Best Online Will Makers 2026: Real Prices Compared (US)

The best online will maker for most people with a simple life in the US is the cheapest one that covers your state and your family. On 2 November 2026, FreeWill cost $0. Quicken WillMaker & Trust started at $109 for up to five family members. LegalZoom started at $129, or $149 with attorney calls. Trust & Will started at $199, or $299 for a couple. All of them are far cheaper than a lawyer. None of them is right for a complicated family or estate.

Below are the real prices, what each one includes, the renewal costs that are easy to miss, and the signs that you need a lawyer instead.

Why does a proper will matter, even a cheap one?

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, died in 2018 at 76. She left no formal, typed will. In 2019, a niece searching her home found two handwritten documents (AP, 11 July 2023).

One, from 2010, was in a locked cabinet. The other, from 2014, was in a spiral notebook, stuffed in the cushions of her couch. The two did not match. Under the 2014 papers, one son and her grandchildren would get her main home. The 2010 version said two sons "must take business classes and get a certificate or a degree" to benefit.

Her sons went to court against each other. In July 2023, a Michigan jury decided the couch papers were her valid will. "It's been a long five years for my family," her son Kecalf told reporters.

Aretha Franklin did write down her wishes. But her papers were unclear, did not agree and were hard to find. A clear, properly signed will, even a $0 one, can spare your family years like that.

How much do online will makers cost in 2026?

We read each company's own pricing page on 2 November 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.

Service	One person	Couple	What you get	Ongoing cost
FreeWill	$0	$0	Will, advance health care directive, financial power of attorney	None
Quicken WillMaker & Trust: Starter	$109	Included (up to 5 family members)	Will, health care directive, final arrangements	Optional $39.99/year to keep editing online after year one
Quicken WillMaker & Trust: Plus	$149	Included	Starter plus financial power of attorney, living trust, transfer-on-death deed	As above
LegalZoom: Basic Will	$129	$229	Will only	None
LegalZoom: Pro Will	$149	$249	Will, health care directive, medical and financial powers of attorney, HIPAA form, 30 days of attorney calls	Attorney access renews at $25/month
Trust & Will: Will Plan	$199	$299	Will, living will, power of attorney, HIPAA form	Optional membership $49/year; attorney support +$299
Rocket Lawyer	$149/year membership (or $34.99/month)	Per member	Unlimited documents, plus limited "Ask an Attorney" questions	Renews every year or month

A "HIPAA authorization" lets doctors share your medical information with someone you name. A "power of attorney" names someone to act for you if you cannot. A "living trust" is a legal arrangement that can keep some property out of probate, the court process after a death.

For comparison, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) puts a basic will at $15 to $1,500 or more. A full estate plan with an attorney runs about $2,000 to $5,000 or more (NCOA).

How did we compare them?

We looked at six things that change what you really pay and get:

1. Price for one person and for a couple.
2. Which papers are included. A will alone does not name someone to make health or money decisions while you are alive.
3. What it costs later. Updates, renewals and memberships.
4. Access to a lawyer, and for how long.
5. Where it works. Every service here is for US residents. WillMaker says it does not cover Louisiana, whose law is different.
6. Who pays for it. "Free" is paid for by someone. It helps to know who.

We do not take money from any of these companies. There are no affiliate links on this page.

Which online will maker is best for you?

FreeWill: best if money is tight and your life is simple. FreeWill says its tools are 100% free, with no credit card (FreeWill). More than 2,400 nonprofits pay for it, hoping some users leave them a gift. FreeWill says about one in six users do. You can skip that step. You get a will, an advance health care directive and a financial power of attorney. Revocable living trusts are only offered in California. FreeWill says it is not a law firm, and it flags answers where a lawyer may fit better.

Not for you if: you want a lawyer to check your will, or you need a trust outside California.

Quicken WillMaker & Trust: best value for a whole family. Nolo's software has been around for decades. The $109 Starter plan includes a will, a health care directive and a final arrangements document (WillMaker). One purchase covers up to five family members. That makes it the cheapest paid option for a couple. You can edit for one year. After that, editing online costs $39.99 a year. If you let it lapse, WillMaker says online documents stay available for 90 days, so download your finished PDFs. The Plus plan ($149) adds a financial power of attorney and a living trust.

Not for you if: you live in Louisiana, or you want to talk to a lawyer.

LegalZoom: best if you want a lawyer on call for a short time. The Basic Will is $129 for one person or $229 for a couple (LegalZoom). The Pro Will, at $149, adds health and money papers plus unlimited 30-minute attorney calls for 30 days. After that, it renews at $25 a month unless you cancel. Put a reminder in your calendar.

Not for you if: you will forget to cancel a renewal, or you only need a will.

Trust & Will: best if you may want a trust later. The Will Plan is $199, or $299 for a couple (Trust & Will). It includes a will, a living will, a power of attorney and a HIPAA form. If you own a home and want to avoid probate, its Trust Plan is $499, or $599 for a couple. A $49-a-year membership and $299 attorney support are extras.

Not for you if: you want the lowest price for a simple will.

Rocket Lawyer: best if you need many legal documents, not just a will. Membership starts at $149 a year, or $34.99 a month, after a 7-day free trial (Rocket Lawyer). It includes unlimited documents and a set number of written attorney answers.

Not for you if: you only need a will once. A one-time purchase costs less.

Is an online will legally valid?

Yes, if you sign it correctly. The website only prepares the paper. What makes it a will is how you sign it.

In most states, you sign in front of two adult witnesses, who then sign too. Many states also let you add a "self-proving affidavit." That is a short statement signed in front of a notary. It means the court can accept the will without calling the witnesses later. Each service gives signing instructions for your state. Follow them exactly.

A few tips:

• Do not pick a witness who inherits from you. In some states, that can cancel their gift.
• Sign the printed original. Keep it somewhere safe and dry.
• Tell your executor where it is. Your executor is the person who carries out your will. A will nobody can find is no help.
• Review it after big changes, such as marriage, divorce, a new child or a move to another state.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

When is a lawyer the better choice?

Online wills work best for simple lives. NCOA quotes CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger: "If there are any complications… a second marriage, family estrangement, a special needs family member, a partnership or ownership of a small business, or you've just got piles and piles of money… in any of those cases, use a qualified estate planning attorney" (NCOA).

Add these to the list:

• you own property in more than one state or country;
• you want to leave money to someone who gets government benefits;
• you expect someone to challenge your will;
• you want to cut someone out who would normally inherit.

To keep a lawyer's bill down, NCOA suggests you ask for flat fees, compare quotes and gather your information first. It also suggests a middle path: make your documents online, then pay a lawyer to review them.

What will a will maker not do for you?

A will says who gets what and who is in charge. It does not tell your family how to find things.

After a death, your executor needs to know which bank accounts, pensions and insurance policies exist. They need to know where the deed is, which bills are automatic and how to get into your phone. The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping these records together and telling someone you trust where they are (NIA).

Many families also never write down the softer things. What music at the funeral? Who gets Grandma's ring? What care would you want if you could not speak?

That is the gap our Complete Planning Library fills. It is not a will, and it does not replace a will maker or a lawyer. It is a set of worksheets: an Important Documents and Accounts Organizer, a My Wishes Worksheet, funeral planning pages and a digital life inventory. It costs $39, once. A will service writes the legal paper. The Library gathers everything the will does not cover. It is for people who are ready to sit down and fill in the pages.

How do you get started this week?

1. Decide on your must-haves. Will only? Or a health care directive and power of attorney too?
2. Gather your list first. What you own, what you owe, who should inherit, and who will be your executor and guardian. Ask those people first.
3. Pick a service from the table that fits your needs and budget.
4. Finish it in one sitting if you can. FreeWill says its will takes about 20 minutes.
5. Sign it properly, with the right witnesses and notary for your state.
6. Tell your executor where it is.

Our free end-of-life readiness check shows which papers you still need, in a few minutes. For your health care wishes, read how to write a living will. For the person who will speak for you, read how to choose a health care proxy.

If you live in the UK, see our guide to free wills in the UK.