Best Sperm Donor Banks for Prospective Parents Looking for Support

Best Overall: Cryos

Key Specs

• Average cost: Prices start around $120 per vial not including storage, shipping or other fees
• Family unit limits: No, though some countries have limits 
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

Based in Denmark with locations and shipping options around the world, Cryos has the world's largest selection of both sperm and egg donors.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Cryos International is home to the world's largest selection of both sperm and egg donors. People interested in purchasing sperm from Cryos will be pleased with the selection, the customer service experience, the additional purchasing options, and the wealth of information on the Cryos blog. 

Searching for the perfect donor can feel like a big task, but Cryos makes it easier by allowing you to search and filter based on your preferences with a no-obligation account that just requires an email address and a password to set up. Once you create your account, you can view full donor profiles with extras like childhood photos, voice recordings, handwritten notes, and more. As you browse, you can save your favorite donor profiles to revisit later.

Beyond finding a sperm or egg donor, you can count on Cryos to walk you through the process and make sure that you understand everything you need to know about using a sperm donor.  It’s easy to request a no-obligation consultation with a representative who will help you understand the process and guide you toward the best next steps for your family. You can schedule online chats or calls from anywhere in the world. 

You’ll also find information about all things sperm donation and fertility on the Cryos blog, a great starting place for anyone looking into conceiving via sperm donation. 

Cryos’ hub is in Denmark, but it has locations around the world and ships internationally. Shipping can become expensive depending on where you live, and, like most sperm banks, Cryos does not take insurance. Getting information about prospective donors can also be costly. 

Most Diverse Donor Bank: California Cryobank

Key Specs

• Average cost: Prices start at $1195 per vial with extra charges for shipping and donor information 
• Family unit limits: Yes, the number depends on the country in which you live
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

California Cryobank offers prospective parents numerous options as they search for a sperm donor within its diverse database.

Pros & Cons

Overview  

If you’re looking for a donor with specific characteristics, like ethnicity, educational background, or height, chances are the California Cryobank has what you need. This company has the most diverse donor bank when it comes to race, ethnicity, and background, according to its website. It’s also highly selective, with less than 1% of donor applicants accepted. Each donor must pass a rigorous assessment to donate and be willing to share the details that help people feel comfortable and confident using the sample they provided to conceive—such as childhood photos, a donor essay, and a complete medical profile. 

People who use California Cryobank also tend to be happy about the options for those who wish to have more than one child. The Family Today option provides one year of free storage with the purchase of four or more vials of sperm, and the Family Tomorrow program offers free storage for three years with the purchase of eight or more vials. 

While you’ll find high quality and diverse donors with California Cryobank, you will have to pay to search and see any information. You can choose a 90-day subscription that allows you to browse information on all donors (beyond their donor profile, medical history, and personal essay) starting at $145, or purchase profile extras like childhood photos, an extended profile, or a facial features report starting at $25 each.

Overall, California Cryobank is more expensive than many others but does offer some of the highest quality, diverse options in the industry. 

Best for Genetic Testing: Seattle Sperm Bank

Key Specs

• Average cost: Prices start at $850 per vial, not including shipping and storage
• Family unit limits: 25 
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

The Seattle Sperm Bank goes above and beyond when it comes to genetic testing, with advanced carrier testing that screens for 175 conditions and personal genetic counseling.

Pros & Cons

Overview  

The Seattle Sperm Bank is known as one of the most established and trusted sources of sperm in the United States. With a focus on helping people create the family of their dreams, it offers clients extensive genetic testing and counseling, in addition to a variety of information about a donor's appearance and personality. Genetic testing is important because it can help ensure that families create the healthiest embryos possible. Fertility treatments are also expensive, so making sure that sperm is screened for genetic issues can increase the likelihood of success. 

All donors are subjected to advanced carrier testing that screens for 175 genetic conditions. Purchasing clients are then offered comprehensive genetic counseling to ensure they choose a donor who suits their needs and is likely to produce a baby who does not have a genetic condition. 

Prospective parents are also generally interested in less scientific data about potential donors. For just $50 for three months, you can become an all-access member and peruse the full profiles of every donor in the database. These profiles include baby photos, audio interviews, personality test results, and more. 

The Seattle Sperm Bank is slightly more expensive than some options, though it does offer information and instruction for at-home insemination, which could reduce your overall fertility expenses. The service also charges for storage beyond the first month, which can increase costs if you purchase multiple vials. 

Best for LGBTQIA+ Communities: Fairfax Cryobank

Key Specs

• Average cost: Prices start at $715 per vial, not including storage, shipping, and extras
• Family unit limits: Yes, 25 in the U.S. and 15 internationally 
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

Fairfax Cryobank has a long history of supporting LGBTQIA+ families and a bank of resources to help prospective parents get started.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

The team at Fairfax Cryobank is known for supporting LGBTQIA+ people as they seek to grow their families. Its client services team is knowledgeable, sensitive, and supportive and its website includes video diaries from queer couples becoming parents through sperm donation, blogs specifically for LQBTQIA+ people, and testimonials from a range of new parents. 

Fairfax also knows how important the donor selection process is. This is why it goes above and beyond to help you find a donor that meets all of your needs. You can expect high-quality, personalized support when you speak with a team member, and they will remain available throughout your donor sperm selection process. 

The Fairfax Facematch software allows you to upload a picture of yourself, your partner, or even a celebrity and identify lookalike donors within the database. You’ll also be able to search by different features and priorities to help you find just who you are looking for. 

While the client services team is very helpful, you will have to purchase a membership or buy access to different pieces of donor profiles a la carte in order to find out more personal details. Silhouette photos, personality type, and adult photo sets will all require membership or additional fees. 

Once you’ve selected your donor, you can expect the client services team to give you all the information and support you need to move toward the next step of your fertility journey. 

Best for Transparent Pricing: XYTEX

Key Specs

• Average cost: Prices start at $625 per vial not including shipping, storage, and extras; bundle pricing is available
• Family unit limits: Yes, though the number is unstated
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

XYTEX has a comprehensive pricing page that includes details on every type of sample, storage and shipping fees, and available extras such as detailed donor information and multiple vial packages.

Pros & Cons

Overview

XYTEX has been helping families grow through sperm donation since 1975. XYTEX has four locations in Georgia and one in North Carolina, and offers international shipping for those who live outside the country. 

XYTEX’s website has a pricing page that is more comprehensive than many other companies. It shares information about the different types of sperm vials and the exact cost for each. Additionally, the company shares shipping and storage costs and bulk package pricing and is transparent about the cost of other fertility treatments that may be associated with sperm donation, such as intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. 

Sperm can be purchased by the individual vial, in multiple vials, or in packages that include storage and shipping. Bundle packages also offer a 50% buy-back option so that you can feel comfortable purchasing sperm to keep on reserve until you have completed your family. 

While its prices are not the lowest on this list, they are mid-range, and the quality and trustworthiness of the company make it a top pick. 

Best for Willing-to-Be-Known Donors: Pacific Reproductive Services

Key Specs

• Average cost: Starting at $504 per vial, not including shipping, storage, and extras 
• Family unit limits: Yes, there is a family limit of 15
• Insurance accepted: No

Why We Chose It

Pacific Reproductive Services prioritizes known donors and has the largest bank of this type of donor in the United States. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

A willing-to-be-known (WTBK) donor is one that has signed a contract agreeing to meet at least one time with any children born using their sperm when the child turns 18, if the donor child so chooses. While most clinics offer anonymous donors with some WTBK donors, Pacific Reproductive Services prioritizes these WTBK donors. 

Founded by a lesbian couple in the 1980s, this sperm bank was designed by people who have first-person experience with building a family as lesbians. With options for clinic or in-home insemination and an informative blog focused on the lesbian experience, this clinic may be an especially good fit for lesbian or other LGBTQ+ couples interested in starting or growing their family through sperm donation. 

This company also has a lower family unit limit than the industry standard—they cap donors at 15 families vs. 25. This ensures that only 15 families have children from the sperm donor (with no limits within a family on the number of kids). 

Pacific Reproductive Services’ pricing is mid-range, though you do have to pay for some extras that are often standard or included with other companies, such as photo matching, phone consultation, or access to more detailed donor profiles.  

Best for Sperm Storage: New England Cryogenic Center

Key Specs

• Average cost: Sperm processing starting at $700, not including preparation, storage, and shipping
• Family unit limits: Yes, 25
• Insurance accepted: No
  

Why We Chose It

New England Cryogenic Center offers those who want to freeze their sperm strict quality control standards.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

The New England Cryogenic Center (NECC) has been helping prospective parents preserve fertility and create the family they desire since 1971. The company offers those who would like to freeze their sperm the option to do so in a safe, secure way. 

You may choose to freeze sperm for a variety of reasons, including: prior to medical treatments that may impact fertility, such as cancer treatment; before a vasectomy or other surgery that may impact fertility; if using assisted reproductive technology, or when there is an occupational risk for sterility. 

The process is simple with New England Cryogenic Center. You can choose an on-site sample collection or an at-home collection. Once your sample has been obtained, it will generally undergo testing and preparation for preservation. After your sample has been banked, you can access it as soon as you’re ready or wait as long as you’d like. 

While the process is expensive and storage fees can add up, there is a 50% discount on services for military members.