We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproducts—learn more about our process . If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Preparing a will is an important step to take to control what happens to your belongings, establish guardianship of your minor children or pets, and establish an executor of your estate. If you don’t have a will, a court will instead appoint someone to make these decisions for you. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), this will be more expensive than if you had planned ahead of time by creating a will. In the past, the only way to create a will was to hire an attorney. Now, you can prepare a will using an online will maker. To help you choose the best one for your needs, we evaluated over a dozen online will makers for their reputations, what it costs to prepare a will, how often you can update your will, and more. Best Online Will Makers Best Online Will Makers FAQs Methodology Why We Chose It: We chose Rocket Lawyer as the best overall online will maker based on its excellent reputation, competitive one-time fees of $39.99 per will, and the ability to create an online will in minutes after completing an easy-to-understand online interview. Pros Excellent A+ BBB rating and 4.7-star Trustpilot rating Competitive one-time fees of $39.99 per will Ability to cancel your membership at any time Free seven-day trial period on your membership Cons Phone support only available on weekdays Costly optional monthly membership fees of $39.99 Rocket Lawyer is a Better Business Bureau (BBB)-accredited business with an excellent A+ rating that allows people to create wills and other legal documents online. The company has been in business since 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Customers enjoy doing business with Rocket Lawyer, based on its great 4.56-star customer rating with the BBB and excellent 4.7-star rating with Trustpilot. You can create a will online with Rocket Lawyer in a matter of minutes by completing a simple online interview. Plus, you can create many other personal and business legal documents, get advice from one of the company’s on-call attorneys, and even have your documents reviewed by an attorney. You’ll pay a one-time fee of $39.99 for your online will, plus reasonable à la carte fees if you want to consult with an attorney. Alternatively, with a premium membership, you can create as many legal documents as you want, including an online will, and get a free 30-minute consultation for each new legal matter, among other benefits. Although Rocket Lawyer’s optional premium membership costs $39.99 a month, you get the first seven days free and can cancel at any time. You can get instant answers to many questions on the company’s website; however, you can only talk to Rocket Lawyer’s customer service team by phone on weekdays between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. PST. Why We Chose It: We chose Trust & Will as the online will maker that's easiest to use since you’re able to create all the staple documents you need for a will-based estate plan by completing a single online questionnaire. Plus, if you don’t have access to a printer, the company will mail your documents to you at no extra cost. Pros Excellent A+ BBB rating and 4.8-star Trustpilot rating Pricing includes your will plus other staple estate-plan documents and free shipping Unlimited updates to your will for one year Cons Company has only existed for two years Expensive one-time fees of $159 per individual and $259 per couple Login required to get started creating your will Trust & Will is an online will maker headquartered in San Diego, California. Although the company has only been in business since 2018, Trust & Will is BBB-accredited with an excellent A+ rating. People generally enjoy doing business with Trust & Will, based on its excellent 4.8-star Trustpilot rating. If you purchase an online will from Trust & Will, you’ll pay $159 per individual and $259 per couple with unlimited updates for one year. While this is more expensive than some of the other providers we reviewed, it’s also more comprehensive. In addition to your last will and testament, you’ll get a HIPAA authorization so the people you trust can get access to your protected health information, a living will that allows you to provide advanced directives about your future care, and a power of attorney so someone else can care for your affairs if you can’t do it yourself. To create a will-based estate plan with Trust & Will, you’ll create an account and answer a few simple questions online. Once this is done, you can download your documents right away. If you don’t have access to a printer, the company will ship your documents to you at no extra cost, a benefit that makes Trust & Will stand out from the competition. Plus, if you have questions, you can chat with Trust & Will online or speak with a customer service representative on the phone any day of the week. Why We Chose It: We chose Fabric as the online will maker offering the best budget option because it allows you to create an online will for free. Pros Excellent A+ BBB rating and 4.8-star Trustpilot rating Online will creation is free Ability to create wills for you and your partner at the same time Cons Only five years of business operations Not as customizable as some other options Phone support is unavailable Fabric is an online will maker and life insurance company headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2015, Fabric has an excellent A+ rating with the BBB and an equally excellent 4.8-star customer rating with Trustpilot. Unlike many of the other online will makers we reviewed, you won’t pay anything for an online will with Fabric. You can create your will for free by completing a simple questionnaire online. The process takes about five minutes, and you can print your will as soon as you’re done. Plus, you can opt to create a will for your partner at the same time by simply answering a couple of additional questions. Many of the other online will makers we reviewed charge an extra fee for this service. One of the most significant drawbacks to Fabric is the will isn’t as customizable as some of the other options. Even so, it’s a simple solution that covers the basics for people on a budget or young families. Also, if you need support, you won’t be able to speak with someone by phone. Instead, you can search for an answer to your question on Fabric’s website or send a message and a customer service representative will get in touch with you, typically within a few hours. Why We Chose It: We chose TotalLegal as the online will maker with the best comprehensive option since you can create an online will and get access to a full suite of legal documents and attorney services for a relatively low cost of $89.95 a year. Pros Excellent A+ BBB rating and 4.5-star Trustpilot rating Low one-time fee of $19.95 for an online will Comprehensive suite of legal documents and legal services for $89.95 a year Cons Phone support only available on weekdays Online chat isn’t available Updates to your will are only available for 60 days if you opt to pay the one-time fee Operating since 2001, TotalLegal is a service provided by Pro Se Planning, Inc., a company that’s headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and has an A+ BBB rating. In addition to providing an online will making service, TotalLegal helps people create other legal documents online, including estate planning documents like living wills and powers of attorney. TotalLegal has a good reputation with its customers, based on its excellent 4.5-star Trustpilot rating. If you only want to make your last will and testament online, TotalLegal offers an affordable option with a one-time fee of $19.95. You can also choose from other documents (e.g., living wills, LLC formations, etc.) with one-time fees ranging from $9.95 to $99. If you opt to pay the one-time fee, you can only make revisions to your documents and download them for 60 days. Many of the other providers we reviewed allow you to make changes for a year. Alternatively, the TotalLegal plan costs $89.95 a year.With this plan, you’ll get access to a comprehensive suite of legal documents, secure online storage, and free or discounted legal services from a network of attorneys. You can also revise your documents as much as you want during your subscription period. To get support, you can contact TotalLegal by phone between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. PST on weekdays, send the company an email, or search for an answer using its online Help Center. Why We Chose It: We chose USLegalWills.com as the best online will maker for frequent changes because its online will comes standard with one year of free and unlimited updates. Pros Excellent A+ rating with the BBB Unlimited updates free of charge for a year Competitive one-time fees of $39.95 Partner discounts available Cons No subscription option Additional one-time fees required for each estate planning document USLegalWills.com is an online will making service provided by PartingWishes, Inc., a Canadian company with an A+ BBB rating and has been operating since 2000. The company has a 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot and it has a 5-star BBB customer rating and there haven’t been any recent customer complaints with the BBB. Unlike many of the other online will makers we reviewed, USLegalWills.com doesn’t offer a subscription option. Instead, you’ll pay a one-time fee of $39.95 for your will. There are also more advanced packages for $69.95, $99.95, and $129.95. These packages add additional features and estates planning documents. What we like best about USLegalWills.com is the ease with which you can update your will. The company allows you to make unlimited changes to your will for a year. With the purchase of the premium package, you can also store important documents and information with the company. If you need assistance, you can reach USLegalWills.com by email or phone every day of the week. Why We Chose It: We chose Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust as the online will maker that provides the best value for the money since you’ll be able to create a wide range of estate planning documents for a one-time fee starting at $149. Pros Excellent A+ BBB rating One-time fee of $149+ for many estate planning documents Ability to continuously update your will Cons Low 1.4-star Trustpilot rating Legal and technical updates are only made during the software’s version year Phone support is not available Nolo is a software company that offers various do-it-yourself legal help software programs, including Quicken WillMaker & Trust. The company has been in business since 1971, is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, and has an A+ rating with the BBB. Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust is an easy-to-use software program that allows you to create a custom will and various other estate-planning documents for a one-time fee that starts at $149. The program includes the ability to create many different documents. In addition to a last will and testament, you can prepare a living trust, health care directive, durable power of attorney, documents for your executor, and more. Many of the other online will makers we reviewed charge a fee for each of these documents or require a subscription. Although you can make changes to your documents whenever you want, Nolo will only provide legal and technical updates to Quicken WillMaker & Trust during the version year (e.g., through the end of 2022 with the 2022 version). This means you may need to purchase a new version of the software to make updates in the future. Many of the other online will makers we reviewed similarly only support updates for a year or less. If you need support, you’ll need to submit your question electronically or search its FAQ page. Notably, Nolo’s customer review ratings with the BBB and Trustpilot are low. However, these reviews are based on all of the company’s products and are not necessarily reflective of the Quicken WillMaker & Trust product. Why We Chose It: We chose LegalZoom as the online will maker best for customer support because of how easy it is to schedule a call with an attorney and get legal support. Pros Excellent BBB rating of A Scheduling a call with an attorney is easy Wide variety of legal customer support options, ranging from two weeks to a year or more Cons Expensive one-time fees of $89 for a basic last will and testament Free revisions only available for 30 days after purchase with the lower-tier plans LegalZoom is a legal document help company that’s headquartered in Glendale, California. Not only does LegalZoom have an excellent A rating with the BBB, but it’s also been in business since 1999. The company also has a good Trustpilot rating of 4.2. What makes LegalZoom stand out is how easy it is to schedule a call with an attorney. Many of the other providers we reviewed either don’t provide legal support by phone or require you to purchase a comprehensive plan to get legal support. With LegalZoom, you can get unlimited 30-minute consultations on new legal matters, including issues related to estate planning, for as low as $14.99 a month. In addition to legal advice, you can choose from three different online will making plans. You’ll pay a one-time fee of $89 for a basic do-it-yourself plan, $99 if you also want to be able to speak to an attorney for two weeks about your will, and it costs $179 if you want a set of three common estate-planning documents and a year of estate-planning legal advice. If you need to make regular changes to your will, you’ll need to choose the most costly option from LegalZoom, which comes with a year of revisions, or choose a different provider. This is because you can only make revisions for 30 days after purchase with the other two plans. An online will maker helps people easily create a last will and testament without requiring a costly visit to an attorney. These companies work with attorneys to develop standard sets of legal documents that can be easily updated for individuals who have basic estate planning needs. Not only are online wills more accessible, but because attorneys have already done the work to complete the basic set of legal estate planning documents, the costs are lower. It’s a good idea to use an online will maker if you have a simple estate with straightforward assets (e.g., you own a home and cars with your partner, have basic bank and retirement accounts, etc.). If you have a complicated estate (e.g., you own a lot of assets that are held in a variety of business names or jointly with different people, you have complex investments, etc.), then it’s a better idea to work with an attorney to make sure your legal documentation is in order. Many online will makers give you the option of either paying a one-time fee for your will or purchasing a subscription. You can expect to pay one-time fees ranging from $20 to $100 for an online will. If you opt for a subscription, fees range from a relatively inexpensive $90 a year to an expensive $40 a month. If you opt for a subscription, you’ll often get access to a network of attorneys and will usually be able to update your will as often as you want. As with any financial decision, it’s essential to do your homework before working with an online will maker. You can verify online will makers’ legitimacy by reading reviews, checking out accreditation organizations like the BBB, and speaking with their customer service representatives about the legal processes used to develop their documents. Organizations like the American Bar Association (ABA) also publish reliable resources on wills and estates that can be a great source of information. You can use sources such as those provided by the ABA to fact-check the legitimacy of the claims made by online will makers. To select the best online will makers, we reviewed over a dozen providers to understand how much it costs to prepare a will, the providers’ reputations, how easy it is to work with each provider, and more. The best online will makers have good reputations, offer competitive pricing, and can help you prepare your will online quickly and easily. All of our picks are affordable, offer a variety of legal documents, provide comprehensive customer support, and users can create and download their wills quickly and accurately. Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Bar Association. Wills & estates. Updated March 18, 2013. Better Business Bureau. Rocket Lawyer. Trustpilot. Rocket Lawyer. Better Business Bureau. Trust & Will. Trustpilot. Trust & Will. Better Business Bureau. Fabric Insurance Agency. Trustpilot. Fabric - Life Insurance and Wills. Better Business Bureau. Pro Se Planning Inc. Trustpilot. TotalLegal. Better Business Bureau. PartingWishes, Inc. Trustpilot. USLegalWills. Better Business Bureau. Nolo. Trustpilot. Nolo. Better Business Bureau. LegalZoom. Trust Pilot. Legal Zoom.The 7 Best Online Will Makers of 2023
Best Overall : Rocket Lawyer
Easiest to Use : Trust & Will
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Best Budget Option : Fabric
Best Comprehensive Option : TotalLegal
Best for Frequent Changes : USLegalWills.com
Best Value for Money : Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust
Best Customer Support : LegalZoom
FAQs
What Is an Online Will Maker?
Should I Use an Online Will Maker?
How Much Does an Online Will Maker Cost?
Are Online Will Makers Legitimate?
How We Chose the Best Online Will Makers
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FAQs
Are online wills any good? ›
The short answer is yes—online wills are legitimate as long as you ensure they comply with federal and state laws. Online will companies hire licensed attorneys and legal professionals to carefully word their estate planning documents so that each is legally binding.
Who is the best person to draw up a will? ›You may want to choose one of your adult children, a family friend or an attorney to take on the job. Attorneys are usually paid to do this out of the funds in the estate, and each state has specific laws about how to handle their fees.
Is the website FreeWill Legitimate? ›While some forms claim to be free, they require credit card information to activate a “trial,” or they're incredibly limited without paid upgrades. FreeWill breaks this mold by offering an online tool that's legitimately free, no strings attached.
Is LegalZoom worth it for wills? ›You Are Always Better Off Hiring an Estate Planning Attorney
LegalZoom Will and other online DIY legal companies are not the most reliable options when it comes to estate planning. Unfortunately, many people end up with documents that they don't understand and fall short of their estate planning goals and expectations.
- State that the document is your will and reflects your final wishes. ...
- Name the people you want to inherit your property after you die. ...
- Choose someone to carry out the wishes in your will. ...
- Name guardians to care for your minor children or pets, if you have them.
- Sign the will.
One major drawback to online will creators is that the execution of the will still needs to be handled. Simply having a PDF file with your assets listed isn't going to help much. You will still need to have the will filed with probate. Attempting to do this on your own can be a hassle.
What are the pitfalls of online wills? ›...
The following are stumbling points:
- Who do I leave my assets to?
- Who will be my executor?
- Is there some personal property I want to go to a specific person?
- What do I do want done with my online presence: social media, email accounts and websites?
The cost of making a Will in India is between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000, which includes the cost of only preparing the Will. There is no need to pay any government fees to register a Will, except for the nominal scanning and photocopy charges.
Who can destroy a will? ›Revocation of a Will can be carried out at any time during the Will maker's (known as the 'Testator') lifetime. However, the Will must be revoked legally, and the Testator must intend to revoke their Will, not done accidentally and is the only person who can validly destroy their own Will.
Who should I leave money to in my will? ›If you're in a relationship…
Most married couples, civil partners and long-term partners choose to leave the bulk of their residuary estate to their partner. This is usually due to shared responsibilities like bringing up children or paying a mortgage where your partner would rely on your financial support.
Who is the best executor for my will? ›
Who should I choose to be an executor? It could be a friend or family member. They don't have to be related to you but it should be someone that you feel you can trust and who is willing to take on the responsibility of the role. The people you choose can also inherit something from your will.
How do I get a FreeWill? ›Free will writing from local solicitor with National Free Wills Network. As a member of the National Free Wills Network, we can offer you the opportunity to have a simple will prepared for free by a local solicitor. To take part, call 020 7825 2505 or email us with your full address and telephone number.
Can I get a FreeWill kit? ›More than 150 charities are signed up to the National Free Wills Network, offering free simple wills – usually for charity members and over-55s. The charity will usually check you have donated in the past, or are a member, to be eligible for the free will.
Is there a FreeWill template? ›A free online will-maker, like FreeWill.
FreeWill is one of the only free will-makers on the market, thanks to the support of our nonprofit partners. Our will forms are easy to follow, customized to you, and include instructions to make your will legally-valid based on the state where you live.
A trust can avoid probate while a will cannot.
Attorney fees alone can cost up to 2% of your assets. However, there are also costs to setting up and maintaining a trust. A trust is usually more expensive to draft, and you will have to transfer your assets into your trust (or 'fund' your trust).
Positive Reviews
Finally, a number of reviewers mention that using LegalZoom is more affordable and simpler than hiring and paying for an attorney every time you need legal assistance.
- Retirement assets. While you can transfer ownership of your retirement accounts into your trust, estate planning experts usually don't recommend it. ...
- Health savings accounts (HSAs) ...
- Assets held in other countries. ...
- Vehicles. ...
- Cash.
- List all your assets. These might include: ...
- Decide who gets your money and belongings when you die. ...
- Choose guardians for minor children. ...
- Make your own will or work with a professional. ...
- Name an executor for your will. ...
- Make your will official. ...
- Keep it updated.
THE VALIDITY OF A WILL
It must be made voluntarily. It must be in writing (either typed or hand written) It must be signed by the testator.
Your options for writing your own will
As long as it was properly signed and witnessed by two adult independent witnesses who are present at the time you sign your will, it should be legally binding.
Can I write my own will legally? ›
There is no need for a will to be drawn up or witnessed by a solicitor. If you wish to make a will yourself, you can do so. However, you should only consider doing this if the will is going to be straightforward.
Is there a free will template? ›A free online will-maker, like FreeWill.
FreeWill is one of the only free will-makers on the market, thanks to the support of our nonprofit partners. Our will forms are easy to follow, customized to you, and include instructions to make your will legally-valid based on the state where you live.
As long as it was properly signed and witnessed by two adult independent witnesses who are present at the time you sign your will, it should be legally binding.
How do I make my own will? ›- Decide what property to include in your will.
- Decide who will inherit your property.
- Choose an executor to handle your estate.
- Choose a guardian for your children.
- Choose someone to manage children's property.
- Make your will.
- Sign your will in front of witnesses.
- Store your will safely.
Net Lawman provides last Will and testament templates that you can download and edit on your computer. If you would like peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out, we can review your edited document.
Is a handwritten will Legitimate? ›Self-written wills are typically valid, even when handwritten, as long as they're properly witnessed and signed or proven in court. A handwritten will that is not witnessed is considered a holographic will.