Best Surrogacy Agencies

Hatch has facilitated 8,000 egg donations and surrogacies (and counting) since 1991. During this time, It has cultivated a reputation as one of the largest and most reliable surrogacy agencies in the United States. 

This agency has different plans to meet different parents’ needs. Whether you’re paying for the base fixed fee or the premium Baby Guarantee plan, you can expect to receive comprehensive support. The agency helps coordinate each step of the surrogacy process: medical procedures, travel plans, legal consultations, and more.

Over 99% of Hatch’s patients leave the program with a child because Hatch offers unlimited embryo transfers. The agency also has selective selection criteria for gestational carriers, all of whom must have had at least one full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy before signing up to be a gestational carrier with Hatch. And, if a gestational carrier and the aspiring parents do not seem compatible, Hatch has a free rematching program.

Hatch also stuck out to us because of its unique gestational carrier perks. Gestational carriers may qualify for customized care packages, financial assistance if they need to take time off work while they’re pregnant, and child care allowances. 

SENSIBLE Surrogacy excels at providing straightforward surrogacy plans. Bill Houghton and his husband founded SENSIBLE after they struggled to find an affordable, LGBTQ+-friendly surrogacy agency that could help them build their own family. 

Since 2012, SENSIBLE has offered some of the most affordable surrogacy programs in the United States. SENSIBLE implements a "variable cost" model to allow it to offer lower-cost services. Intended parents pay SENSIBLE an agency fee. The SENSIBLE team will then match the parents with a gestational carrier, arrange the gestational carrier’s medical clearance, and coordinate procedures up until the delivery. While SENSIBLE will help arrange and organize these procedures, parents will need to pay clinics or other service providers directly. One benefit of this customized model is that parents can work with their gestational carrier to choose which services they need. While other agencies may have all-inclusive fees, SENSIBLE allows clients to avoid paying extra costs for unnecessary benefits or procedures. 

Few surrogacy agencies offer this kind of build-your-own plan, which makes SENSIBLE an ideal option for intended parents who have a limited budget. And while it offers affordable plans, it does not skimp on care for its gestational carriers. SENSIBLE encourages them to take advantage of wellness packages, maternity clothing stipends, and healthcare coverage. 

Pacific Fertility Center is located in California, which is one of the most accommodating states for surrogacy. It provides thorough medical information about different insemination and implantation procedures, an array of payment options, and a variety of insurance plans.

Pacific Fertility Center leans into its status as an award-winning medical facility. For example, prospective parents can visit the center’s website to read about the step-by-step process for IVF and to learn about which families might benefit from sperm donation or egg donation. These guides can help demystify the many different options that an intended parent may have as they consider their fertility options. 

This facility is an ideal choice for people who want to make the most of their insurance coverage. The center accepts around a dozen insurance plans, including some plans that specialize in maternity care. However, patients should consult with Pacific Fertility Center financial coordinators and their own insurance providers to ensure that their insurance qualifies. 

One downside to Pacific Fertility Center is that it is primarily geared toward serving intended parents in a medical capacity. The center’s staff specializes in fertility and reproductive health. So while the center can advise parents about the best treatment options for their health needs and how they can conduct IVF, Pacific Fertility Center does not advertise specific information about gestational carrier matching other than the compensation rates that it provides to egg donors. Pacific Fertility Center may not be the best choice for aspiring parents who want to play a proactive role in interviewing or bonding with their gestational carrier. 

Growing Generations boasts some of the most transparent pricing and compensation policies in the industry. Parents and gestational carriers alike can quickly and easily find price estimates and benefits outlined on the Growing Generations website. The agency was founded in 1996 and it was one of the first in the United States to serve gay men and single parents. 

This agency has some of the most competitive compensation rates and benefits for gestational carriers in the industry. The agency is a sort of Ivy League for gestational carriers: It accepts around 2% of applicants. and gestational carriers must have no criminal record and must undergo regular income verifications to prove that they are financially stable. 

Growing Generations’ selectivity has paid off with a strong record of successful matches. Almost all intended parents (99%) stick with their first gestational carrier match instead of requesting a new match. 

Gestational carriers receive impressive perks and comprehensive care. They can qualify for payment before they even get pregnant, and expect a minimum compensation package of $52,000. Gestational carriers receive bonuses if they have been a gestational carrier before, if they are employed, and if they live in the high-demand state of California. Compensation packages also account for maternity clothing, housekeeping, childcare, and emergency funds. 

While Growing Generations is a strong choice for gestational carriers, it does have some cons for intended parents. For example, parents should anticipate paying significant costs atop the initial agency fees. Parents are responsible for covering many of the upfront medical expenses for IVF. 

Golden Surrogacy is unique because it serves parents who live in states that might not be as accommodating for surrogacy. The agency has locations in 11 states. All of these states are technically surrogacy-friendly, but some have fewer protections and more red tape than gestational carrier havens like California. For example, Texas courts may or may not approve pre-birth agreements between gestational carriers and intended parents, and different courts in the state may give different rulings about the rights of the intended parents who are unmarried or single.

Surrogacy is an important family planning option for LGBTQ+ parents, and many agencies welcome LGBTQ+ parents. Founders Adam and Frank Golden have personal insight into some of the obstacles that LGBTQ+ intended parents encounter during the surrogacy process. Golden Surrogacy is not the only agency on our list that was founded by LGBTQ+ parents; however, it provides an important support system for parents who live in states that discriminate against LGBTQ+ people who want to adopt or be listed on their child’s birth certificate as a same-sex parent. 

The agency is active in states where gestational carriers and intended parents may face legal challenges and provides strong legal guidance. This support is especially beneficial for LGBTQ+ clients. For example, in Florida, one of the states where Golden Surrogacy is active, same-sex parents may not be able to automatically qualify as an adoptive second parent.

The service prioritizes LGBTQ+ parents' legal protection by connecting them to gestational carriers who live in surrogacy-friendly states. It has a strong reputation for advocating for its clients' rights to be recognized as legal parents even in states where gay people are barred from adopting.

With a near-perfect success rate, Circle Surrogacy is confident in its guarantee that aspiring parents will finish the program with a child. While other agencies have similar "baby guarantee" policies, Circle Surrogacy’s success stands out in other tangible ways. 

A surrogacy agency’s success can be measured in several forms. First, the agency may have a reliable track record of matching intended parents with gestational carriers who carry and give birth to those parents’ children. In this regard, Circle Surrogacy boasts an impressive 99.3% success rate for gestational carriers who give birth after two embryo transfers. What's more, 98.4% of gestational carriers give birth after one transfer. 

Because surrogacy is a taxing experience, many gestational carriers go through the procedure only once. However, 50% of Circle Surrogacy’s gestational carriers are returning carriers who have been through the process before, or people who have been referred to the agency by existing gestational carriers. This strong retention rate suggests that gestational carriers feel cared for and well-matched at Circle Surrogacy.

ConceiveAbilities sets itself apart from the competition with its Matching Matters program, which is an extensive process that assesses gestational carriers’ and parents’ personalities, communication styles, parenting wants, physical needs, and other traits. ConceiveAbilities then uses these characteristics to create customized, compatible matches. In this way, the program helps set gestational carriers and intended parents up for success before they even meet.

ConceiveAbilities is dedicated to matchmaking, and it’s paid off with impressive satisfaction scores. Ninety-seven percent of aspiring parents match with the very first gestational carrier they meet through ConceiveAbilities. This is due to the agency’s strong gestational carrier screening process. Gestational carriers go through a 10-point screening process that includes health exams and home inspections, as well as socioemotional consulting in which a ConceiveAbilities representative assesses the gestational carrier’s attitude and goals for participating in the program. 

The application process to become a gestational carrier is an intimate, personal one. Applicants have virtual interviews to discuss their motivations for being a gestational carrier. ConceiveAbilities also has mentors for gestational carriers: ambassadors who come from diverse backgrounds but who have all served as gestational carriers at ConceiveAbilities. These ambassadors have profiles on the website and invite potential gestational carriers to contact them with questions or concerns. 

If prospective parents are seeking a straightforward surrogacy program without too many bells and whistles, Family Source Consultants is a strong option. The agency specializes in gestational surrogacy, and it specifically welcomes LGBTQ+ and unmarried intended parents.

Family Source Consultants is a reliable, readily available option because it charges a reasonable base fee for a host of helpful benefits, including legal guidance, matching with a gestational carrier, maternity clothing and supplies, and more. The agency maintains a down-to-earth perspective with its clean and clear website design and its candid advice to gestational carriers to talk with their intended parent(s) to determine how and how often they will communicate. 

Family Source Consultants does not promise gestational carrier soulmates or a fairy tale. Instead, this agency provides clear-cut guidance about the medical processes, communication strategies, and contingencies that intended parents need to keep in mind as they plan their surrogacy. This approach results in a promising 95% success rate. 

Alongside this level-headed attitude, Family Source Consultants maintains its value in less metaphorical ways. For example, the agency connects intended parents to Prosper Health Lending finance options that take minutes to apply for and that don’t automatically put a ding in your credit score (for loans under $35,000). The majority of the agency’s staff members have direct, personal experiences with fertility treatments like surrogacy or egg donation, so employees are always available to provide additional insight and support to patients. 

Family Source Consultants has operated in more than 30 countries, providing intended parents with a vast array of new cultural connections and family planning experiences.

In 2022, Center for Surrogate Parenting (CSP) underwent a brand redesign. Despite the changing website and corporate introspection, CSP remains a juggernaut in the surrogacy business.  

Part of this ethos comes from CSP’s reputation for providing a warm, professional bedside manner for patients. Its doctors use gentle care techniques to minimize patients’ discomfort during egg retrievals or transfers. Along with this extra physical care, CSP encourages intended parents and gestational carriers to make use of mental health resources. 

The agency balances clear, easy-to-read descriptions of medical procedures with kind, welcoming commentary to humanize the process. For example, on its website, CSP lists six different medical exams or requirements gestational carriers can expect to experience during their initial screening period: blood and urine tests, menstrual cycle records, a recent Pap smear, and delivery records for all previous pregnancies.

If a potential gestational carrier might be feeling a little squeamish after reading about these specific analyses, CSP provides reassurance: “Our team is honored to support you through this rewarding process. Contact us for more information about gestational carrier medical screening.” In this way and many others, CSP conveys a tone of genuine care by sharing personable, encouraging text and videos from team members. 

Same Love Surrogacy was founded by three men—all gay dads who had their own experiences with surrogacy and egg donation. The agency highlights the experiences of LGBTQ+ families, but Same Love Surrogacy welcomes aspiring parents of any gender identity or sexual orientation. 

The agency supports intended parents in several ways. Same Love Surrogacy provides sliding-scale payment plans and financing options to offset the prohibitive costs of surrogacy. It also has an impressive roster of experts who can consult with gestational carriers and prospective parents throughout their fertility journey: doctors, lawyers, insurance brokers, trust companies, and psychologists. 

Same Love Surrogacy offers helpful services for gestational carriers, too, such as a pregnancy wellness program and support group meetings. These activities teach gestational carriers about positive coping strategies to process the emotional and physical changes they are experiencing. 

These therapeutic and social bonding opportunities are built into the all-in-one fee that intended parents pay when they first sign up with Same Love Surrogacy. However, gestational carriers might initially be confused about how much compensation they will receive by the end of the process.

The agency states gestational carriers can expect to receive between $58,000 and $73,000 in compensation. However, the website does not include an itemized breakdown of how much of that pay they should expect to invest in their own healthcare. When gestational carriers are approved, they meet with an agency coordinator who can answer these specific financial questions. However, some gestational carriers might appreciate more transparency before they submit their application.