Specsavers Audiology review

Specsavers Audiology promises to 'tailor your hearing care to your individual needs' and provide 'great value'. But does it live up to these claims?
Joanna PearlHead of consumer research

Specsavers Audiology is a major UK hearing aid provider, with over 200 hearing services in the UK including home visit services.

But is it the best place to go when you're looking for a new hearing aid? To find out, we've surveyed more than 2,000 customers about their hearing aids, to calculate ratings and scores for all the major hearing aid providers, including Specsavers Audiology.

Our survey insights show how customers who use Specsavers' service to those who buy their hearing aids privately felt about their experience, as well as those in England who get their hearing aids from Specsavers via the NHS (this is called the 'Any Qualified Provider' or AQP scheme and is available in over half of NHS areas).

Specsavers rated by customers

If you're not already a Which? member, you can join Which? now to see our hearing provider ratings, plus reviews of thousands of products. Already a Which? member? Log in to see the results of our customer survey.

Specsavers hearing aids
Customer star rating
Customer score
Sample size
Waiting times
Facilities
Staff skill
Product range
Hearing aid comfort    

Table notes:  Scores and ratings are based on an online survey conducted in June 2022 of 1,665 Which? members and members of the public who had obtained a hearing aid from Amplifon, Boots, Hidden Hearing, local independents, Scrivens and Specsavers within the previous five years. Customer score is a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood that the person would recommend the provider they used to a friend. Star ratings: staff skill is based on professionalism and knowledge of staff; product range is based on the range of hearing aids offered; hearing aid suitability rates the suitability of the hearing aids for the individual.

To find out how Specsavers Hearing Centres compares with other retailers, visit our Best hearing aid providers page.

Specsavers hearing aid prices

Find out the average price paid by Which? members and other adults for Specsavers Audiology hearing aids – and the costs of different levels and brands of hearing aid – in our guide to hearing aid prices.

Specsavers rated by NHS (Any Qualified Provider) customers

Here you can see how AQP customers rated their experience with Specsavers, compared to Scrivens (the other bigger provider of AQP). 

Scrivens and Specsavers are only able to offer their AQP customers styles and brands of hearing aids as determined by the NHS.

BrandCustomer scoreSample sizeWaiting timesStaff skillSuitability of aidsComfort of aidsFacilitiesAftercare
Scrivens
Specsavers

Table notes: Scores and ratings are based on an online survey conducted in June 2022 of 1,665 Which? members and members of the public who had obtained a hearing aid from Amplifon, Boots, Hidden Hearing, local independents, Scrivens and Specsavers within the previous five years.
Customer score is a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood that the person would recommend the provider they used to a friend.
Star ratings: staff skill is based on professionalism and knowledge of staff; product range is based on the range of hearing aids offered; hearing aid suitability rates the suitability of the hearing aids for the individual.

Why it matters where you buy your hearing aids from

People told us about their experiences, good and bad, with different providers, with some experiencing pressure to buy or poor follow up, while others had a more pleasant experience:

  • 'Once my hearing had been tested I felt under pressure to purchase from them and was not told of any alternative, I was also under pressure by the sales assistant to pay more than I could comfortably afford.' 
  • 'I did feel at the time that there was unseemly haste to sign me up.' 
  • 'Felt at ease, no pressure applied, appeared to be very professional with everything explained.'
  • 'They have messed me around about follow-up appointments.' 
  • 'They have been very professional, including follow-up calls, spare tube replacement, battery stock replenishment. They went the extra mile to post batteries from their head office when covid isolation made visiting the local store impossible.'
  • 'There has been pressure to get insurance. Frequent letters which I ignored. Had I taken out insurance I would have paid out about £1,500 and made no claim'.

 Find out which companies customers rate, and the ones they were less happy about, by signing up to Which?.