Financing Your Journey

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost?

Founded by Intended Parents, we understand first-hand how costly surrogacy can be.  Those just beginning to research, it can be disheartening to see that the process can cost $150,000 – $225,000 for most Intended Parents.  That’s an enormous range, and can be frustrating when you can’t get a more exact estimate.  While we cannot guarantee what you will ultimately spend, we can help narrow that number down considerably so that you can budget accordingly.

There are three major factors that account for the huge range of possible costs associated with a journey:

  • Fees paid to the IVF Clinic, specifically if embryos have not been created
  • Fees paid to the Surrogacy Agency
  • Fees and benefits paid for the Surrogate

Some costs associated with the process are relatively similar across the board:

  • Psychological evaluation of Surrogate and partner
  • Psychological consultation of Intended Parents
  • Travel costs of Surrogate
  • Background checks of Surrogate and partner
  • Legal costs for contracts and legal filings for parentage

Interested in learning about to how finance your Journey? We have partnered to help bring you financing solutions!

Main Surrogacy Costs to Consider

When just beginning to research, Intended Parents may discover that there are a number of ways to save considerable money throughout the process.  Where you will make the most impact on your overall spending is on the four main factors listed above:  IVF clinic, Agency, Surrogate, and healthcare costs.

Choosing an IVF clinic is obviously one of the most important decisions you will make.  Success rates do not always correlate with a higher price tag, so it is important to understand all of the fees related to embryo creation and supervising a surrogacy cycle.  Some IVF clinics charge as little as $10,000 for the process, while others charge more than $25,000.  If you are utilizing an egg donor, the costs can approach $50,000, so you can see why the estimated range for surrogacy is so frustratingly non-specific.  If you have already established a relationship with a clinic and embryos created, they can provide a breakdown of costs related to working with a Surrogate so that you can budget accordingly. If you are working with a clinic that Family Makers has worked with, we may also be able to provide you with a good estimate of what to expect as well.

When choosing an agency, it’s important to work with one like Family Makers that will educate you about all of the costs involved.  Transparency is absolutely necessary to understand what exactly you are paying for, why you are paying for it, and when fees are due.   Some agencies are exclusive to the professionals and firms they work with, which may limit you on your choices and increase your overall costs.

Fees paid to compensate your Surrogate vary greatly from agency to agency, and from Surrogate to Surrogate.  One important topic to discuss is what qualities in a candidate you are looking for.  When discussing overall costs, the biggest factors that contribute to how much you will ultimately compensate your Surrogate include her location, whether she is a first time surrogate or experienced, employment status, and her current healthcare policy.

– Surrogate Location

Candidates on the west coast in states like California and Oregon may request higher compensation amounts due to demand, versus other states where compensation typically runs significantly less.  Location of your Surrogate can mean a $10,000 – $20,000 difference in costs for your journey.

– Prior Surrogacy Experience

Candidates who have completed journeys before are usually compensated more, as they have a proven track record for responding to IVF medications and successfully carrying a baby for other Intended Parents.  Experience of your Surrogate can mean a $5,000 – $10,000 difference in costs for your journey.

– Surrogate’s Employment Status

If the candidate is a working mom, she may require additional compensation for lost wages postpartum if her employment benefits do not cover leave while recovering.  Stay at home moms may have additional childcare costs if complications arise during pregnancy or after delivery, which limits her activity and ability to care from her children.  Employment status of your Surrogate can mean a $6,000 – $14,000 difference in costs for your journey.

– Surrogate Healthcare Benefits

As of 2024, roughly half of the Surrogates we work with has insurance that will cover pregnancy when carrying someone else’s baby.  The other half excludes it entirely, and that number grows every year as insurance companies continue to restrict benefits overall.  Intended Parents fortunate enough to match with a Surrogate with “surrogate friendly” insurance could have very low healthcare costs associated with pregnancy and delivery, or the policy could have a high annual deductible that significantly impacts overall costs of a journey.  Candidates who are insured, but whose policy excludes pregnancy as a surrogate, must have a secondary policy that will cover it.  This policy is paid for by the Intended Parents and utilized as her primary insurance policy for anything related to pregnancy.  Healthcare benefits of your Surrogate can mean a $10,000 – $15,000 difference in costs for your journey.