MaxHear
Built for finding out before a Costco optical-department visit
Rexton Reviews & Alternative: Costco's First Ever
Rexton — a brand under WS Audiology, alongside Signia and Widex — was the first hearing aid Costco ever sold, long before the retailer expanded to multiple brands. Independent lab testing gives the current Rexton Reach an A SoundGrade, overall score 4.5 out of 5. Real customer reviews of it, read directly, split sharply between two very different experiences.
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, before any Costco membership or fitting appointment is involved.
Free to try with no account, no email and no card. Headphones required.
"Family dinners were becoming stressful. Too many people talking at once and I'd lose track of the conversation. I started sitting at the end of the table because it was easier. I finally decided I needed some help. MaxHear has made gatherings a lot less exhausting for me."
Barbara M., 74 — Jacksonville, FL · MaxHear userWhat Rexton owners actually say — two very different accounts
Rexton, A Division of Sivantos, Inc, shows zero complaints on its own corporate BBB profile — not because Rexton is complaint-free in practice, but because most consumer complaints about Costco-sold hearing aids land against Costco or the individual hearing center, not the manufacturer division directly. We instead read genuine customer reviews of the Rexton Reach, checked 19 August 2026.
Two real owners, describing the same model in opposite terms:
"I have been using the Rexton from Costco about 3 weeks now and absolutely love them...they are perfect."
customer review, HearingTracker"is muffelled...way more higher frequency noises than I want."
customer review, HearingTrackerA separate reviewer described music streaming quality as "slightly below average," noting "music felt a bit flat and lacking in bass" — a specific, narrow limitation rather than a general complaint about the device.
The finding worth knowing before you buy: Rexton isn't a newcomer at Costco — it's the original
Costco now sells hearing aids from several manufacturers, including Philips (built by Demant, which we cover separately) alongside Rexton (built by WS Audiology, the same company behind Signia and Widex, which we also cover). Rexton has the longest history there — it was the very first brand Costco carried, before the retailer expanded its lineup. That long track record is one reason its lab scores are consistently solid; it's also why there's a large enough body of real owner reviews to see the split above clearly, rather than guessing from a handful of early adopters.
What it costs
Costco bundles the device with fitting and follow-up care.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rexton Reach, per pair | $1,599 | HearingTracker |
| Where to buy | Costco Hearing Aid Centers only | Costco |
| Requires | paid Costco membership | Costco |
| Trial | 180 days | Costco / HearingTracker |
| 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. Rexton's price sits well below many clinic-only Rx brands — a large part of Costco's overall appeal, alongside the same membership and in-person requirements that apply to any Costco hearing aid purchase.
Rexton vs MaxHear
A well-regarded, lab-strong device with mixed owner reviews vs. a free way to answer the first question.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | Rexton Reach Prescription hearing aid, via Costco |
|---|---|---|
| First step | Open the app No membership, no appointment | Costco membership + booked appointment No online purchase path |
| Lab-measured sound quality | Not lab-tested A general-purpose amplifier, not a clinical device | Grade A, 4.5/5 (HearAdvisor) Solid across a long track record |
| Real owner reviews | Not applicable | Split — some love it, some describe muffled sound Read past the average before buying |
| Hardware required | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes A physical device, fitted in person |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $1,599 a pair Plus membership; Medicare pays nothing |
Rexton's lab scores and price are genuinely competitive within the Costco lineup. If you first want to know whether amplification helps you at all, that's a faster, free question, and it's the one MaxHear answers before any membership or appointment.
Why people check MaxHear before a Rexton fitting
Chosen from what actually recurs in real owner reviews — not a generic list.
Judge the sound yourself, before committing
MaxHear lets you test amplification with your own ears, in your own rooms, rather than relying on someone else's average experience.
Nothing to book first
MaxHear's free mode opens straight into live amplification, no Costco card or scheduled visit required.
Adjust it yourself, live
MaxHear's four-band equalizer — bass, voice, clarity, treble — is tuned by ear, in the moment.
One product, no lineup to research
No need to figure out which of several brands you're actually being fitted with.
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. Costco's staff are licensed hearing healthcare professionals if you already have a membership; a local independent clinic works too.
You haven't established that you need a fitted device yet
Your struggle is situational, or you'd rather test amplification for free before booking any appointment. If the answer is yes, you'll go into a fitting knowing more than you do now.
A ten-minute check before you book an appointment
Do this before scheduling a Costco visit. 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 booking a fitting is an informed decision, not a guess.
FAQ: Rexton reviews and alternatives
Who makes Rexton hearing aids?
WS Audiology, the same company behind Signia and Widex, which we cover separately on this site. Rexton was the first hearing aid brand Costco ever sold.
Is Rexton good?
Independent lab testing gives the Rexton Reach an A SoundGrade, 4.5 out of 5 overall. Real owner reviews are more mixed — some describe it as excellent, others report muffled sound or flat music streaming. Read individual reviews, not just the average.
How much does Rexton cost?
The Rexton Reach runs about $1,599 a pair through Costco, with a 180-day trial.
Does Rexton have BBB complaints?
Rexton's own corporate BBB profile (a division of Sivantos) shows zero filed complaints, checked 19 August 2026 — though as with most Costco-sold devices, individual service complaints are more likely to land against Costco or the specific hearing center than the manufacturer directly.
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 appointment 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.
A different manufacturer, same storePhilips reviews & alternative
Also sold at Costco, but built by an entirely different company.
Compare other brands
Philips (Costco's other manufacturer) and Beltone (a sister WS Audiology brand) each have their own separate story. 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.