A subscription matches the American Dental Association's (ADA) advice to replace a toothbrush every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles fray. You don't need one to brush well while you wear clear aligners: the ADA says manual and powered brushes can both clean thoroughly.
A subscription is a reminder you pay for, so the useful questions are how much it costs over a year and how easy it is to stop.
We haven't used these services. This page compares their published terms and prices, checked on October 28 and 29, 2026, in alphabetical order. It isn't a ranking.
Current services compared
| Service | What arrives | How often | Commitment | Cancelling or changing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURST | Brush heads and other products you choose | Subscriptions renew every 12 weeks | Plain subscriptions: none stated. Membership plans: a one-year minimum, with an early cancellation fee equal to the rest of the first year's payments | Cancel by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the last day of the current term to avoid the next charge; no prorated refund for a term already paid |
| Oral-B Subscription | The Oral-B products you select | On a schedule you set | None stated | Skip, change the date or frequency, or cancel in My Subscriptions; changes need to be made at least 24 hours before the order is processed. Reminder emails go out 10 days before |
| Philips Sonicare subscription (shown as out of stock on October 29, 2026) | A starter kit with a Sonicare brush, then a brush head | A new brush head every 3 months | Starter kits are paid all at once or monthly over a minimum term; the brush head subscription carries on after that term until you cancel | Cancel at least seven days before the next shipment. Within the first 90 days you can cancel and return the product for a full refund; after that, if you haven't paid in full, you pay for what you've received, including the handle |
| quip | The refills you chose at checkout, such as a brush head | An order every 3 months from your first order | None stated | Skip or reschedule a future shipment from your account. A reminder email comes at least three days before; an order can't be cancelled or changed once it has generated |
What a first year costs
These examples use only prices the services listed on October 29, 2026, and assume you keep the subscription for 12 months on its default head schedule. They show the cash you would pay in those 12 months before sales tax, with each delivery counted. Prices change often, and several were shown as sale prices, so check the total at checkout.
| Plan | First order | Refill deliveries in the first 12 months | Shipping | Cash in the first 12 months, before tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quip Sonic (battery brush) with refill plan | $30: brush, first head and battery | 3 (months 3, 6 and 9), $7 each for a head and battery | First order free; $2 per refill | $30 + 3 × $9 = $57 (see note on toothpaste) |
| Philips Sonicare 2 Series Essential Care subscription (shown as out of stock on October 29) | $44.99 shown for the starter kit (brush, one head, charger) plus 4 heads, paid at once or monthly | A head every 3 months, included for the plan's minimum term | Free over $25 | Not confirmed: the plan page doesn't state the term length or the monthly amount |
| BURST Pro 2.0, if the refill attached at checkout is one $7 head every 12 weeks | $84.98 or $120.99 (see note): brush with one head | 4 (weeks 12, 24, 36 and 48), $7 each | $2.09 per refill; first-order shipping depends on the threshold (see note) | $121.34 or $157.35, plus any first-order shipping |
| Oral-B Subscribe & Save, iO Ultimate Clean heads | $23.99 for a 2-pack (one-time price $29.99); the brush is bought separately | 1 more 2-pack at month 6 | Free | $47.98 for 4 heads, plus the brush |
| Oral-B Subscribe & Save, Precision Clean heads | $15.99 for a 2-pack (one-time price $19.99); the brush is bought separately | 1 more 2-pack at month 6 | Free | $31.98 for 4 heads, plus the brush |
Notes on the figures:
- quip. The brush is $30 with the refill plan or $35 bought once. One quip product page said a $5 toothpaste is added automatically when you start a subscription, subject to its terms; if it stays in your cart, the first 12 months come to $62. From the second year, four refills with shipping cost $36.
- Philips. Philips gives 12 months only as an example of a minimum term, and doesn't state on the plan page what brush heads cost once the term ends. The subscription carries on until you cancel, so check the term and the later price in your account before you rely on the $44.99 figure as a year's cost.
- BURST. On October 29 the Pro 2.0 showed $84.98 on BURST's brush collection page and $120.99 on the product page itself, so we have given both. BURST says many of its products come with a subscription attached, shown on the product page and at checkout, and some bundle pages attach more than one head or other products; check which refills will recur before you pay. For one-time orders, BURST's shipping policy gives free US shipping over $50, while its help centre's general FAQ says over $100. Refill shipping rises with the order value, from $2.09 at $7 or less. A 12-week cycle means four or five refills in a calendar year, so from the second year heads and shipping come to $36.36 or $45.45, about $39 a year on average.
- Oral-B. Oral-B's subscription covers heads and other refills, not a starter brush. You can choose delivery every 3 or 6 months; a 2-pack every 6 months gives one new head every 3 months, and your first order is processed when you sign up. Its shop policy says each order is charged at the item's price on the day Oral-B confirms the order, with any discount in effect then. iO heads fit only iO brushes; Precision Clean heads fit most other Oral-B rechargeables.
Services left out, and why
SmileDirectClub, which appeared in our 2020 list, began winding down its business in December 2023, so its subscription is no longer offered. We couldn't confirm on October 28, 2026 that Brüush, Goby or Goodwell still take subscription orders, so they're left out.
If you still pay one of them, check your card statement for charges without deliveries.
What matters while you wear aligners
- Brush before the trays go back in. Brush and floss after eating, so food isn't trapped against your teeth under the trays. More is in how to clean clear aligners.
- Any brush you'll use properly. The ADA recommends soft bristles, two minutes, twice a day, with a fluoride toothpaste. Toothpaste choice is covered in toothpaste with clear aligners.
- Replace on time. Every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles fray. A subscription is one way to remember; a calendar reminder is another.
Other things worth having with you are in aligner cases, removal tools and chewies.
Questions to ask before you subscribe
- What will the first year cost, including shipping on every refill?
- How often will I be charged, and can I change the interval?
- Is there a minimum term or an early cancellation fee?
- What happens to the price when a minimum term ends?
- How many days before a shipment can I still skip or cancel, and how?
- Do replacement heads fit a brush I already own?
Aligner Alerts
Not ready to decide yet?
Get an email when clear aligner providers change their prices or launch new offers. Occasional, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Sources
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). ToothbrushesAccessed October 28, 2026
- BURST. Terms of use, last updated June 17, 2026Accessed October 29, 2026
- BURST. Pro 2.0 Sonic Toothbrush (product page price)Accessed October 29, 2026
- BURST. Brushing collection (collection page price, replacement head price)Accessed October 29, 2026
- BURST. Shipping policy (subscription shipping rates)Accessed October 29, 2026
- BURST. Help center: why do I have a charge from BURST Oral Care?Accessed October 29, 2026
- Oral-B. Oral-B shop policy, last updated December 22, 2025Accessed October 29, 2026
- Oral-B. Help center: subscriptionsAccessed October 28, 2026
- Oral-B. Replacement brush heads (one-time and subscription prices)Accessed October 29, 2026
- Oral-B. Precision Clean X-Filament replacement brush heads, 2 countAccessed October 29, 2026
- Philips. Sonicare subscription (plan price, minimum term and cancellation FAQ)Accessed October 29, 2026
- Philips. Terms of use: subscriptions, starter kit and brush head subscriptionAccessed October 28, 2026
- quip. Sonic Toothbrush (refill plan price)Accessed October 29, 2026
- quip. FAQ: subscription management and shippingAccessed October 29, 2026
- SmileDirectClub. Wind-down release, December 8, 2023Accessed September 27, 2026
- BURST. Help center: general FAQs (one-time order free-shipping threshold)Accessed October 29, 2026
