A final will and testament is a legal document that allows you to specify how you want your possessions transferred after you die to family members, friends, or charity organisations. You’ll also use a will to name legal guardians for minor children, assign a caretaker for pets, and name an executor. We checked out 14 online will makers and chose six that stood out from the crowd. These platforms were the foremost comprehensive, affordable, and highly rated among similar services, and each has its own distinct trait that set it apart from the competition.
The 6 Best Online Will Makers
- Best Overall: Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust
- Best Value: Trust & Will
- Best Free Option: doyourownwill.com
- Best for simple Use: Willing
- Best for Charitable Giving: FreeWill
- Best Customer Service: Rocket Lawyer
BEST OVERALL - Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust
PRICE: $89 to $199 LEGAL SUPPORT: No FREE TRIAL: NoWhy We Chose It
Quicken WillMaker & Trust by Nolo provides access to over 35 estate-planning documents, including a will and an inter vivos trust, health care directive, and power of attorney, counting on the annual plan you choose. There are three annual subscription plans, so you’ll choose one that works for you.Pros & Cons
Pros
- A year's worth of free legal updates
- Complete the downloaded documents at your own pace
Cons
- Documents are not recognised in Louisiana.
- Not available on mobile
Overview
Quicken, a globally recognised personal financial and money management software firm, collaborates with DIY legal reference publisher Nolo to provide WillMaker & Trust with a powerful online will maker that combines the experience of both organizations. There are three pricing tiers to settle on from based on your needs. The $89 Starter plan is a basic yearly package that allows you to create a will, a health care directive, and last wishes. You’ll create and revise documents as needed. You’ll also store your documents with the plan’s data vault. And whether or not your membership status expires, you'll still have access to your papers. The $129 Plus yearly subscription includes everything the basic plan does, but it also allows you to draft a durable power of attorney, letters to survivors, and an inter vivos trust. The $199 All Access yearly subscription includes everything contained in the Plus package, plus access to Everplans' smart digital vault. With this vault, you may save all of your crucial documents in one location, including your will, trust, health care directive, insurance data, and financial records.It is a nice perk since Everplans’ digital storage services cost around $75 per year. Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust’s PC software features a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with almost 350 reviews, but there are a pair of weak spots to be aware of. The primary is that estate planning documents are not valid in Louisiana, U.S. territories, or Canada. The second is that you simply have to download the software to your computer, meaning you want to have a PC or Mac with a compatible operating system and enough hard drive space. If you do not have a PC or a Mac, you will need to find another option. Despite these drawbacks, Quicken WillMaker & Trust by Nolo is the foremost comprehensive, affordable online will-making option we’ve found.BEST VALUE - Trust & Will
PRICE:$39 to $699 LEGAL SUPPORT: No FREE TRIAL: NoWhy We Chose It
Wills start at $159 for individuals and $259 for couples, and trusts are $599 for individuals and $699 for couples. After the first year, unlimited changes for wills are $19 per year and $39 for trusts. If you wish to amend your will, some online will generators ask you to create a new one from scratch.; otherwise, you may have to pay high annual fees to maintain documents. And if you are not quite ready to establish a will, Trust & Will’s most elementaryFor $39 for individuals and $69 for couples, you can appoint a guardian for your minor kid or children under the Guardian Plan.Pros & Cons
Pros
- Useful educational resources
- Intuitive website for quick process
Cons
- No upfront legal consultations
- Not ideal for complex situations
Overview
Founded in 2017, Trust & Will aims to make estate planning simple, affordable, and accessible, and it’s our choice for the simplest value in online will makers. You’ll make a will in as little as 15 minutes, and therefore the company even mails your completed documents for free, together with instructions to make them legally binding. The company’s trust product–$599 for people and $699 for couples–allows you to:- Nominate guardians for minor children and pets
- Name an executor
- Leave gifts
- Exclude people from your property
- Specify your final arrangements
- List your health care wishes
- Designate health care agents
- Grant access to health care records
- Add conditions to contributions
- Avoid court
- A final will and testament.
- HIPAA authorization.
- A legal document.
- An influence of an attorney.
BEST FREE OPTION - doyourownwill.com
PRICE: Free LEGAL SUPPORT: No FREE TRIAL: N/AWhy We Chose It
There are other free online will generators, but doyourownwill.com is the most thorough. You’ll get guardianship forms, power of attorney forms, legal documents, and more. And since it’s free, there is not any time limitations for updating or downloading your documents, making doyourownwill.com the simplest free option among online will makers.Pros & Cons
Pros
- Available altogether 50 states
- No account creation required
Cons
- No legal support
- Must double-check your state laws
Overview
Doyourownwill.com from Trial Data, Inc., unlike other online will builders that allow you to construct your will over a free trial period, is typically free. And what does one get for free? A will that’s valid in all 50 states. You’ll download it in Microsoft Word or PDF format instantly. You'll also replicate it for your spouse. The site will ask you questions about your personal circumstances, such as your gender, legal status, and whether or not you have minor children. Following that, you'll provide your name and address, as well as answer questions about your beneficiaries., including what proportion of your estate your spouse and children will receive in the event of your death. And you will name an executor and choose at which age–18 or 21–your minor children can claim the proceeds of their trust. You will also make contributions of specified personal goods and specify your memorial desires. Although doyourownwill.com is best for people with simple distribution plans who own property worth less than the federal estate tax threshold limit ($12.06 million), individuals with more than $5 million in total assets would be better served by consulting an attorney for their estate planning needs. Nonetheless, doyourownwill.com is a versatile tool for free estate preparation.BEST FOR simple USE - Willing
PRICE:$69 LEGAL SUPPORT: No FREE TRIAL: NoWhy We Chose It
Willing has a clean design and a simple user interface. There aren't many alternatives on its website other from creating your will. Its portability and accessibility make it appealing to folks who don't want to spend hours navigating will-making software.Pros & Cons
Pros
- Straightforward user experience
- Streamlined to save lots of time
Cons
- Upgrade required for revocable inter vivos trust
Overview
Willing is a web-based will-making tool with a simple user interface. While the lowest-cost plan has limits, it is still a complete online will maker that will fulfill the needs of individuals who are tech-averse or feel intimidated by the notion of making their will, and it is our selection for simplicity of use. For $69, you get a final will and testament, a durable power of attorney, and a legal document. A revocable inter vivos trust and transfer-on-death deed for your home are also available but may cost more. You’ll make updates and download your documents anytime. You’ll make updates and download your documents anytime. Note that Willing doesn’t include pet guardianship. If that’s important to you, you would possibly want to consider using doyourownwill.com instead.BEST FOR CHARITABLE GIVING - FreeWill
PRICE: Free LEGAL SUPPORT: No FREE TRIAL: N/AWhy We Chose It
If charitable giving is vital to you, you’ll love FreeWill’s approach to estate planning. Quite 600 nonprofit organizations fund it with the goal of making charitable estate donations easier. Even when compared to paid alternatives, it is a very comprehensive tool, including free last will and testament, living will, and financial power of attorney paperwork, qualifying charity distribution, and stock giving forms that are valid in all 50 states. You’ll change and download your will at any time without making a new one.Pros & Cons
Pros
- Designed to support charitable giving
- Available in 50 states
Cons
- No legal support
- Limited documents available
Overview
FreeWill is our top option for charitable giving because it is a public benefit corporation that collaborates with nonprofit organizations and assists people in donating a portion of their estate to charity. Over $3.3 billion has been pledged to charity from over 300,000 wills created on FreeWill. Establishing a will through the FreeWill platform is simple. If applicable, you provide your name, legal status, and therefore the legal names of your spouse and children. You'll appoint an executor, a trustee for your children, and even specify how much money you want to leave for the care of your pets. Then FreeWill allows you to select a cause to put in your will. Preset selections include the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and therefore the American Diabetes Association, but you will select NGOs that aren't on the list. You enter the share of your residual estate you wish to leave to this nonprofit. Once you’ve selected a cause, you progress back to the more practical matters of splitting up your estate among your chosen beneficiaries. Furthermore, you may choose who will inherit non-probate assets like stocks, life assurance, and 401(k)s. you’ll even leave a final statement for your family. FreeWill features a 4.9-star rating from over 1,700 reviews on Trustpilot. It is a great choice whether you plan to donate part of your estate or not, but like any online will maker, it’s best suited for those with simple and straightforward estates.BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE - Rocket Lawyer
PRICE: $39.99 per document, $39 per month for a Premium subscription LEGAL SUPPORT: Yes FREE TRIAL: YesWhy We Chose It
When you create a will online, you'll be left wondering if you've covered all of your bases. Rocket Lawyer offers simple customer service, with options for contacting lawyers by email, phone, or online chat, and the company guarantees to answer within one business day. They even have an on-call attorney to answer immediate questions and give customers access to their legal documents library, free 30-minute consultations, and secure cloud storage.Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free seven-day trial
- Ability to ask a lawyer questions
Cons
- Pricey decides to unlock all the options
- A credit card is required for a free trial
Overview
Rocket Lawyer is our pick for excellent customer service among the web will builders we researched, having serviced 25 million clients and touting the phrase "Legal Made Simple." Rocket Lawyer costs $39.99 per document, however if you join their Premium membership for $39.99 per month, all papers are included. You’ll try Premium free for seven days and get a will, inter vivos trust, or power of attorney. The disadvantage is you won’t be able to make any updates or print them after seven days without paying. Rocket Lawyer features a 4.7-star rating with over 4,800 reviews on Trustpilot. While it is a great service, it contains a lot of legal language, so taking use of the company's best-in-class customer support can help you prevent any misunderstandings.Final Verdict
You'll come across a plethora of possibilities while looking for a means to establish a will. Your specific circumstances will determine whether service is appropriate for you. But Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust provides the foremost suitable option that balances robust services at a fair price.What Is an Online Will Maker?
A last will and testament is a legal document that allows you to specify what you want to happen to your assets after you pass away. If you do not have a will in place when you die, your assets are distributed consistent with state inheritance laws. Having a will can help avoid that scenario and make sure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Hiring an attorney wont to be the only way to have a will made. Now with online will makers, you’ll create your will and other estate planning documents affordably, 24/7, and access or download them instantly.Who Should Use a web Will Maker?
A web will should work for you if you’ve got a straightforward family and/or financial situation. You’ll make a will online if you have kids, pets, own a home, and have money in investment accounts you’d wish to pass on. However, there are few or no online services that address some unusual or difficult scenarios, such as:- Having a spouse who is not a citizen of the United States
- Children with exceptional needs who get state or federal assistance
- Paying out prenuptial, postnuptial, or divorce agreements include money payable after death
- Estates worth quite state or federal estate tax exemption amounts
- Distributing a business
- Paying bent a trust instead of a beneficiary
How Much Do Online Will Makers Cost?
Online will manufacturers can range in price from $0 to $200, with the average cost ranging between $20 to $100. The majority of services demand a one-time cost, but some require a membership to view or edit forms. When looking for online will makers, make sure to consider how much it will cost to make revisions and reprint your papers. A lower upfront charge with no or low-cost access afterwards may save you money over time as compared to a service with a high yearly fee or one that forces you to start again with a fresh purchase.Methodology
We reviewed 14 online will builders and selected the best based on the diversity of legal forms accessible, price structures, the availability of legal guidance, and hence the product's simplicity of use. We looked for firms with historically positive user ratings or new companies that are breaking the traditional estate planning mold in some way to evaluate the offerings. Finally, the ability to make a state-specific will and the number of states where the will is valid were given substantial weight. All of our top choices offer various documents associated with making a valid will, are affordable and accessible to most people , and have solid reputations among users.