# hearingOS vs Head Shadow

hearingOS and Head Shadow both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Head Shadow's written reviews are positive against 11% of hearingOS's. hearingOS's advantage is ratings volume (2.4K vs 13) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. hearingOS sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Head Shadow sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Head Shadow holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: hearingOS has 2.4K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of hearingOS's written reviews are positive against 83% of Head Shadow's.

hearingOS ships an update every 5 days, Head Shadow every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | hearingOS | Head Shadow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearingos-hearing-aid-app/id1150934267/reviews) | **[4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/head-shadow/id1454070507/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 11.4% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#63** | — |
| Size | 49 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [hearingOS GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1150934266) | [Isa Asudeh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454070506) |

## What reviewers say

### hearingOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearingos-hearing-aid-app/id1150934267)

**Currently charting:** #63 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This app enhances your hearing by amplifying external audio and improving speech intelligibility using AI. It works with various earphones and allows personalized adjustments to suit your specific needs and environment.

**Highlights:** AI-powered audio processing, Speech intelligibility enhancement, Noise suppression, Amplifies external audio, Works with wireless & wired earphones, Personalized sound adjustments, Includes a hearing test

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| hearingOS Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| hearingOS Starter Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| hearingOS Premium Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| hearingOS Saver Subscription | $23.99 | per 3 months |
| hearingOS Ultra Saver | $99.99 | per year |
| hearingOS Annual Subscription | $134.99 | per year |
| hearingOS Super Saver | $149.99 | per year |
| hearingOS Annual Subscription | $199.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well with hearing aids
- 🚀 Functional app
- 👍 Helpful for occasional deafness

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly having issues with the app
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔌 Doesn't work with hearing aids
- 🔌 Doesn't work with Bluetooth headphones
- 🐛 Confusing and unintuitive interface

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Unexpected charges and billing issues
- Compatibility problems with various devices and headphones

**Requested features**

- Better instructions and guidance
- Labeling for controls
- Compatibility with more devices
- Ability to cancel subscription easily


### Head Shadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/head-shadow/id1454070507)

This app acts as a hearing aid for individuals with single-sided deafness or mild bilateral hearing loss. It utilizes your iPhone or AirPods microphone to capture ambient sounds, then amplifies and outputs them through wired headphones or AirPods.

**Highlights:** Single-sided deafness aid, Mild hearing loss amplification, 10-band audio equalizer, Reverb options, Works with AirPods and wired headphones, 30-day free trial

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free 30-Day Trial | Free | one-time |
| One time purchase | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is hearingOS free?

hearingOS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Head Shadow free?

Head Shadow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, hearingOS or Head Shadow?

Head Shadow is rated higher. hearingOS averages 4.1 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Head Shadow averages 4.3 from 13 ratings.

### Do hearingOS or Head Shadow have ads?

Neither hearingOS nor Head Shadow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, hearingOS or Head Shadow?

hearingOS ships an update every 5 days, and Head Shadow every 3 weeks. Most recently, hearingOS was updated on October 29, 2026 and Head Shadow on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*