Online Auditory Training Apps: Finding the Right Fit for Your Hearing Journey
Aural rehabilitation doesn’t have to mean weekly appointments or complex programs. Today, some of the most effective auditory training available is right on your phone or computer, accessible on your schedule, at your pace, and often for a fraction of the cost of in-person therapy.
If you’re new to aural rehabilitation and want to understand the bigger picture first, start with our Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation. Here, we focus specifically on what’s available online and how to choose the right program for you.
Why online auditory training works
The brain is adaptable at any age. Consistent, structured listening practice builds new neural pathways that improve speech comprehension, especially in noisy environments where hearing loss hits hardest. Research has documented improvements of up to 40% in speech perception in noise among people who completed structured auditory training programs. You can read more about the research in our blog Hearing Loss, Aural Rehabilitation, and Dementia: What the Research Shows.
The key factors that make online programs effective are the same ones that make them convenient: they deliver short, focused sessions; they adapt to your current level; and they let you practice in the real-world environments where you need it most.
Online auditory training apps worth knowing
LACE AI Pro, our top recommendation
What it is: LACE (Listening and Communication Enhancement) is the most clinically validated auditory training platform available to consumers. Developed by neuroscientists and audiologists, it has been used and studied for over two decades. The AI version personalizes training to your specific listening challenges.
How it works: Sessions run 20–30 minutes, a few days per week. Exercises include speech in noise, rapid speech, and multi-talker environments, all increasing in difficulty as you improve. The full program takes 4–6 weeks.
Who it’s best for: Hearing aid and cochlear implant users, new hearing aid wearers, people with hidden hearing loss, and anyone frustrated by noisy environments.
Access: Smartphone or tablet, one-time fee, lifetime access with the ability to return for refreshers.
Why we partner with LACE: We recommend LACE AI because it has the most robust clinical evidence behind it and the most consistent outcomes we’ve seen in our patients. Learn more about LACE AI here.
Angel Sound: free and flexible
What it is: Developed by researchers at Tiger Speech Technology in collaboration with scientists at the University of Texas at Dallas, Angel Sound is a free auditory training program originally designed for cochlear implant users but beneficial for a wide range of hearing challenges.
How it works: The program includes a large library of exercises targeting phoneme discrimination, word recognition, sentence comprehension, and music appreciation, areas of listening that are commonly affected by hearing loss. Difficulty adjusts based on performance.
Who it’s best for: Cochlear implant recipients, people on a limited budget, those who want a broad variety of exercise types.
Access: Free download for PC and Mac at tigerspeech.com.
ReadMyQuips: for lipreading and visual support
What it is: A structured program for developing lipreading skills, which are a powerful complement to auditory training. Lipreading, or speechreading, allows the brain to use visual cues to fill in what the ears miss.
How it works: Video-based lessons teach you to recognize speech patterns visually, starting with individual sounds and building to full sentences in various contexts.
Who it’s best for: Anyone with moderate to severe hearing loss, those who want to reduce listening fatigue by supplementing their ears with visual input, new hearing aid users.
Access: Available online; check readmyquips.com for current pricing and access.
Hearing Like Me / Phonak Resources
What it is: Phonak’s hearing health hub includes self-directed listening exercises and guidance for new hearing aid users. It’s less structured than LACE but a good starting point for people who are newly fitted and want to ease into training.
Who it’s best for: New hearing aid users not yet ready for a formal program, caregivers supporting someone with hearing loss.
Access: Free at hearinglikeme.com.
A note on Medicare coverage
This is important to know before choosing any program. Medicare does not cover aural rehabilitation services provided by an audiologist. Under current Medicare rules, audiology services are defined as diagnostic only, testing, not treatment.
However, aural rehabilitation may be a covered Medicare benefit when provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), if it is deemed medically necessary and a physician approves the plan of care. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans also offer broader hearing benefits that may include rehabilitation, always worth checking your specific plan.
The good news is that several of the online programs listed above, including Angel Sound, are free, and LACE AI is available for a one-time fee with lifetime access. These are among the most cost-accessible options for Medicare beneficiaries managing hearing loss.
How to choose the right program for you
Here are a few questions to guide your decision:
- Are you a new hearing aid user? Start with LACE AI, it’s specifically designed to help you adjust and get the most from your technology.
- Have you had a cochlear implant? LACE AI or Angel Sound are both excellent; your audiologist may have a preference.
- Are you working within a tight budget? Angel Sound is free. LACE AI’s one-time fee is still far less than multiple in-person therapy sessions.
- Do you struggle most in noisy places? Any of these programs will help, but LACE AI’s noise-focused exercises are the most targeted.
- Do you lip-read or want to learn? Add ReadMyQuips as a complement to whichever auditory training program you choose.
As always, the best program is the one you’ll actually use consistently. And we’re here to help you decide. Reach out anytime.
Happy Hearing, Karen and Kim
