Surrogate Alternatives vs. Circle Surrogacy: Choosing the Right Agency for Your Family
Surrogate Alternatives and Circle Surrogacy, a Boston-based surrogacy agency, have each helped bring more than 4,000 babies into the world. Both agencies have nearly three decades of experience and both support LGBTQ+ families, single intended parents and families from across the country.
The difference between the two is not scale. It is how each agency structures its matching process, financial protections, leadership and day-to-day support. Some families prefer a fixed-price program with a large interdisciplinary team. Others prefer a founder-led, relationship-first agency with no waiting lists, compatibility-first matching and independent third-party escrow. This page lays out the differences so intended parents can decide which model fits their family.
Surrogate Alternatives
- Founder-led since 1998 by a former surrogate
- No paid or unpaid waiting lists
- Independent third-party escrow via SeedTrust
- Fixed agency fees with a line-item breakdown
Circle Surrogacy
- Interdisciplinary in-house team
- Wait times vary by criteria
- Escrow administered in-house, bonded and insured
- Fixed all-inclusive program price
(SeedTrust)
Surrogate
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Both Agencies Have Comparable Experience and Track Records
Surrogate Alternatives opened in 1998 in San Diego, California. Circle Surrogacy launched in 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts. Both agencies have operated continuously for nearly three decades and both have helped more than 4,000 families through surrogacy. Both employ team members with personal surrogacy or fertility experience.
The two agencies differ in how they structure costs. Circle Surrogacy offers a fixed-price program that bundles agency fees, surrogate compensation, legal fees and insurance into a single cost.
Surrogate Alternatives uses fixed agency fees with a detailed cost breakdown before the journey begins, with no surprise agency fees, so intended parents understand exactly what each component funds. Neither model is inherently better. The right choice depends on whether a family values bundled simplicity or line-item transparency.
SAI Was Built by a Founder Who Lived the Surrogacy Journey Herself
Surrogate Alternatives is family-owned and founder-led by Diana Olmeda, a former surrogate, former egg donor and author of The Surrogacy Blueprint. Diana is still actively leading the agency, and the model was built by someone who has personally lived the surrogacy journey from multiple perspectives.
Surrogate Alternatives' leadership and team include current and former surrogates, so intended parents and surrogates work with people who have firsthand experience, not just administrators. Circle Surrogacy describes its team as including parents, surrogates and egg donors on staff, with 44% of team members having personal fertility journey experience. Both agencies value lived experience. The difference is that Surrogate Alternatives was built from it.
Most SAI Families Begin Reviewing Surrogate Profiles Within Days
Surrogate Alternatives does not operate paid or unpaid waiting lists. Intended parents begin reviewing curated surrogate profiles within days, and matching is compatibility-first: the agency does not simply fill the next available spot. Only about 5% of surrogate applicants move forward after screening, allowing Surrogate Alternatives to prioritize quality, safety and compatibility in every match.
Circle Surrogacy notes that wait times depend on several factors including intended parents' preferences and geographical restrictions. Both agencies match thoughtfully, but Surrogate Alternatives' no-waitlist model means families start reviewing profiles immediately rather than waiting for a match to become available.
Recent Industry Fraud Shows Why Independent Escrow Protects Families
Surrogate Alternatives holds all client funds through SeedTrust, an independent third-party escrow provider. Surrogate Alternatives never holds or controls escrowed funds at any point. Independent escrow separates client funds from agency operations and ensures disbursements follow the legal agreement.
Independent escrow matters more than ever. In 2024, a surrogacy escrow management company faced an FBI investigation after millions of dollars went missing leaving surrogates unpaid and hundreds of intended parents in litigation.
Reproductive law attorneys recommend independent escrow structures specifically because they protect funds from agency-side financial problems. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) emphasizes clear, separate financial handling in gestational carrier arrangements. Escrow structure determines who controls the money and what happens to it if something goes wrong.
How Screening and Support Compare
Surrogate Alternatives screens rigorously: approximately 5% of surrogate applicants move forward after the agency's review process. Surrogate Alternatives provides a Pregnancy Wellness Program that includes dietary and nutritional counseling, acupuncture, massage and prenatal vitamins. Surrogate Alternatives was the first surrogacy agency to offer a wellness package. Surrogates also have access to an online support group, mentorship from experienced surrogates, annual retreats and a 24/7 emergency line available to reach management.
Circle Surrogacy describes its program as full-service with a dedicated interdisciplinary team including lawyers, social workers, case managers and accountants. Both agencies invest in support. Surrogate Alternatives' model is high-touch and personalized with the team coordinating every step from consultation through birth. Circle's model is structured around an interdisciplinary staff.
Talk with Surrogate Alternatives About Your Journey
Intended parents who want a founder-led agency with no waiting lists, compatibility-first matching and independent third-party escrow can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Surrogate Alternatives. An agency director walks intended parents through the full surrogacy process and answers questions about medical, legal and financial requirements before any agreements are signed.
Surrogate Alternatives has been building families since 1998. The right agency is the one whose process, values and structure match what matters most to your family.
Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Surrogate Alternatives.
