Finding and choosing the right sperm donor

Browse through more than 1000 sperm donors

Finding and selecting the right sperm donor has never been easier. At Cryos, we offer the world’s largest and most diverse selection of sperm donors. 

In our sperm donor search, you can find detailed profiles including physical traits, personality insights, education, medical history, and even baby photos or adult images (for some donors)

Find your sperm donor now - it is free to explore.

Not ready to choose yet?

That is completely okay. This guide is here to help you navigate the journey. If you are still figuring out what matters most to you - from ID Release to personality, MOT levels, or simply trusting your instincts - you will find everything you need to make an informed and personal decision below.

3 critical factors to consider when choosing

Finding and choosing the right sperm donor boils down to 3 key factors:

1. Donor characteristics 
Consider the traits that are most important, such as physical characteristics, personality, and health history. Many women and couples choose a donor who resembles them or has qualities they value.

2. Doing your research 
Familiarise yourself with key considerations like ID Release vs. Non-ID Release donors, legal requirements, and the level of donor information available.

3. Sperm motility (MOT)
Sperm motility (MOT) plays a crucial role in conception. Depending on your fertility treatment, different motility levels may be required. Always check with your clinic to ensure compatibility.

Remember: Trust what feels right for you
Remember, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to choose a sperm donor - it all comes down to what feels best for you. Some women and couples start with strict criteria but end up selecting a donor based on a personal connection they feel when reviewing profiles.

Our experts' top 3 tips:

1. Give yourself time: There is no rush. Take the time you need to feel confident in your choice.
2. Talk to friends or family: Their perspectives can help you process your thoughts.
3. Trust your gut feeling: Many of our customers rely heavily on their gut feeling - the choice must feel right.

Most importantly, stay open-minded. Many people end up choosing a donor who does not initially match their expectations but feels like the right choice in the end.

Still unsure where to start? Watch our webinar for free

Choosing the right sperm donor: 3 criteria

The main criteria for picking a sperm donor are based on your individual and personal preferences. However, as it is a big decision, we understand it may be hard to figure out which criteria to prioritize.

Below you will find the 3 most popular traits our customers are looking for in a sperm donor. The data is for our Customer Survey, which was carried out in 2022 and 2023.

1. Physical characteristics - what matters most?

For many women, a top priority is finding a donor with physical features that resemble themselves or their family members.

Common traits considered:

• Ethnicity and race: Cultural and personal factors often play a role.
• Hair and eye color: Preferences vary, but many use these as a selection factor.

Fact: 79% of our customers rank the donor's physical characteristics as the most important part of choosing a donor.
Tip: Use Cryos' face matching tool to find donors who resemble you or your ideal match.

2. Health history - ensuring a safe and healthy choice

A donor’s medical history is one of the most critical factors in selection. Many prioritize this to reduce the risk of inherited conditions and ensure a healthy start for their child.

What to consider in a donor’s health history:

• Genetic screening – has the donor been tested for hereditary conditions
• Family medical history – are there any known genetic diseases in their lineage?
• General health and lifestyle – does the donor lead a healthy lifestyle?

At Cryos, all donors undergo extensive medical screenings to ensure they are free from serious genetic and infectious diseases.

Our health screening includes:

• Genetic conditions: Testing for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and other hereditary conditions.
• Infectious diseases: Screening for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and more.
• Family medical history: Evaluation of risk factors across multiple generations.

Fact: 63% of the people we help prioritise the sperm donor's medical history.

3. Personality and donor background

Physical traits and health history are important, but personality and values can play an even bigger role in selecting the right donor.

How we help you understand the donors:

• Extended profiles: Detailed insights into donors’ values, interests, and hobbies.
• Handwritten letters: Some donors provide personal messages explaining their motivations.
• Voice recordings: Hear what your donor sounds like.
• Goodwill messages: Many donors write notes for potential donor-conceived children.

Fact: 58% of our customers say they rely heavily on their own gut feeling when making a decision.

Filters available when choosing a sperm donor from Cryos

When searching for a sperm donor at Cryos, there are many different filters available to ensure you find a donor that matches your criteria. Here below, you can see a list of the different filters available in our free Sperm Donor Search.

Decide the level of information you want about the donor

Next up: how much information do you want about your donor? You have the option of either choosing a Basic or Extended sperm donor profile.

A Basic Profile contains information such as the donor’s ethnicity, eye colour, hair colour, height, weight, employment and blood type. If you do not consider much information a plus, but only need the basics or/and if you want to keep the costs down, a Basic Profile may be the right choice for you.

If you need more information to make the right decision, you can go for an Extended Profile. In addition to the information in the basic profile, you also get a sound recording of the donor’s voice, child photos of the donor, a personality test, a handwritten letter from the donor and his answers to a range of personal questions about hobbies, interests etc. Some Extended Profiles also contain pictures of sperm donors as adults. The opportunity to see both childhood and adult photos of your sperm donor equips you with a more comprehensive idea of who your sperm donor is. It can also give you an idea of the possible features of your future child.

Read what Marie from France considered when she found her sperm donor.

“The photos of the donors as children are a plus, but the photos of the donors as adults give you a more concrete and real impression. It brought me a personal feeling, which I think is also important in this particular choice. In addition, I personally want to be able to provide as much information as possible to my future child, if it comes to be important for her later. 

And then in life, it is normal to choose your partner, so why should it be different for this important choice?”

- Marie, France

Make sure to order the recommended motility

When you order donor sperm from Cryos, you are asked to choose the preferred motility (MOT) of the sperm. Sperm motility is one of the parameters that helps us measure the quality of the sperm. MOT is the amount of active sperm cells pr. milliliter sperm. Here are our recommendations based on type of fertility treatment:

• ICI treatment: We recommend ordering 2 ICI/IUI MOT10 straws or higher.
• IUI treatment: We recommend ordering 1 IUI straw of MOT10 or higher.
• IVF treatment: We recommend ordering 1 IUI straw of MOT5 or higher.
• ICSI treatment: We recommend ordering 1 IUI straw of MOT2 or higher.

In general, we recommend consulting your clinic before ordering to ensure the order is correct and follows their preferences. 

Additional considerations on using a sperm donor

In this section, we focus on all the different aspects of using a sperm donor, making sure you have all the information that might affect your decision.

1. Check the legislation in your country

While you might be tempted to begin the selection process right away, we recommend researching the legislation in your country. Even after 70 years of treatment with donor sperm, the question of sperm donation is still widely debated. Therefore, we recommend doing your research before deciding on a sperm or egg donor.

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a sperm donor is whether your child can contact the sperm donor once they turn 18. However, some countries only allow you to use both ID Release and Non-ID Release Donors, while other countries only allow you to use one or the other. As a result, we recommend you research the regulations in your treatment country before choosing a sperm donor. Usually, your fertility clinic can tell you which donor type is allowed for your treatment. Otherwise, Cryos’ Customer Care Team will be happy to help you.

As an example, people getting pregnant with donor sperm in the UK are only allowed to use ID Release Donors, meaning they cannot access all the donors in our Donor Search. It is possible to receive treatment with donor sperm from a Non-ID Release Donor, but then you must have the treatment performed in another country, also called fertility tourism. If you think finding a donor in the UK seems confusing, then follow the link to our guide on finding a sperm donor in the UK.

2. Consider whether your child should have the possibility to contact the donor

One of the most important choices you have to make is whether your child should have the option to contact the sperm donor when he or she turns 18. In some countries, this is given because only one or the other option is allowed.

At Cryos, a donor with no possibility for contact is called a Non-ID Release sperm donor, and a donor with the possibility for future contact is called an ID Release sperm donor. With an ID Release donor, your child will have the opportunity to have the donor's name, date of birth and last known address provided at Cryos when he or she turns 18. That is if he or she wants to.

We know that to some, knowing more about their genetic heritage becomes very important. To others, there is no need to know about the donor. If you do not want your child to have the option to seek contact, you can choose a Non-ID Release donor. Then, no one will ever be able to obtain more information about him than provided in the donor profile. Follow the link to read more about sperm donor anonymity.

3. Why choosing the right sperm bank is important

When choosing the right sperm bank to help you on your way towards parenthood, there are a few things you might want to consider:

• Variety of sperm donors: At Cryos, we have a lot of different sperm donors available to help you on your way. Whether you prefer to choose a sperm donor based on their physical trait or personality, there should be an option for you in our Donor Search.
• A thorough screening process: Besides the variety of sperm donors, we make sure that only healthy donors with high-quality sperm are available in our Donor Search.

4. Why you should care about the sperm donor selection process

One of the most important parts of sperm donation is the screening process. At Cryos, we do everything possible to ensure the safety of the women receiving donor sperm and the children born as a result of the donations. Here below, you can read why our screening process is safe and how we minimise the potential risks of sperm donation:

• Donor requirements: Our sperm donor requirements are meant to ensure that our customers receive high-quality donor sperm from healthy men. These requirements concern the age, health, sperm quality, and risk behaviour of the sperm donor.
• The process: All donors at Cryos have undergone a thorough screening process to evaluate their physical and mental health. Our Sperm Donor Search only contains donors who are healthy and comply with country-specific regulations.
• Continuous testing of donors: After completing 10 donations (batch), the donor must have their blood tested, to ensure the safety of our customers and their future children. Only if the blood test is approved, is the batch released.

5. Make sure that the donor has enough straws available for your treatment

Make sure that the donor you have decided upon has enough straws for your entire treatment. Most people need a few treatments to get pregnant. Therefore, it can be a good idea to reserve some extra straws for your entire fertility treatment.

Reserving sperm straws costs a little extra, but it is definitely worth it if you are set on a specific donor. Contact our Customer Care Team or talk to your clinic, if you have any questions regarding the amount of donor sperm you must order. Read more about the cost of reservation by following the link to our page: Sperm Donor cost and payment options.

Frequently asked questions about choosing a sperm donor

How many sperm donors are available at Cryos?

At Cryos, we have the largest selection of sperm donors available in the world. The specific amount of donors available varies from one country to another, depending on the legislation. Some countries only allow one type of donor profile, while others only allow ID or Non-ID Release donors, which will affect the number of donors available.

Can I get a sperm donor that looks like me?

Yes, most people are able to find a sperm donor with a similar physical appearance as themselves. When choosing a sperm donor, it is possible to see pictures of the donors as children, some sperm donors even have pictures of themselves as adults. Many lesbian couples using donor sperm as a pregnancy option tend to choose a donor with a similar physical appearance as the woman not carrying the child. 

Can a sperm donor know their child?

Yes, it is possible for the sperm donor to get to know their child, but only if the child contacts the donor. Children born with the help of ID Release donors, can contact us and receive their sperm donor's contact information when they turn 18, thus giving them the option of getting in contact with their donor.

Can I pay to see more information about sperm donors?

Yes, we have different options for you to gain more knowledge about the donors. We have gathered an overview in the blog post Can I pay to see more information about sperm donors?.