If you have ever discussed the use of clear aligners with your orthodontist, chances are she recommended Invisalign. It is by far the most popular clear aligner brand. In fact, it is so popular that many consider it a synonym for invisible braces in general.
Such market dominance means that it’s an easier and faster option for your dentist, but it also means that you aren’t recommended cheaper and sometimes better alternatives.
Top 3 Invisalign Alternatives
The most efficient at-home teeth straightening solution you can get in the US.
- Short treatment time
- High-quality materials
- HyperByte technology
- Flexible financing options
Your best bet to save money while receiving high-quality aligners.
- Affordable pricing
- Great payment options
- Comfortable
- Effective for various dental conditions
Top-notch remote orthodontic service optimized for avoiding lengthy in-office visits.
- Best remote experience
- Great for mild-to-moderate misalignments
- Fits different gum lines well
- Board-certified dentists and orthodontists
This article is all about the best Invisalign alternatives in 2024. I have tried all the reputable dental braces and aligners that are best for your dental health and aesthetically pleasing smile. I have focused on at-home and, at least partially, online options as they offer the convenience Invisalign lacks.
Table of Contents:
What is The Best Alternative To Invisalign?
The fact that there are at least twenty good alternatives to Invisalign is shocking to most. Orthodontists rarely advertise these options as they have contracts with Invisalign, and at-home options may reduce the amount they make from consultations. Presenting all of the possible alternatives is outside of the scope of this article. Not to mention a casual consumer who just wants a better alternative to improve his smile.
That’s why I have reduced the option to five best Invisalign alternatives that can be used at home, are cheaper and better, or are equally good in performance.
- Best Value Invisalign Alternative: Byte
- Most Affordable Option: AlignerCo
- Best Fully Remote Alternative: NewSmile
- Best for In-Office Dental Consultations: Candid
- Best Dual Arch Aligners: Smileie
Many other brands, such as Strayt, Smile Direct Club (discontinued), SureSmile, or Motto, didn’t make it to the list. It’s not that they are unworthy to purchase. These aligners move teeth but can’t offer much of what the top five already have.
Their price, functioning, supplementary functions, and the time period aligners need to work are similar. It all can get confusing fast. So, I compiled the table below to make it clearer.
Invisalign Vs Alternatives: Comparison Table
| Invisalign | Byte | AlignerCo | NewSmile | Candid | Smileie | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Treatment Cost | $2,800 – $9,000, varies by case complexity | All-Day: $1,999; Night: $2,399 | SmileAdvantage: $795-$995; Night: $1,195 | Starts at $1,495 | $3,300 – $7,000 | $999 – $1599 |
| Financing Options | Dental insurance, HSA, FSA | Credit cards, FSA, HSA, Affirm | 0% APR SmileFlex; HSA/FSA accepted | 0% APR, $77/month, HSA/FSA accepted | Dental insurance, HSA, FSA | Credit cards, HSA & FSA, Affirm |
| Impression Cost | Included in the overall price | $95 (refundable) | $59.99 | $139 (often discounted) | Included in the overall price | Included in the final price |
| Impressions | Physical or digital impressions (iTero) | Remote monitoring; At-home impressions | Impression kit or video assistance | Home kit with video call assistance | Visiting a CandidPro provider | At-home impression kit and at a dental scanning center in Arizona |
| Treatment Duration | 3-24 months | 3-6 months | 4-6 months | 4-10 months | 6-24 months | 4-6 months |
| Consultation Frequency | In-office every 4-6 weeks; virtual check-ins possible | Midpoint check-in through the Byte app | Varies by plan | Virtual consultation every 6 weeks | Initial in-person; remote monitoring every 14 days | Free Smile Assessment, video consultations on demand |
| Best For | Mild to severe crowding, spacing, misalignments | Mild to moderate spacing, crowding, rotation | Overbite, underbite, crowding, spacing | Mild to Moderate crowding, spacing, and bite issues | Crooked, crowded, gapped teeth | Most anatomical misalignments |
| License | Trained and certified dentists, orthodontists | Dentists and orthodontists | Consultation with licensed dentists, orthodontists | Overseen by board-certified dentists or orthodontists | Supervised by orthodontists | A board of dentists and orthodontists |
| Supplementary Services | Professional Whitening System, retainers, My Invisalign app | My Byte App, HyperByte, BrightByte, Protection Plan | AlignerTracker app, video assistance, 24/7 support, retainers, whitening kit | NewSmile Life app, virtual consultations, retainers | Teeth whitening, retainers, CandidApp™ for monitoring | Retainers, teeth Whitening kit |
Best Alternatives To Invisalign
Byte
Best Value Invisalign Alternative
Byte is the second most popular brand of clear aligners after Invisalign and for a good reason. Their at-home teeth straightening service works great in the USA, and the aligners are of high quality. You can trust this brand to bring results.
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Cost
Most popular Byte aligners cost $1,999, and their At-Night system is priced at $2,399. While it may look expensive, the cheapest treatment plan for Invisalign starts at $2,800. Even if you’ll choose the most expensive Byte plan with retainers, impression kit, and remote check-ups, you will save compared to Invisalign. Not to mention that all the most convenient financing plans, including Affirm, are available with Byte.
Main Features
Durability is the feature you will notice first with Byte aligners. They are made from a polymer material known to be durable and in no way inferior to Inisalign’s SmartTrack. What’s better is that with My Byte app, you’ll have a convenient solution for tracking, reminders, and remote check-ups.
Byte aligners have a shorter treatment time than Invisalign, mainly due to the HyperByte vibration device. It helps to fit the teeth into the aligner faster, while BrightByte whitener can improve the aesthetic appeal at the same time.
Treatment Experience
My experience with Byte was so good that I recommend it as the best aligner overall. The ordering process was straightforward, the impression kit arrived in a couple of days, and the treatment plan lasted only five months.
It was the first dental appliance that closed my teeth gap efficiently. However, I should disclose that I used the Hyper Byte, which significantly improved the treatment. It’s a game changer for these types of dental issues.
I’m not alone in such a Byte review. There’s hardly any bad mention of the brand online, and it seems they are on track to dominate the clear aligner market in the same way as Invisalign does.
AlignerCo
Most Affordable Option
AlignerCo makes the cheapest aligners that are still on par with Invisalign quality. They are as effective as other options and invest heavily in customer support to help build a perfect treatment plan for those who doubt the product.
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Cost
The SmileAdvantage plan, priced at just $995, might seem too good to be true. It includes the impression kit aligners and even retainers for good measure. Nighttime aligners plan (called NightAdvantage) is a bit more pricey, at $1,195, but it’s still the best bargain on the market.
I know these costs might still look expensive for some, so AlignerCo provides multiple financing possibilities. Monthly installment options and insurance coverage make it available for most patients.
Main Features
Despite the low price, AlignerCo products don’t feel cheap. They are crafted from medical-grade plastic commonly used in dental appliances. The plastic is surprisingly transparent and doesn’t change color easily.
You won’t have to change your daily habits, and no one will notice you are using aligners. It’s worth mentioning that AlignerCo provides some premium features – the AlignerTracker app and video consultations with specialists.
Treatment Experience
AlignerCo was the first brand I tested. If they can ensure effective treatment for such a low price, then why bother with something more expensive? My experience was generally positive – there was no hassle while ordering or sending the impression kit back.
Judging from the reviews online, others didn’t have such a pleasant experience. Some struggled with the fit, while others found the support team unresponsive.
Despite these drawbacks, no one can deny that AlignerCo builds an effective Invisalign alternative. You just have to lower your expectations for treatment time. I think this is understandable when we account for the affordable price.
NewSmile
Best Fully Remote Alternative
NewSmile is the best option for those who want to avoid in-office visits at all costs. I found them to have the most streamlined impression, consultation, and delivery system that doesn’t cost much as well.
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Cost
NewSmile is moderately priced, with $1,495 for night aligners and $1,595 for daytime ones. The price gets more attractive if you consider the multiple financing plans, 0% APR, and HSA/FSA included. The only drawback is the expensive impression kit, but as far as we checked, it’s always at a discount.
Main Features
As with many other aligners, NewSmile products use medical-grade plastic, proven to be durable and almost invisible. Easily accessible virtual consultations help you with the impression-making process and any other issue that might arise. Their NewSmile Life app is also full of useful information and on-demand support.
Treatment Experience
The first thing one notices when using NewSmile is that you are not alone in your treatment journey. I was able to easily chat with support, and I didn’t even need to ask for a video consultation on impression-making.
Unfortunately, the delivery times were long. For example, the first batch of aligners took around 7 weeks to arrive. I was in contact with support the whole time, so there wasn’t much stress. It was a deal-breaker for some online reviewers, but I haven’t found anyone complaining about the consultation or aligners themselves.
Candid
Best for In-Office Dental Consultations
Candid aligners are exclusively delivered through dentists. Their network is as vast as that of Invisalign, while they still have some great teledentistry solutions. It’s a seamless blend of in-person assessments and convenient remote consultations.
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Cost
Professional oversight is expensive, so Candid aligners are more expensive than other options in this list. They range from $3,300 to $7,000, depending on the severity of your condition. Still, compared to how much consultations and then Invisalign aligners cost, Candid is an affordable compromise.
Main Features
Candid aligners are made from medical plastic found in other similar aligners. However, their fitting and customization options make them better at targeting specific needs. Invisalign achieves the same results but does not include such convenient scanning and consultation options offered by CandidApp and CandidMonitoring.
Treatment Experience
Although I am quite competent in orthodontics, the initial consultation with an expert revealed a lot about my teeth gap issue. It’s a great way to steer your treatment plan in the needed direction while following up later remotely increases the convenience significantly.
Even some fully at-home aligners do not have such a good tracking system as the one CandidMonitoring provides. Most online reviews agree that the scans work well and save precious time from visits. Still, if you are struggling, there is a possibility to see a dentist in person.
Smileie
Best Dual Arch Aligners
Moderately priced but still high-quality Smileie aligners stand out by offering effective dual Arch aligner treatment. It might be the best option for those with crossbite, underbite, or similar malocclusions.
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Cost
Daytime dual Arch Smileie aligners cost $1399, while the single Arch option is priced at $999. Night Time single and dual arch options cost $1099 and $1599, respectively. It’s far from the lowest price on the market, but the financing options, especially Affirm monthly installments, ease the burden significantly.
Main Features
Smileie aligners are made from medical BPA-free plastic common in most dental appliances. They are durable enough to hold until you need a new one according to your plan. The impression kit seems quite basic, and I didn’t need any video assistance, although that option exists.
Unfortunately, Smileie does not provide an app or even a convenient customer portal. Most of the communication with this company happened over emails and phone calls. It might just be my preference, but I haven’t found it very convenient.
Treatment Experience
My plan was 22 hours each day for four and a half months, which was sent to me very quickly. The aligners came in a bit more than a week as well. The first pair didn’t seem to have much effect, but it seems the second one was meant to move teeth more aggressively.
Most users online seem to agree that Smilele is an often discounted budget option. The orthodontic visits are non-existent if you don’t specifically request them from the support team. The whitening kit and retainers after treatment are highly praised online as well.
About Invisalign Alternatives
Invisalign Alternatives Cost
Worthwhile Invisalign alternatives range from $795 to $7,000. While Invisalign itself fits into this pricing, you are unlikely to get the best treatment plan for a price lower than $3000. It all depends on your condition, but in general, alternatives like Byte provide more affordable teeth straightening.
Financing options
Financing options for Invisalign depend on what your dentist accepts. It usually includes the most common types of dental insurance and HSA or FSA savings accounts. Alternatives to Invisalign, on the other hand, tend to have more flexible aligner financing, as online platforms provide options irrespective of your location.
User Reviews of Invisalign Alternatives
There’s a lot of comparison of braces and aligners to Invisalign on the internet. Most discussions on platforms like Reddit tend to revolve around brands like Byte and AlignerCo. There is some negative feedback for these companies, but overall, such voices seem to be outliers in the general trend. The first thing to note is that people are looking for more affordable options.
Invisalign brand is well-established, and it costs as much as braces, so alternative options, being cheaper, get a lot of praise. The innovative features of apps and flexible financing options are also frequently mentioned. The efficiency of alternatives varies, but the brands I have compiled in this list will all perform great for mild to moderate teeth misalignments.
Other Invisalign Alternatives
It’s worth mentioning that some methods of straightening teeth without dental appliances are also effective. Veneers, for example, are great for improving the aesthetics of your teeth. But it might be only a temporary solution that still costs as much.
You can also improve your teeth with practices like mewing, but it’s best to perform it simultaneously with aligners or some types of retainers.
DYI aligners are trending in some circles on social media, but most dental professionals advise against it. Even if you have a 3D printer at home, making aligners yourself takes expertise and safe materials. You will likely do more harm than good with DYI aligners.
Are You Eligible For Clear Braces?
Aligners work only for patients with fully developed teeth, that is, people over 13 years old. It doesn’t mean you can’t use aligners with missing teeth or for cases like fixing tooth gap. However, in most cases, you can certainly know only after a consultation with a dentist or orthodontist.
These days, you can get a scan at your home or make impressions and send them for professionals to evaluate. They will let you know how much progress you can expect and how long aligners will be needed.
Patients with severe malocclusions or anatomical jaw defects should avoid aligners. For example, severe open bite correction may require surgery or other orthodontic treatment first, and then an aligner or a retainer can be used.