Costco vs Miracle-Ear vs Beltone vs an independent audiologist

Costco is usually the cheapest of the three chains and lists the longest return window. Miracle-Ear and Beltone bundle years of free cleanings and checkups but publish 30-day return windows. An independent practice is the most likely of the four to have an audiologist registered at the address.

In HearingTracker's 2025 survey of U.S. buyers, Costco pairs averaged $1,674, national chains such as Miracle-Ear and Beltone averaged $3,403, and local audiology practices averaged $3,601 ^[1]. In the federal NPI registry, 52% of independent practices have an audiologist registered at the address, compared with 12% of Beltone, 5% of Miracle-Ear and 2% of Costco locations ^[2].

Any of the four can fit hearing aids well if they test you fully, check the fit and stay with you through follow-up. This guide puts them side by side using each company's published terms and DrAuditory's own analysis of the registry.

DrAuditory isn't affiliated with Costco, Miracle-Ear, Beltone or any clinic, and earns nothing from them.

Costco vs Miracle-Ear vs Beltone vs independent practices at a glance

Location and staffing counts are DrAuditory's own analysis of the federal National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), September 2026 release ^[2]. See how we build this directory for the method. Policies come from each company's own website as of October 2026.

	Costco Hearing Aid Center	Miracle-Ear	Beltone	Independent practices
Locations in the registry	185 in 40 states	569 in 48 states	217 in 40 states	12,366 in 50 states and DC
Locations with an audiologist registered	2%	5%	12%	52%
Audiologists / hearing aid specialists registered	5 / 10	26 / 546	29 / 233	n/a
Who runs it	Costco Wholesale, inside its warehouses [3]	Amplifon, through company-run and franchised stores [4]	Independently owned centers; Beltone is a GN trademark [5]	Local owners
Hearing aids	Philips, Jabra, Rexton and Sonite [6]	Miracle-Ear brand; maker not named [7]	Beltone brand, made by GN [8]	Whatever the practice carries
Published return window	180 days [9]	30 days from the end of fitting; fitting fees may apply [10]	30 days from receiving the aids; fees may reduce the refund [11]	Set by the practice; most states require at least 30 days [12]
Price	Pairs listed from $1,599.99, varying by state [6]	Quoted in store [13]; national chains averaged $3,403 [1]	National chains averaged $3,403 [1]	Local practices averaged $3,601 [1]
Follow-up care	Free service appointments for aids bought there [6]	Free lifetime aftercare, except with some insurance purchases [14]	Belcare annual checks and cleanings, private pay only [11]	Ask what visits are bundled
Warranty	Loss-and-damage warranty; terms not on its benefits page [9]	3-year limited warranty on almost all aids [15]	12 months of repair and of loss and damage cover, with a deductible [16]	Set by the maker and the practice

What the registry shows, and what it doesn't. NPPES only shows providers who registered a National Provider Identifier (NPI) at that address. Hearing aid specialists who don't bill insurance often have no NPI, and warehouse-club staff are rarely linked to the store's NPI. So these numbers show what the federal registry shows, not a staffing audit. Ask any location who will test and fit you, and what their license is.

Costco, for example, says its licensed staff run free on-site hearing tests ^[3]. Audiologists need a doctor of audiology degree, and every state requires them to be licensed ^[17]. Hearing aid specialists are licensed by state or provincial authorities to test hearing and fit hearing aids, and the rules vary by state ^[18]. Either can do a good fitting, so ask what steps they follow.

What buyers paid

HearingTracker surveyed U.S. hearing aid owners in 2025 and analyzed 879 pair purchases with a reported price, leaving out aids from the VA ^[1]. Prices are self-reported, so treat them as a guide rather than exact market rates.

Where people bought	Average per pair	Median per pair
Costco	$1,674	$1,600
National chains such as Miracle-Ear and Beltone	$3,403	Not reported
Local audiology clinics and private practices	$3,601	Not reported
Traditional clinic, using an insurance benefit	$2,567	$2,000
Traditional clinic, no insurance	$4,727	$5,000

The survey also listed per-brand averages of $2,788 a pair for Miracle-Ear and $1,755 for Beltone ^[1]. Each figure rests on only 34 buyers who reported a price, and the brand table doesn't say how many used insurance. Don't read much into the gap between the two.

Who did the fitting also tracked with price. Private-pay buyers fitted by an audiologist reported a median of $4,200 a pair, versus $1,600 for private-pay buyers fitted by a hearing instrument specialist ^[1].

Costco posts its prices online ^[6]. Miracle-Ear's site says you get your personalized price in store ^[13].

What each option does well, and what you give up

Costco Hearing Aid Center

What it does well

• Lower listed prices. Costco lists pairs from $1,599.99, and prices vary by state ^[6].
• The longest return window of the three chains. Costco lists a 180-day return policy ^[9].
• Brand-name aids. The lineup includes Philips, Jabra, Rexton and Sonite models ^[6]. HearingTracker notes that Jabra and Rexton come from the same parent companies as ReSound and Signia, and that Philips aids are made under a Demant license ^[1].
• Free service. Members 18 and older get a free hearing test, and service appointments are free for aids bought there ^[6].

What you give up

• Membership. The free hearing test is for Costco members ^[6].
• Few audiologists on record. Only 2% of Costco locations have an audiologist registered, though the registry misses many warehouse staff ^[2].
• Unpublished warranty terms. Costco lists a loss-and-damage warranty but doesn't give its length or deductible on that page ^[9]. Ask for both in writing.
• A short brand list. Four brands are featured on its hearing aid page ^[6]. If you want a model from another maker, you'll need to shop elsewhere.

See every Costco hearing aid center in the directory.

Miracle-Ear

What it does well

• Reach. Miracle-Ear is part of Amplifon, a hearing care retailer based in Milan, Italy. Amplifon says the U.S. network had more than 420 company-run locations and about 1,200 franchised ones in April 2025 ^[4].
• Aftercare in the price. Miracle-Ear includes free lifetime aftercare, with quarterly cleanings and checks and a yearly hearing test, at any of its locations nationwide ^[14].
• A longer warranty. It advertises a 3-year limited warranty on almost all of its hearing aids ^[15].
• A free hearing test. Its terms say the test is always free and is not a medical exam ^[10].

What you give up

• No prices online. You get a price in store ^[13].
• A 30-day window that starts after fitting. Aids may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the completion of fitting, in satisfactory condition, and fitting fees may apply ^[10].
• Insurance can change the deal. Lifetime aftercare isn't included with aids bought using some insurance benefits ^[14].
• Own-brand devices. Miracle-Ear sells Miracle-Ear-branded aids, and its product page doesn't name the maker ^[7]. That makes like-for-like price checks with other sellers harder.
• Few audiologists on record. 5% of locations have one registered, alongside 546 registered hearing aid specialists ^[2].

See all Miracle-Ear locations in the directory.

Beltone

What it does well

• Ongoing care. Beltone's Belcare program includes free annual hearing assessments, plus inspections and cleanings for as long as you own the aids, at Beltone centers throughout North America ^[11].
• Protection if your hearing gets worse. If a new test within two years of purchase shows a permanent, measurable increase in hearing loss, Beltone says it will provide a more powerful hearing aid at no charge ^[11].
• More audiologists on record than the other two chains. 12% of Beltone locations have one registered ^[2].

What you give up

• Terms can vary by office. Beltone centers are independently owned and operated ^[5], and Beltone's warranty calls the seller "an independent local businessperson" ^[16].
• A shorter standard warranty. New aids get a 12-month limited warranty and 12 months of lost, stolen and damaged coverage with a deductible. Second- and third-year coverage costs extra ^[16].
• Belcare is private-pay only. Aids bought through insurance or discount programs may come with a different service plan ^[11].
• A 30-day window. You may return aids within 30 days of receiving them, in original condition, at a participating center. Service, deposit or restocking fees can reduce the refund ^[11].

See all Beltone locations in the directory.

An independent audiologist or hearing practice

What it does well

• Audiologists on site more often. 52% of independent practices and individual providers have an audiologist registered at the address ^[2].
• The care model with the strongest trial results. In a 2025 randomized trial, full audiologist fittings, including real-ear checks, beat over-the-counter style care ^[19]. Ask any practice whether it follows those steps.

What you give up

• Higher typical prices. Local audiology practices averaged $3,601 a pair, and private-pay buyers fitted by an audiologist reported a median of $4,200 ^[1].
• No single policy. Trial length, fees and warranty vary by practice and by state. Consumer Reports says most states require at least a 30-day trial for prescription hearing aids ^[12].
• One location. If you travel or move often, a chain's network can make service easier.

Use the city search to find independent practices near you.

Who owns whom: Miracle-Ear, Beltone and a pending deal

Miracle-Ear is part of Amplifon ^[4]. Beltone centers are independently owned, and Beltone is a trademark of GN Hearing Care Corporation ^[5].

Beltone's hearing aids come from GN. In August 2026, GN announced its Beltone Illuminate family alongside its ReSound Sensia line ^[8].

In March 2026, GN agreed to sell its hearing business to Amplifon. In its August 2026 report, GN said it still expected the sale to be completed by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and separating the hearing business from the rest of GN ^[8].

If the deal closes, the company behind Miracle-Ear would also own the maker of Beltone hearing aids. Beltone centers are independently owned ^[5], so any effect on their terms isn't known yet. If you buy near the closing date, get the warranty and Belcare terms in writing.

Questions to ask any of them

Ask the same questions at each place and write the answers down. NIDCD suggests asking about the trial period, how long the warranty lasts and what it covers, and which fees are nonrefundable if you return the aids ^[20].

1. Who will test and fit me, and what license do they hold?
2. Will you check the fit with real-ear measurement? See the next section.
3. How long is the trial, and when does it start? Miracle-Ear counts from the end of fitting ^[10]. Beltone counts from when you receive the aids ^[11].
4. What will I lose if I return them? Ask for every nonrefundable fee in dollars.
5. What does the warranty cover, for how long, and is there a deductible for loss or damage?
6. Which follow-up visits are included, and for how long? Ask whether using insurance changes that, as it can at Miracle-Ear and Beltone ^{[14] [11]}.
7. Can I get service at another location? Miracle-Ear offers aftercare at any of its locations ^[14], and Belcare covers Beltone centers throughout North America ^[11].
8. What exact brand, model and technology level is this? Get it on the written quote.

Real-ear measurement: the test to ask for

Real-ear measurement checks what the hearing aid actually delivers inside your ear. A thin probe microphone sits in your ear canal next to the aid, and the provider adjusts the aid to match a prescription target for your hearing loss. ASHA calls real-ear measures "the gold standard in hearing aid fitting verification," partly because they account for the size and shape of each ear canal ^[21].

It makes a measurable difference. In a 2025 randomized trial of 245 adults over 55 with mild to moderate hearing loss, people fitted by audiologists using a full, evidence-based process, including real-ear measures, did better than people using over-the-counter style care ^[19]. Whether the aids cost about $1,100 or $4,400 a pair made no significant difference ^[19].

The Costco, Miracle-Ear and Beltone pages cited here don't say whether real-ear measurement is part of every fitting. So ask every provider, chain or independent, and get the answer before you pay. There's more on this in how to choose a hearing aid provider.

How to compare two quotes

Get each quote in writing and line them up item by item. A lower price with a short trial and no included visits isn't always the better deal.

Line item	Quote A	Quote B
Brand, model and technology level
Price per pair
Trial length, and when it starts
Nonrefundable fees if returned
Repair warranty (years)
Loss and damage coverage, and deductible
Follow-up visits included, and for how long
Does using insurance change what's included?
Real-ear measurement at the fitting?
Service at other locations?

Published terms show how far apart the line items can be. Costco lists a 180-day return policy ^[9], while Beltone's return window is 30 days ^[11]. Miracle-Ear's 3-year limited warranty ^[15] runs longer than Beltone's 12-month standard warranty, though Beltone sells extra years ^[16]. Put those differences next to the price before you decide.

For a full walk-through of bundled and itemized pricing, see how much hearing aids cost. To compare every chain in the directory, start at hearing aid centers. Or find a hearing provider near you and ask each one for the same written quote.