Kwikly is a solid W-2 dental staffing platform, and plenty of offices use it happily. The usual reasons to look at alternatives are cost and permanent hires: Kwikly charges a 15% service fee on every hygienist shift, and a separate fee when you hire one of its professionals permanently. This guide compares six Kwikly alternatives on what they actually publish, so you can check every number yourself.
A note on who wrote this: Teero publishes this guide and we've listed ourselves first. Every competitor figure below comes from that company's own website, checked in September 2026. Where a company doesn't publish something, we say so rather than guess.
Kwikly alternatives at a glance
Platform | Published office pricing | Who employs the hygienist |
|---|---|---|
Teero | 12% service fee per shift, plus W-2 employer costs | Teero (W-2) |
Kwikly | 15% service fee per hygienist shift, plus W-2 employment costs | Kwikly (W-2) |
GoTu | 22.5% of the shift rate; employee shifts add 20% of pay | Contractor by default; employee shifts in some states |
onDiem | 25% for ADA members; standard rate not published | onDiem (W-2) |
Princess Dental Staffing | $139 or $259 a month subscription | Your office hires directly |
Toothio | Not published; quoted by location | Not stated on its pricing page |
Cloud Dentistry | Not published; quoted after a walkthrough | Not stated on its main pages |
Service fees are not the whole cost of a shift. On any W-2 platform you also pay the employer payroll costs that come with employment (FICA, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation), which vary by state. Compare service fees against service fees, and payroll costs against payroll costs.
What Kwikly does well
It's worth being clear about Kwikly's strengths before looking elsewhere. Every Kwikly professional is a W-2 employee with workers' compensation and liability coverage, so your office carries no misclassification risk. There is no subscription and no minimum: you pay only when a shift is filled. You set the rate you offer. And Kwikly staffs assistants and front desk as well as hygienists, with a $60 service fee per assistant or front-desk shift. If you need all three roles from one app, that breadth is a real advantage.
Why offices look for Kwikly alternatives
The service fee. Kwikly's published hygienist fee is 15% per shift on top of W-2 pay. Over a year of regular temp coverage, a few percentage points add up.
Permanent hires. Kwikly charges a fee when you hire one of its professionals permanently. The amount isn't on its pricing page, so ask for it in writing before you rely on temp-to-perm.
Coverage in your area. Every platform is stronger in some markets than others. The best platform is the one with hygienists near you.
The 6 best Kwikly alternatives
1. Teero
Teero is the largest W-2 employer of dental hygienists in the U.S., and it staffs hygienists only. The service fee is 12% per shift, plus W-2 employer payroll costs that vary by state. That's about 20% less going to the platform than Kwikly's 15% on the same shift. Hiring a Teero hygienist permanently is always free, with no placement fee at any point.
Like Kwikly, Teero has no subscription and no minimum, a 24-hour fee-free cancellation window, and W-2 employment with payroll, workers' compensation and liability handled for you. Support is 24/7 by phone, email or text, and the Teero app is rated 4.9 on the App Store from more than 3,100 ratings.
Best for: offices that need hygienists and want the same W-2 protection as Kwikly at a lower fee, with free permanent hires. If you also need assistants or front desk from the same platform, Teero isn't the fit for those roles. See the full Kwikly vs Teero comparison.
2. GoTu
GoTu publishes a fee of 22.5% of the professional's shift rate for hygienist shifts. Shifts are posted as contractor shifts by default; in some states you can choose employee shifts instead, which add a further 20% of the professional's pay to cover administration and employer payroll taxes. GoTu has no subscription and covers assistants and front desk too.
Best for: offices comfortable with contractor shifts who want a large national marketplace. If W-2 is the reason you chose Kwikly, check whether employee shifts are available in your state and what the combined fee comes to. More in GoTu vs Teero.
3. onDiem
onDiem is also a W-2 platform: its professionals are onDiem employees covered by unemployment and workers' compensation insurance. ADA members get a discounted flat 25% service fee on all shifts, plus a $25 rebate on each of the first 20 shifts. The standard rate for non-members isn't published.
Best for: ADA-member offices that want W-2 staffing and value the first-shift rebates. More in onDiem vs Teero.
4. Princess Dental Staffing
Princess works differently from every other option here. Instead of a fee per shift, you pay a monthly subscription: $139 for temps only or $259 for all access, which adds job posts and resume downloads. There are no hiring fees, a 14-day free trial, and you can cancel anytime. The trade-off is that Princess connects you with candidates but does not employ them, so your office hires the professional directly and handles pay, tax classification and liability.
Best for: offices that book temps often, want a job board for permanent hiring, and are set up to employ temps themselves. More in Princess Dental Staffing vs Teero and our Princess Dental Staffing alternatives guide.
5. Toothio
Toothio lets you set the hourly rate for temp coverage and charges no subscription or monthly fee. It also advertises no hiring fee to convert a temp to a permanent hire, and an AI recruiter for permanent roles. Its service fee isn't published: you enter your details to see local pricing.
Best for: offices that want temp and permanent hiring in one place and don't mind requesting a quote. More in Toothio vs Teero.
6. Cloud Dentistry
Cloud Dentistry is free to join and covers temp shifts and permanent hiring, with extras such as float pools for DSOs. It doesn't publish office pricing; you schedule a walkthrough to get a quote.
Best for: DSOs and groups that want a platform with internal float pools and are happy to go through a sales call. More in Cloud Dentistry vs Teero.
How to choose a Kwikly alternative
Decide how you want to pay. A percentage per shift (Teero, Kwikly, GoTu, onDiem) scales with use. A subscription (Princess) is cheaper if you book often, and you pay it in quiet months too.
Check who the employer is. With a W-2 platform, payroll, workers' compensation and liability sit with the platform. With a contractor or direct-hire model, more of that sits with you. Our guide to W-2 vs 1099 in dental staffing explains what's at stake.
Ask about permanent hires. If you'd like to hire a great temp, the placement fee can matter more than the service fee.
Compare like with like. Line up service fees against service fees. W-2 payroll costs apply on every W-2 platform.
Check local supply. Post a test shift and see how quickly it's claimed. Our service area pages show where Teero has hygienists.
For a wider view of the market, including every platform's published fees side by side, see the best dental staffing agencies in 2026.
Kwikly alternatives FAQ
What are the best alternatives to Kwikly?
The main Kwikly alternatives for dental offices are Teero, GoTu, onDiem, Princess Dental Staffing, Toothio and Cloud Dentistry. Teero and onDiem are the closest like-for-like options because, like Kwikly, they employ hygienists as W-2 employees.
How much does Kwikly charge dental offices?
Kwikly publishes a 15% service fee per hygienist shift plus W-2 employment costs, and a $60 service fee per assistant or front-desk shift. There is no subscription or minimum. Kwikly also charges a fee to hire one of its professionals permanently, which isn't published.
Is Kwikly W-2 or 1099?
W-2. Kwikly employs its professionals as W-2 employees and handles payroll, taxes and insurance. Teero and onDiem use the same W-2 model.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Kwikly for temp hygienists?
Teero's service fee is 12% per hygienist shift compared with Kwikly's 15%, with the same W-2 model, and permanent hires are always free. Both platforms bill W-2 employer payroll costs on top of the service fee.
Does Kwikly charge to hire a temp permanently?
Yes. Kwikly charges a placement fee when an office hires a Kwikly professional permanently, but it doesn't publish the amount. Teero, Princess Dental Staffing and Toothio advertise no fee for permanent hires.
