Which one would we choose?
Our choice: Oral-B iO Series 3 (iO3) / Oral-B, Amazon / ~£55.97
Still great: Oral-B Pro 3 3500 / Ebay / ~£35
I would happily use the Pro 3 or the iO3 daily. They both clean the teeth well and have the features I look for in an electric toothbrush.
The design of the iO3 is more appealing in my opinion, as is the quieter motor and enhanced pressure sensor, which I explain in more detail below.
They are now closer in price than they were when the iO3 was first released, but there is still a saving to be had if you opt for the Pro 3, particularly the 3500 variant, which comes with a travel case.
When to choose the Pro 3
The main reason to choose the Pro 3 is to save some money. It is an excellent brush and for a long time was our recommendation for the best electric toothbrush.
In recent times its availability hasn't been as good and it feels as though it may soon be discontinued. This has meant that on occasion the price has been higher than we would expect, thus making the iO3 a better choice.
But if you can pick a variant of the Pro 3 up for less than £40, it is still a bargain. We tend to find that the Pro 3 3500, which is the same as the 3000 but comes with a travel case, actually tends to be cheapest.
The replacement brush heads for the Pro 3 are also cheaper, costing about £2.50 per head compared to £6 for iO heads. The replacement heads will continue to be available even if the brush itself is discontinued.
Does one clean better than the other?
I’ve used both extensively and I can’t say one cleans the teeth any better than the other.
The cleaning results are comparable all things considered. I certainly don’t think my dentist would be able to tell the difference.
The motors used in each brush are different. But, they essentially do the same thing. Both offer oscillations and rotations of the brush head. Where the Pro 3 has a third dimension to the cleaning action known as pulsations, this is referred to as micro vibrations on the iO3.
The iO3 has a magnetically driven motor which is quieter and does give a more gentle and slightly less aggressive feeling when the bristles pass over my teeth and gums.
Although the difference is noticeable if using each brush side by side, I don’t think the softer sensation is a reason alone to pick the iO3.
A positive knock-on effect of the iO’s new motor is the noise the brush produces. The iO3 has a maximum decibel output of 64, whereas the Pro 3 registered at up to 73 decibels in my testing. The iO3 sounds less mechanical in use and is subsequently the more pleasant one to listen to.
Oral-B Pro vs iO: a series of different brushes
I am often asked what’s the difference between the Oral-B iO and Pro Series electric toothbrushes.
iO and Pro are essentially names for a family of different brushes. Under each family sit many different models with varying features.
Therefore, whilst there are some generalised differences between each series, the differences do vary depending on which brush within each range you are looking at.
The main, differences between the Pro and iO models are:
- They use different brush heads
- An iO brush head is not compatible with the Pro and vice versa.
- iO brush heads typically cost 2 times that of those for the Pro.
- The iO range of brush heads is smaller, but similar to those for the Pro.
- The Pro series round brush heads are the same as those you might have seen or used over the 15+ years that Oral-B has been using such a design.
- iO models have an advanced pressure sensor
- The iO’s sensor alerts me when I apply too much pressure, via a red light, like the Pro models do.
- In addition, it lights up green when the correct brushing force is applied and white when insufficient pressure is applied. Pro models don’t do this.
- The iO models use a different motor technology
- They have a magnetically driven motor that offers oscillations, rotations and micro vibrations compared to the oscillations, rotations and pulsations of the Pro Series.
- They are different, but still relatively similar in the way they work. The difference does result in a slightly softer brushing experience with the iO models, it feels less harsh on the teeth and gums.
- iO brushes are quieter
- iO models are typically around 10 decibels quieter than Pro models with a less mechanical sound.
- The iO has a more modern design
- iO models have a matt finish to the plastic rather than the gloss of Pro models.
- Selected models have displays built into the handle, never before included on Pro models.
It is the Pro 3 and iO3 that are among the most popular from the respective ranges as they are good value, strong performing models from each range. As such I have shared more detail on the differences and what that means in the remainder of this article.
Key differences: Pro 3 vs iO3
| Find out more |
| Electric Teeth Rating |
| Retail price |
| Approximate 3 year cost |
| Cleaning Action |
| Number of cleaning modes |
| Brushing intensities |
| Timer |
| Pacer |
| Pressure Sensor |
| Battery life |
| Battery type |
| Number of heads included |
| Travel case included |
| Bluetooth connectivity |
| Position tracking |
| Noise |
| Warranty |
| Buying options |
|
Our Choice
|
|
|---|---|
| Review | Review |
(4.7)
|
(4.8)
|
| £100 | £160 |
| £65 | £115 |
| Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) | Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations |
| 3 | 3 |
| - | - |
|
|
| 30 second quadpacer | 30 second quadpacer |
|
|
|
| 14+ (plus) days | 14 days |
| Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| 1 | 1 |
|
|
- |
| - | - |
| - | - |
| 73dB | 64dB |
| 2 years | 2 years |
- Cleaning/brushing action
- The iO3 uses a different type of brush motor than the Pro 3. It creates oscillations, rotations and micro vibrations compared to the oscillations, rotations and pulsations of the Pro.
- Handle design/colours
- The Pro 3 is available in 4 colours (white, black, pink & blue) compared to the 3 (black, blue & pink) of the iO3.
- The Pro 3 has a gloss finish to the plastic compared to the matt finish of the iO3.
- The Pro 3 has a dimpled texture to the rear of the handle the iO3 does not have.
- The Pro 3 is slightly lighter at 119g vs the 127g of the iO3.
- Brush heads
- The iO3 uses a different style of brush head exclusive to the iO Series.
- The iO3 comes with 1 x Ultimate Clean head, whereas the Pro 3 comes with 1 x CrossAction.
- Pressure sensor
- The iO3 has an advanced pressure sensor that shows insufficient, correct and incorrect pressure compared to the incorrect only of the Pro 3.
- Other features & technologies
- The iO3 will remind you when to replace your brush head.
- Other
- The iO3 is quieter at around 64dB compared to the 73dB of the Pro 3.
- Price
- The iO3 is more expensive with a retail price of £160 compared to the £90 of the Pro 3.
Please note. Every effort is made to ensure the key differences listed are correct, but these differences are subject to change without notice. Products and the box contents can be changed without notice and different variants can exist.
Video comparison
In the video below you can see me comparing and explaining the iO3 and Pro 3 side by side.
Oral-B Pro 3 3000 vs iO Series 3: a detailed comparison
The iO3 and Pro 3 don't look massively different but there are a few obvious aesthetic differences.
Most noticeable to me is the use of matt plastics compared to the gloss on the Pro 3. It subsequently makes the iO3 look, in my opinion at least, classier and more premium. Arguably more fitting of the price tag.
The Pro 3 Series of brushes are marginally thinner and lighter in the hand. It is too marginally more slippy when wet. At least, that is how it feels to me, which is surprising given the Pro 3 has a dimpled texture to the rear of the handle, that the iO3 does not have. Neither are the best options for those with dexterity issues.
The iO3 is available in 3 colour options, black, blue and pink. The Pro 3 is available in 4. Your choices are white, black, pink and blue.
They use different brush heads
When the iO Series was first introduced in 2020, Oral-B also introduced a new brush head attachment system. This is exclusive to the iO Series.
Like the Pro 3, iO heads push on and pull off the handle, but the attachment design and look are different. Therefore both brushes use different brush heads.
The Pro 3 uses the cheaper and well known small round brush heads that Oral-B have been using the last couple of decades.
iO heads are still small and round, but they are fractionally larger than the heads for the Pro 3. If you have a cramped mouth, I’d suggest you would benefit from the heads the Pro 3 uses more than those on the iO.
There aren’t quite as many brush head styles to choose from with the iO. I’d say this is a good thing as no one brush head delivers significantly different cleaning results.
The Ultimate Clean head supplied with the iO3 is the new equivalent to the CrossAction head, most commonly offered with the Pro 3.
The iO3 has brush head replacement reminders
A piece of tech the iO3 has that the Pro 3 does not, is a brush head replacement reminder system. When I’ve been using the brush for around 3 months, an LED within the mode button is lit yellow. This is my warning it is time to change the brush head, if I haven’t already.
It’s not a perfect system as it doesn’t track if I were to change the head sooner or use different heads on different days with different modes. But it is a useful tool to remind me that it might be time to switch out the brush head. Although I tend to have a rough idea of when I switched, I can forget, so the nudge is useful.
I only need to press and hold the button for a few seconds to reset the reminder.
If you know you are bad at replacing the bristles every 3 months, you might benefit from this. Then again I find a reminder in my phone works just as well.
The iO3 has a more advanced pressure sensor
Both models alert me when I brush my teeth with too much force, but the iO3’s pressure sensor is smarter.
Unlike the Pro 3 3000, it will alert me too if I apply insufficient as well as the correct brushing force, by changing the colour of the light ring around the top of the handle.
The red light emitted from the light ring at the top of the brush handle does a fairly good job of alerting me on both brushes. But I do gain an extra little peace of mind so see the green light as I brush with the iO3.
A small difference I want to mention too is the battery.
Both use rechargeable Lithium-Ion cells, claimed to offer around 14 days of use. Yet in my testing, the Pro 3 lasted slightly longer at around 20, as opposed to the 17 of the iO3. It’s not a big difference, but if I were to go on holiday, those extra couple of days could make all the difference. I wouldn’t necessarily be worried about taking the charger with me.
It is also worth noting that both the iO3 and Pro 3 have variants where a travel case is included. More often than not these don’t cost any more and work out the better buy. The variant with the travel case in the Pro 3 range is the Pro 3 3500. The iO3 with travel case version doesn’t have a different model number. The case is often just pictured or advertised with the brush.
Conclusion
If price wasn’t an issue, I have to be honest and say I prefer everything about the iO3.
The Pro 3 has all the features I recommend an electric toothbrush have. I can’t fault it. It delivers great cleaning results and superb value for money. The iO3 is just nicer to use.
But if you are looking to keep costs down, the Pro 3 3500 is the brush to go for.
Very good and useful job, thank you so much!
Thank you for the comprehensive and detailed information! I had been trying to find out the differences between the toothbrushes but it proved impossible. Black Friday deals are everywhere now so it's so much easier to choose the right one for me. Thank you!
Thankyou for your very informative reviews online. I live in Germany and am hoping to invest in the oral-b io3 toothbrush (many good offers at the moment and has everything I need)) and changing from Philips. However, I am slightly confused as there appears to be 2 models, io3 and io3n. Do you know what the difference is, if any, and would you recommend buying one with the 2 types of brush head to compare rather than the offer with just one.
Many thanks
Hi Kate.
It does depend, but typically the box contents can differ.
The N usually means it comes with the Ultimate Clean head.
The actual brush handle itself if the same.
Without looking at the specific store/web page you are looking at I can't say for sure. But it could be one comes with more in the box than another, or they could be identical. As sometimes it is just the ways stores list them.
I've created a video about this here.
If can be worth trying the different brush heads to find the one that is best suited to you.
Thank you. I live in the US and the Pro 3 is always out of stock. The Pro 1 is pretty much the same price as the iO 3 on Amazon. If I get the replacement heads in large packs, the normal brush heads are $5.50, and the iO heads are around $6.25. There's not much price difference. In this case, would the iO 3 be significantly better than the Pro models?
I have no reason to suggest the iO3 being 'signficantly' better than the Pro 3 or Pro 1. Cleaning results are comparable.
Based on availability and price, the iO3 sounds like the one to go for.
Hello. While my father uses the pro 3, I use an iO8 and my mother uses the smart 7, all are outstanding toothbrushes to be honest...I like both styles of brush heads so I might get a pro series brush when the price goes down again...I keep tracking the price on price history website...I really am addicted to my electronic toothbrushes...hehehe couldn't care less for sonic ones... Go John 👏🙂💪👋👍
Excellent review. Way more info on here than the actual Oral-B site.
Thanks for helping me with my decision
I wish I had read your comparison before I bought after much research and recommended by my hygienist the io3 oral b. I find it really much harsher n one side of my gums is sore ( green pressure not red) I personally find it too quick n really cannot differeate the supposed 3 modes??? I press hoping for softer brushing but it seems just the same in 3 modes. I only purchased from boots chemist UK last Friday so I am hoping to get refund / exchange for pro 3500 or 3000. Unfortunately I bought a spare brushes for io3 n opened pack so I'll probably loose on this. Micro pulsations or other term ??? Misleading n suppose tactics to make more money.
Hi Barbra.
Sorry you dind't find this article before buying the iO3. I suspect you could likely get a refund if you are not happy.
However, the Pro 3 won't be softer on the teeth and gums than the iO3. In my opinion the iO3 is softer on the gums etc than the Pro 3.
It is also no easier really choosing between the modes as neither have icons or labels to show which mode is which.
You might find opting for the Vitlaity Pro is a better option. It is more gentle, but there are a few frustrations with it, as I detail in my review.
Potrzebowałam tego porównania. Bardzo dziękuję ☺️
I agree, an excellent review. After using Oral-b electric toothbrushes for many years, the time had come to get a new one. I bought the iO 3, which indeed cleans the teeth very effectively. However, after using it for a week, my hand has started to hurt excessively - the thumb feels sprained! As I can find no other reason, I suspect the micro-vibrations of the toothbrush are the cause :( I wonder if the Pro 3 with a different kind of motor will feel different.
Hi Henning.
I don't ever recall anyone else mentioning such an issue in their experencie with the iO3. That isn't to say others have felt the same, I just haven't been made aware of it.
I personally don't expereince this and neither do I with the Pro 3.
I would have thought this is more individual specific, therefore I can't really comment on whether you would expereince the same with the Pro 3.
Some stores have models on display you might be able to try. But a couple of minutes in store might not be enought to really determine if the experience is the same.
Excellent Review, thank you 👏