Surrogacy Cost, Programs And Fees
Surrogacy in the U.S. typically costs $125,000 to $225,000 or more. That total includes our agency fee ($40,000 Standard or $50,000 Premier), surrogate compensation and benefits starting at $50,000 or more, medical and legal costs, and a contingency budget. At your first consultation we build a customized estimate for your journey.
What Does Each Part Of Surrogacy Cost?
Costs vary with your clinic, your insurance and your medical details, which is why we put together a customized estimate rather than a single number.
| Cost | Typical range | What it covers | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency fee | $40,000 Standard or $50,000 Premier | Facilitation, matching, screening and coordination | The Surrogacy Co. |
| Surrogate compensation and benefits | $50,000+ base, plus allowances and fees | Her base compensation, monthly allowances, medication and transfer fees, lost wages, travel, and additional compensation for specific circumstances | The surrogate, through escrow |
| Medical expenses | $20,000 to $50,000 | IVF, embryo transfer, prenatal care and delivery | Your clinic and medical providers |
| Legal fees | $7,000 to $15,000 | Contracts, parentage rights and court proceedings | Attorneys, directly |
| Contingent and miscellaneous | $5,000 to $25,000 | Travel, contingent insurance, newborn insurance, additional embryo transfers | Various |
Agency Programs And Fees
The Surrogacy Co. offers two levels of service. During your consultation we recommend the one that fits your circumstances and goals.
| Standard Program | Premier Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Agency fee | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| Designed for | U.S.-based intended parents whose embryos are in, or being created in, the U.S., and whose circumstances and expectations are standard by ASRM guidelines and industry norms | All international intended parents, and U.S. intended parents with specific or unique surrogate preferences, or circumstances that make matching and coordination more extensive |
| Includes | Professional end-to-end facilitation, matching, screening and coordination | Everything in Standard, plus founder-level case management, a higher-touch experience, and broader availability beyond standard office hours |
| Retainer, when you sign the Agency Agreement | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Service fee, when you sign a Match Agreement with your surrogate | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Coordination fee, at medical clearance | $20,000 | $30,000 |
If your circumstances or expectations move beyond what is standard as your journey unfolds, we will talk with you openly about your options, which may include moving to the Premier Program.
What the agency fee covers
Our fee pays for the work of guiding your journey: your consultation and cost estimate, onboarding, matching with a screened surrogate, coordination with your clinic and attorneys, and support from agreement to birth. It does not include your surrogate's compensation, medical costs, legal fees or insurance, which are listed in the table above and paid to those providers directly. All costs of attempts at pregnancy, pregnancy, delivery and newborn care are the intended parents' responsibility.
What makes the total higher or lower?
The number of IVF cycles. An embryo transfer that does not succeed means another cycle.
Your surrogate's experience. First-time surrogates start at $50,000+ in base compensation, and experienced surrogates set their own rate.
Circumstances no one plans for. Bed rest, a c-section, or a multiple pregnancy each add costs, such as lost wages and additional compensation.
Insurance. Whether your surrogate's existing plan covers surrogacy-related care changes how much coverage you buy.
Where you start. Families with frozen embryos already at a clinic have fewer upfront medical costs.
Ways to fund your journey
Many families combine savings with employer fertility benefits, family-building grants, and fertility financing. We have gathered the most common options on our funding page.
Ready For A Cost Estimate Built Around You?
Book a discovery call and we will walk through your situation, create your estimated cost sheet, and recommend the program that fits.
Surrogacy Costs For Intended Parents
FAQs
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Surrogacy covers several professional services at once: medical care and IVF, legal contracts, insurance, support for a surrogate who is carrying your baby for about nine months, and an agency to coordinate it all. Each part exists to keep the journey safe.
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We recommend one during your consultation. International families always join Premier, and U.S. families join Premier when their surrogate preferences or circumstances call for more extensive coordination. If you start in Standard and your needs change, you can move up.
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Some plans cover parts of the process, but many intended parents purchase additional coverage for the surrogate's medical expenses, along with newborn insurance. We help you evaluate your options.
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Some families lower costs by using existing embryos or by using employer fertility benefits. Cutting corners on legal, medical or screening services is not worth the risk.
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If the first embryo transfer does not result in a pregnancy, another cycle adds to the total. We talk through those scenarios with you early so your budget has room for them.
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Costs for international families are usually slightly higher. International families join the Premier Program, and the added steps are explained on our International Program page (coming soon).