Certus Hearing Reviews
Certus One vs subsidised and private hearing aids in New Zealand
New Zealand subsidises a fixed amount per aid rather than covering a device outright, so the question is what you pay after NZ$511.11 comes off. Prices below are from Audika New Zealand's published table.
Prices checked 31 July 2026.
Is Certus One as good as a professionally fitted hearing aid?
No, and it is not priced as if it were. It does not replace a professional fitting.
A subsidised entry pair lands near NZ$495 fitted, which is close to this device's price and comes with an audiologist. If you have not used your six-year subsidy, use it.
The options, priced
| Option | Price | Fitting | Aftercare | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hearing Aid Funding Scheme | Fully funded if eligible | Audiologist fitted | Assessment and fitting fees may still apply | Eligibility is narrow: community services card holders and certain other groups. Once every six years. |
| Subsidy Scheme + entry pair | About NZ$495 a pair | Audiologist fitted | Per clinic, fitting fees extra | NZ$1,518 list, less NZ$511.11 per aid. Not rechargeable at this level, and the subsidy resets only every six years. |
| Mid-range private | NZ$2,278 to NZ$5,999 after subsidy | Audiologist fitted, full service | Bundled | Top of the published range reaches NZ$10,911 a pair. |
| Certus OneOur product | NZ$329.99 a pair | Self-fitted, preset. No audiogram, no appointment. | 90-day home trial, 2-year warranty, email support | No professional fitting, no in-person aftercare, much smaller gains in loud rooms, and no DSS subsidy. |
Sources: Audika New Zealand price table, Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme guide. Checked 31 July 2026. Verify current prices with each provider before deciding.
NZ$511.11 per aid
The Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme pays NZ$511.11 per hearing aid for adults over 16 with permanent hearing loss, once every six years. It does not cover assessment or fitting fees.
Source: Disability Support Services, Ministry of Health. Checked 2026-07-31.
NZ$1,518 to NZ$10,911
Audika New Zealand's published table runs from NZ$1,518 a pair at entry level to NZ$10,911 at the top, before the subsidy is applied.
Source: Audika New Zealand published price list. Checked 2026-07-31.
NZ$495
After the subsidy, the cheapest fitted pair on that list is about NZ$495, and the mid-range sits between NZ$1,499 and NZ$3,000.
Source: Audika New Zealand, price after DSS funding. Checked 2026-07-31.
Once every 6 years
Funding for adults is available no more than once in a six-year period, so a mid-cycle replacement is paid for privately.
Source: Disability Support Services. Checked 2026-07-31.
Where the cheap option genuinely loses
Noise. A professionally fitted pair uses directional microphones and adaptive processing that a preset in-canal device at this price does not match. In a restaurant, a pub, or a room with more than three people talking, the difference is audible, and our own reviewers say so.
The audiogram. A professional fitting shapes amplification to the exact frequencies you have lost. Certus One applies a preset profile. ClearVoice SpeechLift lifts speech frequencies and softens background noise, which suits the common pattern of age-related loss, but it is not your curve.
Someone to go back to. In-person aftercare has real value: retuning, wax removal, replacement domes, an annual check. Certus gives you email support and a 90-day window.
Where it genuinely wins
Time. There is no referral, no appointment and no waiting list.
Money at risk. $329.99 with a 90-day trial is a small bet if what you want to find out is whether amplification helps you at all.
Starting at all. People wait an average of ten years between noticing a hearing problem and acting on it (RNID, Hearing Matters). A cheap device that gets worn beats an expensive one that never gets bought.
What we would tell you to do
- Get a hearing test anyway. Most high-street chains offer one free with no obligation, and knowing your audiogram is useful whatever you buy afterwards.
- If your loss is more than moderate, do not buy this. Over-the-counter devices are capped on output by design (US Food and Drug Administration). Go the fitted route.
- Check what you are entitled to first. Disability Support Services pays NZ$511.11 per aid, once every six years, and it does not cover assessment or fitting fees.
- If you mainly want conversation at home, on the phone and one-to-one, that is the case our 1287 reviews describe working well.
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Certus One than a fitted pair in New Zealand?
- Certus One is $329.99 a pair. Hearing Aid Funding Scheme: Fully funded if eligible. Subsidy Scheme + entry pair: About NZ$495 a pair. Mid-range private: NZ$2,278 to NZ$5,999 after subsidy. The trade is the audiogram, the professional fitting and in-person aftercare.
- Is a cheap over-the-counter device as good as an expensive fitted one?
- Not in noisy environments, and not fitted to your hearing. In quiet rooms, one-to-one conversation and on the phone, the gap is smaller than the price difference suggests. A 2026 meta-analysis of 15 studies and 774 participants found self-fitting over-the-counter devices performed comparably to audiologist-fitted devices on patient-reported measures, although the authors rate the certainty of that evidence as low.
- Should I use the Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme instead?
- A subsidised entry pair lands near NZ$495 fitted, which is close to this device's price and comes with an audiologist. If you have not used your six-year subsidy, use it.
- Do I need a hearing test before buying an over-the-counter device?
- You are not required to have one, but it is worth doing. A hearing test tells you whether your loss is inside the mild-to-moderate range these devices are built for, and if it is not, no over-the-counter device at any price will help.