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Orthodontic treatments like Invisalign are an effective way to straighten your teeth. But they can be expensive and cost you $3,000 to $8,000.
Insurance also doesn’t cover these services unless you have orthodontic benefits. Unfortunately, these can also get pricey and cost you up to $200 a month.
At-home clear teeth aligners are affordable alternatives to traditional orthodontics. They can save you thousands of dollars and still help you achieve a straighter smile.
Many brands also offer flexible financing options like monthly payment plans. This lets you split the treatment cost across several months and fit it into your budget.
Everything We Recommend
Choosing an affordable clear aligner isn’t just about cutting costs. You want an option that fits your budgeting approach.
Below are the most affordable teeth aligners we recommend.
| Byte | ALIGNERCO | NewSmile | SmileDirectClub | |
| Best for | Value | Budget | Affordable Plans | In-Network Coverage |
| Our rating | 4.2 out of 5 | 3.7 out of 5 | 3.9 out of 5 | 3.7 out of 5 |
| Cost | $1,999 to $2,399 | $875 to $1,075 | $1,395 to $1,595 | $2,250 |
| Monthly payments | $70 to $84 per month | $73/month to $90/month per month | $51/month to $64 | $89 per month |
| Installment terms | Up to 36 months | Up to 12 months | Up to 36 months | Up to 28 months |
| Downpayment costs | $0 or $249 to $399 | $0 or $335 to $445 | $0 or $180 to $190 | $250 |
| Accepts insurance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts HSA/FSA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Why Choose Byte? It offers great value for your money. It gives you straighter teeth in as little as 3 months and brightens your smile.
Byte is one of few companies with a Lifetime Guarantee. So if your teeth become misaligned after treatment, they can provide new aligners to help you get it back for free.
If you opt for Byte’s treatment plans, your kit will include the following:
Black Friday Sale: Impression Kit for only $14.95 with $600 off retail pricing.
Why Choose ALIGNERCO? It's the cheapest clear aligner brand that you can get upfront. Plus, it regularly offers discounts if you want to save more.
ALIGNERCO lets you split payments into monthly installments (with or without a downpayment) if you cannot pay upfront for the total treatment cost.
ALIGNERCO’s teeth straightening plans include the following:
Black Friday Sale: $875 for aligners with free aligner cleaner.
Why Choose NewSmile? It’s one of the most affordable aligner brands you can get with monthly installments. You can choose from plans with zero and low downpayment.
NewSmile also lets you schedule a video call with an Impression Specialist who can walk you through taking accurate impressions.
Use code NewMouthDeal for $100 off Aligners and code NewMouthKit for $20 off impression kit.
Why Choose SmileDirectClub? It has over 300+ studios across the US that you can visit anytime to see if you’re qualified for at-home teeth straightening.
SmileDirectClub is also in-network with many insurance providers and has 24/7 online access to a dental team.
Notice: SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 29, 2023. The company plans to "maintain normal operations" as it restructures debts and seeks a buyer or funding. The founders invested $20 million and committed more to ensure SmileDirectClub can meet commitments without disruption. However, successful reorganization is not guaranteed.
Here’s what you get if you visit a SmileShop or order your kit online:
Early Black Friday: $12 impression kit - Free After Return
Clear aligners can save you thousands of dollars compared to braces. Learn about clear aligners.
Now that you know which clear aligners are the most affordable, here are your other options and why you should consider them:
Candid is great if you’re leaning more towards at-home teeth straightening but still want to receive professional dental care.
To get this treatment option, you must visit a local dentist or orthodontist who offers Candid and can assess you to see if you’re a good candidate.
They will design your treatment plan and continue monitoring your progress remotely once you wear your prescribed aligners.
We like Smileie because it lets you choose a treatment that suits your needs. You can straighten your top and bottom teeth or just one of them.
It also has some of the cheapest clear aligners. You can buy them upfront for $999 to $1,399 or pay $63.99 to $76.99 per month.
Smileie is a new brand, however. It launched in 2022 and isn’t as well-established as the other clear aligner companies.
SnapCorrect is known by customers for its “barely there” aligners that are discreet and comfortable to wear.
It’s also one of the more affordable aligners that can be covered by your flexible spending account (FSA), costing only $1,749 upfront.
However, you may end up spending more if you opt for a monthly payment since SnapCorrect doesn’t offer zero-interest installments.
2Usmiles gives you the cheapest way to get started with at-home teeth straightening, thanks to its affordable impression kits that cost $9.95.
It also has affordable pricing and costs $1,495 to $1,645 upfront or $104 to $118 monthly. Although it does require a hefty downpayment of $399.
2Usmiles is still a new brand and doesn’t have many reviews. So we can’t blame you if you’d rather spend money on a more trustworthy company.
ClearCorrect is a more reliable and effective way to straighten teeth. It treats different types of misaligned teeth, including severe cases.
That’s because it isn’t an at-home option like Byte or SmileDirectClub. It’s an in-office aligner that requires dental professionals to oversee the treatment.
You’ll be asked to visit the clinic regularly. Your dentist or orthodontist can fit the aligners into your teeth, replace them, and adjust them as needed.
ClearCorrect typically costs $4,000 to $6,000. This makes it more expensive than at-home aligners but cheaper than Invisalign.
Invisalign remains to be the top in-office clear aligner for correcting mild to moderate teeth misalignment and severe bite problems.15,16
Like ClearCorrect, you’ll need to visit the dental office regularly so a qualified dentist or orthodontist can ensure your treatment is going as planned.
Invisalign clear aligners are less convenient than at-home brands. But they’re more comfortable and practical than traditional metal braces.
Unfortunately, Invisalign is only a good option if your budget allows it. Its treatment costs are expensive and can range from $3,000 to $8,000.
If you only have mild to moderately crooked teeth, there are more affordable at-home clear aligners to choose from.
To find the best cheap invisible braces on the market, we:
We recommend at-home clear aligners if you have mild teeth misalignment. View our top recommendations.
If you choose a trusted brand with mostly positive reviews, daytime aligners are generally safe to use.
They can help correct mild or moderate teeth misalignment, such as:
However, we don’t recommend using night-only aligners because there is currently no evidence that they are safe or effective.
At-home invisible aligners are also not advised for severely misaligned teeth like an overbite, underbite, and open bite.
When you wear clear aligners for the first time, you may feel sore and uncomfortable and experience changes in your speech.
For instance, you may suddenly find it difficult to pronounce “s” and “z” clearly (lisp) or hear whistling sounds when you talk.
These are normal side effects and usually disappear once you get used to wearing invisible aligners.
Choosing the best clear aligner brand isn’t easy if you don’t know what to look for. Here are five things to consider to narrow it down:
There are two kinds of clear aligners: in-office and at-home. What you’ll need depends on how severe your teeth misalignment or malocclusion is:
If you want to get your teeth straightened, it’s best that you talk to a dentist or orthodontist to find out which treatment option is for you.
Many people just look at the price tag of clear aligners. But this only covers initial treatment costs. You should also consider other expenses, like:
If it takes longer to straighten your teeth or if your teeth shift back into place after the treatment, you may need more aligners to correct them.
While some companies have guarantees to help cover the cost of additional aligners, others don’t. You’ll have to pay for them yourself.
You must compare these costs across different brands to see which ones are within your budget.
If you can’t pay for the full treatment cost upfront, look for a brand that offers affordable monthly installments so you can fit it into your budget.
Companies that offer zero-interest or low-interest monthly installments and little to no downpayment will help you save more money in the long run.
Most clear aligners are covered by a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA).
Dental insurance policies also cover some brands or are in-network with major health insurance companies.
Find out which of these options are available to you and how much coverage you’re getting for your chosen aligners.
Clear aligners can straighten teeth in 3 to 18 months. Average treatment times help you gauge how long you must wait before seeing results.
Go for a brand that can give you results within an allowable time frame.
Remember that the actual time it takes to get straight teeth will depend on how crooked they are and if you wear clear aligners as prescribed.
The fewer misalignments you have, the faster the results.
Interested in straightening your teeth at home? Here are the best clear aligner companies.
At-home clear aligners are a practical and inexpensive way to straighten your teeth. When picking a brand, you must consider:
Remember to discuss your teeth straightening options with a dental expert. They can help you choose an orthodontic treatment based on these factors.
To help you choose the best clear aligner for your budget, we spent 200+ hours researching the top brands based on the following criteria:
We ordered the best kits that met our criteria and had in-house writers test them out throughout the duration of their prescribed treatment.
While testing the clear aligners, our team assessed and scored them based on five traits. Each trait was assigned a “weight” so we could calculate their individual rating and weighted average scores on a scale of five.
Here is how we rated the best clear aligners on our list:
Using artificial intelligence, we gathered and analyzed feedback from hundreds of people who tried our list's clear aligners.
This helped us determine the users’ experiences with a brand, including:
We compared the brands’ average treatment times and effectiveness for correcting mild and moderate teeth misalignment.
Our team also examined them for any products or services they provided that would help customers during and after their treatment, such as:
We explored the total treatment cost of invisible braces, including their upfront prices, flexibility of payment options, eligibility for insurance, and maintenance costs for additional retainers.
Our team performed an in-depth investigation of each brand’s customer support when answering queries and resolving issues. We assessed their:
We also checked companies to see if they offered guarantees for clear aligner adjustments, refinements, replacements, or refunds if you’re not qualified or if the treatment doesn’t work for you.
With the help of advanced AI algorithms, we were able to sort through hundreds of customer reviews that would indicate the level of trust they had in a clear aligner brand.
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What’s Next?
The most popular at-home clear aligner kits can be found right here:
