# Head Shadow vs Start Hearing

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Head Shadow | Start Hearing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/head-shadow/id1454070507/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-hearing/id6443454116/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 20 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Isa Asudeh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454070506) | [Novidan, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557850089) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Start Hearing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-hearing/id6443454116)

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.

**Highlights:** Easy-to-follow tutorial, 4 customizable audio programs, Fullness and Brightness adjustments, Stream calls and music, Automatic reconnection to hearing aids

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Head Shadow free?

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

### Is Start Hearing free?

Start Hearing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Head Shadow or Start Hearing?

Start Hearing is rated higher. Head Shadow averages 4.3 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Start Hearing averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Head Shadow or Start Hearing have ads?

Neither Head Shadow nor Start Hearing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Head Shadow or Start Hearing?

Head Shadow ships an update every 3 weeks, and Start Hearing every 15 months. Most recently, Head Shadow was updated on September 23, 2026 and Start Hearing on June 7, 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.*