Dadi vs Legacy Sperm Testing and Sperm Freezing (March 2022)

After my last post, I decided to do a head to head analysis of Legacy vs. Dadi vs. Sppare.me. I spent a lot of time digging into these companies (and others, like Cryochoice, which I didn’t cover) so please like and share the post if it was helpful to you! and thank you to everyone who has already reached out!

Conclusion: Legacy is a better choice than Dadi for most people

final scores:

LEGACY: 19/20

DADI: 15.5/20

Below I’ll explain the key things I was looking for and the score I gave each company.

NOTE: I updated my review in July 2021!! Legacy went up 1 point and Dadi went up 1 point as well! Last updated in March 2022 to add some new facts and figures. Note that Dadi is no longer an independent company, they sold to Ro. I may write a post about this later!

THIRD PARTY CREDIBILITY/TRUST.

what does the rest of the world think about these companies? have they been validated? are they just startups trying to take my money or can i trust them?

LEGACY: 5/5

i thought this was extremely clear to me. i did a lot of research on all of the companies and they were the best here. they were founded at harvard university, they won a bunch of international awards, they have a very strong team and very credible advisors. they did a really good job i thought of making that clear.

+1 for harvard

+1 for team and advisors

July 2021 update: I also like that they work directly with the Navy SEALs and are covered by insurance companies now, that’s pretty cool!

DADI: 3.5/5

i thought they did a good job overall. they seem to have really cool tech, and i loved their video showing how the kit is made and how it is used. i used their product and its a cool touch to have everything in one mechanism. it is clearly professionally designed.

i have heard of their advisors like jacques cohen and that seems like a big name in the male fertility world. i also found multiple articles about them, like in GQ or other big articles, so they clearly have some third party credibility.

what i didn’t like: they don’t have a team page which i’ve always found super strange (same with sppare.me). i sent the website to my bf and he was googling the company as well.

it turns out their ceo used to run a GIF company and has some gifs of him that do not super inspire confidence for a company that is testing and freezing my sperm…. !!!!

then lastly they have a ‘reviews’ section on the website but it seems fake?? they don’t seem like real reviews at all and i couldn’t find those reviews anywhere else online. so that just seemed kind of shady. why lie about something like that??

-0.5 for no team page and -0.5 for weird images of ceo online (see bottom)

+0.5 for good, well known advisors

-0.5 for fake reviews on website

July 2021 update: I like that they removed most of the obviously fake reviews and just put in media quotes and quotes from real people. I found them on Trustpilot but it seems that they’re having issues here now, maybe they’re out of kits, but their score was only 4.0/5.0 which doesn’t seem great. Overall, I’m giving Dadi an extra +0.5 points here

ANALYSIS QUALITY.

once i looked at what the rest of the world thought, i also wanted to do my own research. i thought both companies were good, but legacy was better.

LEGACY: 5/5

their semen analysis includes all the main factors (although not clear if they include ph or liquefaction, mine didn’t) and was basically the same as what i got from my clinic. this was a +1.

i liked that they gave an explanation of everything and i had someone to talk to throughout the whole process. customer service here was a +1

i think they have more room for improvement in how they visualize the results, so this was a -0.5. it was mostly text and i found their ‘client dashboard’ a little confusing to navigate while dadi made it extremely simple for me to understand and showed simple visuals of my scores.

cost of analysis only (incl morphology): $195

July 2021 update: I like that they totally overhauled their results and now include DNA Fragmentation which is super cool! I’ve updated this +0.5

DADI: 3.5/5

I didn’t like that you have to pay extra to get a full analysis, otherwise you only get volume, count, and concentration which don’t really mean much. they don’t test motility by default which is the most important thing to test for, so this was a -1.

You also don’t get a detailed analysis, you just get high level scores. on the one hand, it tells you almost everything you need to know but i feel more secure with all the details, same at as a clinic. this was a -0.5

they have a video of your sperm which is a +0.5 because it’s pretty cool!

Finally, you can’t choose to only do analysis, which was a -0.5 since you HAVE to have your sperm frozen. what if you don’t want to freeze it? someone e-mailed to tell me that if you only want analysis, and you e-mail them asking to cancel the freezing subscription immediately, they’ll just refund you the full amount you paid. it doesn’t make sense to me but thought I’d share….

Cost of analysis only (incl morphology): $199 + $99 = $300

July 2021 update: It seems they are testing motility by default now, although you still have to pay extra for morphology and access to nurses, which Legacy offers for free. So I want to add +0.5 points but I find their report so much less helpful than Legacy’s so I’m going to keep it as-is instead of adding and then removing 0.5 points. I just don’t think their report is particularly useful if you really want to know your sperm parameters!

FREEZING QUALITY.

this mattered a lot to me since i was planning on doing freezing, and probably for the next 5 or 10 years, so i wanted to know my sample would be safe.

LEGACY: 5/5

I liked everything legacy has when it comes to freezing. i spoke to someone on the phone and they walked me through the whole process, which i think is also on the website. they have really really good risk mitigation practices. they explained that when they finish the analysis, they put it into a short term freeze in preparation for shipping. then:

a few days later, they thaw a small amount to make sure it froze properly, and they then test the count and motility (and give you the results)
they ship it to their cryostorage facility in two shipments in case anything happens to one of the shipments (they told me their shipper hasnt had an issue since the 1980s)
then at the facility they divide your sperm into multiple tanks and locations which is really cool since it means even if there was a malfunction somewhere, your sperm is stored in more than one place

+1 for each and also +0.5 because they explained it to me so clearly

also you freeze 3-6 vials (they said it depends on how much sperm you produce in your ejaculation, i had 5 vials frozen)

July 2021 update: No change

DADI: 4/5

there’s nothing wrong with the way dadi freezes. they use a company that has been around for a long time called New England Cryogenic Center and it seems very reputable, the head of the clinic is one of their advisors and her name is dr. grace centola, she seems very qualified.

+1 because their clinic is the same place they do the freezing, so this means no risk during transportation

+0.5 because it seems to be a credible facility with a good track record

-1 because their clinic is the same place they do the freezing! since they can’t do any redundancy like legacy does

-0.5 because you freeze 3 vials no matter what, which is fine, but it just means you’ll probably get less vials than legacy.

July 2021 update: Added +0.5 because I think that I was a little harsh when giving them a -1 for not having redundancy for their clinic

PRICE

LEGACY: 4.0/5

I thought legacy’s pricing was fine but not as cheap as dadi’s. it costs $195 for the analysis and then you can buy 5 years of storage for $495.

-1.5 because their annual plan is more expensive than dadi ($145 vs. $99) and because on average, they are about 10% more expensive than dadi for long-term storage

+0.5 because they have a monthly option and because they don’t charge withdrawal fees

total cost:

6 months: $90

1 year: $145

2 years: $290 (145/year)

5 years: $495 ($99/year)

10 years: $1,000 ($100/year)

50 years: $4,000 ($80/year)

July 2021 update: They do now offer payment in instalments, so I removed my -0.5

DADI: 4.5/5

overall they have good pricing for storage and actually while they list the storage at $99/year you get a 10% discount if you prepay so really it’s more like $90, which is the rate i used for the calculations below

-0.5 because they have a $300 withdrawal fee

6 months: N/A

total cost:

1 year: $100 (included in the cost of your $200 analysis)

2 years: $190 ($95/year)

5 years: $450 ($90/year)

10 years: $900 ($90/year)

50 years: $4,500 ($90/year)

July 2021 update: They do now offer payment in instalments

overall:

Legacy is better than Dadi for sperm testing, especially if you want a detailed repot and care about things like morphology or DNA fragmentation.

Legacy is better than Dadi for QUALITY of sperm freezing, especially since they do all these additional tests and store your sperm in multiple locations

Dadi is better than Legacy for PRICE of sperm freezing, especially if you’re only freezing for a year or two. If you’re freezing for 5 or more years, they’re comparable, although Dadi will still be about 10% cheaper

July 2021 edit: It seems you can get sperm freezing for free with Legacy if you have insurance. I haven’t tried it myself so please let me know if it works for you!

Prologue:

July 2021 update: I thought these photos of the Dadi CEO were super funny but I think they were just distracting up top, so I moved them down here! I still think they’re really funny! But maybe not for someone who is handling your sperm……..

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bonus content of dadi’s CEO tom smith

The Best Male Fertility Kits: Legacy vs Dadi vs Fellow vs Sppare.me vs Yo Sperm

I confided in a colleague recently that I was running a male fertility website, and he DIED laughing!!! But here’s the real deal: there is NOTHING more important to most men than being able to have kids. I’ve already written about my experience going to a clinic in Austin.

Below I want to write the most comprehensive review of male fertility kits that I’ve personally tried and used. I share more about me below, and I’d love to hear from you! I’m at spermfreezing (at) gmail (dot) com.

Legacy vs. Fellow vs. Dadi vs. Yo vs. Sppare.me

I’ll break down each of their services, one by one, but here are the rankings you need to know:

#1. Legacy is the best option. They are the most credible, the highest-quality, the safest, and the most versatile option.

#2 Fellow is the second-best option. They provide a rigorous, high-quality semen analysis at an affordable rate, but don’t offer sperm freezing.

#3 Dadi is the third-best option. They provide a credible and comprehensive bundle of testing and freezing.

#4 Yo is the fourth-best option. They are a cost-effective option that is suitable for many men.

#5 Sppare.me is the fifth-best option. They are a good all-round service, but are consistently outmatched by at least one competitor on quality, price, and service.

Legacy vs. Fellow vs. Dadi vs. Yo vs. Sppare.me, Comparison Chart

Who should use these services?

In general, these services are perfect for men who fall into these categories:

Single men who want to make sure they can have healthy children in the future
Men in heterosexual relationships who are trying to conceive (TTC) now or will be TTC soon
Men in same-sex relationships who will use sperm with a surrogate
Men facing medical issues like cancer or work in high-risk jobs
Men planning on getting a vasectomy (or a vasectomy reversal)
Older men who have remarried and may be considering having kids again
Men who don’t have to pay for the service!

LGBTQ and sperm freezing?

Should gay men be freezing their sperm? ABSOLUTELY!!! If you’re going to use a surrogate, like I am planning to, then being able to test and freeze your sperm is extremely valuable.

The question is: how do you want to decide whose sperm to use? That’s a topic for another day and one that my partner and I have discussed a lot!!!

But ultimately you will be using IUI or IVF with the surrogate. If you can afford IVF, it’s great because then you can use ICSI to select the sperm, you can PGS (Pre-Genetic Screening) for the embryos to screen for the healthiest ones, and you can make sure that you’re using your best sperm.

Most importantly, STDs can affect your fertility! So don’t take any chances, especially if you’re sexually active.

Should transgender women freeze sperm?

Yes! Do it before you start HRT because these hormones will affect your fertility and block the production of sperm.

What I’ve learned is that if you stop HRT, MOST OF THE TIME you can start producing sperm again. What’s not known is how long you can be on HRT before that option is no longer available to you. So freeze your sperm while you can!

How do at-home male fertility services work?

This is what I love about al of these products!! You DON’T have to go to a clinic, you you DON’T have to deal with any judgmental looks, and you DON’T have to deal with the awkwardness of going to masturbate at a clinic. You can do it entirely at home!

Best of all, all these options are significantly cheaper than most fertility clinics I’ve seen. One doctor explained to me that fertility clinics make their money from IVF, so they just don’t care very much about performing a semen analysis. So they charge high rates for a service that’s very simple for them to perform.

What should I look for with at-home sperm testing or at-home sperm freezing?

Here are the factors that I think you should consider:

Price: You want to make sure you are paying $200 or less for a semen analysis, and $150/year or less for cryostorage. This is already a lot cheaper than clinics I’ve seen!
Speed: This is nice, but not critical for most men. How quickly can you get your results? Keep in mind you need to consider shipping time, return time, and then analysis time, so the whole process will probably take about a week.
Vials: If you’re freezing your sperm, how many vials are you freezing? Generally speaking, the more, the better, since it gives you more flexibility!
Tele-health: Can you speak to a doctor once you have your results? If so, is it an extra fee?
Storage: If you’re opting for cryostorage, are you getting single-site storage or multi-site storage? While risks are low across the board, if you’re freezing for multiple years, why take any risks? Pacific Fertility Center had a major meltdown a couple of years ago, as did University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Post-thaw: Will they check to make sure your sperm froze well? The best services will do a “post thaw” check after 24 hours, where they thaw a tiny sample and make sure everything went well. I didn’t want to take any risks here, so I made sure I got this.
FSA/HSA & Insurance: Will you have to pay out of pocket or can this be reimbursed by someone else?

You’ll notice I don’t care a lot about gimmicks, like having a video of your sperm, or having really nice graphics, or a beautiful brand.

AT THE END OF THE DAY: you want to find the company that places the most emphasis on quality. Because no matter how nice the website, how slick the kit, or how beautiful the instruction booklet you receive, at the end of the day what really matters is whether your sperm is safe, secure, and can be used in the future!!!

Legacy vs Dadi vs Fellow vs Sppare.me vs Yo Sperm: The Best Male Fertility Kits

Why is Legacy the best option for at-home sperm testing and freezing? Review of Legacy’s male fertility kit

I wrote a really nice piece comparing Legacy vs Sppare.me and comparing Legacy vs. Dadi.

In general, I am a big fan of the company, I really like their team, and it is the most credible in the space. They were at Harvard, they have doctors on the team, they’re covered by insurance, etc. all of which are great signs.

I don’t think their brand is as slick as some other competitors, their price is not always the cheapest, but from their product it is clear to me that they place a premium on quality and security that made me want to work with them.

Why is Fellow the second best option for at-home sperm testing? Review of Fellow’s male fertility kit

I haven’t done a proper comparison of Fellow before, but in general I like what they’re doing. They don’t feel as “refined” as other companies in overall look and feel (probably because they are younger), but they are clearly focused on quality, have set up their own lab, and are clearly working with a lot of doctors and clinics which is a big plus in my book.

Why is Dadi the third-best option for at-home sperm testing and freezing? Review of Dadi’s male fertility kit

You can see how I compare Dadi vs. Sppare.me and how I compare Dadi vs. Legacy. In general, I think it’s a solid company that has invested a lot in brand and a kit, but one that I don’t trust as much in terms of overall quality compared to Fellow or Legacy.

I think the founder of a company has a BIG impact on how it turns out, and someone who previously founded a digital sticker company just doesn’t feel like the person I want to trust with my sperm. They have a lot of gimmicks like “two factor authentication” or showing videos of your sperm, and they have a fake review score on their website, which rubs me the wrong way (Fellow does the same).

That said, the service itself seems good, and at a reasonable price. It is still a better overall option than Sppare.me, providing a better service at lower cost.

Why is Yo Sperm the fourth-best option for at-home sperm testing? Review of Yo Sperm’s male fertility kit

I like what they’re trying to do here, by making a simple, at-home option for men to understand their sperm. And the $70 price point is attractive. But if you’re already investing in doing this, then why wouldn’t you pay a little more for a clinic-grade analysis, actually done at a clinic, and ideally freeze your sperm? You won’t get the level of precision with Yo Sperm that you would with the other male fertility companies, so ultimately they land at #4. You get what you pay for!

Why is Sppare.me the worst option for at-home sperm testing and freezing? Review of Sppare.me’s male fertility kit

I want to be clear that I don’t think Sppare.me is doing anything WRONG. Yes they have a lot of work to do on branding etc. and like Dadi, they don’t list their team on the website (which always makes me feel like they are hiding something!) BUT the product is good, the price point is reasonable, and the service overall seems reputable. The fact is though, they don’t have anything where they are more competitive than anyone else. I have no reason to pick them over any of the 4 other companies!

I HOPE THIS HELPS!!! I really enjoyed writing this and hope I’ll write more soon, but I would love more ideas and inspiration from y’all!!!

Learn more about who I am:

I grew up in a very normal, nuclear family in Texas. We’re not in a particularly liberal part of the state (my mom and dad voted for Trump) and I grew up in an environment that was not particularly accepting of men like me. I grew up enjoying ballet, cooking, and was fascinated by my mom’s jewelry. I knew from a very young age that I was not going to be the kind of MANLY MAN that my father wanted to be, particularly as I wasn’t really attracted to women, no matter how much I tried.

But being gay, which took me decades to come to terms with, doesn’t meant that you don’t care about being a dad!! I used to dream of having my own kids, I always wanted one boy and one girl, and it took a long time for me to find role models who had families of their own with their partners. Believe it or not, Tom Ford (from Austin) was a big inspiration for me to accept my own sexuality because he was so open about being gay.

Why I care about male fertility:

And so the real reason I’ve kept up this website, even though it’s really just been for fun, has been because this topic matters for so many men, including men like me. I think testing your sperm matters. I think freezing your sperm matters. I think KNOWING ABOUT your sperm matters!!!!

Thank you to those of you who have written in, to support my work, or even to offer to send me a kit to try out myself.

So today I want to write the most comprehensive comparison of male fertility companies that exist today. Here goes!!!!

Josh F. is a writer based in Austin, Texas. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his partner and writing about fertility! Reach him anytime at spermfreezing AT gmail DOT com.