Surrogacy agencies differ in size, cost structure, published outcomes, and what protections they offer if a journey doesn't go as planned. We compared nine established U.S. agencies across six factors intended parents can verify themselves.
Agency size, published success rate, program type, program benefits, and surrogate return rate — all drawn from each agency's own published materials.
| Agency | Size / Style | Success Rate | Program Type | Program Benefits | Return Rate | Best Known For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Circle Surrogacy | Large / Corporate | 99.2% | Fixed (Journey Protection Program) | $189,500 flat fee; unlimited transfers; agency-fee refund if no baby | 50%+ | Large full-service platform; strong LGBTQIA+ track record |
| 02Hatch Fertility | Mid-size / Premium | 99.5% | All Inclusive (Fixed Fee Program) | Unconfirmed | 78% | Established egg donation and surrogacy specialist |
| 03Giving Tree Surrogacy | Mid-size / Boutique | 98% | Both — Fixed (Family Forward Guarantee) and Variable (Standard Program) | $180,000 fixed cost; unlimited rematches; agency-fee refund; 3–6 month match; $149,500 Standard program | 66% | Fast matching; fixed and variable program choice; high-touch support |
| 04ConceiveAbilities | Large / National | Unconfirmed | All Inclusive (All-In Program) | $197,500 flat fee; unlimited medical rematches; limited refund | 56% | Compatibility-focused surrogate matching |
| 05Growing Generations | Mid-size / Premium | 99.4% | Variable | Tiered pricing from ~$213,000 | Unconfirmed | Premium service; long LGBTQIA+ history |
| 06American Surrogacy | Large / National | Unconfirmed | Variable | Limited-risk program from ~$202,500+ | Unconfirmed | National reach; short matching timelines |
| 07West Coast Surrogacy | Small / Boutique | Unconfirmed | Variable | Pricing from ~$190,000 | Unconfirmed | Highly personalized boutique support |
| 08Physician's Surrogacy | Large / Medical | Unconfirmed | Fixed and Flat Rate | Guarantee tiers ~$213,000–$260,000; no fees until matched | Not published | Physician-led, medically integrated model |
| 09Northwest Surrogacy Center | Mid-size / Family-owned | Not published | Guarantee Program | ~$190,950; baby guarantee or agency fee + unused surrogate pay refund | Not published | Attorney-led, family-owned agency |
Program pricing, guarantees, and published metrics can change. Confirm current terms, eligibility requirements, and exclusions directly with each agency.
Agencies do not report metrics using standardized definitions. A 99% agency-reported success rate is not automatically equivalent to another agency's 99% figure, and one agency's fixed-cost program may include services another excludes. Treat published figures as the beginning of a conversation rather than a like-for-like ranking. See our full methodology →
Rather than a proprietary score, we used six factors intended parents can independently investigate.
Large agencies offer broader infrastructure; boutique agencies emphasize direct relationships and smaller caseloads. Neither is a measure of quality.
The share of journeys an agency reports resulting in a baby — useful, but defined differently by each agency.
Fixed-cost programs set a predetermined price. Variable programs start from an estimate that shifts as the journey progresses.
What the program actually protects against: extra transfers, rematching, repeat screening, or a refund if no baby results.
How many surrogates come back for another journey — though some agencies count sibling journeys, others count referrals.
The concrete differentiator behind the marketing: infrastructure, matching speed, physician involvement, or specialization.
Key figures for each agency. Full breakdowns on the individual profile pages.
3,400+ families served, ~400 clinic partners, intended parents in ~70 countries. Strong LGBTQIA+ and international track record.
Full profile →Operating since 1991 with 8,000+ journeys facilitated. Combines egg donation and surrogacy in a premium fertility model.
Full profile →One of the few agencies offering both fixed and variable programs. Published 3–6 month average match time with high-touch support.
Full profile →Matching built around compatibility rather than availability. Reports a 97% success rate at first introduction.
Full profile →Founded 1996, 2,400+ babies. Four service tiers rather than one fixed program, with a long LGBTQIA+ family-building history.
Full profile →Nationwide surrogate recruitment with one of the shortest published average match times in this comparison.
Full profile →The clearest boutique model here. Publishes an estimated journey range with transparent category-by-category cost breakdowns.
Full profile →OB/GYN involvement in screening and medical oversight. Three fixed tiers, from flat rate to an all-inclusive bundle with donor eggs.
Full profile →30+ years, attorney-led and family-owned. Guarantee Program refunds agency fee plus unused surrogate compensation in qualifying cases.
Full profile →There is no single metric that answers every question. Start from what matters most to you.
Circle Surrogacy and other national providers offer dedicated internal departments and broad clinic networks.
West Coast Surrogacy and Giving Tree Surrogacy emphasize direct relationships and individualized case management.
Fixed-cost programs are available through Circle, Hatch, Giving Tree, ConceiveAbilities, Physician's Surrogacy, and Northwest.
Giving Tree publishes a 3–6 month timeline; American Surrogacy publishes a 1–6 month average.
Physician's Surrogacy offers a physician-managed structure; Growing Generations a premium concierge positioning.
Circle Surrogacy and Growing Generations both have particularly longstanding records in this area.
The most useful comparison is the one that identifies which agency's structure, financial model, and published results most closely align with your priorities. See the full decision guide →
The nine agencies compared here — Circle Surrogacy, Hatch Fertility, Giving Tree Surrogacy, ConceiveAbilities, Growing Generations, American Surrogacy, West Coast Surrogacy, Physician's Surrogacy, and Northwest Surrogacy Center — are all established U.S. agencies with published program information. The best fit depends on whether you prioritize agency size, cost predictability, matching speed, or a specific operating model.
Apply the same six factors to each: size and operating style, published success rate and how it's defined, program type, what the program protects against, published surrogate return rate, and the agency's specific differentiator. See our guide to choosing a surrogacy agency.
A fixed-cost program establishes a predetermined program price rather than an estimate that shifts as the journey progresses. It does not necessarily mean every expense is included — fertility-clinic costs, embryo creation, donor services, and newborn medical care are commonly excluded. See our surrogacy costs guide.
Not directly. Agencies define success differently, cover different time periods, and include different populations. Unlike CDC-standardized clinic reporting, agency success rates are self-published and should be treated as a starting point for questions rather than a like-for-like metric.
Published agency program costs in this comparison range from approximately $145,000 to $260,000, depending on program type and whether IVF or donor eggs are included.