Comparison

AB Remote Support vs Hearing Buddy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AB Remote Support

This application enables remote fitting support for specific hearing devices via Bluetooth. It acts as an interface for hearing care professionals to program devices remotely over a WiFi or cellular connection.

Highlights
  • Remote fitting support
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Device programming
  • WiFi/cellular connection
  • Interface for professionals
Features
Read full description

The AB Remote Support app is designed to allow remote fitting support for Naída CI M/Sky CI supported devices using Bluetooth connectivity. The app is designed to be the interface between the mobile device and Marvel supported devices to allow hearing care professionals to remotely program recipients in Target CI over WiFi/cellular connection. You may access the user manual in PDF format at: https://www.advancedbionics.com/ifu Instructions for obtaining a printed version of the user manual can be found on the country-specific page. Printed IFUs will be supplied within seven days for no additional charge. AB Remote Support app - UDI-DI: 08400944CI6517YL Advanced Bionics, LLC 28515 Westinghouse Place Valencia, CA 91355 Australia Sponsor Advanced Bionics Australia Pty Ltd B2 / 12 Inglewood Place, BAULKHAM HILLS NSW 2153 Australia

About

Hearing Buddy

This app provides unlimited, real-time speech-to-text captions for conversations, designed by someone with hearing loss. It offers on-device processing for privacy and features like name and question alerts on your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Unlimited real-time captions
  • On-device privacy
  • Apple Watch alerts for names/questions
  • Conversation summaries
  • Customizable app personality
  • Adjustable text size
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

A hearing buddy is the patient, understanding person who helps you hear. When they can't be there, Hearing Buddy is your backup. Built by someone who is hard of hearing, every feature comes from lived experience. 2026 Apple Design Award Finalist (Inclusivity) UNLIMITED FREE LIVE CAPTIONS Most captioning apps charge by the minute, turning accessibility into a metered service. Hearing Buddy gives you unlimited live captions for free. Speech becomes clear text on your iPhone or iPad, even in noisy rooms or fast conversations. Captions run on your device, 24/7, at no cost. They work without internet, and your conversations stay on your phone. THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Need more accuracy? Turn on Enhanced Accuracy and captions are made in the cloud: sharper text in loud rooms, names spelled right. It stays off until you turn it on. Try 30 minutes free. Buddy+ includes 20 hours a month, or 240 a year with Annual. SHARE CAPTIONS FOR FREE One iPhone captions the room. Everyone nearby reads along. Share your live captions and people around you can follow from their own iPhone or iPad. Put a phone where the sound is and read from wherever you are. Your hearing buddy can set their phone next to the speaker while you follow from the back of the room. In meetings, classes, and group conversations, more people can turn on their mic, and every voice flows into one shared transcript. Everyone chooses the language they want to read. Hearing Buddy translates captions as people speak, so the same conversation can be read in several languages at once, free for everyone. Sharing works directly between devices. No internet, no account, no server. Captions stay in the room. NAME AND QUESTION ALERTS When someone says your name, your Apple Watch taps your wrist. The same tap tells you when someone asks a question. No more anxious waiting at the pharmacy or the coffee counter. The moment your name is spoken, you'll feel it. Alerts on your iPhone and Lock Screen show what needs your attention, so you don't have to keep watching your phone. TRANSLATE WHAT YOU HEAR When you're listening on your own, Buddy+ lets you choose the language being spoken and the language you want to read. Hearing Buddy translates captions as people speak. Alerts, summaries, and session titles can appear in your reading language too. CONVERSATION SUMMARIES Review key points without rereading every caption. Your buddy gives you a short recap of meetings, appointments, classes, and group conversations. MAKE BUDDY YOURS Name your buddy and choose their personality, colors, character, and tone. FREE FEATURES • Unlimited live captions • Share Captions with people nearby • Live translation for everyone in shared captions • Background listening • Saved transcripts • Copy and share transcripts • Adjustable text size BUDDY+ FEATURES • Live translation when you caption on your own • Enhanced Accuracy hours every month • Boost Audio for any headphones • Name and question alerts on Apple Watch, iPhone, and Lock Screen • Conversation summaries • Live Activity and Widget support • Live captions on Mac and Apple Vision Pro • Premium buddy personalities and app icons No one should have to miss what matters or apologize for how they hear. LANGUAGE SUPPORT Live captions support 18 language and regional options across English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Requires iOS 26.0 or later. Apple Watch features require watchOS 10.0 or later. Buddy+ Annual: $89.99 per year Buddy+ Monthly: $14.99 per month Terms: https://apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy: https://hearingbuddyapp.com/privacy Hearing Buddy is a supportive tool, not a replacement for medical devices or professional medical advice.

Screenshots

AB Remote Support4 screens
Hearing Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AB Remote Support at 4.7 against Hearing Buddy's 4.1. AB Remote Support also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 14) and ads (none vs shown). Hearing Buddy's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 32 months) and ratings volume (156 vs 9). On price and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Hearing Buddy sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. AB Remote Support asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AB Remote Support holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearing Buddy has 156 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of AB Remote Support's written reviews are positive against 30% of Hearing Buddy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AB Remote Support ships an update every 32 months, Hearing Buddy every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
AB Remote Support versus Hearing Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAB Remote SupportHearing Buddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (9 ratings) — better4.1 (156 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better30.4% of reviews
Number of ratings9156 — better
Update frequencyEvery 32 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#84 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB142 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAdvanced Bionics, LLCKrager Labs LLC

Customer experience

AB Remote Support

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Hearing Buddy

All ratings151 ratings
Positive74.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative16.6%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive30.4%
Neutral26.1%
Negative43.5%

In-app purchases

None

AB Remote Support

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

Hearing Buddy

Subscriptions13
  • Pro14 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Pro14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pro3 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 10 more
  • Pro14 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Pro14 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Pro3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Pro14 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Pro3 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Buddy+ Annual1 Month trial$79.991 Year
  • Buddy+ Annual7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Pro14 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Pro14 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Buddy+ Annual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Buddy+ FriendFree

Questions

Is AB Remote Support free?
AB Remote Support is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hearing Buddy free?
Hearing Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AB Remote Support or Hearing Buddy?
AB Remote Support is rated higher. AB Remote Support averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Hearing Buddy averages 4.1 from 156 ratings.
Do AB Remote Support or Hearing Buddy have ads?
Hearing Buddy shows ads; AB Remote Support does not.
Which is updated more often, AB Remote Support or Hearing Buddy?
AB Remote Support ships an update every 32 months, and Hearing Buddy every 4 days. Most recently, AB Remote Support was updated on October 21, 2026 and Hearing Buddy on October 28, 2026.

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