Subscription headphones are now a thing

Nuraphone
Image credit: TechRadar

Melbourne-based headphone designer Nura exploded onto the scene with a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2016, and since then, the revolutionary Nuraphone cans have been making a splash in the world of wireless headphones.

Today, the company has announced a new service – NuraNow – that allows customers to pay a monthly fee in order to try out the brand’s flagship Nuraphone product (which would otherwise cost $399/£349/AU$499), alongside any other future release that Nura may be cooking up.

For those unfamiliar, the Nuraphone features a hybrid in-ear/over-ear design and offers wireless, noise-canceling audio with a neat twist – the music is tailored to each user’s ears via an automatically-generated sound profile.

What will it cost?

Plans start from $9 (£9, AU$10) per month with no lock-in contract, so you can cancel at any time with relatively little loss, depending on which plan you choose. The three options available are:

  • $9 (£9, AU$10) per month, with a $100 (£80, AU$130) up-front fee
  • $12 (£12, AU$15) per month, with a $30 (£30, AU$45) up-front fee
  • $15 (£14, AU$18) per month, with no up-front fee

Alongside the Nuraphone itself, all plans come with the full range of benefits, including a new Nura device every 24 months, exclusive tickets and offers to associated gigs, an analog (3.5mm) headphone cable, chances to win music and merch, and a warranty for the life of the subscription. 

If you cancel your membership within the first 30 days, the NuraNow site suggests “the member may be eligible for a refund of the up-front fee” as well, although you'll have to ship the Nuraphones back at your own cost, along with any other devices obtained through the program.

Harry Domanski
Harry is an Australian Journalist for TechRadar with an ear to the ground for future tech, and the other in front of a vintage amplifier. He likes stories told in charming ways, and content consumed through massive screens. He also likes to get his hands dirty with the ethics of the tech.
Latest in Headphones
Focal Bathys MG
Focal just upgraded its audiophile noise-cancelling wireless headphones with even better sound, better noise cancelling, and a way higher price
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Cleaned your Pixel Buds Pro 2 recently? If not, you might be getting worse sound
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro on a yellow background with text saying Price Cut.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are at their lowest price this year on Amazon
FiiO FX17 IEMs
Our favorite budget audiophile brand unveils wired earbuds with 26(!) drivers, electrostatic units, USB-C ultra-Hi-Res Audio, and a not-so-budget price
AirPods Max with USB-C in every color
Apple's AirPods Max with USB-C will get lossless audio in April, but you'll need to go wired
Sony WF-C710N in blue glass on beige background
Sony WF-C710N earbuds land, and I think they'll be the 2025 budget buds to beat
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con up-close from app store
Nintendo's new app gave us another look at the Switch 2, and there's something different with the Joy-Con
cheap Nintendo Switch game deals sales
Nintendo didn't anticipate that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 'going to be the juggernaut' for the Nintendo Switch when it was ported to the console, according to former employees
Three angles of the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 laptop above a desk
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review roundup – should you buy Apple's new lightweight laptop?
Witchbrook
Witchbrook, the life-sim I've been waiting years for, finally has a release window and it's sooner than you think
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker
Amazon is experimenting with renaming Echo speakers to Alexa speakers, and it's about time
Shigeru Miyamoto presents Nintendo Today app
Nintendo Today smartphone app is out now on iOS and Android devices – and here's what it does