The 6 Best Online Will Makers of 2024

Oct 01, 2024
Fact Checked
Using one of these services can be a quicker, more affordable way to create your will.

Key Takeaways

Creating a will can be an overwhelming and expensive process, which might be why only 46% of all American adults have one, according to a Gallup poll. [1] Gallup.com. How Many Americans Have a Will? June 23, 2021. Found on the Internet at https://news.gallup.com/poll/351500/how-many-americans-have-will.aspx Miranda M. Riva, Esq. headshot Miranda M. Riva But it is possible to create a long-lasting will for an affordable price. If an attorney isn’t in your budget, an online will-making service can be a good alternative.

1
Editor’s Pick
Access affordable step-by-step guidance from experienced attorneys
All will packages include healthcare directive and financial power of attorney
Unlimited revisions and 30-min attorney consults included in the premium will package
December deal for NCOA readers! 10% off with code NCOA10
Editor’s Pick
2
Most User-Friendly
Generates 4 important estate planning documents
Easy to navigate platform
3
Best Value
Wills available for entire family at no added cost
Detailed instructions throughout the entire completion process to upgrade packages
4
Best for all-in-one services
Will, trust, and directives included in one package
Smart digital vault for storing important documents

Online will-making services ask a series of questions to help you generate your will document and use your responses to generate a state-specific form you can download and print. Experienced estate attorneys design or review state-specific forms. As long as you provide accurate information and execute your will in accordance with your state’s laws, your online will should be legally acceptable.

While an online will is a viable option for most people, the following circumstances might be better handled with the help of an attorney:

Our Reviews Team researched and tested the best online will-making services. In this article, we summarize our experience and compare and contrast picks for the best will-making services on the internet.

A quick look at the best online will maker services

The best online will maker services of 2024

Editor’s Pick: LegalZoom

December deal for NCOA readers! 10% off with code NCOA10
Features
  • Cost: $99
  • Promotions: N/A
  • Document storage: Yes, with LegalZoom account
  • Access to an attorney: Yes, with certain packages or membership
  • Unlimited updates: Free for 30 days or 1 year with certain packages
  • Satisfaction guarantee: 60-day full refund
Pros & Cons
Pros Last will & testament, healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, and HIPAA authorization included in all packages User-friendly process guides users through interactive questionnaire and sends completed documents as PDFs Documents stored in secure online “document vault” with easy login access Cons Doesn’t allow users to purchase only a last will Basic Will package only includes 30 days for making revisions
Packages

LegalZoom estate planning packages

LegalZoom offers four different estate planning packages, and each has varying access to attorneys.

All packages include a healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, HIPAA authorization, 30 days of free revisions, and printing & shipping of one set of documents.

Here is the current package information that LegalZoom offers:

Basic Will ($99):

Everything mentioned above plus:

  • Last will & testament

Premium Will ($249)

Everything mentioned above plus:

  • Attorney review of your documents
  • Unlimited 30 day min calls with an attorney for 1 year
  • Attorney advice for your family
  • 1 year of free revisions

Basic Trust ($399)

Everything mentioned above plus:

  • Living trust
  • Pour-over will
  • Certificate of trust
  • Schedule of assets
  • Bill of transfer

Premium Trust ($549)

Everything mentioned above plus:

  • Attorney review of your documents
  • Unlimited 30 min calls with an attorney for 1 year
  • Attorney advice for your family
  • 1 year of free revisions
Additional information

The questionnaire to generate your will is easy to use. You can download the packet immediately, and it includes instructions for making your will valid under your state’s laws. Unlike other services with an annual or monthly membership and unlimited updates, LegalZoom doesn’t have a process for you to update your documents outside of the specified time period with your package. For example, if you purchase the basic will for $99, but you wait to make changes until after the 30-day unlimited update window, you’ll have to pay $199 to make revisions.

Legal Assist plan membership

LegalZoom offers direct attorney assistance through its Legal Assist plan membership. Available to all users seeking legal advice on any topic, it can be purchased as a year-long membership for $199 or a six-month membership for $119. Direct attorney assistance is automatically built into the Premium Will and Premium Trust packages.

The membership offers unlimited 30-minute consultations on new legal matters. A new legal matter is completely unique from, and not at all related to, a legal matter you previously inquired about.

For example, you may be limited to a single 30-minute discussion about your will document. If you need to go over 30-minutes or make a second inquiry about it, it may not be considered a “new legal matter.” In that case, the attorney you’re connected with will give you their fee structure (which varies by attorney) and bill you for any additional time. You’re always connected with an attorney in your state, so that fee will vary based on your location and their firm’s billable hourly cost. If you’re a LegalZoom member, you’ll get 25% off the firm’s standard rate for representation.

Because Legal Assist is a yearly or six-month membership, it will auto-renew at the year or six-month mark, depending on what you have chosen. If you purchased a Premium Will or Premium Trust package, you can expect the Legal Assist portion of this to auto-renew after a year for $199.

Customer reviews

LegalZoom has 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on 3,300 reviews. More than 80% of reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Customers mentioned they were longtime subscribers, and the service continues to meet their needs. We found 13% of all reviewers gave LegalZoom 1 out of 5 stars, complaining the website often directs to an error page and provides unclear descriptions of deadlines and fees.

Our experience

The overall questionnaire process for completing a will was straightforward and in easy-to-understand language.

It was easy to sign up and purchase a package. We were impressed with the value of the Premium Will, which is an extra $100 but comes with unlimited, 30-minute phone calls with an attorney for up to a year and one year of free revisions.

When we asked questions through chat, a helpful response followed within five minutes. We reached a representative by phone within 10 minutes. An email response took around one business day.

Customer service options

  • Phone: 888-379-0854 available 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, weekends
  • Email: support@legalzoom.com
  • Contact on the website: Contact us
Editor’s Pick

Why we chose LegalZoom

LegalZoom was one of the first companies in online legal assistance. Since its founding in 2001, it has helped more than 2 million customers with their estate planning needs. Unlike its competitors, LegalZoom offers direct attorney assistance in several legal specialties, making it qualified to assist customers with a wide variety of legal needs. In addition, Legal Zoom has one of the lowest starting costs for creating a will, earning it our distinction of “Editor’s Pick.”

Most User-Friendly: Trust & Will

Features
  • Cost: $199
  • Promotions: $10 off with code Gimmie10
  • Document storage: Yes, with annual Trust & Will membership
  • Access to an attorney: Yes, for an additional cost (currently only available in 17 states)
  • Unlimited updates: Free for the first year, then $19 per year
  • Satisfaction guarantee: 30-day full refund
Pros & Cons
Pros Generates four important estate planning documents (not just last will and testament document) Intuitive platform that’s easy to navigate and visually appealing 30-day money-back guarantee Cons Only offers a bundle Doesn’t offer a simple last will for a flat fee Membership required for unlimited updates ($19 per year) Help from attorney only available for additional $300
Packages

Trust & Will Estate Planning Package

Trust & Will currently only offers a single package for creating an online will.

Will-based estate package ($199):

  • Last will and testament
  • Power of attorney
  • Living will
  • HIPAA authorization form A HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) authorization form is important when you execute a living will or advance health care directive because it gives the person in charge of medical decisions access to your medical history.

For more information about this online will service, read our in-depth Trust & Will review.

Additional information

Trust & Will was founded in 2017 and has quickly become established in the online estate planning industry. The company offers a free year of unlimited updates with your $199 purchase. To make changes to your documents after the year has passed, you can become a member for $19 per year, and you can make unlimited updates for as long as you retain membership. Trust & Will also offers do-it-yourself probate tools executors of a will (those who carry out the will) can purchase if they need state-specific assistance when entering  probate Probate is the legal procedure your estate goes through after you pass away.  court.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for when completing your estate documents, you can use the chat function at the bottom of the page, send an email, or fill out an inquiry form to get help from an expert. You can use the chat function to connect with someone during business hours or find out more information about a topic. find recommended resources, and connect to an expert if you need help.

Trust & Will estate planning document home screen
All four documents generated as part of the estate planning package on Trust & Will.

Customer reviews

Trust & Will has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 3,400 reviews. Close to 90% of the reviews left by customers are 5 out of 5 stars. Customers called out the simplicity and clarity of the platform overall, as well as great customer service when issues or questions arose. Complaints focused on issues with the website timing out and no room for customizations when answering questions.

Our experience

At first glance, Trust & Will has one of the most visually organized website designs in the industry. The layout is intuitive and easy to navigate.

One thing our team didn’t like is its lack of a simple will option and overall inability to customize. While it offers high-quality documents, you may not need all four of the documents in the package.

The auto-response that appears when you ask a question leads to a number of related resources we found helpful. We waited five minutes to talk to an expert on chat, and the wait for an email response was a few hours.

Read more in our full Trust & Will review.

Customer service options

  • Phone: 866-908-7878 available 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday; Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT
  • Email: hello@trustandwill.com
  • Contact on the website: Submit a request

Why we chose Trust & Will

Trust & Will earned our “Most User-Friendly” status for two main reasons: the site gave helpful explanations and tips throughout the will-creation process, and it provided thorough and well-researched resources for additional information on estate planning topics. Each time we asked a question using any of the provided channels of contact, our Legal Reviews Team received an accurate answer within two hours. Compared with other companies on this list that took at least one day to respond, the quick turnaround time is impressive. We felt this was the closest experience to hiring a lawyer.

Best Value: Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust

Features
  • Cost: $99–$209
  • Promotions: 25% off with code T1040
  • Document storage: Yes, with the top package through a partnership with Everplans
  • Access to an attorney: Not through platform, but Nolo can connect you with a local attorney
  • Unlimited updates: Free for the first year, then cost varies based on package ($99–$209)
  • Satisfaction guarantee: 30-day full refund
Pros & Cons
Pros Highly rated by customers Detailed instructions throughout the completion process Wills available for the whole family for no additional cost 30-day money-back guarantee Cons Online chat support unable to answer legal questions about your will or the product Expensive packages pushed when most users would benefit from the low- and middle-tier options Not available to customers living in Louisiana or any of the American territories
Packages

Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust packages

Quicken WillMaker & Trust offers three different customized estate plan packages:

Starter ($99):

  • Last will
  • Living will
  • Health care power of attorney
  • Final arrangement forms

Plus ($139):

The plus package has all the starter package features and:

  • Financial power of attorney
  • Letters to survivors
  • Living trust
  • Transfer on death deed
  • Estate planning tools available as downloadable software

All-access ($209):

The all-access package has all the starter and plus package features and:

  • One year subscription to Everplans (document and information storage service)

If you can’t decide which package you want, our Reviews Team recommends beginning with the starter package. You can upgrade at any time in your dashboard.

Additional information

Quicken WillMaker & Trust has been helping customers make their wills for the last 30 years. The online questionnaire format doesn’t require you to download anything, which keeps the process simple. But if you want to keep your personal information off the internet, the downloadable software guarantees your documents are only accessible through your personal device. Along with increased privacy, the software offers a high-contrast mode for people with vision loss.

To make the process easy, Quicken WillMaker & Trust provides a checklist before starting the questionnaire. A “helpful information” box below the prompt will guide you if you are unsure of how to answer. Quicken WillMaker & Trust also provides an extensive book (available online) with detailed instructions and additional information to help create your will.

Screenshot of Quicken WillMaker & Trust Dashboard
The dashboard of Quicken WillMaker from our Reviews Team’s testing

Customer reviews

Quicken WillMaker & Trust has 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 230 reviews. Of those reviews, 74% give the service 5 out of 5 stars, specifically mentioning how easy the product is to use and its inclusivity for people of all ages and backgrounds. Only 5% of users gave 1 out of 5 stars, mentioning never hearing back from customer service after making an inquiry and having technical issues with the software.

Our experience

Quicken WillMaker & Trust was by far the easiest platform for our Reviews Team to purchase and use. The language throughout the questionnaire was clear, and the option for further information provided an extra layer of guidance. We were specifically impressed with the number of high-quality documents you can get for such an affordable cost.

We found it difficult to get in contact with the company, since you don’t have access to direct contact links or a chat feature on the website. But we were able to reach a representative within five minutes using the toll-free phone number. An email response took around one business day. Customer service can only help with service- and product-related issues. They cannot answer legal questions.

For more information about this online will service, read our in-depth LegalZoom Review.

Customer service options

  • Phone: 800-728-3555 available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday
  • Email: techsupport@nolo.com
  • Contact on the website: N/A

Why we chose Quicken WillMaker & Trust

Trust & Will earned our “Most User-Friendly” status for two main reasons: the site gave helpful explanations and tips throughout the will-creation process, and it provided thorough and well-researched resources for additional information on estate planning topics. Each time we asked a question using any of the provided channels of contact, our Legal Reviews Team received an accurate answer within two hours. Compared with other companies on this list that took at least one day to respond, the quick turnaround time is impressive. We felt this was the closest experience to hiring a lawyer.

Best for all-in-one services: GoodTrust

GoodTrust

Features
  • Cost: $149
  • Promotions: N/A
  • Document storage: Yes
  • Access to an attorney: No
  • Unlimited updates: Free for 1 year, $39 annual members for continued changes after year
  • Satisfaction guarantee: 14-day full refund
Pros & Cons
Pros Will, trust, and directives included in one, all-inclusive plan All adult family members can create their own will or trust at no added fee Unlimited membership support is included in cost Cons No attorney support is available No state-specific documents, but documents are legally binding in all 50 states
Packages

GoodTrust offers one estate planning package which includes a will, trust, power of attorney, advanced directives, funeral directives, guardianship documentation, and storage of all important documents in their Smart Digital Vault.

Unlimited revisions are included in the GoodTrust package for one year, which costs $149. Additional revisions can be made after one year as part of the subscription service costing $39 per year.

Additional information

Since their founding in 2020, GoodTrust has been offering one comprehensive estate planning package along with document storage in their Smart Digital Vault. Because GoodTrust doesn’t offer attorney support, we feel this service is best for individuals with straightforward estate planning needs who desire a simple, self-guided process for completing their needed documents in one place. GoodTrust stands out as an all-in-one service since their package includes a will, trust, directives, and power of attorney, along with additional wills for all adult family members at no added cost.

According to GoodTrust, all of their documents have been created by experienced attorneys and unlimited revisions can be made for up to one year, after which changes can be made using their $39 yearly subscription.

Customer reviews

GoodTrust has a 3.5 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot based on 40 reviews. Of those reviews, 60% give the service 5 out 5 stars, specifically mentioning the helpfulness of customer support when users had questions about completing their documents. Of the 40 reviewers, 15% give GoodTrust 1 out of 5 stars, with one reviewer unsatisfied with the price and another the lack of state-specific services.

Customer service options

Contact on the website: mygoodtrust.com/contact

Why we chose GoodTrust

GoodTrust earned the “best for all-in-one services” from our Reviews Team because this estate planning service offers users everything they need to create a will, trust, and advance directives in one, comprehensive package. In addition to their all-in-one services, GoodTrust includes unlimited wills for all adult family members and unlimited revisions to documents for the first year. Although GoodTrust doesn’t offer attorney support, they state all of their documents were created by experienced attorneys to ensure accuracy.

Most Affordable: Rocket Lawyer

Features
  • Cost: $0–$19.99 per month
  • Promotions: Seven-day free trial followed by a month-long trial for $5
  • Document storage: Yes, with monthly Rocket Lawyer membership
  • Access to an attorney: Yes, unlimited 30-minute consultation on new legal issues
  • Unlimited updates: Free for seven days, $5 for the second month, then $39.99 per month
  • Satisfaction guarantee: No
Pros & Cons
Pros Easy to get started Simplistic will-making questionnaire Free will if you create during the seven-day free-trial period Cons Charged $39.99 automatically if you don’t cancel the free trial Little to no help when answering will-making questions Monthly membership required to keep access to documents
Packages

Rocket Lawyer estate planning package

Rocket Lawyer doesn’t offer a specific estate package, but for the free seven-day trial and while you’re an active member paying the monthly $39.99 fee, you’ll get access to hundreds of other state-specific legal forms, and you’ll be able to make unlimited changes to your documents.

When you pay for the membership, you’ll also get one free 30-minute consultation with an attorney regarding any new legal matters (new and unrelated to previous inquiries) that arise.

Additional information

Rocket Lawyer is known mostly for its quick and easy-to-use website with free legal forms and templates. It may be a good option if you’re about to have surgery and want to quickly get a will in place.

After you create an account and answer questions to create your will, you’ll need to put in your credit card information before you can download your document. You’ll have access to your will and any other legal form you can find on the Rocket Lawyer database for free during the initial seven-day trial. After your trial expires, Rocket Lawyer will automatically charge $39.99 per month, unless you cancel ahead of time.

While our team chose Rocket Lawyer as a great free option for creating your will, this service doesn’t provide extra assistance or guidance when completing the questionnaire. Additionally, if you forget to cancel the free trial, you may end up paying more for your documents than if you chose a different service.

Customer reviews

Rocket Lawyer has 4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 7,000 reviews. More than 80% of reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Customers highlighted the free document feature and the range of legal forms available on the database. Only 4% of customers gave it 1 out of 5 stars, reporting difficulty canceling the subscription and issues connecting with an attorney.

Our experience

Rocket Lawyer is a great resource for legal forms, especially for estate planning. We also like that you can get a custom-made will for free.

What we didn’t like is how you go through the questionnaire process before you’re asked to put in credit card information. It felt misleading at first, since it’s advertised as a free will but also asks for payment before you can view the finished document. If you call or email to cancel your subscription within the seven-day period you can complete and download whatever legal forms you want for free. When we emailed, we got a response back within five hours. When calling, it took about 15 minutes to connect with a representative.

Customer Service Options

  • Phone: 877-881-0947 available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday
  • Email: N/A
  • Contact on the website: (Contact us)

Why we chose Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer is the only online will service we reviewed that generates a downloadable will for free, which is why we named it “Most Affordable.” It ties with U.S. LegalWills for the lowest starting price ($39), but it offers more forms with no extra cost and has attorneys available, unlike U.S. LegalWills.

Best for Lifetime Unlimited Updates: U.S. LegalWills

Features
  • Cost: $39.95–$129.95
  • Promotions: When you join, your partner will get 40% off their membership; refer a friend, they get a 10% discount, and you get a $20 Amazon gift card
  • Document storage: Yes, with purchase
  • Access to an attorney: No
  • Unlimited updates: Yes, cost varies
  • Satisfaction guarantee: 30-day full refund
Pros & Cons
Pros Only service that offers lifetime update option 30-day money-back guarantee Customizable “build your own” package Cons Outdated website Does not offer legal assistance Not available to customers living in Louisiana
Packages

U.S. LegalWills estate planning packages

Last will and testament ($39.95):

  • Last will

Premium last will and testament ($69.95):

The premium package has all the last will and testament package features and:

  • Personalized messages and wishes
  • Family access to your documents

Complete estate plan ($99.95):

The complete estate plan has all the premium package features and:

  • Financial power of attorney
  • Living will

Premium estate plan ($129.95):

The premium estate plan has all the complete estate plan features and:

  • My Life Locker
  • Digital Vault
Additional information

Unlimited updates:

  • First year: Free
  • Two years: $11.95
  • Five years: $29.95
  • 10 years: $39.95
  • 25 years: $79.95
  • Life: $129.95

U.S. LegalWills offers three different and affordable estate planning bundle packages. You can also choose a “build your own” option and add the documents you need, instead of paying for documents you don’t need. This makes U.S. LegalWills one of the most customizable will-making services we reviewed.

U.S. LegalWills also has advanced information storage available with My Life Locker, which stores personal information, and Digital Vault, which contains documents you want to upload for future use by your executor. These two storage options are only available with the highest tier package.

Screenshot of U.S. LegalWills Dashboard
The U.S. LegalWills Estate Plan dashboard

Customer reviews

U.S. LegalWills has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 400 reviews. More than 80% of reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Customers highlighted how easy the process was and how quickly they were able to complete the forms.

Some customers complained the forms weren’t upheld in a court of law. To each of those reviews, a customer service representative defended U.S. LegalWills and gave citations to the law supporting the forms.

Our experience

Despite the website platform appearing outdated, the questionnaire process was simple. The “try now for free” option at the bottom of the package prices was misleading. This is not the same as the free trial Rocket Lawyer offers. You’ll move through the will-creation process, but at the end, only a preview of the first page of your will is available to you. To see the rest, you’ll need to purchase the product. It took about 10 minutes to connect with a representative by phone, and an email response took around 10 hours.

Customer Service Options

  • Phone: 888-660-9455 available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday
  • Email: support@uslegalwills.com
  • Contact on the website: Contact us

Why we chose U.S. LegalWills

What makes U.S. LegalWills stand out is the cost of unlimited updates, which is why we named it “Best for Lifetime Unlimited Updates.” Most notably, the lifetime deal costs a flat fee of $129.95. For other online will services, the cost to make unlimited updates ranges from $19 to more than $300 per year. Cost varies depending on how long you want to be able to make updates.

What to look for in the best online will makers

Estate planning is a customizable experience, so flexibility is important. Most platforms offer some variation of the features below, whether in a bundle or as add-on services.

Last will and testament

The most important document in the estate planning process is a last will and testament, often referred to as a “will.” This document specifies who will be responsible for distributing your estate and can give detailed instructions about which beneficiaries are entitled to certain items or sums of money. Many wills also include guardianship details if the will writer has minor children or pets.

When you create an online will, you’ll answer a series of personal and financial questions that will help create your final document. Each one of the services we’ve selected has state-specific forms created by estate planning experts. After finishing the questionnaire, you can download the completed documents, print them out, and execute them according to the instructions provided by your online will service.

Additional estate planning documents

Creating a simple will is important at any stage in your life, but you should consider additional documents as well. The most common estate documents, in addition to a will, are a power of attorney and a living will (also called a health care directive). Most online services offer these legal documents as an add-on feature, but some offer a package deal for all three. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to invest in a service that offers a bundle. Read our guide to learn how to make a will without a lawyer.

Unlimited updates

Celeste Robertson, Esq., a member of the Texas Bar Foundation and practicing attorney since 1994, advised “you should review your will and other estate planning documents every three to five years” and always “revisit these documents whenever significant life changes occur.” Robertson gave the following examples of significant life changes:

That means it’s important to note whether you can make changes to your documents in the platform you choose. Many services offer free, unlimited changes for at least the first 30 days after purchase. Others offer free changes for up to a year or without limits. With services that offer a membership, you’ll generally be able to make unlimited updates to your estate documents so long as you pay the monthly or annual subscription.

Free, unlimited update period*Cost after free update period ends
LegalZoom30 daysNo updates without re-purchase
Trust & WillOne year$19 per year
Quicken Willmaker & TrustOne year$99–$299 per year (based on initial package purchased)
Rocket LawyerSeven days$39.99 per month
U.S. LegalWillsOne year$11.95–$129.95
*Based on basic package

Document storage

While you should always have an original paper copy of all your important documents, it’s a great idea to have virtually accessible backup copies. Most of our top choices have a virtual storage space for your will and any other documents you completed using the service. Some even allow you to upload additional important documents, such as:

When choosing a virtual storage base, security is a top concern. Each of the services on this list that offers document storage has one or two layers of encryption (converting information into a code to prevent unauthorized access) to protect sensitive information from anyone who doesn’t have authorization to access your account. Quicken WillMaker & Trust and Trust & Will both took an extra step by undergoing Type 2 Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2 Type 2) auditing ⓘSOC 2 Type 2 is an exam used to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of a service organization’s controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy., which provides an independent, third-party assessment of a service organization’s security during a period of time.

Storage capabilitiesAccessibility
LegalZoomAny important documentsAccount existence
Trust & Will (document storage)Any important documentsAccount existence
Quicken WillMaker (Everplans)Any important documentsAnnual membership
Rocket LawyerOnly those generated by Rocket LawyerAccount existence
U.S. LegalWills (Digital Vault)Any important documentsAccount existence

Family plan

Some online services offer a second will for a discounted price. This is ideal if your spouse or close family member is also interested in creating a will. Even if spouses or partners own property and assets together, it’s common for them to create reciprocal wills. These are two separate wills, each making the other the beneficiary of the entire estate. For services that offer a family plan, you can often get the second will at a discounted price, and you can easily add it on at checkout.

Info icon

Helpful hint: If this feature is essential for you, Quicken WillMaker & Trust allows you to make an unlimited number of wills with a single purchase of one of its products. In other words, you can get estate documents for the whole family for the cost of one package.

Attorney assistance

While most people creating a will online can do so without additional assistance, you might be interested in seeking general legal advice or having a lawyer look over your will, especially if you have a complex estate plan. Some services offer specialized legal assistance throughout the creation process—usually at a higher cost. If you anticipate needing an estate planning attorney to look over your documents at any point during the process, you should consider choosing a service that offers this as an add-on feature.

Attorney access
LegalZoomYes, 12 months of unlimited 30-minute consultations on new legal matters if you upgrade to the Premium Will package
Trust & Will Yes, can be added on for $300 per year but currently only available in 17 states
Quicken WillMaker & TrustNo, but can connect you with a local attorney
Rocket LawyerYes, unlimited 30-minute consultations on new legal matters
U.S. LegalWillsNo
Info icon

Helpful hint: If this feature is essential for you, you might consider the premium package from LegalZoom. You’ll have on-demand, unlimited 30-minute calls with an attorney to ask whatever estate questions you have for 1 year after purchase. Other services cost more than $200 per year for this level of access or limit your questions to “new legal matters” only.

Satisfaction guarantee

Many services are backed by a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. Some guarantees may come with limitations or will only apply refunds to certain services.

How we reviewed online will-making services

The Reviews Team curated a scoring system for online will-making services that considers the value for money, ease of use, customer support, features, and customer satisfaction. Here’s how it breaks down:

Bottom line

After hundreds of hours researching, our Reviews Team found the above online will maker companies to be the top five in the market. We found Legal Zoom is our best overall because of its combination of excellent legal support, step-by-step process, and affordable prices.

We liked Trust & Will for its excellent customer support and user-friendly creation process, and if you’re looking for high-quality documents and affordable ongoing support, Quicken WillMaker & Trust would be your best option. If you want to have an attorney review your will and answer questions along the way, LegalZoom is our top pick for legal assistance. With its free will option, Rocket Lawyer is best for those on a budget. If making unlimited lifetime updates is high on your priority list, U.S. LegalWills is a great option.

For more resources about planning for the future:

Comparison of best online will makers, as of October 2024

Price $99 $199.00 $99–$209 $149 $19.99 per month* $49.95–$129.95
Attorney available Yes Yes No No Yes No
Wills for multiple family members Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Satisfaction guarantee Yes (60 days)** Yes (30-day full refund) Yes (30-day full refund) Yes (14-day full refund) No Yes (30-day full refund)
Living will form Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Last will and testament form Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Durable power of attorney form Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Free unlimited updates Yes (30 days) Yes (one year free then subscribe for $19 per year) Yes (one year free then subscribe for variable fee) Yes (one year the subscribe for $39 per year) Yes (seven days then subscribe for 39.99 per month) Yes (one year free then included with variable membership)
Available in all 50 states (+DC) Yes Yes No (not Louisiana) Yes Yes No (not Louisiana)

*Create a will for free during the seven-day trial period.

**If your order has been completed, you have 7 days from completion to request a refund.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, it’s completely legitimate to use an online service to create your will. As long as you execute the document in accordance with your state’s laws, your online will is legally binding.

Among those reviewed services, Trust & Will was our number one “Editor’s Pick.” Next, we chose LegalZoom, Quicken WillMaker & Trust, followed by Rocket Lawyer, and U.S. LegalWills.

The main pros of online wills are they’re more affordable than hiring an estate attorney, they can be created from home, and they’re easier than writing a will from scratch.

The main cons of online wills are that an attorney review is not available with all services, they might not be the best option for those with a complicated estate, and unlimited updates not available with all services (requiring re-purchase to make updates).

The price to create a simple online will range from $0–$89. Some packages offering several documents, in addition to a will, can cost up to $299.

While an online will is designed to be legally binding if you provide accurate information and follow your state’s laws, its validity could be contested if someone has reason to believe it wasn’t written properly.

In some circumstances, such as complex financial situations, complicated family structures, or undecided wishes, it’s best to consult an attorney.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

Sources

  1. Gallup.com. How Many Americans Have a Will? June 23, 2021. Found on the Internet at https://news.gallup.com/poll/351500/how-many-americans-have-will.aspx
Miranda Riva is a writer and licensed Tennessee attorney who has written and edited legal content covering the topics of family law, business law, criminal law, environmental law, and estate law.
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Laura Jackson Author
Laura Jackson is a lawyer who, after several years in private practice, left to fulfill her dream of serving a larger audience through freelance writing. She graduated from Emory University School of Law and is an active member of the Georgia Bar Association. She is passionate about making complex legal topics understandable for all audiences.
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