No matter where we go or what we become, wellness should be our first priority. Without proper health, everything seems dull to the mind. This is why we should take extreme care of our well-being. Here in this article, we are primarily going to focus on hearing-related issues.
Hearing loss is one of the most common issues that people nowadays have. However, the degree of hearing loss may vary from person to person.
Some develop hearing loss as they grow and age, while some develop hearing loss from traumatic events that happened in the past. To be honest, most people suffer from hearing loss to some degree.
Hearing Test Apps – How do they work?🤔
As technology has progressed forward, there’s something available for every possible thing that you can think of. There are now several apps that are available online for hearing health.
You can check those apps to test your hearing loss, and if there’s no hearing loss, you can get an idea of your hearing health in general, and you can even optimize your hearing health. These apps are proven to be very effective, and it is not just a gimmick.
People have disorders where their hearing capacity fluctuates for clinical or no apparent reason. To be very straightforward, these apps are not comparable to a real audiogram that is done in a sound booth. But these are very close to achieving that.
To achieve a reliable result, you must have decent quality microphones and headphones output, and real-time noise reduction.
Most of our modern-day smartphones are capable of achieving those conditions and creating a near-perfect environment for the hearing test.
If they can sustain a consistent sound quality and improve speech clarity like they do while speaking on phone calls, that would be the perfect criteria and scenario for conducting a self-hearing test.
Here, in this article, we are going to discuss the best hearing test apps that are available online.
Best Hearing Test Apps – Our Top Pick👌👌
1. Mimi Hearing Test – Test your hearing
Mimi hearing Test app is arguably one of the best apps to test your hearing capabilities. It is basically a digital screening tool for hearing-related abilities.
While this app can never match the level of an actual doctor or an actual test screening, it can give a rough idea of your current hearing conditions.
Mimi has a very user-friendly user interface so that any age group can get access to the services that Mimi provides. You can perform these tests alone without requiring any sort of assistance from anyone, as Mimi guides you through the whole process of conducting the test.
The entire process just takes around a few minutes to be completed and works on both smartphones and tablets.
Mimi uses a technology called Masked Threshold (MT) test. This claims to be an advanced device-agnostic hearing test developed especially for uncalibrated devices.
Again it cannot be compared to a scientific tool, but it is decent enough to bring out a result in a close margin to the actual one.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
2. Decibel X – dB Sound Level Meter, Noise Detector
Decibel X is a very reliable and pre-calibrated measurement app that also supports frequency weightings. It claims to turn your personal device into a professional noise meter. It is imperative to ensure that how loud is too loud for your hearing health.
This is where Decibel X comes in handy, as it lets you accurately measure the sound levels of your surroundings. It contains a spectrum analyzer, FFT, and BAR graph to display real-time FFT. It also measures the sound pressure level (SPL) all-around your surroundings.
You can save your recorded data into a list of historical records for future reference, access, and analysis. You can also export these recordings as hi-res PNG graphs or CSV text via sharing devices or services. You can clear or reset the current recordings at any time.
However, most devices nowadays are pre-calibrated, but custom calibration is necessary for serious purposes that require accuracy and precision in the final result.
To calibrate that, you need an actual external device to use as a reference, and then you can finally adjust the trimming value. If the reading matches the reference, then you can stop there.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
3. Sound Alert
If you already have a hearing impairment, then this app can be a lifesaver for you. We listen to numerous sounds in our daily lives like doorbells, home alarms, kitchen timers, etc. It detects those sounds from a very wide range.
There are various pre-installed sounds present inside the app that can work worldwide, likes as smoke alarms, fire alarms, and other sounds related to safety concerns are pre-installed on this app.
This app can turn your smart device into a high-tech alerting device with just a simple process. Sound ALERT notifies you by using its technology to pick up vibrations to accompany you in your hard times and ensure your total security and comfort altogether.
SoundALERT picks up sound from your device’s microphone, then recognizes the sound of it and notifies you with a screen notification, vibrations, or flashing lights on your smartphone. This app can really prove useful in dire conditions.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
4. Insight Timer
Insight Timer is a world-known app, and it has been awarded by TIME magazine and women’s health. Its primary focus is on meditation.
We all know that meditation is a way to live a very healthy life. Meditation can help with sleep, and lower stress and anxiety levels. Insight timer is the number one app for meditation.
This app contains guided meditations, musical tracks that help you sleep, and podcasts by experts, neuroscientists, psychologists, and many other people from Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford.
The app is being updated on a daily basis, adding more and more meditations and sleep tracks. Even if you’re a beginner or have some past experience, you can join Insight timer without any worries.
There are millions of users of this app all around the world, and you can learn to meditate to help your mind become calm, manage and reduce stress and anxiety, and have a deep sleep.
This app has several free features that include 100000+ guided meditations, and you can select short meditations if you’re short on time, tons of ambient sounds to calm, focus and relax a disturbed mind.
There are several communities or groups that you can join on the app to share your opinions and thoughts. You can also keep track of your daily progress.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
5. Soundprint – best hearing test app for android
Soundprint app is solely designed to protect your hearing health. The motto of this app is ‘Find Your Quiet Place,’ discover quiet places that you can share with others.
Basically, if you’re looking for a quiet place to meet people or to grab something to eat, Soundprint can help significantly with that.
You can measure the venue’s sound levels that you’re going to with the help of the Decibel meter present in the app. After measuring the venue’s sound level, you can share the database with everyone who’s needy or has a similar taste to you.
You can find quiet to connect with other people, and you can also help the community by uploading your database and experience of the venue so that it can further be promoted.
If you are someone who is sensitive to loud noises, then exposure to loud noise levels can cause hearing loss. You can use Soundprint to avoid those noisy places and be somewhere quieter.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
6. hearWHO – best hearing test app iPhone
hearWHO is an app and initiative launched for people to test their hearing capabilities by themselves. As you must know, early detection of hearing problems is very essential in order for treatment and rehabilitation.
To ensure the early detection of hearing loss, you should always check your hearing from time to time. If you’re someone who listens to loud music, has a job in a noisy place, or is on medication that has side effects on hearing.
Most people older than the age of 60 are most vulnerable to hearing loss. This is why WHO developed and launched an application for hearing screening.
The app is designed for general users so that they can perform a hearing test on their own and check their hearing status and monitor it over a period of time.
This app is very simple to use and has a very intuitive user interface, and the users can keep their records as a reference to monitor their current hearing condition.
If the app detects that you’re suffering from hearing loss, then you can go to a diagnostic center to clear the doubts and get treated accordingly.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
7. HearAngel
It is true that earphones and headphones have contributed a lot to our enjoyment of songs and offered us great comfort over time. But the biggest downside of using earphones or headphones is that the prolonged use of those can cause permanent damage to our hearing capabilities.
We often listen to loud music via our headphones, and the sound directly goes into our ears, and it can cause damage. To prevent that from happening, you can use the Hearangel application. This app is designed to monitor the music level you are listening to using your audio devices such as headphones or earphones.
It is software developed primarily for wireless audio devices and smartphone devices that measure the risk and effects of what you are listening to.
It will alert you when you are overexposed to a certain degree of audio. You can also select automatic protection if you want to.
We must agree to the fact that our ears are not designed to be exposed directly to these loud sound doses that we get from our headsets. As a result, if we are exposed to such a degree of noise for a very long period of time, we are at the risk of permanently damaging our hearing capabilities.
Download the App on Google Play Store
8. uHear
UHear is an app that is exclusively available on the iOS platform only. This is a simple self-administered hearing screening app to help people with hearing problems or disabilities take the first initiative towards a better future with better hearing.
As of now, after some new updates, it has some very good and new features to offer. It now has three sophisticated screening tests, a new background noise calibrating meter.
It allows you to check your hearing in less than 10 minutes if you’re using an iPhone or iPad. There are different categories for which you can do the testing.
The first one is hearing sensitivity, the second one is speech in noise, and finally, the third one is the everyday listening performance. You can perform these tests on your own, taking your time.
We know that hearing loss happens gradually, and usually, the person is not aware of it. The tests that you can perform with this app will help you clarify the current condition of your hearing.
A hearing sensitivity test determines if your hearing is within the normal range, speech in noise lets you measure the ability to understand human speech in noisy conditions.
Though it cannot replace the testing offered by professionals inside a health care center, it can definitely give you a better understanding of your current hearing status.
Download the App on Apple App Store
While exploring the Best Hearing Test Apps To Check For Hearing Loss, I found an awesome video on “Cool Hearing Test: Are You a Superhuman?” which is worth watching.🤩🤩😍
9. Sound Scout
Apart from adults, children are the most likely to suffer from hearing loss, especially children from the age group 4yrs or older.
You must know that hearing loss can occur at any point of time in your life, and this is why this app is suitable for both adults and children both. This app is available on the App Store and Google Play.
According to studies and research, every 1 in 10 children and 1 in 3 adults have issues with hearing loss. If not detected earlier can impact the overall quality of life of an individual.
Sound Scout is an entertaining app to use because children love playing games and having fun, so this app is designed in a way so that small children also find this app exciting and take the test. This app was also published in the International Journal of Audiology and is recommended by Hearing Australia.
This app is just like a simple game, and Sound Scout combines science and fun that results in a fun hearing test game, making it perfect for getting the attention of small kids.
First of all, you have to download the app and then use good or premium quality headphones for the best or adequate results. Attempt this test in a quiet place that is free from any noise and distractions.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
10. Better Hearing
Good hearing is very essential for a total positive health outcome. It increases social interaction and engagement, improves daily communication, and reduces the risk of going into depression.
The first and foremost thing that you can do is if you even have a slight doubt that your hearing abilities have been compromised, then you should seek a medical assessment from a hearing health care professional or with the online resource that Better Hearing provides.
The cause of hearing loss can happen by many things, not just physical abuse. As we know, hearing occurs in the brain, then hearing loss can also be linked to depression, falls, and isolation. It can happen to people of all ages and gender. This is why consulting a professional is all the more critical.
It specializes in determining or detecting the frequencies that you cannot hear and give the results on the basis of the outcome. Better hearing online resources also provide services of hearing aid devices that you can use to support your hearing capabilities.
11. Jacoti Hearing Center
Jacoti Hearing Center is very promising on a professional level. It is software designed as a hearing assessment tool that measures or evaluates your hearing health or hearing capabilities in a concise period of time.
It uses a technology called the DuoToneTM method for measuring the degree of hearing loss in both ears. You can keep track of your hearing health over a period of time so that you can get the best and most accurate results possible.
However, as of now, this app is only available for iOS and is calibrated with apple EarPods which can give the best outcome in an adequate environment. Jacoti Hearing Center guarantees the safety and efficiency of the application.
The primary objective of this app is that an individual can perform all the necessary tests all by himself by means of acoustics signals that will help in the self-evaluation process without the assistance and help of a hearing expert.
The Jacoti Hearing center results are so accurate and trustworthy that they can be used by actual hearing experts for diagnostic purposes. These results can be used to suggest a hearing aid device. It is designed for both professionals and consumers to use.
Download the App on Apple App Store
12. Hearing Test Pro Free
Hearing Test Pro basically provides you with your hearing test results in the form of an Audiogram. If you’re new to the term Audiogram, then to explain it in short, an audiogram is generally a graph that shows the result of a tone hearing test.
It will represent the results in the form of a graph. It shows the degree, type, and configuration of hearing loss. The only thing you have to do is push the button or raise your hand when you’re able to listen to a sound during the hearing test.
This app, in general, provides two distinct types of tests, pure tone audiometry, and speech intelligibility tests. Pure-tone audiometry decides the degree of hearing issues or loss in terms of sound frequency.
These tests consist of numerous sounds with different frequencies, and it ranges from the quietest sound you can hear, which ends up determining your hearing threshold.
It also has a noise meter that measures background noises during the test. Calibration of devices is also available. The result you get from the audiogram can be printed and used in the future as a reference.
Download the App on Google Play Store
✅Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are iPhone hearing tests accurate?
Self-hearing test applications can be slightly accurate, especially when it comes to hearing threshold assessment and screening for mild to moderate hearing loss (> 25 dB HL), but only when appropriate transducers are used.
To ensure even a little accuracy, manufacturers must specify proper earphone model instructions to users, if they want to use smartphone-based self-hearing test applications, including for iPhone.
Can you do an audiogram on your iPhone?
Yes, you can do an audiogram on your iPhone. For that, you have to open the apple health app, tab custom audio setup, then tap audiogram use to effectively use the data from the audiogram.
If you have a symmetric audiogram, headphone accommodations by iPhone are smart enough to take the average of the two ears and make it comfortable for you.
How do I check my hearing on my iPhone?
Mimi Hearing Test, Decibel X, Sound Alert, Insight Timer, etc. are some great applications, designed to help you check your hearing on iPhone as well as Android.
Is Mimi hearing app free?
Yes, it is available free of cost on both the App Store and Google Play store, without in-app purchases.
Is there an app to help you hear better?
The sound amplifier application is made to improve the overall audio quality of your Android device, especially when you use headphones. The app offers a very comfortable and natural listening experience and amplifies and enhances sounds from the real world.
Is there an app that can test your hearing?
Yes, there are numerous applications like Mimi Hearing Test, Sound Alert, Decibel X, Sound Scout, etc. to effectively help you test your hearing.
How can I test my hearing on my phone?
You can download any application like Mimi Hearing Test, SoundPrint, Decibel X, Sound Alert, or Insight Timer to effortlessly test your hearing, especially if you suspect a mild hearing problem.
Can I do my own hearing test?
Yes, there are several applications designed to allow you to test your own hearing. However, you should only test your hearing if you feel at least a couple of signs and symptoms of hearing loss.
These may include, muffling of sounds, difficulty understanding words, especially in the background noise, trouble understanding consonants clearly, frequently asking people to speak clearly, slowly, and loudly, requiring to turn up the volume of audio or video devices, etc.
How can I test my hearing capacity at home?
The ReSound online test is an excellent, and very quick way to gauge how your overall hearing capacity. You can effortlessly test your ability to distinguish different words and numbers, especially in a noisy environment.
For best results, you should take this test in a quiet environment without interruptions. Alternatively, you can also check your hearing capacity at home using applications like Decibel X, and Mimi Hearing Test. HearWHO, Sound Alert, etc.
Are online hearing tests any good?
While taking a hearing test right from the comfort of your home may sound convenient as well as attractive, as compared to an appointment with a professional audiologist.
Online hearing tests, even from various hearing test applications are not very accurate or reliable, and certainly not enough to identify various hearing problems. Yes, you can get some idea from online hearing tests, if you suspected you have a mild or moderate hearing problems, but of course not in serious cases.
What frequencies should I hear at my age?
Irrespective of age, without hearing impairment, an individual should be able to comfortably hear the 8000 Hertz. People under 50 usually can hear the 12,000 Hertz, and under 40 15,000 Hertz respectively.
Individuals under 30 should hear the 16,000 Hertz and, 17,000 Hertz is comfortably receivable for healthy individuals under 24.
Can hearing loss be reversed?
No, unfortunately, despite extraordinary advancements in Medical Sciences, permanent hearing loss is not reversible. And, there is no treatment available to reverse the hearing loss.
And, that’s the major reason why most audiologists and ENT specialists only recommend hearing aid devices after permanent reduction or loss of hearing. Hearing loss is only reversible in rare cases when the causes are infections or earwax.
What is a Hearing Test App?
A hearing test app is specially designed to help people so that they can get an early idea of their hearing health and conditions.
These apps are available on smartphones, as nowadays, every single person on the planet Earth has a phone, and the majority of them are smartphones, so taking a hearing test is just a piece of cake as it is available on their right palm.
These apps basically perform a screening test to measure the degree and levels of your hearing capabilities. These tests can be done in a matter of minutes without any extra fuss.
You must know that these apps are not one hundred percent accurate in nature, and they cannot be misleading, and they will get you a rough or sometimes a near precise idea of your actual hearing health and condition.
What features do these apps provide?
Most of these apps provide basic functionalities to their users, like testing their hearing health via various tests. But obviously, different apps offer different features also.
The most common is Pure-tone audiometry which basically determines the level of your hearing loss in terms of sound frequency.
What are the benefits of using Hearing Test Apps?
There are tons and tons of advantages of using a hearing test app. The smartphone-based digital hearing test has many benefits, including affordability, accessibility, advanced sensors, and user’s control over the software of the system, quality, and storing the data in cloud space to assuring the safety of test results are significant benefits that you can get from using a Hearing Test App.
However, these apps are only good for initial screening, and they cannot provide treatment for it. It is best for giving suggestions and guidance for the problem, but you should always consider discussing it with a professional health care consultant.
How accurate are the hearing test apps?
Hearing test apps or self-assessment apps for hearing can be pretty accurate on occasions, but mostly the results are average with some fluctuations from the actual statistics. As mentioned earlier, they are not professional medical equipment inside a lab or a clinic.
The outputs and results are totally dependent on the quality of your smartphone microphones or the different devices that you’re using while performing the test. The environment or the surrounding also plays a preeminent role in the final result of the test.
If the test was performed in a quiet place or in an adequate environment, then the results can be pretty accurate; otherwise, if the test was conducted in a not-so-ideal place or basically in a noisy place, then the final results are likely to be very inaccurate and misleading. So please make sure to perform the test in an ideal environment to get the best out of these apps.
What should you do before performing a hearing test?
You should keep numerous things in mind before performing a hearing test by yourself or even at a health care center. The first thing is, to clean your ears at least two days before the actual test takes place. There should be no amount of earwax present inside your ears. Otherwise, the results may differ.
Avoid direct or indirect exposure to loud noise hours before performing the test, as the loud noises can compromise your hearing abilities temporarily. Hence if you get the test done in the meantime, then you can get very misleading results.
If you’re sick or suffering from some illness, then you can avoid the hearing test until you get better and come back to your usual self. These things can sound like nitpicking, but these can make a significant difference in your test results that can mislead you in a different direction from the original.
How long does it take to perform a hearing test?
Before the introduction of hearing test apps, the test was done in about 30 minutes where the person was asked to put on a headphone and listen to short tones that were played inside those headphones.
These procedures are completely painless. Now, as these apps are introduced to us, the average test takes about 5-10 minutes in total to get the final result.
Final Conclusion
Here in this article, we’ve mentioned quite possibly the best hearing test apps that are present out there for smartphones. Most of these apps and their features are completely free to use for users.
As clearly mentioned earlier in this article, these apps are suitable for an initial review of your conditions. This is the least that you can do on your own for your hearing health.
Having good hearing health is an essential part of living a wonderful positive life without any concerns. This is why you should give your hearing health priority.
Keeping track of these things is now easier than ever. With the help of these apps, you can easily keep track of your hearing condition and compare stats from time to time to see the changes and improvements.
In the end, every problem has a solution, and there’s a solution for you too. No matter how worse the situation gets, there’s always a way to bounce back better than ever. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine—all the best for your future adventures.
