Finances have always been an obstacle for adults seeking straighter smiles. Traditional treatments like braces and Invisalign are expensive, and dental insurance doesn’t always cover cosmetic corrections. But the rise of at-home clear aligner systems with flexible financing options has changed the game, making treatment much more affordable.
There’s a lot to consider — like sticker prices, financing plans, and a variety of home aligner options. To keep things concise, we’ve created a shortlist of the top three most affordable options. However, if you want a broad view of all your clear aligner options, we encourage you to read on as we discuss what other providers have to offer.
Table of Contents
What Makes Home Teeth Aligners So Affordable?
Consider the process involved in traditional orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign or braces. A dentist personally inspects your teeth, then customizes your treatment plan, then applies the prescribed dental appliances on your behalf. Every month after that, you schedule an appointment and go into the office so your provider can monitor your progress and make adjustments accordingly. That’s a lot of one-on-one office care — and it can get quite expensive.
Home teeth alignment programs, on the other hand, are developed remotely by a licensed dentist or orthodontist and shipped directly to your home. By eliminating all the in-person attention from a dentist, these treatments cut costs while freeing up your schedule.
The 3 Most Affordable Clear Aligners
Home aligners offer impressive smile transformations for close to half the cost of more traditional treatments, making them an attractive option for many adults. But within the home aligner industry, you’ll notice that certain companies go above and beyond to offer affordable, widely-accessible options. These three, in particular, stand out from the crowd.
1st Place: AlignerCo
When it comes to sticker prices, there’s no contest — AlignerCo has the absolute lowest price tag on the market. Since their debut in 2019, AlignerCo’s goal has aimed to provide more affordability and accessibility than the competition, and they’ve succeeded. They might be young, but their low prices are already commanding plenty of attention.
PROS
- AlignerCo’s $1,145 sticker price is several hundred dollars lower than most of their competitors.
- To make payments more manageable, AlignerCo offers two different financing plans. SmileFlex requires a soft credit check but no down payment, while SmileFlex Easy requires a $275 down payment but no credit check.
- Your impression kit and your first set of retainers are included in the initial cost. Other companies charge $80–$100 for impression kits and upsell retainers at the end of your treatment for $90 or more.
- AlignerCo occasionally offers discounts that drop their amazing price even lower.
- Their nighttime aligners require only ten hours of wear per day, if you want to keep an even lower profile with your treatment.
- With their WorryFree Protection plan, their aftercare retainers are priced at just $49, lower than most competitors.
CONS
- AlignerCo doesn’t include free whitening in its treatment cost like other companies, but this is partially why they can offer such low prices.
- There aren’t any refunds or warranties, but AlignerCo lets you apply for a refinement if you aren’t completely satisfied (as long as you’ve followed your treatment plan).
AlignerCo - The Bottom Line
AlignerCo might not have perks like free whitening, but they have what many customers think is even better: exceptionally low prices. If saving money is your priority, give them a look.
Special Offer: Get $250 off AlignerCo treatment
2nd Place: NewSmile
NewSmile just started selling clear aligners on a wide scale in 2020, but this Canada-based company is already receiving quite a bit of attention. Thanks to their impressive pricing model, efficient alignments, and plenty of free bonus features, NewSmile is well worth a close look for anyone who wants to straighten their smile on a budget.
PROS
- With a price point of $1,195, NewSmile’s pricing is only $50 higher than AlignerCo.
- Free extras are a big selling point for NewSmile. They include your impression kit, your first set of aftercare retainers, and a free whitening kit at no extra charge. This package provides a ton of bang for your buck.
- NewSmile’s average alignment times are pretty efficient, delivering results in an average of 4-6 months.
- If you don’t want to wear your aligners for 22 hours per day, NewSmile offers the option of a nighttime-only alignment, which only requires ten hours of daily wear.
CONS
- While some of their competitors offer the option to get your teeth professionally scanned at a retail location, NewSmile requires you to create molds of your teeth at home using an impression kit. Some people find this process to be a messy hassle. To be clear, AlignerCo only has one physical location.
- As a newer company, NewSmile doesn’t have much customer feedback available. So far, most of their reviews are positive, but most competitors have a higher volume of feedback.
- Though the first set of aftercare retainers are included in treatment, after that you’ll pay $149 per set. You should replace your retainers around every six months, so this will be a recurring expense.
NewSmile - The Bottom Line
While NewSmile’s sticker price isn’t quite as low as AlignerCo’s, they still provide a ton of value by including your impression kit, one set of retainers, and a free whitening kit. A reliable treatment with efficient average treatment times, NewSmile is an awfully intriguing option.
Special Offer: Get $100 off your NewSmile aligners
3rd Place: Byte
Byte is one of the most popular, well-established clear aligner providers, one that offers a stellar customer experience and efficient average treatment times, thanks to their innovative technology. While their $1,895 sticker price isn’t anything special, Byte makes up for it with financing and warranty perks that are hard to pass up.
PROS
- Like AlignerCo, Byte approves every customer for financing. They have an in-house program called BytePay that guarantees payment plan enrollment, regardless of credit score. They also offer plans through Affirm and payment plans through Splitit, so you can choose the option that works best for you.
- Byte guarantees your new smile for life. So, if your teeth shift years down the road, they’ll send new aligners to correct it, free of charge! To remain eligible, you must purchase new retainers around every six months and wear them diligently.
- Byte includes retainers in its upfront cost, as well as the HyperByte device, which costs $699 on its own.
- If you have insurance coverage, Byte assigns you a dedicated insurance specialist to help you through the reimbursement process.
CONS
- Their $1,895 upfront cost is slightly higher than AlignerCo and NewSmile’s sticker prices.
- Byte doesn’t offer refunds after you start treatment, but if your teeth don’t progress as expected, their dentists and orthodontists will work with you to adjust your plan for no extra cost.
Other Clear Aligners Worth Considering
When you’re operating on a strict budget, it can be hard to look past sticker prices. The good news is that all home aligner options are fairly affordable, and in-office options can be as well, depending on your case and dentist. That said, you shouldn’t make a decision based on price alone. Just because a company’s costs are slightly higher doesn’t mean they won’t be a good fit for you.
Below are a few other clear aligner providers that might not offer the absolute lowest prices, but we think are still worth considering because of their other unique advantages.
SmileDirectClub: Founded in 2014, SmileDirectClub is one of the originators of the at-home aligner revolution, and they’ve remained firmly entrenched in the market. To date, they’ve effectively transformed more than one million smiles, making them by far the most experienced company we’ve reviewed. Cost-wise, their $1,950 price tag is fairly standard and like Byte, they offer guaranteed financing without a credit check. Plus, their 300+ brick and mortar locations where customers receive free tooth scans make it incredibly easy to get started.
Candid: Candid once offered an at-home clear aligner service, but has since transitioned to a “hybrid” at-home and in-office treatment that’s administered by a local dentist and involves robust remote oversight. After starting the process by visiting one of their 200+ dentist partners, you’ll complete photo check-ins every 14 days via their CandidApp — an intensive yet streamlined system for remote monitoring. Your dentist will set the rate for Candid treatment, but because you’re receiving in-person care and consistent oversight, it costs $3,500+.
Six Month Smiles Clear Aligners: Maybe you like home aligners’ average six-month timeframe, but would rather have your treatment administered in person. Enter Six Month Smiles. As the name suggests, these aligners deliver results in six months. Plus, as an in-office option, they include one-on-one care from your dentist. However, office visits aren’t always cheap, so Six Month Smiles is a bit pricier than at-home aligner options, often between $3,500 and $5,000. But if you’re looking for a treatment that offers the best of both worlds, it might be worth the cost.
ClearCorrect: The second-largest clear aligner producer, ClearCorrect is a younger in-office option that might be less expensive than the industry giant, Invisalign. ClearCorrect claims that they charge dentists less for aligner products and lab fees and your dentist might pass these savings along to you by charging less for your treatment. Even so, it typically costs $3,500-$5,000. As an in-office option, dentists can pair these aligners with additional appliances to more effectively treat severe cases of crowding and spacing, as well as bite issues.
Invisalign: On average, Invisalign is the most expensive option listed here (although it depends on your unique condition and dentist). But it’s also the most well-established and reputable. The creator of the original clear aligner, Invisalign has over 20 years of successful smile transformations under its belt. Like other in-office options, Invisalign is more effective at treating intensive cases of tooth and jaw misalignments. It runs from $3,500 to $8,000 depending on your case and dentist, although many people think that the company’s reputation and innovation, plus the in-person care from a dentist, are well worth it.
What Other Factors Should I Consider?
If you’re someone who keeps a watchful eye on your budget, carefully monitoring your expenses and planning for future payments, your eyes might continually gravitate toward a company’s price tag. But keep in mind that not all clear aligners are equal, so it’s important to consider a number of factors as you make your decision.
For example, one company might have a low initial cost, but does their treatment timeframe match your goals? Another might have a great refund policy, but is it a lot less convenient to get started? In addition to affordability, we recommend considering four other factors:
- Effectiveness
- Convenience
- Appearance
- Customer support
Our comprehensive comparison takes all of the above criteria into account. We understand that this is a deeply personal decision, and you may weigh certain aspects differently based on your particular circumstances. Just try not to get tunnel vision on a single aspect and block out all the others, or you could be in for some unwelcome surprises come treatment time!
Conclusion
It might feel overwhelming to see so many treatment options laid out, but fortunately, narrowing them down is fairly simple once you have all the necessary information. If you’re sticking to a firm budget, keep in mind that at-home aligner systems will generally be more affordable than in-office options like Invisalign.
That said, when it comes to choosing a treatment option, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Sure, cost is a major factor, but there are other things to keep in mind as well. We encourage you to consider all the criteria we’ve outlined in this guide. That way you’ll be able to proceed into treatment confident that it will deliver the results you’ve always wanted!
Join The Discussion: