Bose Hearing Aids in 2026: What Happened & Best 'Powered by Bose' Options

Quick Answer: Bose no longer sells its own hearing aids — it discontinued the Bose SoundControl in 2023 and licensed its self-fitting CustomTune technology to Lexie Hearing. So in 2026 the way to get “Bose sound” is a Lexie Powered by Bose model, all sold over the counter on Amazon: the Lexie B2 Plus ($999/pair) is the best overall — rechargeable with iPhone and Android streaming — the new Lexie B3 ($999) adds the longest battery and IP68 water resistance, and the Lexie B1 (~$649) is the budget pick. All are FDA-regulated, self-fitting OTC devices for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

If you’ve been searching for “Bose hearing aids,” you’ve probably noticed they’re hard to find — and that’s because Bose stopped making them. The good news: the technology didn’t disappear. Bose’s SoundControl was, in 2021, the first FDA-cleared direct-to-consumer self-fitting hearing aid, and its standout feature — the award-winning CustomTune algorithm that lets you fit the aids yourself in minutes — now lives on inside the Lexie “Powered by Bose” lineup. According to the NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders), about 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids, yet fewer than one in three adults over 70 who could benefit has ever used them, with price and stigma the biggest barriers. Here’s exactly what happened to Bose, and which Powered-by-Bose model (or alternative) is right for you.

Bose hearing aids at a glance, by the numbers

• 2021 — Bose’s SoundControl became the first FDA-cleared direct-to-consumer self-fitting hearing aid in the U.S., and its CustomTune fitting system won a CES Innovation Award.
• 2023 — Bose discontinued the SoundControl and licensed its hearing-aid technology to Lexie Hearing (the hearX Group), exiting the direct-to-consumer hearing-aid market.
• ~$649–$999 — the price range of a pair of Lexie Powered by Bose hearing aids in 2026, versus the ~$3,000 average for prescription hearing aids reported by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
• Up to 32 hours — the battery life Lexie rates for the rechargeable B3 Powered by Bose, which also carries an IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating.
• 2022 — the year the FDA’s OTC hearing aid rule took effect, making self-fitting devices like the Lexie Powered by Bose line legal to buy online without a prescription for perceived mild-to-moderate loss.

Bose / Powered by Bose hearing aids compared

1. Lexie B2 Plus Powered by Bose — Best Overall

The B2 Plus is the closest thing to a “new Bose hearing aid” you can buy in 2026, and it’s the model most buyers should start with. It pairs the CustomTune self-fitting system Bose pioneered with the features Bose’s own SoundControl lacked: rechargeability and true call streaming on both phone platforms. If your priority is hands-free phone calls, it also earns a spot in our best Bluetooth hearing aids roundup, and it leads our full Lexie hearing aids review.

2. Lexie B3 Powered by Bose — Best Battery & Water Resistance

The B3 is the newest Powered by Bose aid and the pick if you want the most battery and the most durability. The up-to-32-hour battery means you can stream all day and still not charge until bedtime, and the IP68 rating makes it the most worry-free option for active wearers. It’s a natural fit for anyone who also browses our best rechargeable hearing aids guide.

3. Lexie B2 Powered by Bose — Best Value Rechargeable

If the B2 Plus is sold out or you spot the original B2 on a deep discount, it remains an excellent buy — you keep the Bose-derived sound and rechargeability, trading only the newer case and Android call streaming. For iPhone users on a tighter budget, it’s one of the better-value rechargeable OTC aids around, and it sits alongside our broader best cheap hearing aids picks.

4. Lexie B1 Powered by Bose — Best Budget

The B1 is the cheapest way into Bose-derived sound. You give up rechargeability and streaming, but you keep the all-important CustomTune fitting that makes these aids easy to dial in at home. For buyers who just want clearer speech without spending four figures, it’s a smart entry point — stock the right cells with our best hearing aid batteries guide.

5. Sony CRE-E10 — Best Non-Bose Bluetooth Alternative

If you specifically want to stream music, TV, and podcasts (not just phone calls) directly into your ears, Sony’s earbud-style CRE-E10 does that better than the Powered by Bose RIC models. It’s pricier, but it’s the closest “consumer-brand” rival to Bose’s old positioning — see our full Sony hearing aids review for the rest of the lineup.

6. Jabra Enhance Select — Best Alternative With Bundled Care

The Powered by Bose line leans on self-fitting; if you’d rather have a real audiologist in your corner, the Jabra Enhance Select pairs comparable hardware with remote professional care. It’s our top pick for buyers who want hand-holding — read the full Jabra hearing aids review to compare.

So what actually happened to Bose hearing aids?

Bose entered hearing aids in 2021 with the SoundControl, the first device to win FDA clearance for direct-to-consumer self-fitting — a genuine milestone that helped pave the way for the FDA’s 2022 OTC hearing-aid rule. Its breakthrough was CustomTune, an in-app fitting system that let buyers personalize the sound themselves in minutes, no audiogram required. But scaling a regulated medical-device line is a different business than selling headphones, and in 2023 Bose discontinued the SoundControl and licensed its hearing-aid technology to Lexie Hearing (the hearX Group), which had the clinical and customer-support infrastructure to run with it. That’s why every “Bose” hearing aid you can buy today is branded Lexie Powered by Bose — same CustomTune DNA, broader lineup, and ongoing support.

Are Powered by Bose hearing aids worth it?

For most people with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss who want easy, trusted, self-fitting devices, yes. The Powered-by-Bose lineup pairs the CustomTune algorithm — which made Bose’s original aid stand out — with Lexie’s bundled support, all for ~$649–$999 a pair, roughly a third of the ~$3,000 average prescription fitting reported by PCAST.

Where they’re not the answer: rock-bottom budgets (an Audien or other cheap hearing aid under $300 costs far less, with fewer features), buyers who want maximum media streaming (the Sony CRE-E10 streams better), or hearing loss beyond the OTC range, where a prescription fitting is the safer call.

Who should NOT buy an OTC Bose / Lexie hearing aid

OTC hearing aids, the Powered by Bose line included, are FDA-regulated for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. See a hearing professional first if any of these apply:

• Your hearing loss is severe, came on suddenly, or affects one ear only — start with our severe hearing loss guide and a medical check.
• You have ear pain, drainage, or known excess earwax.
• Your tinnitus is pulsing or one-sided — see our tinnitus guide and a doctor first.
• You’re buying for a child — OTC hearing aids are for adults 18 and older only.

The bottom line

Bose itself is out of the hearing-aid business, but its technology isn’t gone — it lives on in the Lexie Powered by Bose lineup. The Lexie B2 Plus ($999) is the best overall “Bose sound” hearing aid of 2026 with rechargeability and iPhone-plus-Android calling; the new Lexie B3 ($999) adds the longest battery and IP68 durability; and the Lexie B1 (~$649) is the budget entry point. All are sold over the counter on Amazon. For the wider field, compare them against our best OTC hearing aids and best hearing aids rankings, read our Lexie, Sony, and Jabra brand reviews, or browse Lexie Powered by Bose hearing aids on Amazon.