Ayla vs Open Dental.
Modern cloud platform vs open-source server-based. Full mobile app vs $85/mo add-on. Everything included vs eServices à la carte.
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 $430/month (cloud) — but building a complete stack with the eServices Bundle, mobile, and analytics requires $657+/month in add-ons. The real cost: $856+/mo on server, $1,087+/mo on cloud (plus $150/mo per additional provider). Ayla includes all of this in one flat price with no à la carte fees.
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 | $699-999/mo flat |
| Base Price (cloud) | $430/mo + $150/mo per add'l provider | $699-999/mo flat |
| Cloud Migration Fee | $400 one-time | Free |
| Per-Provider Fees | Server: $20/mo over 3 · Cloud: $150/mo each | Never |
| eServices Bundle | $165/mo add-on | Included |
| Mobile App (ODTouch) | $85/mo add-on | Included |
| 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 | Coming soon |
| e-Prescriptions | DoseSpot: $49-57/mo per provider; Ensora eRx: from $29/mo per provider | Coming soon |
| SMS Texting | $0.04/message | 2,000-5,000/mo included |
| Analytics | Third-party (DI $399+/mo) | Included |
| Membership Plans | Yes (Discount Plans feature) | |
| Reputation Management | Third-party add-on | Included |
| AI Agents (10) | ||
| 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 — but their cloud option is $430/mo plus $150/mo per additional provider. Either way, add-ons pile up: eServices Bundle ($165/mo — includes online booking, recall scheduling, eClipboard, secure email, and ASAP list), ODTouch mobile ($85/mo), and mass email ($8/mo). That's $258/mo in add-ons alone. Add analytics via Dental Intelligence ($399+/mo) and the complete cloud stack hits $1,087+/mo for a single-provider practice — more for multi-provider.
Mobile costs extra
Open Dental's mobile access requires subscribing to ODTouch at $85/month — plus $20/mo for each additional device. Ayla's iOS and Android app — with full clinical chart access, analytics, and patient messaging — is included in every plan at no extra cost.
Technical complexity
Open Dental's open-source foundation gives technically inclined practices deep customization — 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.
Based on verified reviews from Capterra, G2, and Software Advice.
Some G2 and Software Advice reviewers report performance issues with Open Dental — including lag when managing large patient volumes across multiple offices, and occasional frozen screens that require restarting the application during active workflows.
Multiple reviewers note that eServices features — including mobile access, online scheduling, and texting — are not included in the base subscription and must be added individually at extra cost, with some noting the cumulative cost of eServices as a pain point.
Dentra's AI review and other reviewers consistently note that Open Dental's interface, while highly functional, is not as polished as modern cloud-native competitors — and that advanced customization requires technical knowledge, including familiarity with SQL queries.
Pricing comparison
Open Dental (complete stack)
Server base: $199/mo — OR — Cloud: $430/mo
Cloud add'l providers: $150/mo each
eServices Bundle: $165/mo (booking, recall, forms, email, ASAP)
ODTouch mobile: $85/mo
Mass email: $8/mo
Analytics (DI): $399+/mo
Server stack: $856+/mo · Cloud stack: $1,087+/mo
Ayla
$699-999/month flat
All features included
No add-on fees ever
Free mobile app
Free support always
Free onboarding with annual plan
$699-999/month — everything included
Ayla Complete at $999/mo is comparable to Open Dental's server stack ($856+/mo) and significantly less than their cloud stack ($1,087+/mo) — with AI voice charting, AI receptionist, full mobile app, and no add-on fees.
Choose Open Dental if...
- You have a technical team comfortable with open-source customization and SQL
- You need deep data control and open-source flexibility
- 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 everything included at one flat price
- 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: March 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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