VivaSon
VivaSon is a privately held French hearing aid retailer operating 99 owned centers across France, selling prescription devices from major global OEMs across three transparent price tiers (€950–€1,195) with tiers-payant billing via mutuelles, serving adults and seniors with hearing loss.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What VivaSon does
VivaSon is a French hearing aid retail chain (audioprothésiste) operating 99 owned-and-operated centers across all 12 metropolitan regions of France. Founded around 2004 by Michel Touati and headquartered in Paris, the company presents itself as a family-owned enterprise built on a 70+ year audioprothesis tradition. It sells prescription hearing aids from major global OEMs including Signia, Starkey, Resound, Oticon, Phonak, Widex, Unitron, and Beltone, organized into three transparent pricing tiers: Class 1 at €950 per device (fully reimbursed under France's 100% Santé reform), Dynamic Class 2 at €950–€1,095, and Excellence Class 2 at €1,195. Prices are advertised as approximately 40% (€500) below major national competitors.
VivaSon's technology stack centers on multi-brand device distribution rather than proprietary R&D. Its centers offer on-site 3D printing for custom earmolds, in-vivo audiometric measurement systems, and remote fitting adjustments, while the device portfolio itself incorporates third-party AI features such as adaptive sound processing, automatic environment detection, noise reduction, speech enhancement, and fall detection (notably in Starkey Genesis AI / Omega AI and ReSound Vivia lines). All devices include lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and Bluetooth connectivity as standard or premium-tier features.
The business model is sales-led direct-to-consumer through in-center audiologist consultations. VivaSon monetizes through one-time device sales, ancillary accessories (batteries, cleaning products, TV adapters, remote microphones), and a €99/4-year commercial warranty and insurance add-on covering loss, theft, and accidental damage. A key friction-removal mechanism is tiers-payant (third-party payment) arrangements with 18+ French mutuelles (Harmonie Mutuelle, MGEN, Malakoff Humanis, AXA, Allianz, Groupama, MAIF, Matmut, MMA, Aésio, SwissLife, GMF, MAAF, PRO BTP, MNH, Unéo, La Mutuelle Générale, Génération) that eliminate upfront patient costs. Supporting services include free hearing assessments, 30-day free trials, unlimited follow-up, and a 4-year manufacturer warranty on all devices. VivaSon has fitted over 70,000 customers and reports a 96% satisfaction rate with a 5/5 average across 10,537 TrustVille-verified reviews.
VivaSon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VivaSon
- Legal name
- VivaSon
- Website
- https://vivason.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- VivaSon is a privately held French hearing aid retailer operating 99 owned centers across France, selling prescription devices from major global OEMs across three transparent price tiers (€950–€1,195) with tiers-payant billing via mutuelles, serving adults and seniors with hearing loss.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VivaSon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hearing Aid Retail
- NAICS
- Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42345)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Eye, Ear & Nasal Care (HLAIADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- OTC & Consumer Health Distributors (HLAIAJAC)
Keywords
Where VivaSon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices14 records
Markets served
VivaSon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Hearing Aid Sales (Hardware): VivaSon's primary revenue stream comes from the sale of hearing aids across multiple price tiers (Class 1 at €950, Dynamic range €950–1095, Excellence at €1195). Prices are transparent and publicly listed. Revenue is one-time per device, with replacement cycles typically every 4–5 years per the French 100% Santé framework.
- Accessories and Consumables: Sales of hearing aid accessories including batteries (sizes 10, 312, 13, 675), cleaning sprays, wax filters, drying tablets, TV streaming adapters, remote controls, and external microphones. These generate recurring ancillary revenue throughout the device lifecycle.
- Warranty and Insurance Extensions: VivaSon offers an extended commercial warranty and insurance package for €99 over 4 years, covering accidental damage (up to 2 incidents), loss, and theft (1 incident each). This represents an add-on revenue stream at point of sale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Class 1 (100% Santé) — €950 per device, fully reimbursed |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Dynamic (Class 2 entry) — €950 to €1,095 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Excellence (Class 2 premium) — €1,195 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Commercial Warranty and Insurance Package — €99 over 4 years |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
VivaSon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VivaSon operates a nationwide network of 99 audiology retail centers across France, selling multi-brand hearing aids bundled with professional audiology services including hearing tests, fittings, follow-up consultations, and post-purchase warranty support. The company retails devices from all major hearing aid manufacturers and provides ancillary accessories, custom 3D-printed earmolds, and reimbursement administration through French mutuelles.
Product overview
VivaSon is a French hearing aid retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of hearing solutions across multiple global brands (Signia, Starkey, Resound, Oticon, Widex, Phonak, and others) through 99 retail centers across France. The product range spans three pricing tiers: Class 1 (100% Santé) at 950€ fully reimbursed, Dynamic range at 950€-1095€, and Excellence range at 1195€. Products include three form factors (ITE intra-auriculaires, RIC micro-contours, BTE contours d'oreille) with advanced features including Bluetooth wireless connectivity, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, tinnitus masking, and AI-powered sound processing (adaptive noise reduction, speech enhancement, environment detection). Complementary accessories include TV adapters, remote microphones, remote controls, custom earmolds, hearing protection, and batteries. Services include free hearing tests, 30-day trials, unlimited follow-up care, 4-year warranties, and 3D-printed custom earmold manufacturing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hearing Aids
- Hearing Aid Batteries
- Custom Earmolds
- Custom Hearing Protection
- TV Adapter
- Remote Microphone
- Remote Control
- Hearing Test (Bilan Auditif)
- Online Hearing Test
- Hearing Aid Fitting and Follow-up
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% customer satisfaction rate based on 10,537 reviews with a 5/5 average rating
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use VivaSon
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
VivaSon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature6 records
VivaSon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Harmonie MutuellecoreVivaSon operates as a partner of Harmonie Mutuelle through the French tiers-payant (third-party payment) system, allowing eligible policyholders to purchase hearing aids without upfront payment. This partnership reduces the financial barrier to hearing care and streamlines the reimbursement process.
- MGENcoreMGEN is a partner mutuelle with which VivaSon maintains tiers-payant arrangements, enabling direct billing for policyholders and facilitating access to hearing aids with reduced upfront costs.
- Malakoff HumaniscoreVivaSon partners with Malakoff Humanis for tiers-payant billing, allowing policyholders to benefit from direct reimbursement and reduced patient costs on hearing aids and related services.
- Aésio MutuellecoreAésio Mutuelle provides tiers-payant coverage for VivaSon patients, facilitating direct billing for hearing aid purchases and associated care services.
- MatmutcoreMatmut policyholders can access VivaSon hearing aids through tiers-payant arrangements, streamlining the purchase process and reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
- MMAcoreVivaSon has tiers-payant agreements with MMA, enabling direct billing for hearing aid purchases for MMA insured members.
- GroupamacoreGroupama partners with VivaSon for tiers-payant arrangements on hearing aids and related audiology services.
- MAIFcoreMAIF policyholders benefit from tiers-payant coverage at VivaSon centers for hearing aid purchases.
- AllianzcoreVivaSon maintains tiers-payant arrangements with Allianz for hearing aid purchases and audiology services.
- SwissLifecoreSwissLife provides tiers-payant coverage for VivaSon hearing aid purchases, reducing upfront patient costs.
- AXAcoreAXA partners with VivaSon for tiers-payant billing on hearing aids and audiology care services.
- GMFcoreGMF policyholders can access VivaSon hearing aids through tiers-payant arrangements, facilitating direct reimbursement.
- Signia (Siemens)coreSignia (formerly Siemens) is a primary hearing aid brand stocked by VivaSon. VivaSon offers the complete Signia portfolio including Pure Charge&Go, Styletto, Motion, Silk, and Insio models, ranging from Class 1 entry-level to premium Class 2 AI-powered devices. Signia is among the most featured brands on VivaSon's website.
- StarkeycoreStarkey is a key hearing aid brand partner of VivaSon, offering AI-powered devices including the Evolv AI, Genesis AI, and Edge AI series. VivaSon features Starkey prominently in its product catalog and news coverage.
- ReSound (GN Audio)coreReSound is a major hearing aid brand in VivaSon's portfolio, with models including Nexia, Omnia, Vivia (AI-powered, launched February 2025), Vibrant, Ligo, and Wing. VivaSon covers the full ReSound range from Class 1 to premium Class 2.
- OticoncoreOticon supplies hearing aids to VivaSon including the Intent 1 and Own SI models, featured in VivaSon's product catalog and promoted through their editorial content.
- PhonakcorePhonak is a hearing aid brand distributed through VivaSon centers, including the Audéo Infinio i90 Sphere model featured on the website.
- TrustVilleminorTrustVille is a third-party review collection platform used by VivaSon to gather and display verified customer reviews. With 10,537 reviews and a 5/5 average rating, TrustVille provides independent credibility validation for VivaSon's customer satisfaction claims.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VivaSon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Optical Center: Largest French optical retailer that has expanded into hearing aid retail inside its optical stores. Competes with VivaSon by leveraging optical foot traffic and bundle pricing on prescription hearing aids.
- Amplifon: Global hearing aid retail leader headquartered in Italy with a very large French retail network. Direct competitor to VivaSon in multi-brand prescription hearing aid fitting, audiology services, and tiers-payant reimbursement partnerships across France.
- Audionova: French hearing aid retail chain operating through company-owned and franchised centers. Competes with VivaSon on multi-brand hearing aid fitting, audiologist-led services, and tiers-payant billing.
- France Audition: Independent French hearing aid retail chain. Comparable to VivaSon in multi-brand prescription hearing aid fitting and reliance on tiers-payant mutuelles, competing primarily in regional French markets.
- Ideal Audition: French hearing aid retail chain with a national footprint. Competes with VivaSon on multi-brand prescription devices, audiology services, and Class 1 / Class 2 pricing positioning.
- Krys Audition: Audiology division of the Krys optical cooperative in France. Directly comparable to VivaSon as a multi-brand hearing aid retailer with a national center network tied to a broader optical parent.
- Entendre: French independent hearing aid retail network. Comparable to VivaSon in multi-brand offering, center-based model, and reliance on tiers-payant reimbursement; competes in overlapping regional catchments.
- Audika: Major French hearing aid retail chain owned by Demant (William Demant Holding). Competes head-to-head with VivaSon on centers, brands carried, and Class 1/Class 2 pricing — one of the most direct national competitors.
Broad incumbents
- Sonova (Phonak): Global hearing aid manufacturer whose Phonak brand VivaSon retails. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the hearing aid value chain with overlapping customer reach and the ability to influence retail economics and product availability.
- Demant: Danish hearing aid group owning Oticon, Bernafon, and the Audika retail chain. Comparable as an incumbent spanning manufacturing and retail; competes with VivaSon both as an OEM supplier and as Audika's parent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VivaSon social profiles
Digital presenceVivaSon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VivaSon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
VivaSon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VivaSon 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 VivaSon
What does VivaSon do?
VivaSon operates a nationwide network of 99 audiology retail centers across France, selling multi-brand hearing aids bundled with professional audiology services including hearing tests, fittings, follow-up consultations, and post-purchase warranty support. The company retails devices from all major hearing aid manufacturers and provides ancillary accessories, custom 3D-printed earmolds, and reimbursement administration through French mutuelles.
Is VivaSon a public or private company?
VivaSon is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was VivaSon founded?
VivaSon was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is VivaSon based?
VivaSon is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does VivaSon make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hearing Aid Sales (Hardware) is the primary driver. The others are accessories and Consumables and warranty and Insurance Extensions.
Who are VivaSon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Optical Center, Amplifon, Audionova, France Audition, Ideal Audition, Krys Audition, Entendre and Audika. Broad incumbents are Sonova (Phonak) and Demant.
Does VivaSon have an API?
No public API is recorded for VivaSon.
What industry is VivaSon in?
VivaSon's product category is Hearing Aid Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIADAF, Eye, Ear & Nasal Care, with a secondary code of HLAIAJAC, OTC & Consumer Health Distributors. Its NAICS code is 42345 and its SIC code is 8090.