Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of stone extraction with a single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization and conventional X‑ray endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for non‑difficult common bile duct stones. Methods A total of 164 patients with common bile duct stones who underwent stone extraction by using the single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization (the observation group, n=82) and conventional X‑ray endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (the control group, n=82) from January 2018 to April 2022 in Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine were enrolled. The observation group was directly selected from the database, while the control group was randomly matched by age stratification with baseline data validated. The success rates of intubation, stone removal, postoperative complication incidence, and radiation exposure between the two groups were compared. Results There was no significant difference between the baseline data of the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). The number of patients with detected stones≥2 in the observation group and the control group were 59 (71.95%) and 37 (45.12%) respectively with significant difference (χ2=12.16, P=0.001). The success rates of bile duct intubation in the observation group and the control group were both 100.00% (82/82). The success rates of stone extraction were 98.78% (81/82) and 100.00% (82/82) respectively with no significant difference (P>0.05). The one-time stone removal rates of the two groups were 93.90% (77/82) and 92.68% (76/82) respectively with no significant difference (χ2=0.10,P=0.755). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). The amount of intraoperative ray exposure volume in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group [10.20 (6.69, 18.94) mGy VS 15.41 (10.70, 22.77) mGy, U=2 462.00, P=0.003]. Conclusion The efficacy and safety of stone extraction with single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization are comparable to those of traditional X-ray ERCP for non-difficult common bile duct stones, but it can significantly reduce the intraoperative ray exposure volume during therapeutic ERCP stone extraction.