How much does donor sperm cost?
This question is complex as each bank has diverse fee schedules. Checking with your chosen sperm donors’ banks is the best way to get the most accurate information.
How often do you update your sperm donor listings?
We update it at least twice a week. Each donor is date/time stamped so you can see exactly when the donor was last updated.
How is a donor's sperm valued?
This question is complex as each bank has diverse fee schedules. Checking with your chosen sperm donors’ banks is the best way to get the most accurate information
Why is infectious disease screening important?
Please see our page on infectious disease screening.
Why is genetic disease screening important?
Please see our page on genetic disease screening.
Why can't I see donors' photos?
Most (but not all) sperm donors wish to remain anonymous. When they decide to donate their sperm, they sign a contract with the sperm bank.
Sometimes a donor will give the bank an adult photo on condition that it be used only for photo matching (see our glossary of fertility terms). Most sperm banks offer some kind of photo-matching service. With photo-matching, you give the bank a photo of your husband/partner or someone else, and the bank selects a donor with similar features or appearance—but you don't get to see a picture of the donor yourself. Photo-matching can range in price.
That said, some donors do allow their photo to be released, and many provide baby photos. Even when photos are available, sperm banks do not post them on the web for the general public to see; you will usually have to pay a small fee to see a baby or adult photo, often as part of a more detailed donor profile package.
At SpermCenter.com, we just let you know if there is a photo available for each donor. Look for the Photo? field in the donor's detailed profile, where it will say Yes/No. ALWAYS double check this.
If photos are important to you, it's always a good idea to ask the sperm bank if a photo is available, even if the profile says "No," because sometimes the bank gets a photo of a donor but forgets to update their database.
When is Donor Blood Type Important?
Please see our Donor Blood Type page for more information.
I’ve Found a Donor, What Do I Do Next?
If you’ve found a donor, your next step is to contact the bank your sperm donor is from. At that point the sperm bank’s client service representatives will walk you through purchasing sperm and answer any questions you have.
Here is another question from a member:
Q: Are all donors screened for all STDs and Hiv?
A: Any sperm bank HAS to be registered with the FDA by law - if they aren't, steer clear. The FDA requires that sperm donors be tested for STD's like Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and HIV, among others. For a full breakdown of what the FDA requires and reccomends, please see http://www.spermcenter.com/sites/default/files/ucm091345.pdf. Its a long document but well worth reading through if you're concerned about infectious disease screening requirements on sperm donors.
Another question from a member:
Q: How does How Does Sperm Get to Me?
A: This depends on what you mean. If you mean do they ship to you, the answer is most sperm banks do, so don't feel a need to stay local if you like a donor better from a sperm bank on the other side of the U.S. If you mean how does it get to you from the start, here's a very brief overview: you first have to choose your donor.
Then you need check with your doctor to make sure you understand what types of vials you should buy (this depends on what kind of fertility treatment you're getting), then you go online or call the sperm bank of your choice, place an order for your donor's semen, then have it shipped to you, or most often, the doctor performing the insemination.
This is a complex question and depends on a number of factors. What sperm bank you choose, what information you want before you choose your donor, what kind of vial you choose, how you have it shipped - what you pay will depend on all these things.
However, lets break down some of the common costs you're probably looking at when trying to find your sperm donor. For the purposes of this article, we aren't including fertility treatments or procedures like IUI, IVF and other forms of assisted reproductive technology.
All figures are broad averages compiled from listed prices, when available, from 9 of the top sperm banks. There's no guarantee these prices are current as we can only go off of what each sperm bank lists:
1) Sperm Donor Vials
Vials are usually priced higher if they're from open or ID Release sperm donor. Caution: don't just buy any type of vial; you need to buy the vial specifically created for your procedure (E.g. IVF, IUI, home insemination). This is a common mistake, so be sure you ask your doctor what vial type you should be ordering.
| Premium ICI | $350 | $500 |
| Premium IUI | $450 | $600 |
| ART ICI | $250 | $400 |
| ART IUI | $250 | $450 |
2) Sperm Donor Information
Many sperm banks offer all kinds of sperm donor information; the info you see here is collected from various sperm banks and by no means applies to them all. However, if you are interested in this information, these are approximately the prices you will be paying.
| Donor Information | |
| Short Profile | $0 |
| Long Profile | $20 |
| Staff Impressions | $0 |
| Donor Essay | $0 |
| Facial Features | $15 |
| Keirsey/Temperament | $19 |
| Baby Photo | $22 |
| Photo Set | $45 |
| Photo Series | $75 |
| Audio Interview | $28 |
| Handwriting Analysis | $25 |
| Silhouette | $36 |
| Medical Profile | $17 |
3) Shipping
After you order your sperm, you must have it shipped to your doctor's office or your fertility clinic. Here are some general shipping prices you might be looking at:
| Express Processing | $80 |
| Local Courier | |
| Monday--Friday | $130 |
| Saturday | $140 |
| Carrier Service | |
| 2--Day Economy | $170 |
| Priority Overnight | $200 |
| Alaska/Hawaii/Puerto Rico | $200 |
| Saturday Priority | $200 |
| International Tank Deposit | $950 |
| Order Changes | |
| Order Cancellation | $100 |
| Order Change Fee | $90 |
| Client Pickup | $40 |
Best of luck on your search!