the shop's money is in the aids. Specsavers and Boots Hearingcare both say there is no obligation to buy.
Do I need a GP referral for a private hearing test?
No. Private clinics and chains take bookings directly. For a free NHS test you usually need a GP referral, or self-referral where your area allows it.
Want one clinic to call you? Request a private hearing appointment. Free for you; the clinic may pay us.