# LISTENING DEVICE vs Head Shadow

The clearest difference is monetization model: Head Shadow at paid against LISTENING DEVICE's subscription. Head Shadow also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 74%). LISTENING DEVICE's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 13). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LISTENING DEVICE sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for LISTENING DEVICE against 4.3 for Head Shadow. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LISTENING DEVICE has 1.5K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of LISTENING DEVICE's written reviews are positive against 83% of Head Shadow's.

LISTENING DEVICE ships an update every 6 weeks, Head Shadow every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LISTENING DEVICE | Head Shadow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-device-hearing-aid/id1356112754/reviews) | **[4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/head-shadow/id1454070507/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Paid** |
| Size | 66 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Application Development 21](https://appshunter.io/developer/1733695045) | [Isa Asudeh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454070506) |

## What reviewers say

### LISTENING DEVICE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-device-hearing-aid/id1356112754)

This app amplifies sound for clearer everyday hearing, enhances speech clarity, and reduces background noise. It offers live transcription for calls and conversations, personalized audio for videos and music, and a built-in hearing test for tailored sound enhancement.

**Highlights:** Sound amplification up to 30 dB, Live transcription for calls, Personalized sound for video/music, Noise reduction, Built-in hearing test, Remote microphone support

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noise Adaptation Weekly Access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Compression - Weekly Access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Tinnitus - Weekly Access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Access | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Listening Device, Hearing Aid | $14.99 | per month |
| Three Months Access | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Hearing Amplifier, Hearing App | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Helpful for hearing
- 👍 Customizable profiles
- 👍 Useful features
- 👍 Works well with headphones

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Unreliable/crashes
- 🔍 Confusing/unclear instructions
- 🔍 Intrusive ads/popups

**Reported bugs**

- Delayed audio with certain headphones
- Subscription issues/unexpected charges
- App randomly stops working

**Requested features**

- Ability to filter/suppress specific sounds
- Option to save recordings to iCloud
- More detailed customization and settings
- Lifetime subscription option


### 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 LISTENING DEVICE free?

LISTENING DEVICE 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, LISTENING DEVICE or Head Shadow?

Head Shadow is rated higher. LISTENING DEVICE averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Head Shadow averages 4.3 from 13 ratings.

### Do LISTENING DEVICE or Head Shadow have ads?

Neither LISTENING DEVICE nor Head Shadow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LISTENING DEVICE or Head Shadow?

LISTENING DEVICE ships an update every 6 weeks, and Head Shadow every 3 weeks. Most recently, LISTENING DEVICE was updated on October 27, 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.*