Starkey Hearing Aids: Models, Features, Prices, and Reviews (2024)

Starkey hearing aids are the flagship brand of Starkey Hearing Technologies, one of the world's top hearing aid manufacturers. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Starkey is the only US company among the "Big Five," a group of companies that collectively controls more than 80% of the global market for hearing aids.

William (Bill) F. Austin founded Starkey Hearing in 1967, initially as an earmold fabrication and repair service shop for hearing aids. The company soon began building its own hearing aids and gradually expanded sales worldwide. In the past decade, Starkey has invested heavily in research and development, delivering innovations in sound processing, wireless technologies, and miniaturization. Today, Starkey Hearing has more than 5,000 employees and operates in more than 100 countries.

Starkey hearing aid technologies

Starkey makes premium hearing aids for all levels of hearing loss, programmed by a hearing care professional (HCP) based on the results of your hearing test. In recent years, the company has established a position as a leading developer of emerging hearing aid technologies, including artificial intelligence-driven hearing aids. Here are some notable Starkey "firsts":

• 1970s: Starkey created waves in the industry by establishing one of the first trial periods available for hearing aids—now a standard consumer safeguard for professionally dispensed hearing aids. It also introduced some of the first in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids.
• 1980-90s: Starkey was among the first to advance miniaturization technology to deliver "invisible hearing aids" that sit deep within the ear canal—custom in-ear hearing aid technology that the company is still known for.
• 2017: Starkey was an early entrant in the Made-for-iPhone hearing aid market with its Halo hearing aids.
• 2018: Starkey introduced Livio and what it called the "first hearing aid with integrated sensors and artificial intelligence”; for example, a sensor-based fall-detection feature can alert loved ones if you take a spill.
• 2020: Livio hearing aids with integrated sensor technology were offered in a rechargeable custom-fitted form factor, and Starkey launched a table microphone for improved hearing in groups; the company also added native audio streaming for select Android smartphones.
• 2021: Starkey introduced Evolv AI, which offers health and fitness sensors, fall alerts, telehealth capabilities, language translation, and hands-free phone calls on iPhone.
• 2023: Genesis AI is launched, a completely new hearing aid platform “reimagined from the inside out” that the company believes will come to define AI-assisted hearing healthcare.
• 2024: Edge AI is the latest AI-powered hearing aid from Starkey that features a Neuro Processor that the company says is 9 times faster than Phonak's co-processor and provides 30% better speech detection than Genesis AI.

Starkey hearing aid models

Starkey provides a broad line of hearing aids for all forms of hearing loss. Multiple levels of technology and features accommodate users' individual needs. Its model styles include custom invisible in-the-canal (IIC), in-the-ear (ITE), and receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids, as well as powerful behind-the-ear (BTE) solutions.

As you'll see below, there are significant differences between Starkey's Edge AI, Genesis AI, and Evolv AI hearing aid platforms. But the key thing that sets each apart is their speech-in-noise processing capabilities. In fact, we think you can find exceptional value in all three of Starkey's last three product introductions—Evolv AI, Genesis AI, and Edge AI—as they represent a good-better-best choice of AI-driven hearing aids, with the older models holding exceptional value.

We'll explain them further below and provide you with a comparison chart so you can judge for yourself. For more detailed information on the products, please visit the individual product pages.

Starkey Edge AI hearing aid

Starkey's latest flagship hearing aid is Edge AI, introduced in October 2024, which features the company's super-fast integrated G2 chip with enhanced Deep Neural Network (DNN) capabilities, LE Audio with Auracast-ready capabilities, a new Smart Assistant and balance assessment screener, and an improved anti-moisture system that was already one of the best in the industry. Importantly, even with the power-hungry DNN and AI-powered processing, Starkey engineers managed to keep the battery life roughly equal to the impressive levels found in the previous-generation Genesis AI hearing aids.

You can think of DNN in hearing aids as an intelligent system that can be "taught" to recognize and filter sounds. Just like your brain can learn to focus on a voice in a noisy room, the DNN, combined with motion sensor technology, improves speech clarity and reduces background noise in different sound environments. Starkey's latest Edge AI offers 100 times the DNN processing of Starkey's previous Genesis AI platform, and reportedly provides users with up to 13 dB SNR improvement in noisy environments and 6 dB extra noise reduction in low-level noise environments—levels that would have been impossible only a few years ago.

Edge AI uses a single neural processing unit (NPU) that is integrated within one chip, storing all the information and using the DNN to process all the sound. This chip is employed throughout the entire product line—not just one hearing aid. Starkey says this integrated chip results in two key advantages: 1) a smaller size that allows products like the Edge AI microRIC to be the industry's smallest rechargeable RIC with an inertial sensor, and 2) sound processing that is 2.7 times more energy-efficient than co-processor technology and yields up to 51 hours of battery life per charge.

These hearing aids are designed for a long battery life of 41 to 51 hours, depending on the style, meaning they have power throughout the day while extending the devices' practical service through the years without battery replacement.

Additionally, Edge AI incorporates Bluetooth^® Low-Energy (LE) that is Auracast-ready with a firmware update. The hearing aids offer wireless audio streaming (except in the non-wireless CIC and IIC models) for Apple iOS and Android, with hands-free calling for compatible iOS devices (iOS 15 and later). With Edge AI, Starkey has also introducedDemo Stream, which allows your provider to customize the streaming frequency response while you're wearing the devices, tailoring them better to your listening preferences.

In recent years, Starkey has incorporated a range of health and fitness tracking features into its hearing aids. It has the only hearing aid fall-alert system, capable of contacting a friend or loved one if the device detects that you've taken a spill. With Edge AI, the company has now introduced a balanced assessment system that can be used in the privacy of your own home to determine if you're at risk for a fall. There is also a built-in live-captioning language translator that translates 77 languages.

Edge AI hearing aids are available in almost all styles, ranging from the microRIC R rechargeable and RIC with a size 312 disposable battery, to the tiny completely-in-canal (CIC) custom hearing aids in 3 tech levels (24, 20, and 16). The RIC RT (rechargeable + telecoil) and RIC 312 models areCROS-compatiblefor people with single-sided deafness.

Here are some of the key features and unique offerings available from Genesis AI:

Key features of Starkey Edge AI

The following features are available in Edge AI. Many of these features are also available in Genesis AI and Evolv AI, and a comparison chart is offered below for a full breakdown of features in the three product families.

• Onboard DNN processing: Edge AI’s primary sound processing engine relies on DNN and a patented additive compression system designed to reduce background noise and enhance speech clarity in multiple environments.
• Edge Mode+: A kind of "booster" when you're in noisy environments; when you press the Edge Mode+ button in the MyStarkey app, the aid moves into a more aggressive speech-in-noise strategy. You can also orient it to favor either "Comfort" or "Speech Clarity."
• DNN always on after Edge Mode+: Once you engage Edge Mode+, the DNN is automatically engaged, continuously conducting an AI-based analysis of the environment and making immediate adjustments.
• Latest Bluetooth LE and Auracast-ready: Edge AI employs the latest Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) wireless technology which improves connectivity and streamed sound quality, reduces battery power consumption, and makes the new hearing aids Auracast-ready with a firmware update.
• Long battery life: Edge and Genesis AI have some of the longest advertised battery life—for both rechargeable and disposable batteries—available on the market.
• Wide dynamic range: Starkey's has widened the dynamic range of Edge and Genesis hearing aids by 20 dB, giving users a more transparent listening experience when in quiet and loud environments without hearing a lot of distortion.
• IP68 and IP68+: All rechargeable Starkey aids are IP68, and Edge AI has extra moisture protection and testing to make it water-resistant to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.
• Hands-free calling: Supports hands-free calling on iOS devices running iOS 15 or higher.
• Tap controls: Enables you to easily stop or start audio streaming by simply tapping your ear twice; tap can also engage Edge Mode+ (tech level 24 only).
• Fall detection: Detects when you fall and sends an alert message to selected contacts.
• Self-guided balance assessment: Edge AI offers a way for you to assess your risk for falls in the privacy of your own home.
• MyStarkey App: With Edge and Genesis AI, the newer MyStarkey app is an upgrade over the former Thrive app (used in Evolv AI), giving you control of the hearing aids while letting you see and share information like step counting, hearing aid usage, social engagement, and more, with pre-selected people. The new Edge AI now supports controls from Apple Watch.
• Translate: A translation tool that allows you to communicate with people who speak other languages (over 70 languages in Edge and Genesis, and 27 in Evolv).
• Transcribe: Conversations are transcribed into text that can be saved or shared.
• MultiFlex Tinnitus Pro: Creates a comforting and customizable sound stimulus that you and your hearing professional can fine-tune to soothe the unique, irritating sounds you hear. Edge AI offers three new nature sounds.
• Find My Phone: Using your hearing aids and the app, you can now locate your lost or misplaced phone by having it ring.
• Step counting: Tracks your daily steps, measures movement and monitors more vigorous physical activity.
• Brain tracking: Monitors the brain-health benefits of wearing hearing aids by tracking active listening.

Because the similarities between Edge AI and Genesis AI relative to battery life and recharging and the use of the MyStarkey app are almost identical, we'll cover these items in the Genesis AI section below.

Starkey Genesis AI hearing aid

In February 2023, Starkey launched Genesis AI, which the company billed as having "all new everything”: an all-new processor, all-new sound, all-new design, and an all-new app and patient experience. Genesis AI is powered by one of the fastest and most advanced chips in the hearing industry, with 6 times more transistors, 10 times more memory, and 4 times faster processing than its predecessor. According to Starkey, this enables it to "redefine" AI and machine learning in hearing aids; it can make over 80 million adjustments per hour and mimic the human brain to quickly and more accurately “fill in” the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.

Like the newer Edge AI platform, Genesis AI comes in most styles, ranging from the tiny Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) custom in-ear product to its Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) models, as shown in the photo above. It also features all the "healthable" and fitness tracking aspects (step-counting, social engagement tracking, etc.) and unique fall-detection and language translation features, among other attributes found in Edge AI and Evolv AI (see comparison chart below).

But the primary goal of a hearing aid is to help you hear better while seamlessly integrating itself into your world of sound. The deep neural network (DNN) and Neuro Sound Processing inside Genesis AI is designed to hear speech in noise more intuitively and naturally, hear soft sounds without distracting noise, and reduce your overall listening effort.

Genesis AI offers Bluetooth streaming (except in the non-wireless CIC and IIC models) for Apple iOS and Android, with hands-free calling for compatible iOS devices. Using a new antenna, the hearing aids have improved their wireless range by up to 40%, so you can be farther away from your iPhone when taking calls, listening to music, or when using the Starkey TV Streamer. It also provides 2-way audio for iOS devices so it essentially acts like a set of high-quality headphones during video conferences on FaceTime, Zoom, Teams, etc.

Battery life and recharging Edge AI and Genesis AI

Another thing that jumps off the page when reviewing Edge AI and Genesis AI is battery life. The advanced processing, sensors, and streaming that enable the above key features all require power. When considering their very small size, extending battery life in hearing aids is a real challenge for hearing aid engineers.

Starkey Edge AI and Genesis AI have one of the longest battery lives of any hearing aid on the market, with up to 51 hours. The Edge and Genesis mRICs are some of the smallest rechargeable mRICs with sensor technology available, and offer up to 41 hours of battery life; the custom ITE and ITC rechargeable hearing aids in these product lines provide up to 42 hours on a single charge.

For Edge AI and Genesis RICs and Genesis BTEs, the StarLink Charger and StarLink Premium Mini Charger serve as a charging station and case. Both come with onboard turbo charging—which can rapidly charge the hearing aid, providing 3 hours of use time with only 7 minutes of charging. The Starlink Premium charger has an onboard battery that holds 3 extra charges for people who need it on the go; the StarLink Charger does not include an onboard battery and must be plugged into an external power source to charge the hearing aids.

The in-ear wireless models (ITC and ITE) can use either the Custom or Premium Custom Chargers, with the Premium Charger having an onboard battery. These chargers are almost identical in appearance to those used for Evolv AI custom models (see below).

Edge AI and Genesis AI models with disposable batteries

The newer wireless RIC 312 and CIC both use size 312 disposable batteries and last for 5-6 and 7-8 days, respectively, depending on streaming.

The non-wireless CIC model uses either size 10 or slightly larger size 312 zinc-air batteries with an expected battery life of 5-7 or 8-10 days, respectively, for all but the ultra-power receivers. The non-wireless IIC uses a size 10 battery and these should last for 5-7 days.

A note about Starkey custom hearing aids and their unique CICs

Starkey is well regarded among audiologists and hearing care professionals for its expertise in manufacturing custom (in-ear) hearing aids. In fact, Starkey founder Bill Austin is credited with being a major catalyst for the rapid growth and acceptance of custom hearing aids in the United States, which started in the 1970s. Even today, when BTE and RIC hearing aids make up about 85% of all hearing aids, Starkey remains a strong advocate for greater use of custom in-ear hearing aids and earmolds.

Today, the Edge, Genesis, and Evolv AI CICs are good examples of Starkey's "go-to" reputation for custom in-the-ear hearing solutions. These CICs are among the industry's few Bluetooth-compatible, almost invisible hearing aids for Apple and Android, with fully hands-free phone calls for iPhone.

The video below by Audiologist Matthew Allsop provides details about the Evolv AI wireless CIC; the Edge AI and Genesis AI wireless CICs have almost identical features and benefits with the added bonus of some more advanced processing.

Starkey Signature Series non-wireless custom hearing aids

In February 2024, Starkey released a new line of extremely small custom non-wireless hearing aids called the Signature Series. The new product line, which utilizes the Genesis AI chip, includes two completely-in-canal (CIC) models in rechargeable (R) and disposable-battery options and a battery-powered invisible-in-canal (IIC) model:

Signature CIC R NW: Starkey reports this is the world's smallest rechargeable hearing aid, but is still able to operate for up to 38 hours before charging.

Signature CIC NW: A non-wireless CIC with a size 10 battery that provides up to 6 days of use before a battery change (with 16 hours/day use).

Signature IIC NW: Starkey's tiniest hearing aid that uses the Genesis AI platform for people who want the ultimate discreet solution for their hearing. The IIC uses a size 10 battery that lasts up to 7 days before a battery change.

My Starkey App

The My Starkey app acts as the control center for Edge and Genesis AI beyond the onboard push-buttons. It allows you to adjust volume and program settings, stream calls, count steps and monitor your health-related data, and translate languages, set reminders, and more. Some of its features include:

• Audio streaming - Steam music, TV, and other audio devices directly from your smartphone or wireless devices
• Edge Mode+ - Now on the front screen of the app, you can access this function to enhance hearing in challenging listening environments
• Smart Assistant - Use your voice to adjust settings, set reminders, and ask questions
• Personal health monitoring - Track steps, social engagement, and achieve well-being goals
• Fall detection - The app continues to employ the industry’s first and only fall detector that, when activated by your HCP, can detect if the user has fallen and alert a loved one or caregiver
• Hear Share - With your permission, your HCP can set it up so a friend or family member can see the health and wellness data for added peace of mind
• Learning Center - Starkey offers an impressive array of instructional videos and tutorials on how to use Genesis AI and the My Starkey app
• TeleHear - Your HCP can use this function to make remote hearing aid adjustments in some cases, saving you a trip to the clinic
• Firmware updates - You can update your hearing aid system at your convenience without visiting your HCP

The app is compatible with Apple iOS 14 and higher, and Android 7.0 and higher. Check the Starkey compatibility listings for full details about your phone.

Starkey Evolv AI hearing aid

Introduced in August 2021, the Evolv AI hearing aid family has many of the same features you'll find in Edge AI and Genesis AI, but most notably lacks advanced DNN processing, extended battery life, and wireless range found in the newer devices. However, Evolv AI does provide direct audio streaming (iOS and Android), hands-free calling (iOS only), sensor-based accelerometers to detect falls and monitor real-time health information, and AI software designed to improve speech understanding in background noise.

Starkey Sound™ for clear speech

When Starkey launched Evolv AI, Chief Technology Officer Achin Bhowmik, said “Evolv AI hearing device will make 55 million adjustments - automatically”. Starkey Sound is a proprietary sound processing platform that monitors and adapts to your listening environment to optimize sound—Starkey claims that the system is “designed to automatically suppress background noise and designed to increase speech audibility and intelligibility with machine learning technology”.

Starkey Evolv AI expert reviews

HearAdvisor recently reviewed the Starkey Evolv AI hearing aid and the hearing aid made the independent test lab's 2023 Expert Choice Winners list, obtaining an exceptional SoundScore of 4.1 on a 5-point scale (you can listen to sound samples of the device at the above link).

Also see what HearingTracker Audiologist Matthew Allsop has to say about their performance in the video below:

Charging Evolv AI

There are two charger types available for Evolv AI, the Standard Charger and the Mini Turbo Charger. The Standard Charger is a portable plug-in charger that comes with Evolv AI RIC R and delivers three full charges on the go. The Mini Turbo Charger is a pocket-sized charger that is sold separately and delivers four charges on the go.

Evolv AI Custom

Evolv AI Custom is a custom-fitted in-the-ear version of the Evolv AI. The Custom is rechargeable, and includes the same embedded sensors as the behind-the-ear model. Metal charging contacts, a push button, and microphone ports are seen on the exterior faceplate of the Custom. Edge mode is also available via a double-tap.

Comparing Edge, Genesis, and Evolv

Edge AI represents a big step forward for Starkey. However, the table below demonstrates that both Genesis AI and Evolv AI also have many of the same features as Edge; it's just that some key listening advances are missing and their processing isn't as powerful. The bottom line: Genesis AI and Evolv AI remain exceptional products in terms of both features and performance, and Evolv AI has also scored high in our independent lab ratings, earning it a HearAdvisor Expert Choice Award.

Thrive remote care app

The Thrive Hearing Control smartphone app works with Evolv AI and legacy Livio AI hearing aids to perform wellness tracking, activity tracking, brain health tracking, and language translation functions. All versions of Evolv AI and Livio have access to a hearing aid finder function, iOS audio streaming for phone calls and multimedia audio, hearing-aid remote control, personalized listening programs, geo-tagged listening programs, audio notifications, an adaptive car mode, and accessories for wireless audio streaming from Bluetooth devices.

Starkey tinnitus solutions

Starkey offers personalized tinnitus relief solutions with all its product models and technology levels. The company's Multiiflex Tinnitus Technology, adjustable via the My Starkey and Thrive smartphone apps, generates tinnitus masking sounds that the user can customize to bring relief from ringing and other noises in the head. There are two main components to Multiflex:

• Audiogram-shaped noise: Because not everyone's is the same, this algorithm sets the level of each individual noise band in relation to your unique hearing configuration determined by your audiogram—and not to an overall average as some programs do.
• Stimulus personalization tool: This expands on the above with a more customized spectral shape for the tinnitus masker with the goal of placing the masking noise in the best frequency (pitch) bands, based on real-time automatic measurements.

Now available at more technology levels within the product families, Starkey's tinnitus algorithm intelligently sets the tinnitus stimulus according to your audiogram. And up to 24 bands of frequency adjustments enable hearing-aid users to work with the audiologist to find the masking sound that works best for them. Starkey also offers its Relax app (available for both Apple and Android) that you can self-adjust to create customized relief sounds coupled with soothing images to accommodate the changing behavior of your tinnitus.

Starkey hearing aid accessories

Starkey provides a number of accessories that improve hearing aid performance in challenging listening environments, while watching TV, when on the phone, and in numerous other ways. To learn which accessories work with the hearing aids you wear, consult with your hearing healthcare provider.

Remote Microphone +

Remote Microphone + streams audio from a variety of sources to Evolv AI and Livio hearing aids. Among other things, it lets you use your hearing aids to connect directly to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

TV audio streamer

When plugged into either analog or digital outputs on the TV or other audio source, the streamer transmits audio directly to your Evolv AI and Livio hearing aids.

Trulink remote controller and app

With the TruLink 2.4 GHz wireless platform, you could use your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch to stream audio to your Starkey’s Halo iQ hearing aids. You could also control volume and program settings.

Surflink accessories

Surflink accessories were used to connect Bluetooth-ready mobile devices to Starkey Muse, Soundlens and Z Series hearing aids, SurfLink streaming solutions include; SurfLink Mini Mobile for cell-phone calls; and SurfLink Remote Microphone 2, which could be worn by a conversation partner to aid one-on-one conversations or settings with multiple speakers.

Legacy hearing aid models and accessories

Starkey continues to support earlier hearing-aid models based on previous generations of its sound-processing technology. Because these models still provide high-performance functionality, some audiologist may still sell them at lower price points than the latest models.

Livio Edge AI hearing aids

Starkey Livio marked a "jumping off point" for Starkey in 2018, as it was the successor to Starkey's Halo iQ hearing aid family and represented the company's first multipurpose sensor-driven hearing aid—including fall-detection and inertial sensors, fitness and wellness tracking using a “brain and body score,” a real-time language translator, and the ability to control the aid just by tapping it. Livio was made available in multiple BTE and ITE form factors and used the Thrive app. Like Evolv AI, Livio Edge AI also supported direct audio streaming (iOS and Android) and had sensors, AI, and fall alerts. Livio AI made the list of Dr. Cliff’s top hearing aids of 2021.

Other legacy hearing aids

Starkey** **Picasso was a value line of in-ear hearing aids that all used disposable batteries and were offered in 4-10 technology levels, depending on the style.

Starkey Muse and Muse IQ hearing aids came in multiple styles, including RIC, BTE, and ITC. The family provided advanced sound processing and included a rechargeable RIC solution. Muse hearing aids were also compatible with Starkey's 2.4 GHz streaming accessories.

Starkey Halo hearing aids featured advanced sound processing, noise reduction, and directional microphones. The Made-for-iPhone functionality provided wireless streaming of audio and phone calls from iOS devices, and Starkey TruLink 2.4 GHz wireless enabled (with accessory purchase) wireless audio streaming from Android phones and external microphones.

Starkey Z Series hearing aids came in form factors ranging BTE to CIC. They featured frequency shifting to replicate high-frequency sounds at lower frequencies and provided a full range of connectivity options utilizing Starkey's 2.4 GHz streaming accessories.

The Starkey Xino RIC 10 was a receiver in-the ear hearing aid that had a telecoil and used size 10 hearing aid batteries. The Starkey 3 Series was a family of hearing aids that came in multiple form factors and with five technology levels.