Adopted.com

What Adopted.com does

Adopted.com, operated by Adopted Innovations Inc. (registered in Oregon, USA), is a global online adoption reunion registry platform serving adoptees, birth parents, biological siblings, and extended family members separated by adoption. The platform, founded in 2001 with the concept originating in 2005, operates as a mutual-consent matching system where a connection is only surfaced when both parties have expressed a desire to be found, protecting privacy in an emotionally sensitive domain. Its proprietary instant matching algorithm compares user-submitted structured profile data (birth dates, approximate locations, gender, names) against a database of over 1,256,265 profiles, with DNA data integration from 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritageDNA supplementing profile-based matching. The platform also offers NameSearch(TM) for historical record searches.

The business model is freemium: free registration provides basic match percentage results, while a paid subscription unlocks viewing profiles of other members, secure private messaging, and advanced search features. Revenue is generated entirely through individual consumer subscriptions with no enterprise contracts or institutional customers. A separate Professional Registry offers a paid, invitation-only directory listing for investigators, genetic researchers, and therapists. The platform operates globally across 100+ countries with localized landing pages and maintains GDPR, CCPA, and PIPEDA compliance.

The company is privately held and bootstrapped with 1-10 employees, led by Founder & CEO Katharine Wall (20+ years in adoption reunion services). Operations are supported by an Operations Coordinator/CTO, Hosting Director (AWS/GCP certified), and Compliance Director (CISSP/CISA/CDPSE certified). Go-to-market is community-led, relying on National Adoption Month campaigns, social media outreach, SEO-optimized geographic pages, blog content marketing, and word-of-mouth within the adoption community. The November 2025 member drive targeting 5,000 new registrations exemplifies the community-driven acquisition model.

Name

Adopted.com

Legal name

Adopted Innovations Inc.

Website

https://adopted.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Adopted.com operates the world's largest voluntary adoption reunion registry, serving over 1.25 million profiles globally. The freemium platform uses mutual-consent matching algorithms to connect adoptees, birth parents, and biological relatives across 100+ countries, with paid subscriptions unlocking premium features.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

North Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Paid Subscription - Premium Features: Free membership allows profile creation and basic search percentage results. Paid subscription unlocks premium features including viewing profiles of other registry members, secure private messaging, and NameSearch(TM) across Adopted.com and historical records. Messages sent to matches are free for recipients to read and reply, ensuring communication is never blocked by inability to pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Adopted.com operates the world's largest voluntary mutual consent adoption reunion registry with over 1.25 million profiles, enabling adoptees, birth parents, and biological family members to find each other. Registration is free and includes a proprietary instant matching algorithm that compares user-provided profile data against the global member database; a paid subscription unlocks profile viewing, secure messaging, and NameSearch(TM) historical record searches. The platform integrates with major DNA testing services (23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage) to support DNA-based reunion matching.

Product overview

Adopted.com operates as a unified adoption reunion platform combining a social networking service with specialized matching technology. The core product is the Adoption Reunion Registry — a global mutual-consent database with over 1.25 million profiles enabling adoptees, birth parents, and family members to find each other through instant profile matching. The platform layers additional capabilities including a DNA Matching Service for uploading and cross-referencing genetic data from 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage; NameSearch™ for name-based historical record searches; and a Premium Subscription tier unlocking profile viewing, secure messaging, and advanced search features. A separate Professional Registry directory connects members with independent investigators, genetic researchers, and therapists. Registration is free; paid subscriptions unlock premium features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adoption Reunion Registry A global mutual consent adoption reunion registry where adoptees, birth parents, and biological family members create profiles and are instantly matched against a database of over 1.25 million profiles. Free registration includes profile creation, a ten-question intake, and instant comparison results showing match percentage. The service is for individuals in the adoption triad and extended biological family members.
• DNA Matching Service A service that allows members to upload DNA data from third-party genetic testing services (23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage) and cross-reference it against the Adopted.com member database to identify biological family connections. Members are notified when a DNA lead is found.
• Professional Registry A curated directory of independent professionals — including private investigators, genetic researchers, and therapists specializing in adoption reunion cases — made available to Adopted.com members on a regional basis. Operated as a paid recurring subscription for Listed Professionals; participation is by invitation only. Professionals are independent and not endorsed by Adopted.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.25 million total profiles in the registry enabling instant matching
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 23andMecoreTechnology or IntegrationAdopted.com is partnered with 23andMe as part of its DNA Matching service. Members can link their 23andMe DNA data to their Adopted.com profile, and the system cross-references it with other members. If a DNA lead is found, the member is notified right away.
• FamilyTreeDNAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAdopted.com integrates with FamilyTreeDNA as part of its DNA Matching service. Members can upload FamilyTreeDNA data to their Adopted.com profile for cross-referencing with other members in the registry.
• AncestryDNAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAdopted.com integrates with AncestryDNA as part of its DNA Matching service. Members can link their AncestryDNA results to their Adopted.com profile to find adoption reunion matches through genetic connections.
• MyHeritageDNAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAdopted.com integrates with MyHeritageDNA as part of its DNA Matching service. Members can upload MyHeritageDNA data to their Adopted.com profile for DNA-based matching with other registry members.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FamilySearch: FamilySearch is the largest free genealogy platform operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, offering family tree building and record access. While not focused on adoption reunion, it addresses adjacent family history and connection use cases for a global audience.
• FindMyPast: FindMyPast is a UK-focused genealogy and family history platform with record access and family tree tools. It serves an overlapping audience seeking biological family connections, with particular strength in British and Irish records.

Direct peers

• 23andMe: 23andMe offers DNA testing with relative-matching features that enable biological family discovery. As a current Adopted.com integration partner, 23andMe is both a collaborator and a competitor offering direct reunion pathways through its own DNA database.
• Ancestry (AncestryDNA): Ancestry operates AncestryDNA, one of the largest consumer genetic databases globally, and offers family-finding features that directly compete with Adopted.com's reunion use case. Both platforms match biological relatives using DNA and profile data, though Ancestry's scale is dramatically larger.
• International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR): ISRR is one of the oldest adoption reunion registries, founded in 1975, using Soundex coding for name-based matching. It directly competes with Adopted.com in the mutual consent reunion registry niche, though Adopted.com's larger profile base provides a scale advantage.
• FamilyTreeDNA: FamilyTreeDNA is a genetic testing company focused on genealogy and paternal/maternal line tracing. It is an Adopted.com integration partner and serves overlapping customers seeking biological family connections.
• MyHeritage: MyHeritage offers DNA testing and family tree services with strong international reach, particularly in Europe. It is also an Adopted.com DNA integration partner and competes in the same biological family-finding use case.

Others

• Adoption.com: Adoption.com is a broader adoption-focused platform providing resources for adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptees. It addresses some overlapping needs but is not specifically a reunion registry and serves a different primary use case than Adopted.com.

Emerging players

• Geni.com: Geni.com is a collaborative family tree platform now owned by MyHeritage that helps users build and share family trees. It serves overlapping genealogy and family-finding use cases, though it is not purpose-built for adoption reunion.
• WikiTree: WikiTree is a collaborative free family tree platform with DNA features and global community participation. It serves adoptees and birth families seeking connections but lacks the dedicated mutual consent architecture Adopted.com provides.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/adoptedcom
• Xx.com/adoptedcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adopted

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Adopted.com