Surrogate Alternatives vs. West Coast Surrogacy: Choosing the Right Agency for Your Family
Surrogate Alternatives and West Coast Surrogacy are both California-based, founder-led boutique agencies. Women with personal surrogacy and egg donation experience founded both agencies, and both staff their teams largely with former surrogates. Both use third-party escrow.
The difference is how much information each agency publishes so intended parents can evaluate before committing. Surrogate Alternatives publishes a specific baby count, a specific surrogate acceptance rate, a named escrow provider and a lower published cost range. This page lays out the differences so intended parents can decide which agency 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
West Coast Surrogacy
- $190,000 to $240,000 typical journey cost
- Matching takes a few weeks to a couple of months
- Third-party escrow, provider not named
- Founded by Amy Stewart, active as owner and director
(SeedTrust)
Surrogate
acceptance
Founder-led
How Cost, Track Record and Transparency Compare
This comparison is unique because both founders have personal surrogacy and egg donation experience. Surrogate Alternatives is family-owned and founder-led by Diana Olmeda, a two-time surrogate, five-time egg donor and author of The Surrogacy Blueprint. Diana's surrogacy and egg donation resulted in the birth of 10 children. Diana continues to lead Surrogate Alternatives today. Surrogate Alternatives was built by someone who has personally lived the surrogacy journey from multiple perspectives.
Amy Stewart founded West Coast Surrogacy after a career in reproductive medicine that began in 1990. Amy has been an egg donor for two couples, a gestational surrogate who carried twins and a fertility patient. Amy remains actively involved as owner and director. Both agencies staff their teams largely with former surrogates, so intended parents at either agency work with people who have firsthand experience.
SAI Publishes More Data for Intended Parents to Evaluate Before Committing
Surrogate Alternatives publishes a specific baby count: more than 4,000 babies since 1998. West Coast Surrogacy does not publish a total baby or journey count. Surrogate Alternatives publishes a specific surrogate acceptance rate: approximately 5% of applicants move forward after screening. West Coast Surrogacy publishes eligibility criteria but does not disclose an acceptance percentage.
Surrogate Alternatives names its escrow provider: SeedTrust, an independent third-party escrow company. West Coast Surrogacy describes its escrow as a "licensed third-party escrow service" without naming the provider. When an agency publishes its track record, screening selectivity and escrow provider by name, intended parents can verify those claims independently before committing.
SAI's Published Cost Range Starts Lower
A typical surrogacy journey with Surrogate Alternatives costs $150,000 to $200,000. West Coast Surrogacy publishes a range of $190,000 to $240,000. Surrogate Alternatives' upper estimate ($200,000) falls below West Coast Surrogacy's midpoint.
West Coast Surrogacy publishes first-time surrogate base compensation starting at $72,000 and experienced surrogate packages reaching $106,000. Surrogate Alternatives offers competitive base compensation without publishing specific dollar amounts. Both agencies use fixed agency fees with no surprise agency fees. Surrogate Alternatives provides a detailed cost breakdown before the journey begins, and its published cost range is lower for intended parents.
SAI Moves Families Into Profile Review Within Days
Surrogate Alternatives does not operate paid or unpaid waiting lists. Intended parents begin reviewing curated surrogate profiles within days, based on compatibility rather than a structured timeline. Only about 5% of surrogate applicants move forward after screening, allowing Surrogate Alternatives to prioritize quality, safety and compatibility in every match.
West Coast Surrogacy describes matching as taking a few weeks to a couple of months after initial steps. Both agencies are boutique operations that prioritize personalized matching over volume. Surrogate Alternatives starts the profile review process faster, and intended parents are never asked to pay additional fees for priority access to matching.
Both Agencies Protect Client Funds Through Third-Party Escrow
Surrogate Alternatives requires all client funds to be held through SeedTrust, an independent third-party escrow provider. Surrogate Alternatives never holds or controls escrowed funds at any point. West Coast Surrogacy requires all surrogate costs to be held in a third-party escrow account. Both agencies keep client funds separate from agency operations.
West Coast Surrogacy is based in California, where the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation regulates escrow agents directly. The state publishes a searchable list of regulated escrow entities so consumers can verify a provider's license before committing funds. Surrogate Alternatives names its escrow provider outright. West Coast Surrogacy's escrow provider is not named, so intended parents who want to verify licensure directly would need to ask for the provider's name first.
Talk With Surrogate Alternatives About Your Journey
Intended parents who want a founder-led agency with more than 4,000 babies born, no waitlists, profiles within days, a named independent escrow provider and a lower published cost range can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Surrogate Alternatives. An agency director walks intended parents through the full surrogacy process and answers all questions about medical, legal and financial requirements before intended parents and surrogates sign any agreements.
Surrogate Alternatives has been building families since 1998. The right agency is the one whose process, values and cost structure match what matters most to your family.
Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Surrogate Alternatives.
