
For decades, people who wanted straighter teeth only had two options: braces or Invisalign. Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore, thanks to at-home teeth alignment companies like EZ Smile and SmilePath. Now, you can align your teeth without ever visiting a dentist or orthodontist.
EZ Smile and SmilePath have quite a bit in common, but they also differ in several key areas. That’s why we decided to put together this comparison guide that walks you through each important detail of these companies to help you determine which one is the right choice for you.
Table of Contents
Overview and Recommendation: EZ Smile Wins
We think that these are two of the best companies in the home teeth alignment industry, and they’re both capable of efficiently and affordably aligning your smile. However, EZ Smile has a few advantages that we think tilts this comparison in their favor.
- Faster Alignments: EZ Smile can align your teeth in 4-8 months, whereas SmilePath takes 6-11 months in most cases.
- Satisfaction Guarantee: Most companies in this industry have rather unimpressive refund policies. However, EZ Smile gives its customers 90 days to decide whether they’re happy with their alignment progress or not. If you aren’t, you can ask for a refund at any time and they’ll grant it with no questions asked.
- Professional Teeth Scans: EZ Smile partners with 13 dentists across Australia to offer in-person professional teeth scans if you would rather not use a messy at-home impression kit. Meanwhile, SmilePath only offers impression kits and does not provide professional scans.
Is EZ Smile Right for You?
EZ Smile is our second-favorite home teeth alignment company in Australia today, while SmilePath is right behind them in third place. EZ Smile offers quick alignments and reasonable prices, along with a great refund policy and the option to take impressions of your own teeth or have them professionally scanned.
That said, SmilePath offers the lowest prices available, so you might be inclined to choose them if price is your #1 priority. At the end of the day, we think both services are reliable options for straightening your smile.
Effectiveness Comparison
With either of these companies, you’ll receive clear aligners manufactured without BPA or phthalates. EZ Smile and SmilePath both have thousands of satisfied customers already, and they’re both quite capable of safely, affordably, and efficiently aligning your teeth. Let’s dig a bit deeper into the effectiveness of each company.
EZ Smile Effectiveness
SmilePath Effectiveness
- Uses a mixed team of orthodontists and dentists
- Unclear who they partner with for manufacturing
- Average treatment time is 4-8 months
- Trims aligners to match your gumline, making them slightly less powerful
- Works with a mixed team of dentists and orthodontists
- Uses aligners manufactured by RaintreeEssix
- Average treatment time is 6-11 months (8-12 months for night-only alignment)
- Regular photo check-ins keep you on track
- Scallops aligners to match your gumline, decreasing their power
Provider Network
Both EZ Smile and SmilePath use mixed dental teams consisting of general dentists and orthodontists. We appreciate this because while dentists are qualified to design and apply clear aligner treatment, orthodontists have more specialized training. Orthodontists attend thousands of hours of additional schooling to learn everything there is to know about the science of teeth alignment.
To be clear, it’s extremely unlikely that you would ever know the difference between clear aligners designed by a dentist or an orthodontist, but we figured this was still worth mentioning because of orthodontists’ increased specialization.
Manufacturing Quality
Most companies in this industry don’t disclose who makes their aligners, and this is the case with EZ Smile. However, SmilePath aligners are manufactured by RaintreeEssix, one of the world’s leading companies for plastic aligners. Importantly, neither of these companies uses any BPA or phthalates to make their aligners.
Aligner Cut
Many home alignment companies cut their aligners straight across the gums, which allows them to exert more force on your teeth. However, both EZ Smile and SmilePath “scallop” their aligners to match each customer’s unique gumline. This looks a bit better because there isn’t any plastic covering your gums, but it does make the aligners slightly less effective.
Technology
EZ Smile and SmilePath both use the latest software solutions and 3D printing technology to produce their aligners. They’re both tech-savvy companies, and we have no preference between them in this area.
Affordability Comparison
For many people, pricing is the most important consideration for teeth alignment. After all, affordability is one of the biggest advantages these companies have over braces and Invisalign. But how do EZ Smile and SmilePath compare in this crucial category?
EZ Smile Affordability
SmilePath Affordability
- $2,149 sticker price
- Frequent discounts offered on their website
- Includes first set of retainers for free
- Does not offer whitening products
- DIY molds or in-office scanning costs $99 (refunded if you purchase aligners)
- Many financing options, including those without credit checks and down payments
- $1,899 sticker price ($1,999 for night-only aligners)
- First set of retainers included
- No whitening included (SmilePath does not offer whitening)
- Impression kit for $55 (refunded if you purchase aligners)
- Multiple financing plans available, including one with no credit check
Sticker Price
These are actually the two most affordable options for teeth alignment in Australia today. SmilePath has the lowest price point in the industry, at just $1,899. EZ Smile’s $2,149 sticker price is a bit higher, but they’re the next-cheapest option. Making these low prices even more impressive, EZ Smile and SmilePath both throw in a set of retainers for free — many competitors charge $100 or more for retainers.
Both companies provide refunds for your teeth impressions if they determine that you’re not a candidate for their alignment services (or if you purchase aligners), but EZ Smile’s up-front costs in this area are $44 higher.
Payment Plan Options
It’s understandable if you don’t have a couple of thousand dollars lying around — most people don’t! With EZ Smile and SmilePath, that’s no big deal. That’s because both of these companies offer their customers payment plans to make their alignment services accessible to as many people as possible. Take a look at what each of them has to offer in this area:
EZ Smile has three different payment plans if you don’t want to do a one-time payment:
- ZipMoney: This option requires no down payment and offers 12 interest-free months. There is a $25 setup fee and a $6 monthly fee, but as long as you pay your entire balance within one year, you will not be subject to any interest payments. This plan requires a credit check and typically costs a total of $2,246.
- EZ Installments: With this plan, you’ll pay a $499 deposit for your treatment, followed by 52 weeks of $38 payments. This plan does not require a credit check and costs a total of $2,475.
- Splitit: EZ Smile and Splitit teamed up for several different payment plans, so let’s discuss the details of each one. Keep in mind that all of these plans require a credit check but none of them require a down payment.
- Six-month payment plan: Weekly payments of $88 for 26 weeks (total cost: $2,299)
- 12-month payment plan: Weekly payments of $48 for 52 weeks (total cost: $2,499)
- 24-month payment plan: Weekly payments of $26 for 104 weeks (total cost: $2,799)
SmilePath offers two different payment plans — one that requires a credit check and one that doesn’t:
- The SmileFlex plan teams with Zip to provide an installment plan for 18 monthly payments of $117 with no down payment. However, this option requires a credit check. The total cost of this plan comes to $2,106.
- The SmileFlex Easy plan partners with Partial.ly and requires a $299 down payment followed by 12 monthly payments of $150. This plan does not require a credit check, and it costs a total of $2,099.
We appreciate how both of these companies provide multiple payment plan options to make their services more affordable. They both offer plans that don’t require credit checks, and they also have plans that don’t require down payments. Whatever your financial situation, there’s a good chance EZ Smile or SmilePath has a payment plan that works for you.
Free Extras
To add some additional bang for your buck, several companies in the clear aligner industry throw in some free extras, and that’s the case with these companies as well. Both EZ Smile and SmilePath include your first set of aftercare retainers at no extra charge, whereas most competitors charge around a hundred bucks for them.
Convenience Comparison
There is no question that EZ Smile and SmilePath are both considerably more convenient than traditional orthodontics. But how do these companies compare to each other (and their competitors) in this category? Let’s find out!
EZ Smile Convenience
SmilePath Convenience
- 13 partner dentists across Australia providing teeth scans, at-home kits also available
- Does not offer a nighttime-only option
- Does not provide whitening products
- No retail locations for in-office teeth scans
- NightOnly option allows you to only wear aligners for 10 hours per day
- Does not provide whitening products
Getting Started
The first step with any teeth alignment is getting images of your teeth to your dental care team. This enables them to evaluate whether they can fix your alignment issues, and it also gives them an opportunity to prepare a preview image that shows you what your aligned smile could look like.
EZ Smile gives customers a choice between an at-home impression kit and a professional in-office scan with one of their 13 partner dentists all around Australia. However, SmilePath only offers impression kits, as they have no retail locations or dentist partnerships for in-person scans.
Teeth Whitening
Some competing teeth alignment companies include free whitening products to help you brighten your smile while you align it. However, neither EZ Smile nor SmilePath offers whitening at all.
Nighttime-Only Option
SmilePath’s NightOnly aligners only require ten hours of daily wear, less than half as much as you need to wear all-day aligners. If you have a busy professional or social life, you might not be able to wear aligners for 22 hours per day. However, keep in mind that nighttime alignment takes longer, as SmilePath NightOnly alignment takes 8-12 months instead of 6-11 months. They also charge an additional $100 over their all-day aligners.
While SmilePath provides the option to only wear aligners while you sleep, EZ Smile does not. They only offer all-day alignment.
Appearance Comparison
Of course, any clear aligner is going to look much better than metal braces. However, there is more variation between different clear aligner companies than you might expect. On the other hand, EZ Smile and SmilePath sell aligners that look nearly identical, and there is very little variance between the appearance of these companies’ aligners.
EZ Smile Appearance
SmilePath Appearance
- Uses smooth, transparent, shiny plastic
- Reasonably stain-resistant
- Scalloped to match your gumline
- Uses smooth, transparent, shiny plastic
- Reasonably stain-resistant
- Scallops aligners to match each customer’s unique gumline
Aligner Material
Both EZ Smile and SmilePath use aligners that are entirely clear. While this might sound like the best possible option for aligners, fully transparent aligners are quite reflective when light hits them, which results in an unnatural gleaming or glistening appearance.
We prefer a frosted, translucent plastic like the material used by Invisalign, SmileDirectClub, and several other companies. This plastic does a better job of replicating the matte finish of your real teeth and therefore blends into your mouth better.
Straight Cut vs. Scalloped
SmilePath and EZ Smile both use a scalloped cut for their aligners, which means they trim their aligners to fit each customer’s unique gumline. This looks a bit better than aligners cut straight across the gums because there’s no plastic covering your gumline. However, as we mentioned earlier, straight-cut aligners exert more force on your teeth and move them more efficiently.
Stain Resistance
While these companies make aligners that are at least a little bit resistant to staining, we would still never recommend eating or drinking anything other than plain water while wearing them. You wouldn’t want to stain an aligner and have to keep wearing it until you’re ready to switch to your next set!
Customer Experience Comparison
If you’re going to invest all of the time and money into aligning your smile, you need to know that the company you choose will have your back if anything goes wrong — especially considering you won’t have in-office appointments with your dental care team. Let’s take a look at how these companies provide customer support and also examine the feedback they receive from their customers.
EZ Smile Customer Experience
SmilePath Customer Experience
- Offers support via phone and email, will also respond to messages on social media
- Has a very strong customer satisfaction reputation
- 90-day satisfaction guarantee
- Offers support via phone, email, and web-based chat, will also respond to messages on social media
- Receives excellent customer reviews
- Photos provided to your care team every two weeks
Support Options
EZ Smile and SmilePath provide phone and email support, and they’re also responsive on social media. The only difference in the area of support options is that SmilePath also offers a chat application on their website. No matter which options you use to contact your chosen company’s customer service team, you’ll receive knowledgeable support from true professionals.
Responsiveness and Helpfulness
In our own experiences, both of these companies are quite responsive and helpful when it comes to providing efficient customer support. However, it’s important to look into wider trends to see if our experiences line up with those of most customers.
We found hundreds of reviews each for EZ Smile and SmilePath, and nearly all of them were positive. Their customers seem highly impressed by each company’s support, often thanking their representatives by name in their reviews. They also frequently discuss their appreciation for their low prices and convenient alignment processes.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Similar to most of their competitors, these companies both provide refunds of your impression kit or teeth scan if they determine that you’re not a suitable candidate for their alignment services. Beyond that, EZ Smile has a stronger refund policy.
EZ Smile’s 90-day satisfaction guarantee ensures that you can receive a refund for any reason within your first three months as a customer. It’s an excellent policy that we think is one of the best in the industry.
As for SmilePath, they don’t offer anything similar to EZ Smile’s guarantee. In fact, SmilePath charges an additional fee if you request any alterations to your original treatment plan.
Company Backgrounds
EZ Smile has the experience edge in this matchup, as they’ve been around since 2017, three more years than SmilePath. If you prefer to make purchases from Australian-owned companies, that’s another advantage for EZ Smile.
EZ Smile is based in Australia, while SmilePath is the Australian branding for the American company AlignerCo. Through their partnerships with 13 dentists around the country, EZ Smile has a much more established footprint in Australia as well.
These are both reputable, respected companies in the home teeth alignment industry, and either of them can do a great job of straightening your smile. Still, we think EZ Smile has a stronger company background.
Which Home Teeth Aligner Should You Use?
SmilePath and EZ Smile are both capable of aligning your smile to your satisfaction, and we think they’re both excellent options. They share many common characteristics and offer similar products, which is why we completely understand if you haven’t made your mind up yet. To wrap up this comparison, let’s take a quick look at some scenarios that might tilt your opinion one way or the other.
Choose EZ Smile if You Are:
Looking for faster alignment times? Wanting to use an Australian-owned company? Impressed by their 90-day satisfaction guarantee? Seeking a company that provides professional teeth scans? These are four great reasons to choose EZ Smile.
Choose SmilePath if You Are:
Looking for the lowest prices possible for teeth alignment in Australia? Seeking a nighttime-only alignment plan? If so, SmilePath could be a solid choice for you.
We Recommend EZ Smile for Most Readers
These are both strong companies that are easy to recommend. That said, EZ Smile’s faster alignment times, robust satisfaction guarantee, dental partnerships, and Australian ownership make them the better option for most of our readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose SmilePath or EZ Smile?
We’re quite confident that either one of these companies will do a great job of aligning your smile. However, EZ Smile’s faster alignment times, satisfaction guarantee, dental partnerships, and Australian ownership make them our preferred pick for at-home teeth alignment in Australia.
How do I get started with SmilePath or EZ Smile?
With EZ Smile, your first step is either to complete one of their at-home impression kits or visit one of their 13 partner dentists across Australia to have your teeth professionally scanned in person. SmilePath only offers DIY impression kits.
What are customers saying about SmilePath and EZ Smile?
Both companies receive stellar customer feedback, with very high average rating scores and hundreds of reviews available on reputable third-party websites. Their customers appreciate their low prices and highly convenient services.
How do I know which option is right for me?
You should evaluate each company on its customer support, appearance, convenience, affordability, and effectiveness. Evaluating each company on these criteria will help you determine which one has your best interests in mind.
What is the cheapest home aligner company?
SmilePath offers the most affordable home teeth alignment in Australia, with a price point of just $1,899. They’re the cheapest option and EZ Smile is the next-cheapest, at $2,149.
Will home aligners work for me?
It’s hard for us to say whether your unique alignment issues can be fixed by home aligners. However, we can say that in general, home aligners are only intended for minor spacing and crowding issues. If you have a more significant alignment problem like an overbite, underbite, or crossbite, traditional orthodontics might be your best option.
How do SmilePath and EZ Smile compare to Invisalign?
SmilePath and EZ Smile are both much more convenient than Invisalign because they don’t require you to visit a dentist or orthodontist’s office throughout your alignment process. This also means these companies have much lower prices, undercutting Invisalign’s sticker price by thousands.
However, Invisalign is able to treat a wider variety of alignment issues due to your dental professional’s ability to add attachments and customize your alignment to encourage more significant shifts.
How long does home aligner treatment take?
This varies based on which company you choose and whether you want all-day or night-only alignment. For most people, Byte has the fastest alignment times at just three months. Most companies take about six months to align your teeth.
What other companies should I consider?
Byte is definitely worth a look, as they’re our favorite at-home aligner company in Australia due to their fast alignments and exclusive technological advancements. Other than that, we also think SmileDirectClub is an interesting option due to their massive experience advantage over every home alignment competitor.
How much do home aligners cost?
This varies depending on which company you choose, whether you want all-day or night-only alignment, whether you use a payment plan, and more. In general though, you can get home aligners from SmilePath for just $1,899, while SmileDirectClub charges $2,825, the highest rate for this service in Australia that we’re aware of.
Does insurance cover home aligners?
Insurance typically does not cover home alignment because it’s considered to be an optional cosmetic treatment. However, it still doesn’t hurt to ask your insurance company.
Are home aligners safe?
It’s certainly understandable if you have some reservations about home teeth alignment. However, it is a very safe process that millions of people have already successfully completed with no problems.
Do home aligners hurt?
You might feel some minor discomfort whenever you switch to a new set of aligners, but for the most part, you’ll probably barely even notice you’re wearing them after a day or two.