Oral-B iO3 vs iO5: modes, app and pressure sensor

iO3 and iO5 side by side

The table uses the iO5 listing facts from our guides and widely published iO3 features. The iO3 is not in our guides, so its column is general.

Modes: three against five

The iO3 covers the everyday choices with three modes. The iO5 listing gives five: Daily Clean, Intense Clean, Whitening, Sensitive and Super Sensitive. The extra Super Sensitive mode slows the head further, which some people with tender gums prefer.

If you will only ever use Daily Clean, the extra modes add little. If you like to switch, or more than one person will share the model, five modes give more room. Our modes explained article covers what each one changes.

Smart pressure sensor

Both use the iO smart pressure sensor, which lights up around the base of the handle. The iO5 listing describes three states: red when you press too hard, white when you press too softly and green when pressure is right. That middle state is something the older Pro range does not offer.

Check the iO3 listing for the exact colours shown on that version. Our iO lights explained article covers what each colour means on the handle.

App guidance

The iO5 listing describes artificial intelligence that recognises your brushing style and guides you to cover all your teeth through the Oral-B app. The app is optional, and many people use it for a few weeks to build a habit, then brush without it.

The iO3 is generally sold as a non-connected model. If you know you will never open the app, that difference does not matter. If you like feedback, our guide to smart toothbrushes with an app compares the connected options.

Compare app-connected brushes →

Where the iO2 and iO6 fit

The iO2 sits below the iO3 and is the simplest way into the range. The iO6 sits above the iO5 and, according to its listing, adds a built-in display that shows mode, time, head reminders and battery. Our iO Series 5 vs 6 comparison covers that step.

All of these handles take the same iO heads, so running costs are similar. Plan on a new head about every three months, as the NHS advises; our brush-head planner works out heads per year.

Which one suits whom

Pick the iO3 if you want the iO drive and smart pressure sensor at the lowest step and you will brush in one or two modes. Pick the iO5 if you want Super Sensitive, more mode choice or app guidance. For a display, look at the iO6 and above in our guide to Oral-B iO models compared.

Travel cases and chargers

Most iO3 and iO5 bundles include a travel case, but check the listing, as contents vary between retailers. The iO5 listing in our guides includes a travel case and a spare head, and it notes a two-pin charger with no adapter, which suits a UK bathroom shaver socket. Neither the iO3 nor the iO5 comes with a charging case; that is a feature of the iO9 and iO10. If you travel often and want the brush to charge in its case, our guide to toothbrushes with a charging travel case covers those models. For short trips, a full charge on either handle usually lasts the journey; our battery-days check converts a quoted figure to your routine.

Frequently asked questions

Do the iO3 and iO5 use the same heads? Yes. Every iO handle takes iO heads; classic Oral-B heads do not fit.

Does the iO3 have a timer? Yes. The iO range has a two-minute timer with 30-second prompts.

Is the iO5 quieter than the iO3? Both use the same magnetic drive, so noise is similar.

Do they use the same charger? Both use an iO charger. See are toothbrush chargers interchangeable?.