Head Shadow vs Start Hearing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Head Shadow
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.
- Single-sided deafness aid
- Mild hearing loss amplification
- 10-band audio equalizer
- Reverb options
- Works with AirPods and wired headphones
- 30-day free trial
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Head Shadow is a hearing aid iPhone app for people with single-sided deafness or mild hearing loss in both ears. The app captures nearby sound with the iPhone or AirPods microphone, enhances it with a 10-band equalizer, and plays it in real time through wired headphones, AirPods, or AirPods Pro. FOR SINGLE-SIDED DEAFNESS When using AirPods, activate the microphone on your deaf side. Place that AirPod in your deaf ear and the other AirPod in your hearing ear. Head Shadow captures sound from your deaf side, enhances it, and plays it in your hearing ear, providing a CROS-like listening experience. FOR MILD HEARING LOSS If you have mild hearing loss in both ears, connect your wired or wireless headphones and play the app. Head Shadow captures sound with the iPhone microphone, enhances it, and plays it through your headphones. SOUND CONTROLS The 10-band equalizer lets you adjust the frequencies used in a standard audiogram. Reverb options let you hear how sound changes in different spaces. TRY FREE, THEN BUY ONCE Try all features free. Continue with a one-time purchase. There are no ads and no subscriptions. FINAL PLANNED FEATURE RELEASE Head Shadow was first published on the App Store in 2019. This is its final planned feature release, and the app will remain available and supported. Head Shadow AI, our next-generation app for people with single-sided deafness, is now available separately on the App Store and will receive future feature development.
Start Hearing
This app enhances the functionality of compatible Bluetooth-enabled over-the-counter hearing aids. It offers guided setup, customizable audio programs, and direct audio streaming from your iPhone.
- Easy-to-follow tutorial
- 4 customizable audio programs
- Fullness and Brightness adjustments
- Stream calls and music
- Automatic reconnection to hearing aids
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The Start Hearing App is compatible with Start Hearing one over the counter hearing aids that have Bluetooth® technology offering advanced features when paired with an iPhone. Start Hearing App features: • Get started with your OTC hearing aids quickly and easily with an easy-to-follow tutorial on using your hearing aids to their fullest. • Choose between 4 audio programs to best suit what sounds you’re listening to: Home, Restaurant, Outside, or Music • Personalize each audio program to your preferences with Fullness and Brightness adjustments • Stream calls, music, and other audio to directly to your hearing aids from your Apple iOS device Start Hearing is here to help customers at every stage of their hearing journey. Call the number provided in your user manual or quick start guide to connect with one of our Hearing Care Advisors for help with caring for your hearing aids. If you have additional questions, they can also help you find a hearing care professional near you. Start Hearing. It’s only the beginning. Note: the app will automatically reconnect to your hearing aids each time it is used. Mobile app not required to use hearing aids.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Start Hearing at 5.0 against Head Shadow's 4.3. Start Hearing also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 83%). Head Shadow's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (13 vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Head Shadow sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Start Hearing asks for nothing beyond the download.
Start Hearing holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Head Shadow has 13 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Head Shadow's written reviews are positive against 100% of Start Hearing's.
Head Shadow ships an update every 3 weeks, Start Hearing every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Head Shadow | Start Hearing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (13 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 15 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 149 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Isa Asudeh | Novidan, Inc. |
Customer experience
Head Shadow
Start Hearing
In-app purchases
Head Shadow
- Free 30-Day TrialFree
- One time purchase$3.99
Start Hearing
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Head Shadow free?
Is Start Hearing free?
Which has better reviews, Head Shadow or Start Hearing?
Do Head Shadow or Start Hearing have ads?
Which is updated more often, Head Shadow or Start Hearing?
Other comparisons
