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HomeCompareActive Aligners vs Invisalign
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Active Aligners vs Invisalign

Starting price, treatment length, supervision, FDA safety record and full spec sheet for Active Aligners and Invisalign, side by side. Every figure links to the source that states it.

Prices verified Sep 30, 2026FDA records verified Sep 30, 2026
4comparisons with Active Aligners
81comparisons with Invisalign

Active Aligners (Active Aligners)·Invisalign (Invisalign clear aligners)

Active Aligners
In-office
Invisalign
In-office
At a glance
Starting price
R27 000
$1,800-8,000provider-set

Blue marks the lower price only where every compared price is quoted the same way (a monthly price in US dollars); prices quoted in another currency, as a one-time fee or as a provider-set range are shown exactly as stated and never converted. Adverse-event figures are raw counts of reports filed with the FDA, not rates (what the reports mean). Each spec value opens that brand's spec sheet, and its numbered sources verify the specs as a set. None of this is a recommendation: the right choice depends on your case, your budget and, above all, an in-person exam by a dentist or orthodontist.

The bottom line

What actually differs

  • Neither is marked lower, since only monthly prices quoted in US dollars are ranked against each other: Active Aligners R27 000 and Invisalign $1,800-8,000 (provider-set).
  • Typical treatment differs: Active Aligners 6-7 months and Invisalign 12-18 months.
Go deeper

Open the full record

Active Aligners
  • Prices
  • Treatment length
  • Supervision
  • FDA safety
  • Specs
  • Sources
  • Where to get it
Invisalign
  • Prices
  • Treatment length
  • Supervision
Keep comparing

Every comparison with these brands

Each brand against every other brand on the market. All comparisons

All 4 comparisons with Active Aligners

  • vs Graphy
  • vs Invisalign (this page)
  • vs Smilers
  • vs Spark

All 81 comparisons with Invisalign

  • vs 2USmiles
  • vs 32Co
  • vs Aalto
InvisibleBraces is an informational data platform, not a dentist, an orthodontist, or a seller of aligners. Nothing here is dental or medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to start, stop, or change any treatment. At-home clear aligners are not right for every case, and moving teeth without an in-person exam carries real risk. Data is aggregated from public sources and each brand's own terms and can be incomplete or out of date. Always consult a licensed dentist or orthodontist and confirm current prices and terms with the provider.
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The independent, fully-cited comparison of at-home clear aligner brands. Every figure traces to its source. Informational only, not dental or medical advice.

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Typical treatment
6-7 months
12-18 months
Supervision
In-office
In-office
FDA safety
No recalls
No recalls
FDA adverse-event reports
0
876
Treatment
Treats
CrowdingSpacing and gapsMild to moderate misalignment
CrowdingSpacing and gapsOverbiteUnderbite
Product lines
Active Aligners
Invisalign clear aligners
Wear schedule
All-day (22 hrs)
20 to 22 hrs/day, trays typically changed about weekly
Spec sheet
Start method
3D scan or impression at an Active Aligners dental provider
In-office iTero 3D digital scan (or impressions) taken at a dentist or orthodontist, who submits a computer-simulated treatment plan
Material
A tri-layer medical-grade material, 3D printed and positive-pressure thermoformed (the brand does not name the maker)
SmartTrack (Align): a highly elastic multilayer thermoplastic developed after testing 260+ polymers, delivering gentler, more constant force
Retainers
Worn full time for 3 months and at night after that; a fixed lingual retainer is available through the provider
Vivera retainers, custom-made and sold in sets of four, commonly $400 to $1,200; nightly wear recommended long-term to prevent relapse
Whitening
Not published
Not a built-in feature; whitening is done separately by the provider if desired
Refinements / touch-ups
Prescribed by the provider if needed; the brand says 65 to 75% of its patients need none
Additional aligner sets (refinements) to fine-tune results, typically included within comprehensive plans; exact allowance is provider-dependent
Guarantee
Not published (no money-back guarantee; submitting the scan for planning involves an initial fee, and no further charge is made if the patient decides not to go ahead)
Not published (no manufacturer money-back guarantee; any guarantee is provider-dependent)
Clinical oversight
In-office: the lab's treatment team plans, a dentist reviews and approves, and the provider guides treatment in person
Dentist or orthodontist directed, with in-person checkups throughout treatment
Financing
MediWallet medical finance up to R40 000, 3 to 18 month terms, R0 deposit
Through the provider: many practices offer monthly payment plans; terms vary by office
HSA / FSA
Not applicable (South Africa; US HSA/FSA does not apply)
Eligible for HSA and FSA reimbursement as orthodontic care
Insurance
Depends on the medical aid: none, a portion or the full amount may be claimed back, the brand says
Often partially covered by dental or orthodontic benefits, with many plans applying a lifetime orthodontic maximum (commonly up to about $3,000)
Availability
South Africa, through dental providers (the brand also cites selected markets worldwide without naming them)
US and 100+ countries, delivered through trained dentists and orthodontists: Invisalign's own region picker lists 122 countries and territories, from Canada and Brazil to the UK, Australia, Japan and India (checked 2026-10-10)
Headquarters
Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tempe, Arizona, USA
Spec sources
  1. 1.activealigners.co.za
  2. 2.activealigners.co.za
  3. 3.activealigners.co.za
  4. 4.activealigners.co.za
  5. 5.activealigners.co.za
  6. 6.smileclub.co.za
  1. 1.realdentalcosts.com
  2. 2.dentalroundup.com
  3. 3.myglowupdentistry.com
  4. 4.investor.aligntech.com
  5. 5.invisalign.com.au
Company
On the market since
–
1998
Parent company
Active Aligners Lab (Smile Club), Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa
Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), maker of the Invisalign system and iTero scanners
  • FDA safety
  • Specs
  • Sources
  • Where to get it
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