MaxHear
Built for reading the fine print on "FREE" before you sign
Beltone Reviews & Alternative, A $300 Catch
A pending class-action lawsuit — Liebman et al. v. GN Hearing Care Corp., filed in Cook County, Illinois — alleges Beltone advertised a "FREE Three-year manufacturer's warranty" and "FREE Three-year loss, stolen and damage coverage," without disclosing that warranty and loss claims are subject to a $300 per-device deductible. The complaint states the company "made material misrepresentations and omissions regarding the extent of its warranty coverage with the intent to defraud consumers." Beltone is BBB accredited, A+, checked 19 August 2026.
MaxHear is a sound amplifier app for iPhone and Android that answers whether amplification helps you at all, for free, using headphones you already own — no warranty terms to read the fine print on.
Free to try with no account, no email and no card. Headphones required.
"The hardest thing for me was church and family gatherings. I could hear that people were talking, but I'd miss parts of what was being said."
Diane K., 68 — Nashville, TN · MaxHear userWhat Beltone customers actually say
We read Beltone's most recent Better Business Bureau complaints in full, checked 19 August 2026. A striking share — five of the recent complaints — describe the same marketing pattern, separate from the pending lawsuit.
In owners' own words, two separate complaint patterns:
"I bought the hearing aids for $4,000 3 years ago...I only wore them 5 times." When seeking repair: "He said I would have to pay to get them fixed."
BBB complaint — 31 July 2026"it offered a $20 Amazon gift card...they said I didn't have enough hearing loss to qualify. The flyer says there was no catch but the bottom of the flyer states you had to test 40 db."
BBB complaint — 30 December 2024Separately, five recent BBB complaints describe direct mail using language like "RECORDS DIVISION" and "FIRST NOTICE" — phrasing designed to read as an official or governmental notice rather than a marketing offer. That's a distinct pattern from the deductible allegation, but it points at the same underlying theme: the gap between what an offer says on its face and what it actually delivers.
The finding worth knowing before you sign anything: "FREE" is currently being tested in court
The class action, filed by Aaron and Martha Liebman against GN Hearing Care Corp. (doing business as Beltone Electronics), centers on a specific, narrow claim: that Beltone's advertised "FREE Three-year manufacturer's warranty" and "FREE Three-year loss, stolen and damage coverage" omit that claims are subject to a $300 per-device deductible. The plaintiffs say they only learned of the deductible in 2019, when a Beltone provider told them their damaged hearing aids required a $300 payment to repair despite the "free" coverage. The suit was reported as pending as of April 2026; we found no public update on its resolution as of this check. Beltone is owned by GN Store Nord, the same Danish company behind ReSound, which we cover on its own page — and as of mid-2026, a pending transaction would see Amplifon acquire GN's hearing business entirely, including both brands.
What it costs
Beltone doesn't publish prices online — you get a quote in person.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Beltone Achieve, per pair (typical range) | $2,300–$7,000 | industry pricing guides |
| Reported real-world spend (BBB complaint) | $4,000 | BBB complaint filing |
| Advertised warranty deductible (per lawsuit) | $300 per device | class action complaint |
| Online pricing | not published; in-office quote only | Beltone |
| MaxHear | free to find out, then the plan is shown in the app | — |
Original Medicare covers neither hearing aids nor the exams used to fit them. Given the pending litigation, get any "free" warranty or coverage terms — and their deductibles, if any — in writing before you buy.
Beltone vs MaxHear
A clinic-fitted device with disputed warranty terms vs. a free way to answer the first question.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | Beltone Achieve Prescription hearing aid |
|---|---|---|
| First step | Open the app No appointment, no exam | In-office visit No pricing published online |
| Warranty terms | N/A No hardware, nothing to warranty | Disputed in a pending lawsuit Alleged undisclosed $300 deductible |
| Marketing you can take at face value | Yes Free means free, no fine print | Confirm in writing BBB complaints describe misleading direct mail |
| Hardware required | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes A physical device with disputed repair costs |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $2,300–$7,000 a pair Medicare pays nothing |
If you want an in-person fitting from a large, established network, Beltone offers that — just confirm warranty and deductible terms in writing given the pending litigation. If you first want to know whether amplification helps you at all, that's a cheaper, faster question, and MaxHear answers it before any office visit.
Why people check MaxHear before booking a Beltone fitting
Chosen from what actually recurs in Beltone's own complaints and the pending lawsuit — not a generic list.
Free actually means free
MaxHear's free mode has no deductible, no fine print, no fee that shows up only when you try to use it.
Nothing to decode
No mailer to interpret. MaxHear's terms are the same for everyone, stated plainly in the app.
Nothing to send in for repair
No physical hearing aid that can need a paid fix. MaxHear runs on the phone in your pocket and any headphones you already own.
No qualifying test to pass first
Test whether amplification helps you directly, with your own ears, instead of a marketing screening designed to filter you out.
Which one is actually right for you
Two positions, and a step in between.
A fitted device is the right tool
Your hearing loss is severe or profound, affects one ear only, or is conductive or mixed. You need correction most of the day, and you want a professional taking responsibility for the result — with every warranty term confirmed in writing first.
You haven't established that yet
Your struggle is situational, or you're not ready for a $2,300+ decision with disputed warranty terms. Test amplification free first; if the answer is yes, you'll book that fitting knowing more than you do now.
A ten-minute check before you book a fitting
Do this before responding to any mailer or scheduling an appointment. It costs nothing and gives you a real answer.
Write down your three hardest moments
The restaurant table, the phone call, the TV at family dinners. Specific beats "I can't hear well."
Grab headphones you already own
Wired or Bluetooth, whatever you have — no new hardware needed to test the question.
Start in a quiet room, level low
The app opens quiet on purpose — you set the level, with one person talking to you.
Then test your actual worst room
The kitchen mid-cooking, or a café at lunch. That's the situation you're really solving for.
Judge it on one thing
Are you asking people to repeat themselves less? If yes, you've learned amplification helps — now a fitting appointment is an informed decision, not a response to a mailer.
FAQ: Beltone reviews and alternatives
Is Beltone facing a lawsuit?
A class action — Liebman et al. v. GN Hearing Care Corp., filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois (case 2022CH10286) — alleges Beltone advertised a "FREE" three-year warranty and loss/damage coverage without disclosing a $300 per-device deductible. It was reported as pending as of April 2026; we found no public update on its resolution as of this check.
Is Beltone BBB accredited?
Yes, A+ and accredited. Several recent BBB complaints describe direct mail styled to resemble official government notices, and billing disputes over repair costs.
Who owns Beltone?
Beltone is owned by GN Store Nord, the Danish company that also owns ReSound. As of mid-2026, a pending transaction would see Amplifon acquire GN's hearing business, including both brands, though it had not closed as of this check.
How much does Beltone cost?
Typically $2,300 to $7,000 a pair depending on the model and technology tier, though Beltone doesn't publish prices online — you get a quote in person.
Can an app replace a hearing aid?
No, and MaxHear doesn't claim to. It's a sound amplifier app, not a medical device, and isn't authorized as a hearing aid. Its purpose is answering whether amplification helps you at all, for free, before any sales call or purchase.
Related reading
See Voice Focus, the equalizer and Ear Guard inside the app
A walk through the four screens that do the work, in the order you'll meet them.
Free to tryWhat's free forever, and what Premium adds
The exact limits of the free mode, and what unlocks with the 3-day trial.
Another prescription brand, a different storyWidex reviews & alternative
A verified technical claim, alongside its own separate BBB record.
Compare other brands
Widex and Phonak sit in the same prescription price band, each fitted through a clinic. We're building an honest page for each.
Stop asking people to repeat themselves
Install MaxHear, connect the headphones you already own, and hear the next conversation clearly.