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Key takeaways
- At five private banks we checked on October 9, 2026, first-year costs for cord blood ran $995 to $1,715 at list price, and annual storage after that was about $200.
- Prepaid storage cost $3,630 to $4,495 for 18 to 30 years, and $5,695 to $6,495 for lifetime plans, before promotions.
- Adding cord tissue roughly doubles the bill: $2,900 the first year and $430 a year in storage at Cord Blood Registry.
- Public cord blood banks collect and store donated cord blood for free for families who meet donation requirements.
- ACOG says routine private banking isn't supported by the evidence, and that private banking may be considered when a family member has a condition cord blood could treat.
Private cord blood banking costs about $1,000 to $1,700 for the first year, then about $200 a year for storage, based on list prices at five private banks on October 9, 2026 [1][2][3][4][5]. Prepaying for 18 to 30 years of storage cost $3,630 to $4,495, and lifetime plans cost $5,695 to $6,495 [1][2][3][4][5].
Donating your baby's cord blood to a public bank is free for families who meet the donation requirements [6]. ACOG, the professional group for OB-GYNs, recommends public banking for cord blood used in transplants. It says routine private banking isn't supported by the available evidence [6].
Cord blood banking cost at private banks (2026)
These are list prices for cord blood only, for one baby, as posted on each bank's own pricing page on October 9, 2026.
| Bank | First year | Storage after year 1 | Long-term prepaid plan | Lifetime plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cord Blood Registry (CBR) | $1,715: $1,330 processing, $170 shipping, $215 storage [1] | $215 a year [1] | 18 years: $4,495 [1] | $6,495 [1] |
| StemCyte | $995: $795 processing, $200 storage [2] | $200 a year [2] | 18 years: $3,630 [2] | $5,695 [2] |
| LifebankUSA | $1,274: $175 registration, $900 enrollment and processing, $199 storage [3] | $199 a year [3] | 18 years: $4,075 ($1,075 in fees plus $3,000 prepaid storage) [3] | Not listed |
| Americord | $1,189 for the annual plan, including a $199 kit and $81 shipping [4] | Not shown on the price page | 30 years: $3,980 ($700 processing, $3,000 storage, $280 kit and shipping) [4] | $6,280 for 78 years [4] |
| New England Cord Blood Bank | $1,399 [5] | Not shown on the price page | 20 years: $4,039 [5] | $6,139 [5] |
The first-year and prepaid totals for StemCyte, LifebankUSA and Americord are our sums of the fees each bank lists.
Promotions change the math, often. On the day we checked, Americord's prices dropped to $3,610 for 30 years and $5,680 for lifetime under an offer that ran October 6 to 15 [4]. New England Cord Blood Bank showed sale prices of $699 for the first year, $3,339 for 20 years and $5,439 for lifetime [5]. CBR's October 2026 offer took $750 off cord blood processing [1]. CBR also says it will match verified offers from ViaCord, Cryo-Cell and StemCyte [1]. Get the list price and the current offer in writing before you enroll.
ViaCord's and Cryo-Cell's price pages didn't load for us when we checked, so they're not in the table. Ask each for a written quote.
Storage fees can rise. CBR says its annual storage fees are subject to change [1], and Americord says your annual rate may go up over time [4]. A prepaid plan locks in storage for its term.
What about cord tissue?
Many banks also sell cord tissue storage, which roughly doubles the bill.
- CBR: $2,900 for the first year with cord blood and cord tissue, including a $325 bundle discount, then $430 a year [1]. Cord tissue alone is $1,295 plus shipping and the first year of storage [1].
- New England Cord Blood Bank: $1,899 for the first year at list price, or $899 on sale [5].
- LifebankUSA: $3,024 for the first year with cord blood, placental blood and tissue, then $449 a year [3].
ACOG's recommendations cover cord blood used for transplants and other medically validated uses [6]. Read any bank's claims about future uses of cord tissue carefully, and ask your doctor.
Other costs to ask about
- Collection fee. Your doctor, midwife or hospital may charge a fee to collect the cord blood. Americord suggests asking your insurer whether it's covered [4].
- Deposits and cancellations. New England Cord Blood Bank takes a $150 nonrefundable deposit at enrollment [5]. CBR charges $150 to cancel an enrollment, and the full processing fee if you cancel after the cells are stored [1].
- Rush shipping. If your due date is close, Americord charges $189 extra to get a kit to you in 24 to 48 hours [4].
- Payment plans. All five banks we checked list them [1][2][3][4][5]. Americord's 30-year plan, for example, can be paid over 24 months after a $280 payment at enrollment [4], and StemCyte offers interest-free 6- and 12-month plans [2].
Public cord blood donation: the free option
A public bank stores donated cord blood for anyone who needs a transplant match. Public banks offer cord blood banking at no charge to families who meet the donation requirements. They're generally supported by federal or private funding, which pays for collection and storage [6]. Donated cord blood isn't set aside for your family; it's available to any patient who matches [6]. ACOG counted 28 public cord blood banks in North America [6].
Public and private banks are regulated differently [7]:
- Public banks store cord blood for patients unrelated to the donor. That cord blood counts as a biological product and must be licensed by the FDA or used under an investigational application.
- Private banks store cord blood for the baby or a first- or second-degree relative. They must register with the FDA and follow its rules on infectious disease testing and tissue handling, but those units don't need FDA approval before use.
The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) keeps information on donation options [7]. Ask your hospital early in pregnancy whether it collects for a public bank.
ACOG encourages families of all races and ethnicities to consider public donation, because it increases the number of matched units for people of every background [6].
What ACOG and the AAP say about private banking
We don't give medical advice, so here is what the two major professional groups say, in their words where possible.
ACOG's recommendations, first issued in 2019 and reaffirmed in 2026 [6]:
- Cord blood can't be used to treat a genetic disease or cancer in the same child, because the stored cells carry the same genetic variant or premalignant cells.
- "The routine collection and storage of umbilical cord blood with a private cord blood bank is not supported by the available evidence."
- Private banking "may be considered" when a family member has a cancer or genetic condition that could be treated with a cord blood transplant.
- Public banking is the recommended way to get cord blood for transplants, immune therapies and other medically validated uses.
- Collecting cord blood shouldn't compromise care during birth or change the routine practice of delayed cord clamping.
- Health care providers with a financial interest in a private bank should disclose it.
ACOG cites estimates that the chance a person will develop a condition treatable with their own cord blood ranges from 1 in 400 to 1 in 2,500 [6]. It also notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend routine private storage as "biological insurance," and ACOG agrees [6].
Some states require doctors to tell patients about their cord blood banking options [6]. If a provider brings it up, it's fair to ask whether they have a financial tie to the bank.
Questions to ask a private bank
- What's the total first-year cost, including kit, courier and any registration fee?
- What's the annual storage fee now, and how much has it gone up in the past?
- What's the cancellation policy, and what's refundable if collection fails?
- Is my hospital's collection fee included, or will my provider bill me separately?
- What happens to my baby's cord blood if your company closes or is sold?
For the bigger picture on birth costs, see what it costs to have a baby.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to bank cord blood?
At list prices in October 2026, private banks charged $995 to $1,715 for processing and the first year of storage, then about $200 a year. Prepaying for 18 years or more cost $3,630 to $4,495, and lifetime plans $5,695 to $6,495.
Is it free to donate cord blood?
Yes. Public cord blood banks collect and store donated cord blood at no charge for families who meet their donation requirements. Ask your hospital early in pregnancy whether it collects for a public bank.
Is cord blood banking worth it?
ACOG, the group for OB-GYNs, says routine private banking isn't supported by the available evidence, and the AAP doesn't recommend it as biological insurance. ACOG says private banking may be considered when a family member has a cancer or genetic condition cord blood could treat.
Does insurance pay for cord blood banking?
Plan on paying for private storage yourself. Private banks bill families directly, and all five we checked offer payment plans. Your doctor or hospital may also charge a separate collection fee, so ask your insurer whether that fee is covered.
What is the difference between public and private cord blood banks?
A public bank stores donated cord blood for anyone who needs a match, and it's licensed by the FDA for that use. A private bank stores your baby's cord blood for your family, for a fee. Private banks must register with the FDA, but their units don't need FDA approval for use in the donor or close relatives.
Sources
Numbers in brackets in the guide link to these sources.
- 1.PricingCord Blood Registry (CBR), 2026
- 2.How much does cord blood banking cost? A 2026 pricing guideStemCyte, 2026
- 3.Prices and packagesLifebankUSA, 2026
- 4.Cord blood package pricingAmericord Registry, 2026
- 5.Pricing and enrollmentNew England Cord Blood Bank, 2026
- 6.Umbilical Cord Blood Banking, Committee Opinion No. 771 (reaffirmed 2026)American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 2019
- 7.Cord Blood Banking: Information for ConsumersU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2018
