Invisalign Cost Calculator: Price by State, With Insurance and Per Month

By Dr. Sage Wells · ✓ Prices from a 50-state cost survey, checked against 6 research reviews · Updated October 2026

How this calculator works

The prices come from the most recent national procedure cost survey, run by ASQ360 Market Research for CareCredit across all 50 states and the District of Columbia (2023 to 2024). It gives an average for clear aligners and for metal braces in every state. For ceramic and lingual braces the survey publishes national figures only, so those stay the same whatever state you pick.

The calculator takes that average, or the price you type from a quote, and subtracts what your insurance would pay: your plan’s percentage of the price, capped at your orthodontic lifetime maximum. Anything left, minus a down payment, is spread over the months you choose. At 0% interest that is a straight division; with an interest rate it uses the standard loan formula, so you can see what financing adds.

A survey average is a starting point, not a quote. Your own price depends on how much your teeth need to move, how long that takes, and the practice. Get a written quote, ideally from two providers, and type it in.

Invisalign vs braces: average cost in the US

Source: ASQ360 Market Research for CareCredit, 50 states and DC, 2023 to 2024. Prices exclude insurance.

The surprise in this survey is that clear aligners came out cheaper than metal braces on average, by about $1,200. That held in 47 of the 51 states; the exceptions were Indiana, New York, Rhode Island and Wyoming. Invisalign’s own guidance is more cautious: it says that in most cases the cost of treatment is comparable to braces. The honest reading is that, for the same case, you should not expect aligners to cost more, and in many places they cost less.

Invisalign cost by state

Average prices before insurance, from the same survey. Use your state’s figure as a reality check on a quote: one well above it is worth questioning, and one far below it may leave out records, refinements or retainers.

Source: ASQ360 Market Research for CareCredit (clear aligners 2023; metal braces 2023 to 2024). Some state figures look odd next to each other, such as Massachusetts averaging less than Mississippi for aligners. Survey averages from a sample of practices move around, so treat a single state’s number as a guide, not a fixed price.

How much is Invisalign with insurance?

Many dental plans cover clear aligners the same way they cover braces. Orthodontic coverage works differently from the rest of your dental plan, though, and three things decide what you get:

• It is a lifetime maximum, not an annual one. Your regular dental maximum renews every year; the orthodontic maximum does not. Once it is used up, there is no more orthodontic coverage on that plan, and money paid in an earlier phase of treatment comes off what is left.
• The plan pays a percentage, up to that cap. Plans often pay a set percentage, commonly shown as 50%, until the lifetime maximum is reached.
• Age and reason matter. Children under 18 are more likely to have braces covered. Adults may need to show that treatment is medically necessary rather than cosmetic, and some plans only cover orthodontics with an add-on policy.

Example: a $5,108 aligner case on a plan that pays 50% up to a $1,500 lifetime maximum. Half of the price would be $2,554, but the cap is $1,500, so insurance pays $1,500 and you pay $3,608. With the average benefit of $1,772 reported across 112,243 insured US patients (OrthoFi data cited by Invisalign), you would pay $3,336.

Ask your plan for a pre-treatment estimate before you start. It tells you the exact amount, and whether anything has already been used.

Invisalign cost per month

Most orthodontists offer payment plans, and Invisalign says many offer low or no down payment. On an interest-free in-house plan, the monthly cost is simply your balance divided by the months: the $3,608 from the example above is about $150 a month over 24 months.

Interest changes that. The same $3,608 borrowed at 9.9% APR over 24 months is about $166 a month, $384 more in total. At 14.9%, it is about $175 a month and $586 more. If a practice offers its own 0% plan, that usually beats a loan or a credit card. If you use a promotional financing card, check what happens to the interest if the balance is not paid off in time.

Can you use an HSA or FSA for Invisalign?

Usually, yes. IRS Publication 502 lists braces among the dental treatments that count as medical expenses, and Invisalign says you can use HSA or FSA funds for its treatment. Paying with pre-tax money cuts the real cost by your tax rate. The same publication excludes purely cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening, so if your plan administrator asks, a letter from your provider describing the bite or crowding problem being treated helps. An FSA is use-it-or-lose-it within the plan year, so time your contributions to your payment schedule.

What else changes the price

How much your teeth need to move

Your provider sets the fee based on how complex your case is and how many aligners you will need. A small fix of a few front teeth needs fewer aligners than a full correction of crowding and bite, which is why it usually costs less. This is the main reason quotes for the same treatment vary so much, and why the survey’s range runs from $1,800 to $8,100.

Where you live

The state averages above run from $3,668 to $6,516 for aligners and from $4,767 to $8,350 for metal braces.

Costs that are easy to miss

• Retainers. Without a retention phase after treatment, teeth tend to drift back toward where they started, so you will need retainers. Ask whether the first set is included and what replacements cost.
• Lost or broken aligners. Invisalign’s warranty covers damaged aligners, but replacing a lost one can cost $75 to $300, depending on your provider’s policy.
• Refinements. If your teeth do not track the plan, extra aligners may be needed near the end. Ask whether these are included in the fee or charged separately.
• Records and visits. Check whether the scan, X-rays and check-up visits are in the quoted price.

Is Invisalign as good as braces? What the research says

Price only matters if the cheaper option does the job. For most adults with mild to moderate crowding or spacing, the evidence says it does:

• Mild to moderate cases: similar results. A 2025 meta-analysis of 21 randomized trials (970 people) found no significant difference between aligners and fixed braces on standard measures of the finished result. An overview of 18 systematic reviews in 2022 reached the same conclusion for mild to moderate problems.
• Complex cases: braces did better. The 2022 overview found aligners gave inferior results for severe cases and some specific tooth movements. A 2025 review of 15 trials (1,084 patients) found no difference in quality or treatment time for cases without extractions, but braces gave better results when teeth had to be extracted.
• Gums and comfort: aligners ahead. Because aligners come out for brushing, the 2025 trial meta-analysis found lower plaque, gum inflammation and bleeding scores with them, and better quality of life at six months. Pain was lower with aligners only on days 3 and 4 of treatment, in a 2023 meta-analysis; at other times it was similar.
• Relapse: plan for retainers. The 2022 overview found more relapse after aligner treatment, which is one more reason to wear retainers as instructed.

The certainty of much of this evidence is low, and aligners only work if you wear them as many hours a day as your provider tells you to. If your case is complex, paying more for braces may be the better value.

What about at-home aligners?

Mail-order aligners are sold as the cheapest way to straighten teeth, without regular in-person visits. A University of Michigan study of the FDA’s adverse event database found 104 reports linked to direct-to-consumer aligners between 2010 and 2020: 41% described bite problems, 30% pain and 27% gum problems, and 69% of those people later went to a dentist who was not part of the aligner company. Some of the reported problems were permanent. A lower price does not help if you pay a second time to fix the result.

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