GEERS
GEERS is Germany's largest specialist hearing aid retailer, operating approximately 700 stores and serving individuals with hearing loss through hearing aids, AI-powered devices, hearing tests, and lifetime after-sales service. A subsidiary of Swiss listed Sonova AG.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersDortmund, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What GEERS does
GEERS, operating under Sonova Retail Deutschland GmbH, is Germany's largest specialist hearing aid retail chain with approximately 700 stores nationwide and around 2,500 employees. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Dortmund, the company provides hearing care services and products to individuals with hearing loss, including behind-the-ear (HdO) and in-the-ear (IdO) hearing aids as well as AI-powered hearing aids sourced from Sonova-owned brands Phonak and AudioNova. Its differentiated service offering centers on the proprietary GEERS Hörerlebnis concept, which uses in-ear analysis equipment during the first appointment to deliver immediate hearing improvement while automatically analyzing the customer's personal hearing environment.
The business model is anchored in a hybrid retail-and-service approach: customers receive free hearing tests (in-store or online), professional fitting by trained hearing acousticians, and lifetime after-sales service including maintenance, cleaning, and repairs. Pricing is structured around the German statutory health insurance framework, with zero-cost ('Nulltarif') hearing aids available up to €741 per ear with a €10 co-payment, complemented by private-pay premium tiers, financing options, and hearing aid insurance. Digital channels — including the GEERS App (launched July 2024), online appointment booking, an e-commerce storefront, and a store locator — extend the physical retail network into hybrid self-service journeys.
Customer-facing marketing spans content marketing, paid search, social media, in-store promotional events (Hörtest-Tage), a customer referral program (Hörfreunde), and a loyalty partnership with Payback. GEERS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonova AG, a Swiss-listed hearing technology group, which provides it with hardware, R&D, and supply chain backing. The company operates exclusively in Germany and is GDPR/DSGVO-, CCPA-, and HIPAA-compliant in its handling of health-related data.
GEERS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GEERS
- Legal name
- Sonova Retail Deutschland GmbH
- Website
- https://geers.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- GEERS is Germany's largest specialist hearing aid retailer, operating approximately 700 stores and serving individuals with hearing loss through hearing aids, AI-powered devices, hearing tests, and lifetime after-sales service. A subsidiary of Swiss listed Sonova AG.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GEERS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hearing Aid Retail and Audiology Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Otolaryngology (ENT) (HLAKAMAA)
Keywords
Where GEERS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dortmund
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GEERS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Hearing Aids Sales: Sale of hearing aids including behind-the-ear (HdO) and in-ear (IdO) devices from Phonak and AudioNova. GEERS offers 'Nulltarif' (zero-cost) hearing aids where the cost is covered by statutory health insurance (up to €741 per ear with a €10 co-payment per device), with additional premium options available for private payment.
- Hearing Aid Accessories: Sale of hearing aid accessories to extend and enhance hearing device functionality.
- Hearing Protection Products: Sale of hearing protection products for sleeping, music, work and leisure, travel and motor noise, and swimming.
- Professional Services and After-Sales Service: Lifetime service including maintenance, cleaning, and repairs. Hearing aid financing services and hearing aid insurance are also offered.
- Online Shop Sales: E-commerce sales through the GEERS online shop for hearing aids and accessories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Nulltarif (Zero-Cost) Hearing Aids - Statutory Insurance |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Private Pay / Premium Hearing Aids |
| Subscription | Monthly | Financing Option |
| Subscription | Annual | Hearing Aid Insurance |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
GEERS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GEERS operates Germany's largest chain of specialist hearing care stores (approximately 700 locations, 2,500 employees), selling behind-the-ear (HdO) and in-the-ear (IdO) hearing aids under the AudioNova, Phonak, and Hansaton brands, together with hearing protection products and accessories. The retail offering is bundled with comprehensive audiology services including free professional hearing tests, custom fitting, lifetime adjustment and maintenance, remote fine-tuning via the GEERS App, hearing aid insurance (Hearvane), and financing options.
Product overview
GEERS is a hearing care retail chain operating approximately 700 stores across Germany with around 2,500 employees. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of hearing solutions centered on hearing aids from manufacturers Phonak and AudioNova, available in behind-the-ear (HdO) and in-the-ear (IdO) models. The core product line includes AI-powered hearing aids, zero-cost hearing aids covered by statutory health insurance, and hearing aid accessories. GEERS complements its hardware with a suite of services including free hearing tests, the GEERS App for remote control and fitting, remote hearing aid adjustment, hearing aid financing and insurance, and hearing protection products. The company operates under Sonova Retail Deutschland GmbH, part of the Sonova Group (Swiss hearing solutions manufacturer).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GEERS Hörerlebnis: A unique hearing experience service where customers receive analysis hearing aids at their first appointment and their personal hearing world is automatically analyzed.
Products and services
- Behind-the-ear (HdO) hearing aids
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to €1,500 in health insurance subsidies available for hearing aids
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GEERS
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GEERS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
GEERS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PaybackcoreGEERS has a partnership with Payback, Germany's largest loyalty program. Customers can earn and redeem Payback points when purchasing hearing aids and services at GEERS stores. The partnership enhances customer retention and provides an additional incentive for purchases.
- Sonova AG (Parent Company)coreGEERS is a brand operated by Sonova Retail Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of Sonova AG (Switzerland). Sonova is a global leader in hearing solutions, owning brands including Phonak and AudioNova. GEERS distributes Sonova-manufactured hearing aids, benefiting from Swiss engineering quality and innovation.
- PhonakcorePhonak is a premium hearing aid manufacturer owned by Sonova AG (Switzerland). GEERS offers Phonak hearing aids including the Phonak Audeo Infinio Sphere P4, representing Swiss brand quality and advanced hearing technology. Phonak supplies the hardware that powers GEERS' hearing solutions.
- AudioNovacoreAudioNova is a hearing aid brand owned by Sonova AG. GEERS offers AudioNova hearing aids (including the AudioNova Sleeptight Pro for hearing protection) as part of its product portfolio, providing Swiss-quality hearing solutions at various price points.
- Hear the World FoundationminorA Sonova-founded non-profit initiative that supports people with hearing loss globally. GEERS is connected to this foundation as part of the Sonova Group's corporate social responsibility initiatives. The foundation raises awareness about hearing health and provides support to underserved populations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GEERS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GN Hearing (ReSound): Danish hearing aid manufacturer (ReSound, Beltone, Jabra) with retail activities. Comparable as a hearing solutions provider in the same value chain as GEERS, though primarily a manufacturer rather than a retail chain.
- Sonova AG: Swiss hearing technology group and parent company of GEERS. Owns brands Phonak, AudioNova, Unitron, and Hansaton. Comparable as a hearing solutions provider with both manufacturing and retail operations, though at a much larger global scale.
- Sivantos / WS Audiology (Signia): Manufacturer of Signia, Rexton, and other hearing aid brands, plus retail through partner networks. Comparable as a hearing aid manufacturer and indirect competitor through the retail chain, though primarily a manufacturer rather than direct retailer.
Emerging players
- Audibene (Elena / Sonova DTC): Originally a digital DTC hearing aid startup, now rebranded as Elena and owned by Sonova AG. Competes with GEERS in the German online hearing aid channel, offering a direct-to-consumer alternative that could potentially cannibalize GEERS' entry-level sales.
Direct peers
- Neuroth: Austrian/German hearing aid and hearing protection retailer with stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Comparable retail-fitted hearing care model with similar services (hearing tests, fitting, customization).
- Amplifon: Global hearing aid retail leader headquartered in Italy, with the world's largest network of hearing care centers. Directly comparable to GEERS as a multi-store retail hearing care operator with similar service model (free hearing tests, fitting, after-sales).
- KIND Hörgeräte: One of the largest hearing aid retailers in Germany with a comparable multi-store retail model. KIND directly competes with GEERS in the German market with similar product portfolios (Phonak, Signia, etc.) and audiology services.
- Fielmann: Germany's leading optical retailer (eyewear) that has expanded into hearing aid retail. Geographic overlap is high and Fielmann leverages its optical retail footprint to cross-sell hearing solutions, posing direct competition to GEERS.
Others
- William Demant (Demant A/S): Danish hearing healthcare group owning brands like Oticon, Bernafon, and Sonic. Comparable as a vertically integrated hearing aid manufacturer and retailer, operating in the same hearing care market as GEERS though with a different geographic footprint.
Regional players
- Hörgeräte Seifert: Mid-sized regional German hearing aid retailer with multiple stores. Comparable as a multi-store audiology specialist operating in the same German market, though at a smaller scale than GEERS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GEERS social profiles
Digital presenceGEERS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
GEERS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GEERS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
GEERS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GEERS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GEERS
What does GEERS do?
GEERS operates Germany's largest chain of specialist hearing care stores (approximately 700 locations, 2,500 employees), selling behind-the-ear (HdO) and in-the-ear (IdO) hearing aids under the AudioNova, Phonak, and Hansaton brands, together with hearing protection products and accessories. The retail offering is bundled with comprehensive audiology services including free professional hearing tests, custom fitting, lifetime adjustment and maintenance, remote fine-tuning via the GEERS App, hearing aid insurance (Hearvane), and financing options.
Is GEERS a public or private company?
GEERS is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was GEERS founded?
GEERS was founded in 1950. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is GEERS based?
GEERS is headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does GEERS make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Hearing Aids Sales are the primary driver. The others are hearing Aid Accessories, hearing Protection Products, professional Services and After-Sales Service and online Shop Sales.
Who are GEERS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GN Hearing (ReSound), Sonova AG and Sivantos / WS Audiology (Signia). Audibene (Elena / Sonova DTC) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Neuroth, Amplifon, KIND Hörgeräte and Fielmann. William Demant (Demant A/S) is listed as an others. Hörgeräte Seifert is listed as a regional player.
Does GEERS have an API?
No public API is recorded for GEERS.
What industry is GEERS in?
GEERS's product category is Hearing Aid Retail and Audiology Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAMAI, Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated), with a secondary code of HLAKAMAA, General Otolaryngology (ENT). Its NAICS code is 621340 and its SIC code is 3841.