Blood Type Compatibility Chart
Check blood type compatibility for transfusions and organ donation. See which types you can donate to or receive from.
Can Donate Red Blood Cells To
4 compatible recipient types
Can Receive Red Blood Cells From
2 compatible donor types
Full Transfusion Compatibility Matrix
Row = Donor, Column = Recipient. ✓ = Compatible
| Donor ↓ / Recipient → | A+ | A- | B+ | B- | AB+ | AB- | O+ | O- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| A- | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| B+ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| B- | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| AB+ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| AB- | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| O+ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| O- | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
All Blood Types — Key Facts
| Type | Population | Can Donate To | Can Receive From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A+ | 34% | A+, AB+ | A+, A-, O+, O- | Second most common blood type |
A- | 6% | A+, A-, AB+, AB- | A-, O- | Can donate red cells to all A and AB types |
B+ | 9% | B+, AB+ | B+, B-, O+, O- | Common in South Asian populations |
B- | 2% | B+, B-, AB+, AB- | B-, O- | Rare blood type |
AB+ | 3% | AB+ | A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+, O- | Universal recipient (red cells) |
AB- | 1% | AB+, AB- | A-, B-, AB-, O- | Rarest common type |
O+ | 38% | A+, B+, AB+, O+ | O+, O- | Most common blood type |
O- | 7% | A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+, O- | O- | Universal donor (red cells) |
Blood Type Compatibility — ABO and Rh Factor Guide
Human blood is classified by the ABO system (A, B, AB, O) and the Rh factor (positive or negative), giving 8 main blood types. The ABO antigens on red blood cells determine compatibility: type O has neither A nor B antigens, making O- the universal red cell donor. Type AB+ has both antigens and is the universal recipient — it can receive from all types. The Rh factor adds another layer: Rh-negative blood can be given to both Rh+ and Rh- recipients, but Rh+ can only safely go to Rh+ recipients (after sensitization risk). For plasma, the rules reverse: AB plasma can be given to anyone, making AB the universal plasma donor. Blood type O-negative is kept in reserve for emergency situations when there is no time to crossmatch — it is always in high demand and short supply.