Ayla vs Open Dental.
Modern cloud platform vs Windows server software. Patient tools included vs the $165/mo eServices Bundle. Free training vs $80/hour.
Open Dental's base price is the lowest in dentistry — but the add-ons add up fast.
Open Dental starts at $199/month (server) or $449/month on Open Dental Cloud ($199 support + $250 hosting) — but a complete stack with the eServices Bundle, the ODTouch tablet app, mass email, and dashboards adds $657+/month. The real cost: $856+/mo on server, $1,106+/mo on cloud. Ayla is $499/month for Core or $799/month for Complete with the AI suite — no à la carte eServices.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Open Dental | Ayla |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Server (Windows) or Cloud | Cloud — no server needed |
| Base Price (server) | $199/mo (yr 1), $149/mo after | $499-799/mo flat |
| Base Price (cloud) | $199/mo support + hosting from $250/mo (7 concurrent sessions) | $499-799/mo flat |
| Cloud Migration Fee | $400 one-time | Free |
| Per-Provider Fees | $20/mo per provider over 3 | None on the platform (e-Rx: $50/mo per prescriber) |
| eServices Bundle | $165/mo add-on | Included |
| Phone App (ODMobile) | In eServices Bundle, or $35/mo | Included (iOS) |
| Tablet Clinical App (ODTouch) | $85/mo for up to 4 devices | Included (iOS) |
| Online Booking (Web Sched) | Included in eServices Bundle | Included |
| Recall Scheduling | Included in eServices Bundle | Included |
| eClipboard (digital forms) | Included in eServices Bundle | Included |
| Secure Email | Included in eServices Bundle | Included |
| ASAP / Waitlist | Included in eServices Bundle | Included |
| Mass Email | $8/mo add-on | Included |
| AI Image Analysis | $149/mo add-on | Ayla Vision (in testing) |
| e-Prescriptions | DoseSpot: $49-57/mo per provider; Ensora eRx: from $29/mo per provider | $50/mo per prescribing provider |
| SMS Texting | $5/mo access + $0.04/message | Core 2,000/mo · Complete unlimited (single-provider) |
| Analytics | Built-in reports; dashboards via third party (e.g. Dental Intelligence, est. $399+/mo) | Dashboards + report builder included |
| Membership Plans | Yes (Discount Plans feature) | |
| Reputation Management | Third-party add-on | Included |
| AI Receptionist, Voice Charting, Perio Scribe & Insurance Agent | Included in Complete | |
| Training | $4,325/day (onsite) · $80/hr (online) | Free (virtual) |
| Custom Form Design | $55/hour | Included |
| Custom Queries | $110/hour | Report builder included |
| After-Hours Support | $100/hour | Free always |
| OS Compatibility | Windows primary | Any browser, any OS |
Key differences
The add-on math
Open Dental's server base is $199/mo; Open Dental Cloud is $199/mo support plus hosting from $250/mo. Either way, add-ons pile up: the eServices Bundle ($165/mo — online booking, recall, eClipboard, secure email, ASAP list, and the ODMobile phone app), the ODTouch tablet app ($85/mo), and mass email ($8/mo). That's $258/mo in add-ons. Add dashboards via Dental Intelligence (estimated $399+/mo) and the complete stack reaches $856+/mo on server or $1,106+/mo on cloud.
Mobile, without the bundle
Open Dental's phone app (ODMobile) comes with the $165/mo eServices Bundle or costs $35/mo on its own; its tablet clinical app, ODTouch, is a separate $85/month for up to 4 devices, plus $20/mo per additional device. Ayla's iOS app — with full clinical chart access, analytics, and patient messaging — is included in both plans.
ODMobile and ODTouch pricing from Open Dental published fee schedule
Technical complexity
Open Dental gives technically inclined practices deep customization and direct SQL database access — but most dental teams are not SQL developers. Custom queries cost $110/hour, form design $55/hour, and training runs $80/hour (online) or $4,325/day (onsite). After-hours support is $100/hour. Ayla includes virtual training, support, and customization at no extra cost.
What Open Dental users report.
Paraphrased from verified reviews on Capterra, G2, GetApp, and Software Advice.
Some G2 reviewers report Open Dental can be laggy or slow, especially with large data sets.
Some Software Advice reviewers cite the cost of eServices, such as texting and email, as a drawback.
A January 2026 review guide notes that Open Dental's interface, while highly functional, isn't as polished as some cloud-native competitors — and that advanced reporting requires familiarity with SQL queries.
Pricing comparison
Open Dental (complete stack)
Server base: $199/mo — OR — Cloud: $449/mo ($199 support + $250 hosting)
Providers over 3: $20/mo each
eServices Bundle: $165/mo (booking, recall, forms, email, ASAP, phone app)
ODTouch tablet app: $85/mo
Mass email: $8/mo
Dashboards (Dental Intelligence, est.): $399+/mo
Server stack: $856+/mo · Cloud stack: $1,106+/mo
Ayla
Core $499/mo · Complete $799/mo, flat per location
AI suite in Complete
Free mobile app (iOS)
Free support always
Free onboarding
Month-to-month, no contract
$499 Core · $799 Complete
Ayla Complete at $799/mo is comparable to Open Dental's server stack ($856+/mo) and well below its cloud stack ($1,106+/mo) — with the AI receptionist, AI voice charting, and full iOS app included.
Choose Open Dental if...
- You have a technical team comfortable with deep customization and direct SQL database access
- You need direct database access and deep data control
- You are on a very tight budget and will use minimal add-ons
- You are a large DSO already standardized on Open Dental at scale with volume discounts
- You need Dental Intelligence integration specifically
Choose Ayla if...
- You want a modern polished UI your entire team enjoys
- You want patient tools included instead of a separate eServices Bundle
- You need a full mobile app with clinical chart access
- You want free support without per-hour training fees
- You want no technical setup or SQL knowledge required
Last updated: October 2026
Competitor information on this page is based on publicly available user reviews from Capterra, G2, GetApp, and Software Advice, and from each company's public pricing and feature pages. All user sentiments are paraphrased from verified reviews — no direct quotes are used. Pricing estimates are based on publicly available information and industry research and may not reflect current vendor pricing. Features and pricing change frequently — verify directly with each vendor before making a purchasing decision. Ayla is not affiliated with any competitor mentioned on this page.
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