Comparing Surrogacy Costs

Key Points:

• Surrogacy cost estimates can range from $80,000 to more than $300,000, depending on the agency.
• The cost of surrogacy is an investment in your family’s future, which is why receiving quality services in return is so important.
• Parents report that short wait times and finding a highly qualified surrogate are the two most valuable things when comparing surrogacy costs and services.

Comparing surrogacy costs is a common step in the process for anyone hoping to become a parent through surrogacy, and the range of numbers you find may be dizzying. Some of the largest surrogacy agencies in America will throw out drastic ranges, like $80,000 to $300,000.

How are you supposed to plan for that?

This article will help explain how much surrogacy costs, including:

• The current fee estimate from several of the most popular surrogacy agencies
• A breakdown of surrogacy costs and why those big ranges aren’t always trustworthy
• What to consider when given a fee estimate from an agency

If you’d like to learn more about the cost of surrogacy in your situation, our team of specialists can help!

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How Much Does Surrogacy Cost?

The cost of surrogacy can vary depending on several factors, and the most important one is the agency you work with. When comparing surrogacy costs, you’ll see estimates ranging from $80,000 to $300,000+.

Here are the current cost estimates from several of the most popular surrogacy agencies in 2023:

• American Surrogacy: $113,000 – $184,900
• Circle Surrogacy: $80,000 – $200,000
• Growing Generations: $179,000 – $309,000
• Conceivabilities: $164,900

While some agencies provide large ranges, others offer a clear cost estimate. Planning for the cost of surrogacy is a lot easier when an agency is clear about its fees. Keep this in mind when picking the best agency for your surrogacy journey.

Things to Consider About Surrogacy Costs

Parents report taking two primary factors into account when evaluating surrogacy costs from different agencies: Quality and affordability.

Quality: Getting the Most out of the Cost of Surrogacy

There’s nothing more important than the future of your family. One way to see the cost of surrogacy is as an investment in that future. And, as we all know, you usually get what you pay for.

Quality can be defined in several ways pertaining to the services you receive in return for the cost of surrogacy. After speaking with many intended parents who have successfully completed a surrogacy journey, here are the top two things they identified:

1. Wait Times

The primary way a surrogacy agency can impact your family-building journey is by finding a surrogate quickly. Agencies that do this have a large marketing reach because most potential surrogates find their agency by searching online.

Here’s what that means as you are comparing surrogacy costs:

• A short wait time is the most significant return on your family-building investment that an agency can provide.
• If an agency has a high cost and a high wait time, it’s fair to wonder if the cost of surrogacy is really worth it.
• On the other hand, a high cost and a low wait time is the type of quality that hopeful parents are looking for.

2. Success Rate

This can be the deciding factor for many intended parents when comparing surrogacy costs and choosing an agency. Many agencies will report a success rate statistic, although the way these are calculated is never completely clear.

Much of the success of the medical process of surrogacy is up to the fertility clinic. However, there is one major way that your agency can increase your chances of success: Thorough surrogate screening.

American Surrogacy, for example, is an agency that will only match parents to a surrogate who is ASRM qualified, drastically increasing the chances that she will be approved by the clinic and prepared for a healthy pregnancy.

Affordability: Finding the Cheapest Surrogacy Agencies

Spending $150,000+ isn’t feasible for everyone. If that’s true of you, it doesn’t mean you’re excluded from surrogacy as a family-building option. But, it will limit your choices when it comes to a surrogacy agency.

Most agencies that provide cheaper surrogacy costs are smaller agencies.

• The staff at smaller agencies is often made up of wonderful, caring people.
• Usually, they are founded by either a former intended parent or a surrogate who has a personal connection with the process.
• However, one big drawback is that these agencies tend to have little to online marketing reach.

That matters because the primary way potential surrogates find agencies to work with is by searching for them online. If the agency doesn’t have the ability to reach potential surrogates, they are reliant on referrals. This can create long and inconsistent wait times.

Finding cheap surrogacy options isn’t always a bad thing, especially if it makes the most sense for your finances. But, you should be aware of the drawbacks — like waiting a long time to find a surrogate.

Want to Learn More?

The cost of surrogacy is an important factor in your family-building journey. If you’d like to learn more about the cost of surrogacy and the other things that can impact your process, talk with a surrogacy agency.