Best Phones for Hearing Difficulties in Australia: Simple Buying Guide

If hearing on the phone has become a strain, the phone itself can make a real difference. A loud, clear handset that works smoothly with hearing aids turns a frustrating call back into an easy one. And modern phones can do more than just get louder. They can send the call straight into the hearing aids, show the words on screen, and flash a light when someone rings. For clearer sound around the home, it is also worth seeing the best smart TVs for seniors.

This guide explains what to look for, the phones that work well in Australia, and the free local help that many people do not realise is there. We do not quote exact prices, as they change. We point you to where to check.

How the main options compare

Their hearing and needs	Better fit
Wears modern hearing aids and wants the call streamed into them	iPhone, or a newer Samsung Galaxy
No hearing aids, just needs a loud, clear and simple phone	Doro amplified smartphone or button phone
Finds it easier to read the words than hear them	A smartphone with live captions, plus the National Relay Service
Mostly uses the home phone and cannot hear it	An amplified big-button home phone

What matters most for hearing

It works with hearing aids

If the person wears hearing aids, this is the big one. Many newer hearing aids can connect directly to a phone over Bluetooth and have the call played straight into the ears, clear and at the right volume. Apple has worked with most hearing aid makers on this, so a hearing aid described as “Made for iPhone” pairs easily. Newer Android phones, including recent Samsung models, can do the same with most modern aids. If you are not sure whether the aids will connect, ask the audiologist who fitted them.

Loud, clear sound

For someone without hearing aids, plain loudness matters most. A good speakerphone and a strong earpiece make all the difference. Doro phones are built around this, with extra volume and clear sound designed for older ears. On any smartphone, the speakerphone is often the clearest way to talk, since it frees you to hold the phone where you hear best.

You can see as well as hear the call

A flashing light or a bright screen when the phone rings means you never miss a call you cannot hear. And both iPhone and Samsung can show live captions, turning the other person’s words into text on the screen as they speak. For many people, being able to read along while they listen makes a hard call easy again.

A loud, distinct ringtone

Turn the ringer right up in the shop and listen. A low, gentle ringtone is easy to miss. A loud, sharp one, or one with vibration and a flashing light, is much harder to walk past. This is a free setting on every phone, so make sure it is set before the phone is handed over.

The best phones for hearing difficulties

iPhone, the easiest match for hearing aids

If the person wears hearing aids, an iPhone is the simplest path. Most current hearing aids are made to pair with it directly, so the call streams into both ears at the volume the aids are tuned to. The iPhone also has live captions for calls, a Live Listen feature that turns the phone into a small microphone to catch a quiet talker across the room, and clear visual alerts. It is sold at Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and the telcos.

May suit someone who

Wears modern hearing aids and wants calls streamed straight into them, with the option to read captions too.

Things to check

Ask the audiologist if the hearing aids are “Made for iPhone” or pair with it. Our guide on making an iPhone easier for seniors covers turning on captions and visual alerts.

Plain-English verdict

The best phone for hearing aid wearers. Costs more than a budget Android, but the hearing aid connection is the smoothest there is.

Samsung Galaxy, the strong-value smartphone

A newer Samsung Galaxy can also connect to most modern hearing aids and stream calls, and it costs less than an iPhone. It has live captions, loud and clear speakerphone, a sound amplifier feature for catching quiet speech, and Easy Mode to keep everything simple. The Galaxy A-series is the affordable choice and works just as well for hearing as the dearer models.

May suit someone who

Wears newer hearing aids or none, wants captions and clear sound, and prefers Android or a lower price.

Things to check

Confirm the hearing aids will pair, as very old aids may not. For the affordable models, our budget phones guide has more on the Galaxy A-series.

Plain-English verdict

A clear, affordable smartphone for hearing difficulties. Almost as good as the iPhone for hearing aids, and easier on the budget.

Doro, for loud and simple without hearing aids

If the person does not wear hearing aids and simply needs a phone they can hear, a Doro is built for exactly that. The earpiece and speaker are louder and clearer than most phones, the ringtone is strong, and the menus are kept simple. Doro makes both easy smartphones and basic button phones. In Australia they are sold online, through Doro Australia (doroaustralia.com.au) and retailers like Amazon Australia.

May suit someone who

Has hearing loss but no hearing aids, and wants a loud, clear, simple phone without fuss.

Things to check

Confirm the model is a current 4G phone, and that it is hearing aid compatible if that ever changes. Check the return policy with the online seller.

Plain-English verdict

The best simple, loud phone for someone who is hard of hearing but not using aids. You give up the big app store, but gain real clarity.

Free Australian help worth knowing about

Two things are easy to miss. The National Relay Service is a free, government-funded service that helps people who are Deaf or hard of hearing use the phone, including having a call captioned so you can read what the other person says as they speak. It is genuinely useful and costs nothing; you simply register once at accesshub.gov.au. The government also runs the Hearing Services Program, which provides hearing tests, fittings and hearing aids, fully subsidised for most pensioner concession card holders and their partners. Hearing Australia and other accredited providers deliver it, and your GP or audiologist can help you apply. Both are well worth looking into before you spend on equipment yourself.

Setting up a phone for hearing difficulties

• Pair the hearing aids and test a call to the right ear volume.
• Turn the ringer and notification volume up, and add a flashing alert.
• Turn on live captions so the words appear during a call.
• Set the speakerphone as the easy default if that is clearer for them.

Best overall for hearing difficulties

For someone who wears hearing aids, an iPhone is the best choice, with a newer Samsung Galaxy a strong and cheaper alternative. For someone with hearing loss but no aids, a Doro amplified phone gives the loudest, clearest sound in the simplest package. Across all of them, turn on captions and visual alerts, and look into the free National Relay Service.

Next steps

If you are still deciding what type of phone suits, our guide on how to choose a phone for an older parent is a good starting point. For the home, see our best home phones for seniors guide, which covers amplified handsets. The full range of models is in our best smartphones for seniors guide. All of our phone advice lives on the phones for seniors hub. If hearing aids are part of the picture too, our hearing help hub covers everything from what hearing aids really cost to cheaper alternatives like amplified phones.