SmileDirectClub Cost in 2026: What You Need to Know

SmileDirectClub is gone. The company that treated over 2 million patients at $1,950 a plan filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September 2023 and shut down entirely — no transition, no continuity of care, no refunds for patients mid-treatment. If you’re searching for SmileDirectClub pricing in 2025, what you actually need is a replacement option. The two most relevant alternatives are Byte ($1,895–$2,295) for at-home treatment and Invisalign ($3,000–$8,000) through a licensed orthodontist.

What Happened

SmileDirectClub launched in 2014 as the original direct-to-consumer clear aligner company. The model was simple: customers visited a SmileShop for a scan or ordered a home impression kit, received aligners in the mail, and were monitored remotely by a network of affiliated providers. At its peak in 2021, the company generated roughly $750 million in annual revenue and had treated approximately 1.8 million patients.

The challenges accumulated across several fronts. State dental boards in multiple states sued or investigated SmileDirectClub for practicing dentistry without sufficient professional oversight. The American Association of Orthodontists raised ongoing safety concerns about the absence of in-person exams, X-rays, and physical monitoring. Consumer complaints — about worsened bites, root resorption, and cases abandoned mid-treatment — grew throughout the company’s existence.

By 2023, losses were unsustainable. The company filed Chapter 11 in September 2023, then immediately converted to Chapter 7 liquidation. The speed of the conversion meant no orderly wind-down — SmileShops closed the same day, customer service lines went dead, and the website shut down. Patients with three trays left in their treatment had no path forward with the company.

If You Were a SmileDirectClub Customer

You were mid-treatment when it closed: See a local dentist or orthodontist as soon as possible for an evaluation. Bring whatever you have — photos, your last aligner tray, any documentation SmileDirectClub provided. The orthodontist will assess where your teeth stand and advise whether continuing with a new provider, pausing, or starting fresh makes the most sense clinically.

You completed treatment: Wear your final set of retainers for as long as they hold, then get replacement retainers from a local dentist or orthodontist. Custom retainers run $100–$600. Teeth will shift without them — that’s not a hypothetical.

You have bite or jaw problems that developed during treatment: SmileDirectClub’s remote monitoring wasn’t designed to identify or address bite changes. If you have jaw pain, changed bite, or any discomfort that started during treatment, get evaluated by an orthodontist.

You want a refund: SmileDirectClub’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy may allow unsecured creditor claims, but recovery amounts in Chapter 7 liquidations are typically pennies on the dollar. Check the bankruptcy court filings for the current status of the claims process.

What SmileDirectClub’s Model Did and Didn’t Include

Before its closure, SmileDirectClub competed on price — $1,950 flat versus Invisalign’s $3,000–$8,000. That gap was real. The limitations of the model were also real:

• No in-person exams with X-rays to detect gum disease, bone loss, or root issues before treatment
• Treatment overseen by remotely affiliated providers who, in some states, weren’t licensed in the patient’s home state
• No in-person adjustments or physical monitoring during treatment
• Limited ability to identify or correct complications as they developed

These weren’t fringe concerns — they were the direct basis for the regulatory actions taken against the company in multiple states.

Your Best Options in 2025

Byte ($1,895–$2,295): The most direct substitute for SmileDirectClub’s model. Flat pricing, home impressions, remote monitoring. Byte is owned by Dentsply Sirona — a major dental company, which provides more financial stability than a venture-backed startup. Best suited to very mild crowding in adults with healthy gum tissue and bone.

NewSmile ($1,195–$1,895): The lowest-cost DTC aligner option available. Remote model similar to Byte. For strictly minimal cosmetic crowding. Less established track record than Byte.

Candid ($2,400–$3,500): A hybrid approach requiring an initial in-person scan and involving more professional oversight than purely remote options. Better suited to slightly more complex mild cases.

Invisalign Lite/Express through an orthodontist ($1,800–$3,500): For mild cases, limited-aligner Invisalign programs are priced comparably to DTC brands while providing in-office professional supervision throughout. This is the safest comparable price point — barely more than DTC and substantially better supported.

Invisalign Full ($3,000–$8,000): For moderate-to-complex cases. Insurance coverage applies. Full in-person oversight throughout treatment.

Insurance and Financing for Alternatives

SmileDirectClub was not covered by most dental insurance plans. The same limitation applies to most remaining DTC brands:

• In-office Invisalign and ClearCorrect: Covered up to the lifetime orthodontic maximum ($1,000–$3,000) — this is significant
• Byte, NewSmile: Generally not covered by insurance
• Candid: Coverage may apply if the treating provider is in-network; verify directly with your insurer

Financing by platform:

• Byte: Monthly plans starting around $65/month through third-party lenders
• Invisalign through an orthodontist: In-house payment plans over the treatment period (18–30 months), CareCredit, FSA/HSA eligible
• NewSmile: Financing available through their website

If your dental insurance includes orthodontic benefits ($1,000–$3,000 lifetime maximum is common), applying those benefits to in-office Invisalign narrows the cost gap versus DTC alternatives considerably.

How to Spend Less on Clear Aligners

Use your insurance benefits. If your plan has orthodontic coverage, it applies to in-office Invisalign and ClearCorrect — not to DTC brands. That benefit doesn’t transfer.

Consider Invisalign Express. For mild cases, Invisalign Express (7 trays) starts around $1,800 at many in-office providers — comparable to Byte’s pricing with the safety of professional supervision.

Dental school clinics. Many dental schools offer Invisalign at 30–50% below private practice pricing under faculty supervision.

FSA/HSA with in-office treatment. In-office aligners qualify as FSA and HSA eligible expenses; DTC brands may not. Using pre-tax healthcare dollars with in-office treatment helps close any remaining cost gap.

Bottom Line

SmileDirectClub is permanently closed. If you’re a former customer, see a local orthodontist or dentist now for evaluation — don’t wait for your teeth to shift. If you’re a prospective patient who found this page while researching SmileDirectClub prices, the comparable options are Byte for at-home treatment and Invisalign Lite for in-office care with professional oversight. The collapse of SmileDirectClub demonstrated the risk of DTC-only treatment with no local provider relationship: when the company disappears, your care disappears with it.