App comparison
Several apps can help cochlear implant users practice listening. They differ in price, approach, which device they need, and who they are built for. Here is how they compare.
CoPilot is a free app made by Cochlear for their own device users. It includes active listening exercises, hearing games, and tips for real-world situations. The content is well-designed and research-informed.
The catch: it only works for Cochlear brand implant users. If you use Advanced Bionics or MED-EL, this one is not available to you.
Price: Free
Requires: Cochlear brand implant
Strengths: Manufacturer-backed, research-informed exercises
LACE is the name your audiologist is most likely to know. Its published studies come from the program's earlier CD and desktop era; the current AI Pro app is a newer rebuild, so that research record belongs to older versions rather than to the app sold today. The AI Pro version adjusts difficulty to your performance.
The barrier is price and access. Partner clinics list LACE at about $499, and its own store listing says you must be registered with a hearing care professional who sets up your account before you can log in. There is no download-and-start path.
Price: about $499 (MSRP at partner clinics, often discounted)
Getting it: a hearing care professional sets up your account first
Note: published studies were run on earlier versions of the program
Hearoes is a gamified auditory training app with over 90 activities covering sound awareness, phonetics, and listening in noise. It works for both CI and hearing aid users and does not require a specific device brand.
It is free to start with in-app purchases for advanced content. The app has about 12,000 total downloads, and user reviews mention occasional bugs with sound playback.
Price: Free + in-app purchases
Requires: No specific device
Strengths: Gamified, broad exercise library, works across device brands
Advanced Bionics offers ListenFit for checking hearing in everyday situations and Angel Sound for interactive auditory training modules. Both are free.
Like CoPilot, ListenFit works best with AB devices. Angel Sound runs on more devices, but its interface is dated and it feels more like a research tool than a consumer app.
eargym is a UK-based hearing training app with a subscription model. It includes hearing checks, sound training games, and progress tracking. It is ORCHA accredited and classified as a Class 1 medical device in the UK and EU.
The free tier is limited, and some users report frustration with the paywall. The app has about 10,000 downloads on Google Play.
Price: about $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year (a $11.99 lifetime unlock is also offered)
Requires: No specific device
Strengths: Hearing health tracking, medical device classification
SoundSteps is a listening practice app for cochlear implant and hearing aid users. It starts with a short listening check, then moves into guided sessions that go from one steady voice in quiet toward harder real-life listening.
It is built around short daily sessions that are easy to repeat. It works across device brands, and you can start without registering through a clinician.
Price: Free to start
Requires: No specific device
Strengths: Guided progression, short sessions, device-agnostic
Use a Cochlear device? Try CoPilot first. It is free and well-made.
Want something that works on any device and starts calm before it builds? Try SoundSteps or Hearoes. Both let you begin free, so you can find out what you will keep up with before any money changes hands.
FAQ
Cochlear CoPilot is free and well-designed but requires a Cochlear brand device. Hearoes and SoundSteps both offer free starting tiers and work across device brands.
LACE adapts to your performance, and your provider can follow your progress. Keep in mind that its published studies were run on earlier versions of the program — the current app is a newer rebuild. At $499, it is reasonable to try a free option first and see whether daily practice sticks for you.
Yes. Some people use a manufacturer app for device-specific features and an independent app for broader listening practice.
No. All of these apps are practice and training tools. They support listening skill development between appointments but do not replace audiology care.
Look for an app that starts with simpler tasks and progresses gradually. Jumping into advanced exercises on activation day is usually counterproductive.
Related reading
Every listening-practice app compared: price, platforms, devices, languages.
Start with the SoundSteps listening check for cochlear implant users.
A calmer starting point for the first weeks after activation.
Set expectations for short, calm, repeatable listening practice.
What to try if LACE is not the right fit for your listening practice.
Where its research comes from, the price, and who it fits — before you buy.
Listening practice apps compared by price, features, and fit.
SoundSteps
See where your listening practice should start today. No account needed for the first session.
SoundSteps is designed for hearing training and practice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. Consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
