Cryonics, preserving a body or brain at very low temperature after legal death in the hope that future medicine might revive it, is expensive and uncertain. Published prices from the best-known US providers range from about $28,000 to $220,000, and that is before standby teams, transport and yearly membership dues. Our guide to cryonics costs breaks those numbers down.
For many people, the price is not the only issue. Some are not convinced it could ever work. Some like the idea but not the commitment. Some simply want to do something that keeps the door open, or leaves a mark, without paying for a long-term preservation contract.
Here are the main alternatives people consider, from closest to cryonics to furthest away. None of them can promise revival, and neither can cryonics.
1. Neuropreservation (brain only)
- What it is: Cryopreserving only the head or brain instead of the whole body.
- Typical cost: Alcor lists $80,000 for neuropreservation, compared with $220,000 for whole body.
- The idea: If revival ever became possible, the brain is what holds memory and personality. A future technology able to repair a brain might also be able to grow or build a new body.
- Trade-off: Still expensive, and many people find the idea emotionally difficult. It carries all the same scientific uncertainty as whole-body cryonics.
2. Lower-cost cryonics providers
- What it is: Choosing a provider with lower published prices.
- Typical cost: The Cryonics Institute lists $28,000 for lifetime members, plus membership. Providers also exist in Europe, Russia and Australia, with prices that vary widely.
- Trade-off: Lower prices often mean less is included. Standby at the bedside and rapid cooling, which many people consider important for preservation quality, may cost extra or not be available where you live. Read exactly what is covered.
3. Chemical brain preservation
- What it is: Instead of cooling to liquid nitrogen temperatures, the brain is fixed with chemicals, similar to how tissue is preserved for microscopes, and then stored. Some methods combine chemical fixation with cold storage, as in aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation, which won research prizes for preserving animal brains in remarkable detail.
- Typical cost: Varies. A few small organizations offer chemical brain preservation, sometimes at much lower cost than traditional cryonics, and some research groups have proposed it could eventually be very cheap.
- The idea: Preserve the brain's structure, its wiring and connections, as perfectly as possible, on the theory that future technology might read that information.
- Trade-off: The chemicals are toxic to living cells, so this is not a path to "waking up" in the original brain. It only makes sense if you believe a future technology could scan the structure and recreate the mind some other way, an idea explained in our guide to mind uploading. See brain preservation for details.
4. Whole body donation to science
- What it is: Donating your body to a medical school or research program.
- Typical cost: Often free; many programs cover transport and cremation.
- What it does: It does not preserve you for the future. It helps train doctors and advance research today, which many people find deeply meaningful, especially those who care about medicine moving forward.
- Trade-off: It usually rules out cryonics or burial of the full body, and programs have their own acceptance rules.
5. Organ and tissue donation
- What it is: Registering as a donor so your organs and tissues can help others.
- Typical cost: Free. In the US you can register through your state's donor registry or when renewing a driver's license.
- What it does: One donor can save several lives and help many more. For people drawn to cryonics because they want their death to mean more than an ending, this is the most proven way to do it.
- Trade-off: It can conflict with cryonics, which needs rapid cooling and an intact body or brain. If you are considering both, talk to your provider.
6. DNA and tissue banking
- What it is: Storing a DNA sample or cells, sometimes through a medical lab or a private company.
- Typical cost: A few hundred dollars or less, plus possible storage fees.
- What it does: Preserves genetic information that could be useful to your descendants' medical care.
- Trade-off: Your DNA is not you. A genetic copy would be a different person, like an identical twin born later, without your memories. It is not a substitute for preserving a mind.
7. Preserving your memories and story
- What it is: Recording your voice, writing a legacy letter, organizing photos and setting up account access for your family.
- Typical cost: Free to very little.
- What it does: It preserves the part of you that the people you love will miss most: your stories, values and voice. Our guides on how to be remembered after you die and digital legacy planning show how.
- Trade-off: It does not preserve your body or brain, and it is not a form of continued life. But it is guaranteed to work in the way that matters to your family.
8. Recording your revival wishes
- What it is: Writing down, clearly and privately, whether you would want to be revived if science ever made it possible, and under what conditions.
- Typical cost: Free to modest. Revival Registry lets you save a "Not sure yet" answer free, with optional paid plans for a YES or NO record.
- What it does: It does not preserve your body. It preserves your answer, so that if the question ever comes up, for you or for someone deciding on your behalf, your wishes are known. It also helps families who are weighing cryonics or end-of-life choices to understand what you wanted.
- Trade-off: It is not a promise of revival and cannot make revival more likely. See our side-by-side comparison of cryonics vs. recording your wishes.
Quick comparison
| Option | Rough cost | Preserves your brain? | Proven benefit today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-body cryonics | $28,000 to $220,000+ | Attempts to | None yet |
| Neuropreservation | About $80,000 | Attempts to | None yet |
| Chemical brain preservation | Varies | Structure only | None yet |
| Body donation | Often free | No | Medical education |
| Organ donation | Free | No | Saves lives |
| DNA banking | Low | No | Family medical info |
| Memories and legacy | Free | No | Family remembers you |
| Recording your wishes | Free to modest | No | Family knows your answer |
How to choose
Ask yourself three questions:
- What do I actually hope for? A real chance at coming back, a contribution to science, or simply being remembered?
- What can I afford without burdening my family? Life insurance can fund cryonics, but premiums are a long-term commitment.
- What would I want if revival were possible? Many people discover they are not sure, and that is a valid answer.
Many people end up combining a few options, such as organ donation, a legacy letter and a written answer about revival. Whatever you choose, write it down and tell the people who would need to act on it.