Online test · Full test
Online hearing test vs a full test with an audiogram
The difference in one table
| Online self-check | Full test | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does it | You, alone | At G-Sound: a G-Sound technician with an audiogram |
| Equipment | A phone or computer and home headphones | An audiometer |
| Where | Anywhere with a quiet room | At G-Sound: at home, at work or at an institution, by appointment |
| What comes out | A summary in words and a recommendation on whether to go further | An audiogram |
| Suitable for choosing a hearing aid | No | It is the basis for the fitting |
Why do online test results vary so much?
- A 2025 systematic review brought together 12 studies of 15 apps and online tools for hearing tests. The measured sensitivity ranged from 18% to 100%, and the specificity from 35.5% to 99.1%. The researchers noted that differences in the test setting, the devices and the types of headphones make comparison difficult, and called for the results to be interpreted with caution (Audiol Res, 2025).
- A doctoral dissertation from Louisiana Tech (2016) found that an online tone test estimated hearing thresholds too high, and concluded that such results should not be used to buy or fit a hearing aid.
- A study in JMIR (2013) found that a self-test at home, on a computer with ordinary headphones, can be used for screening, but its measurement error was larger than in a test with an audiometer, and part of it came from calibration problems.
- Harvard Health describes an online hearing test as a "basic assessment", and notes that it cannot determine the type or the cause of hearing loss.
In other words, the problem is not that the online test is "bad". It is simply done on equipment that nobody calibrated, so you can rely on it only to decide on the next step.
What the online test does not do
- It does not give an audiogram or a hearing threshold.
- It does not determine whether there is hearing loss, in which ear, of what type and to what degree.
- It is not suitable for choosing a hearing aid or for adjusting one.
- It does not check the ear canal and the eardrum. That is done in a test with a professional.
- It is not suitable for an urgent situation: sudden hearing loss, ear pain or discharge from the ear are reasons to see a doctor the same day.
What does the online test give you?
- A first step without leaving home. A few minutes, headphones and a quiet room.
- Words to describe the difficulty. The NIDCD questionnaire helps you notice the situations where it is hard to hear: a restaurant, the TV, gatherings.
- A sign of a difference between the ears. The tones are played to each ear separately.
- A sign of difficulty in noise. The digits-in-noise step comes close to a conversation in a noisy place.
What happens in the full test?
In the full test, hearing is tested with an audiometer and you get an audiogram. At G-Sound it also includes a test of speech understanding (discrimination), not only tones. The steps are explained in the guide What happens in a hearing test.
At G-Sound we do home hearing tests nationwide by appointment. We come with an audiometer, a computer, equipment for taking impressions and checking ears, hearing aid software and accessories. The test is carried out by a G-Sound technician with an audiogram. It can also be arranged at work or at an institution. If you prefer a private test, details are on Private hearing test (in Hebrew).
So what comes first?
- If there is an urgent sign, such as sudden hearing loss, pain or discharge: see a doctor the same day. Do not take an online test. NIDCD defines sudden hearing loss as a medical emergency.
- If you are not sure there is any difficulty at all: start with the self-check (in Hebrew).
- If the self-check recommended going further, or you already feel a difficulty: arrange a full test.
- To the self-check (in Hebrew)
- Home hearing test
- Private hearing test (in Hebrew)
- What happens in a hearing test
- Online hearing test: what it can and cannot tell you
- The digits-in-noise test
The self-check, and after it the full test. To the self-check (in Hebrew). For a full test with an audiogram, also at home: call 055-3333338 or WhatsApp.
Sources
- Hassan, Wiil & Ebrahimi, "The Accuracy of Self-Administered Web- and App-Based Tools for Audiometric Tests: A Systematic Review", Audiol Res 15(3):73, 2025 (PMID 40558412) · checked 03.11.2026 (abstract, via Europe PMC)
- Potier, "The validity and reliability of online hearing tests: Easier is not always better", Louisiana Tech University, AuD dissertation, 2016 · checked 03.11.2026
- Masalski & Kręcicki, "Self-Test Web-Based Pure-Tone Audiometry: Validity Evaluation and Measurement Error Analysis", J Med Internet Res 15(4):e71, 2013 · checked 03.11.2026
- Harvard Health Publishing, "Should you try a do-it-yourself hearing test?" (01.09.2024) · checked 03.11.2026
- NIDCD, "Do You Need A Hearing Test?" (bookmark, March 2016) · checked 03.11.2026
- ASHA, "Hearing Screening and Hearing Evaluation: What's the Difference?" · checked 03.11.2026
- NIDCD, "Sudden Deafness" · checked 03.11.2026
English version: 4 November 2026 · Written by the G-Sound editorial team. Original version updated 03.11.2026. The information is general and does not replace a check-up or medical advice.
More in English
Frequently asked questions
Questions about online and full hearing tests
Is an online hearing test accurate?
It is not calibrated, so you cannot talk about accuracy in the sense of a full test. It gives a signal of whether to go further.
Can I buy a hearing aid based on an online test?
No. Choosing and adjusting a hearing aid are based on a full test.
If I took an online test, will the full test be shorter?
Not necessarily. The full test stands on its own. It is worth telling the technician what came up in the self-check.
Who carries out the full test at G-Sound?
A G-Sound technician with an audiogram, by appointment and nationwide.
Can the full test be done at home?
Yes. We do home hearing tests nationwide by appointment. Details on the home hearing test page.
Please do not send sensitive medical information in a message. We go over the relevant details on the phone.
Want to arrange it?
Service is by appointment: at the customer's home, at work, and sometimes in the everyday setting where the difficulty happens.
To arrange a full hearing test with an audiogram, also at home.
055-3333338