Since Invisalign hit the market in the late 1990s, it has become an incredibly popular alternative to braces. Millions of people have straightened their teeth using Invisalign, in large part because the clear aligners are far more discreet than metal braces.
However, today there are more options. Instead of investing $6,000–$9,000 into Invisalign and spending 12–18 months making frequent visits to your dentist or orthodontist, the at-home aligner industry can save you money, time, and hassle. These services undercut Invisalign’s prices by thousands, providing similarly high-quality clear aligners straight to your front door. In addition, they can often correct your teeth much faster than Invisalign.
We spent countless hours researching every important detail of the various teeth alignment services available in Australia today. In this article, we’ll count down the four best Invisalign alternatives for Australians. Which is the best option for you?
Table of Contents
In-Office vs. At-Home Clear Aligners: What’s the Difference?
There are many common aspects between in-office clear aligners like Invisalign and its competitors in the at-home aligner industry. With either option, you’ll receive high-quality clear plastic aligners that strategically place pressure on the teeth tightly and slowly shift them over a period of several months.
However, as the name implies, at-home aligners can straighten your smile from the comfort of your own home, and you’ll never have to visit a dentist or orthodontist in person. The lack of appointments with dental professionals drives costs way down while increasing convenience. On the other hand, in-office treatments are better for severe cases of misalignment, like a significant crossbite, overbite, or underbite.
If all you need is to correct some mild spacing and crowding issues, at-home alignment could be an excellent option for you. Let’s discuss how some of the best home aligner companies compare to Invisalign and to each other.
Best At-Home Invisalign Alternatives
#1: Byte
Byte just made its Australian debut in 2020, but it has already separated itself from the pack of competitors to become the best Invisalign alternative available. Byte treatment plans average 4–5 months, and it has typically stellar customer support and a high level of convenience.
Pros:
- Customers are usually given plans that take 4–5months, thanks in part to their HyperByte device.
- The Byte-for-Life guarantee ensures that you’ll be 100% satisfied with your results for as long as you live. If you have any alignment issues that aren’t caused by user error — even decades from now — Byte will work with you to get the results you want at no extra charge.
- Byte At-Night plans are usually 5–6 months and only requires ten continuous hours of daily wear.
- While Byte’s prices are somewhat high compared to other home aligner companies, they include a free set of retainers, which other companies charge $100 or more for.
- Byte assigns each customer with a personal Byte Advisor, who can field questions and feedback throughout treatment.
Cons:
- A few companies offer lower prices than Byte. For instance, SmilePath charges just $1,899 and often offers discounts to drive that price even lower.
- Byte does not offer in-office professional teeth scans. While some competitors have retail locations where Australians can get digital impressions, Byte only offers at-home impression kits, which can be a messy hassle.
Byte: The Bottom Line
Byte offers efficient average treatment times, plus a great guarantee, a nighttime-only plan, and generally excellent customer support. You can see why they’re our top pick for Invisalign alternatives in Australia.
Special Offer: Get 50% off impression kit + $100 off aligners
#2: EZ Smile
EZ Smile is a well-rounded company that provides clear aligners at affordable rates without making any sacrifices when it comes to quality. They have some of the best prices in Australia, a solid guarantee, and their services are arguably even more convenient than Byte’s.
Pros:
- While EZ Smile doesn’t have the lowest prices, its $2,499 price point is the second-lowest of the companies we’ve reviewed.
- Their 90-day money-back guarantee is more extensive than many of their competitors.
- EZ Smile provides customers with the option to either complete an at-home impression kit or visit one of its retail locations across Australia to get a professional in-office teeth scan. Some people find that impression kits can be surprisingly difficult, so we love having the option to get a professional scan instead.
- With hundreds of reviews available, EZ Smile maintains very high average rating scores on reputable third-party review websites. Their customer satisfaction rates are stellar.
- Like Byte, EZ Smile includes your first set of retainers for free. When you consider how low their prices already are, this is quite a welcome bonus.
- EZ Smile offers customers five different payment plans, including ones that don’t require credit checks or down payments.
Cons:
- EZ Smile does not have a nighttime-only plan. Your only option is to wear your clear aligners for 22 hours per day for 4–8 months.
- Unlike some other at-home aligner companies, EZ Smile doesn’t require multiple virtual check-ins to monitor your progress — just one midway through treatment.
#3: SmilePath
If pricing is your top priority, look no further than SmilePath. Not only does this company have the lowest price point for clear aligners in Australia, but they also frequently offer discounts to make this rate even more affordable. They don’t exactly excel in other areas, but if you want to align your teeth affordably, SmilePath is worth a look.
Pros:
- No other company can compete with SmilePath’s pricing. They can save you $1,000 or more compared to some other at-home teeth straightening companies.
- SmilePath provides customers with the choice of either all-day alignment or nighttime-only alignment plans. If you have frequent work meetings or social plans, nighttime alignment might be a better option for you.
- SmilePath makes its aligners even more affordable by offering three different payment plans, including one that requires no down payment and one that requires no credit check.
- SmilePath has a fabulous reputation for customer satisfaction. They have hundreds of reviews available online and they maintain high average scores. Their customers seem pleased with the convenience and value SmilePath offers.
Cons:
- Like Byte, SmilePath only offers at-home impression kits. They do not have any retail locations or dental partnerships in Australia providing in-office digital scans.
- SmilePath’s refund policy leaves a lot to be desired. While most competitors will adjust your treatment plan for free if you’re unhappy with your results, SmilePath charges an additional $200 surcharge for extra aligners.
Which Company Should I Choose?
We understand that this might be a lot of information to take in all at once. With that in mind, let’s wrap up this article by outlining some of the key differences between Invisalign and these competitors. First and foremost, remember that Invisalign can fix more complex alignment issues than any of its at-home competitors because your dentist or orthodontist can add attachments to encourage more significant shifts.
Now, let’s take one more look at how these companies’ prices compare.
- SmilePath: $1,674
- EZ Smile: $2,499
- Byte: $2,749
- Invisalign: $4,500–$8,000
If your misalignments are minor enough for at-home clear aligners, we suggest this option over Invisalign. Obviously, you can save tremendous amounts of money, but they’ll also save you a lot of time.
Our Top-Rated Invisalign Alternative: Byte
We prefer Byte to any competitor in the at-home teeth alignment industry, and they’re a fantastic alternative to Invisalign. While there are other companies that can save you more money, Byte’s efficient average alignment times and tech-savvy treatment make them our pick for the best at-home clear aligner company in Australia today.
If you’d like to shave some money off Byte’s sticker price, you can use our exclusive discount to receive sale prices for your impression kit and aligners.
Final Thoughts
If your alignment issues are anything more serious than minor spacing and crowding, Invisalign and braces might be your only options. However, for mild or moderate misalignments, at-home aligner companies can save you thousands of dollars and don’t require a single trip to the dentist’s office.
Need some more information on any of the companies discussed in this guide? Check out our full reviews of each company to get all the relevant details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Invisalign and home aligners?
Invisalign is an in-office treatment that enables your dental care team to add attachments to clear aligners to encourage significant shifts in your teeth. Home aligners serve a similar purpose without the frequent in-office visits, although the lack of attachments means home aligners can only fix cosmetic gaps and crowding.
How do at-home aligners work?
Home aligners work quite similarly to the way Invisalign works, just without the attachments your dentist or orthodontist adds to make them more effective. If you only have minor spacing or crowding issues, home aligners can probably straighten your smile every bit as effectively as Invisalign.
Are clear aligner financing plans available?
Every company we profiled in this article offers at least one payment plan to make their services more accessible. Most of these companies also offer financing plans that don’t require down payments, and some of them have options that don’t require credit checks.
How much does Invisalign treatment cost?
Depending on the specific alignment issues you’re experiencing, Invisalign could cost anywhere from around $6,000 to $9,000.
How long does Invisalign treatment take?
Again, this largely depends on your exact issues, but for the most part, Invisalign takes 12–18 months. Most at-home alignment companies can give you results in six months.
How do I get started with home aligners?
The first step is to provide your dental care team with high-quality impressions or images of your teeth. All home aligner companies offer at-home impression kits so you can take molds of your own teeth, but several of them also offer in-office professional teeth scans.
Is at-home teeth straightening safe?
It certainly is. We understand that the concept of aligning your teeth at home might sound daunting, but in reality, it’s a perfectly safe process. You will still be using an alignment plan created by qualified dental professionals, and you can always contact customer support if you have any questions or concerns.
Do clear aligners hurt?
Some people mention minor discomfort when first switching to a new set of aligners. Other than that, you will probably experience very little pain or discomfort at all throughout the entire alignment process.
Steph says
Awesome article! Very digestible information ! Thank you.
Smile Prep says
Thanks Steph!
I. K says
I just wanted to say this article was an excellent review. I liked the format with the pros and cons list and knowing what the costs, length of time, other factors involved etc.
Well researched and put together. Great job guys! 👍🏽👍🏽
Smile Prep says
Thanks for the positive feedback. So glad to know you found our article helpful!