In the ear hearing aids fit in the outer ear, and can be visible when facing another person. On average these are less easy to spot than a BTE hearing aid.

These types of hearing aids have to be custom made to the individuals ear and are suitable for treatment of mild through to some forms of severe hearing loss. In some cases these types of hearing aids can provide feedback, which is the re amplification of already amplified sound and this results in a whistling noise in the ear. Some digital ITE hearing aids can manage this automatically. ITE hearing aids can also suffer from earwax build up or drainage.

The size of these types of hearing aids can differ to options which fit completely in the canal, to those that can fit within the entire ear. Generally they are not suitable for children however, as their fit cannot be easily modified and thus accommodate a child's growth.