Smileie is our current best-value pick because of its unusually low advertised starting price and published orthodontist-review/monitoring language. SmileSet stands out for its comparatively simple 30-day fit/return language. ALIGNERCO is aggressively priced but has a paid refinement policy and recurring support/delay complaints in public discussions. NewSmile offers remote monitoring and detailed published terms, but its refund policy contains more deductions and conditions than many shoppers will expect.
Quick comparison
Start with the four cards below, then use the detailed table only if you want to compare policies and care models side by side.
Smileie
Best for: Price-sensitive shoppers who want the lowest advertised starting price among the four brands compared here.
SmileSet
Best for: Buyers who value a comparatively simple published 30-day fit/return policy and an included impression kit.
ALIGNERCO
Best for: Buyers prioritizing a low advertised full-treatment price and a long-established remote-aligner brand.
NewSmile
Best for: Buyers who value remote monitoring and a comparatively detailed public refund/guarantee policy.
The Dental Verdicts Score summarizes the comparison factors above. Always confirm current eligibility, pricing and treatment details with the provider.
How the Dental Verdicts score works
We deliberately do not use a generic star rating. The score is weighted toward the things most likely to matter if a lower-cost treatment does not go perfectly: clinical safeguards, true cost, and what happens when you need a refund, remake, or refinement.
| Factor | Weight | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical supervision / safeguards | 25 | Who reviews the case, what records are required, monitoring, and escalation to in-person care. |
| Total ownership cost | 20 | Treatment, impression/scan, retainers, refinements, financing and likely follow-on costs. |
| Refund / refinement terms | 15 | When refunds end, exclusions, remake/refinement rules, and extra fees. |
| Customer support evidence | 15 | Published support process plus recurring independent user reports. |
| Public user sentiment | 10 | Recurring themes across public discussions, with anecdotes treated as anecdotes. |
| Convenience / process | 10 | Impressions/scans, remote check-ins, wear options and friction. |
| Company stability / transparency | 5 | Clear policies, accessible contact information and consistency of public information. |
Smileie
Dental Verdicts Score: 80/100
Know before you buy: The lowest advertised starting price may not equal the final package cost, and treatment-plan approval materially changes refund rights.
See Smileie pricing, policies and score breakdown
Current price and process
- Advertised price: From $549
- Impression kit: $49.99
- Retainers: From $210 for 2 sets (new-customer pricing page)
- Wear schedule: Day: 20–22 hours/day. Night: 8–10 hours/night.
- Treatment timing: Varies by case and plan; verify the individual treatment plan.
Clinical oversight
Smileie says each plan is reviewed by a licensed U.S. orthodontist and progress photos are uploaded during remote treatment; it also advertises scan locations and a Pro/in-person option.
Refunds and refinements
Refund policy: Refund before treatment-plan approval is generally available less the impression-kit cost; no refunds after treatment-plan approval/production. Full refund if the orthodontic team determines the customer is not a suitable candidate.
Refinement policy: Smileie says clinically appropriate refinements may be provided when teeth do not track as planned and treatment instructions were followed.
SmileSet
Dental Verdicts Score: 73/100
Know before you buy: The treatment price is substantially above the lowest-cost remote providers in this comparison, and public independent evidence is thinner.
See SmileSet pricing, policies and score breakdown
Current price and process
- Advertised price: $1,295
- Impression kit: $0
- Retainers: $119.40 promotional / $199 regular in our latest update
- Wear schedule: All-Day: 22 hours/day. Nighttime option available.
- Treatment timing: Company advertises roughly 4–6 months for all-day treatment on its current product page; individual treatment varies.
Clinical oversight
SmileSet describes the treatment plan as doctor-prescribed. Its product page states that the clear aligners are FDA cleared.
Refunds and refinements
Refund policy: SmileSet publishes a 30-day fit guarantee for clear retainers and aligners and says products can be returned for a full refund within 30 days of receipt under the stated conditions.
Refinement policy: The public refund/fit policy emphasizes exchanges for improper fit with a complimentary new impression kit; confirm treatment-refinement terms before purchase.
ALIGNERCO
Dental Verdicts Score: 71/100
Know before you buy: Current refund terms are restrictive after processing/production, refinements can cost extra, and public Reddit discussions contain recurring delay/support complaints alongside positive experiences.
See ALIGNERCO pricing, policies and score breakdown
Current price and process
- Advertised price: $725 all-day / $925 night
- Impression kit: $29.99
- Retainers: Verify at checkout
- Wear schedule: All-Day: 22 hours/day. NightOnly: 10 hours/day.
- Treatment timing: Company advertises 4–6 months all-day and 6–8 months NightOnly.
Clinical oversight
ALIGNERCO says every plan is reviewed by a U.S.-licensed dentist or orthodontist.
Refunds and refinements
Refund policy: Orders can generally be cancelled within 5 days subject to the current terms. If ALIGNERCO determines you are not a candidate, it says it will refund the treatment purchase subject to applicable kit/transaction terms. Manufactured aligners are not returnable.
Refinement policy: ALIGNERCO currently states that an approved post-treatment refinement costs $250 and must generally be requested within 2–3 weeks after treatment completion.
NewSmile
Dental Verdicts Score: 68/100
Know before you buy: The published refund policy is detailed and includes multiple deductions, deadlines, and conditions that should be read before purchase.
See NewSmile pricing, policies and score breakdown
Current price and process
- Advertised price: $1,095
- Impression kit: $29
- Retainers: $129 promotional price for a new-customer upper + lower custom retainer set ($189 regular) in our latest update; treatment-customer pricing may differ
- Wear schedule: Plan-specific; confirm the prescribed wear schedule.
- Treatment timing: Case-specific; Fast Track is positioned as its faster treatment process.
Clinical oversight
NewSmile says a network of dentists and orthodontists evaluates candidacy and its Fast Track plan includes remote monitoring.
Refunds and refinements
Refund policy: Impression kits are non-refundable. Before Treatment Preview approval, refunds may be available subject to deductions. After approval, refunds are generally limited to manufacturing-defect situations; custom aligners in production/manufactured are not refundable.
Refinement policy: NewSmile says additional aligners may be provided at no extra cost after compliant treatment if needed to pursue the projected outcome. Its policy lists $499 when additional aligners are required because the treatment plan was not followed.
More detail: user feedback and clinical considerations
What Reddit and public discussions add
Brand websites tell you what is supposed to happen. Public discussions are useful for finding where the real process can break: impression failures, production delays, fit problems, support response times, and refinement disputes. They are also noisy, self-selected, and easy to cherry-pick, so we do not use a single post as proof that a company is good or bad.
- Delays: multiple posters describe long waits for impression kits or aligners.
- Support: experiences are mixed; some describe slow or frustrating responses, while others report acceptable email/chat support.
- Results: reports range from satisfactory improvement in mild cases to disappointment versus the projected result.
- Refinements: extra-cost refinement concerns appear in user reports and ALIGNERCO's current official policy lists a $250 refinement fee when approved.
Examples: 2026 discussion, recent-experiences thread, r/aligners experience thread. These are anecdotal reports, not independently verified outcomes.
For NewSmile, one 2026 Reddit account described repeated rejected impression attempts and a multi-month delay before treatment could begin. That is useful as a friction signal to investigate—not evidence that most NewSmile customers have the same experience.
The biggest issue many comparison lists underweight: clinical suitability
Clear aligners move teeth. That makes this different from comparing electric toothbrushes. The American Dental Association's policy on direct-to-consumer dental services warns that self-delivered, unsupervised dental treatment can create irreversible complications when diagnosis and treatment management are removed from the dentist-patient relationship. The FDA's consumer guidance describes clear aligners as being worn according to a personal treatment plan directed by a dentist or orthodontist.
That does not mean every remote model is identical or automatically inappropriate. It means the meaningful question is not “Does a dentist exist somewhere in the process?” The useful questions are: what records are reviewed, whether an in-person dental exam or X-rays are required, who monitors progress, what happens when teeth do not track, and how quickly a patient can be escalated to in-person care.
Which one would we choose?
For a buyer who is absolutely committed to a remote provider and appears to have a straightforward case after proper dental evaluation, Smileie currently has the strongest value proposition on paper. Its starting price is materially below the other options we checked, it says treatment plans are reviewed by licensed U.S. orthodontists, and it publishes monitoring/refinement requirements.
That is not the same as saying it is clinically superior. The independent evidence base for each of these companies is much thinner than the marketing material. A free or low-cost orthodontic consultation can also provide a useful benchmark before committing to remote care.
Smileie
Compare the current offer, what is included, and whether you qualify before deciding.
How to compare any clear-aligner company before paying
- Get your mouth checked first. Ask whether you need recent X-rays, periodontal evaluation, treatment for cavities/gum disease, or other dental work before tooth movement.
- Save the exact offer. Screenshot the checkout page, promotion, refund policy and guarantee terms on the day you buy.
- Calculate total cost. Include the impression/scan, treatment, retainers, likely refinements, financing and replacement retainers.
- Ask who is treating you. Get the clinician's name/licensure information and understand how you contact the clinical team if something changes.
- Understand the exit points. Know exactly when the purchase becomes non-refundable.
- Search complaints by process stage. Look for impression problems, shipping delays, fit issues, mid-treatment support, refinement disputes and refund handling—not just generic “is it legit?” reviews.
Compare the current price, refund/remake terms, what is included, and the total cost after retainers or replacements. Details can change, so confirm the offer on the provider's site before checkout.
How Dental Verdicts compares products →FAQ
What are the cheapest clear aligners in this comparison?
In our September 2026 update, Smileie advertised day-time plans from $549. ALIGNERCO advertised an all-day plan at $725, NewSmile Fast Track at $1,095, and SmileSet at $1,295. Promotional pricing can change quickly, so verify checkout pricing.
Are at-home clear aligners the same as Invisalign?
No. The biggest difference is the care model, not just the plastic trays. Remote providers differ in examinations, records, monitoring, access to in-person care, attachments or IPR, and how complications are handled.
Do these companies use dentists or orthodontists?
The companies in this comparison publicly describe clinician involvement, but the exact model differs. ALIGNERCO says each plan is reviewed by a U.S.-licensed dentist or orthodontist; Smileie says each plan is reviewed by a licensed U.S. orthodontist; NewSmile says its dental team/network evaluates treatment; SmileSet describes its treatment plan as doctor-prescribed.
Why is the lowest-price option not automatically ranked first?
Price is only 20% of the Dental Verdicts Score. We also score clinical safeguards, refund/refinement terms, support evidence, public user sentiment, convenience, and company transparency.