Best Online Estate Planning Service 2026 — Ranked
Trust & Will is the best online estate planning service for most families — the Will-Based plan at $159 includes a will, healthcare directive, and power of attorney.
Apply Now →At a Glance
Trust & Will
“Complete estate planning in 20 minutes — will, POA, healthcare directive at $69.”
What we like
- Will + POA + healthcare directive complete in 15–20 minutes
- 4.8 stars across 15,000+ reviews — highest-rated estate planning service
- Purpose-built platform — cleaner experience than general legal services
- Trust-based plan available at $399 for probate avoidance
Watch out for
- $69 for will plan vs. $7.99/month at LawDepot for templates
- Document updates require $100/year Guardian Plan subscription
Rates as of April 9, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
LegalZoom
“LegalZoom estate planning — best when bundled with business and IP legal needs.”
What we like
- Full LLC filing service — no state paperwork required from you
- Attorney consultation access on premium plans
- 85,000+ reviews — most established online legal service
Watch out for
- $99–$369 vs. $7.99/month at LawDepot for comparable document quality
- Registered agent at $249/year — most expensive available
Rates as of April 9, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
LawDepot
“Will, POA, and estate templates at $7.99/month — budget alternative to Trust & Will.”
What we like
- $7.99/month for 2,000+ attorney-reviewed document templates
- 14-day free trial — generate all documents before first charge
- State-specific customization via guided questionnaire
- Covers LLC, real estate, employment, personal legal needs
Watch out for
- No filing service — you submit documents to state yourself
- Monthly subscription model — must cancel actively to avoid renewal
Rates as of April 9, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Nolo
“Nolo estate planning guides — understand the law, then use Trust & Will for documents.”
What we like
- Detailed explanations of every operating agreement provision
- Covers edge cases: member death, disability, bankruptcy, retirement
- Book format provides deep legal education alongside forms
- Trusted for 50+ years in consumer legal publishing
Watch out for
- $39.99 for guidance + forms vs. $7.99/month at LawDepot for online generation
- Less convenient than online questionnaire-based services
Rates as of April 9, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Willing
“Willing is the most streamlined online will maker in this comparison — the guided questionnaire completes a basic will in under 30 minutes at $69. Best for individuals with uncomplicated estates who w”
What we like
- Extremely simple, fast questionnaire — most users finish in under 20 minutes
- Clean, modern interface with minimal legal jargon
- Covers all essential will provisions in the streamlined flow
- Estate planning checklist that guides users through the full process
- Available in all 50 states
Watch out for
- $69 for a basic will — more expensive than LawDepot's full subscription for less functionality
- Less state-specific customization than LawDepot or Trust & Will
- Smaller company — less established than LegalZoom or LawDepot
- Limited trust options compared to Trust & Will
- No attorney access included
Rates as of April 9, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Online Estate Planning Service Buying Guide
Photo by Kampus Production / PexelsWhat Online Estate Planning Covers
A complete estate plan has four core documents: a will (who gets what), a durable financial POA (who manages finances if you cannot), a healthcare directive or medical POA (who makes medical decisions), and a living will or advance directive (your instructions for end-of-life care). Online services handle all five for $99-$199, compared to $1,000-$3,000 for an attorney-drafted equivalent.
What online services cannot do: advise on minimizing estate taxes (relevant above $13.6M federal exemption), structure trusts for specific asset protection goals, handle business succession planning, or coordinate beneficiary designations across retirement accounts and life insurance policies. Those require attorneys.
Will vs. Trust — The Central Decision
A will goes through probate — the court-supervised process of validating the document and distributing assets. Probate is public record, takes 6-18 months in most states, and costs 2-5% of estate value in attorney and court fees. A revocable living trust passes assets directly to beneficiaries without probate, is private, and can take effect immediately upon your death.
Trusts are not universally superior. If your estate is under $150,000-$200,000, most states offer simplified probate procedures that eliminate most of the cost and delay. Trusts require funding — transferring assets into the trust during your lifetime — which most people never complete, rendering the trust useless. A will with joint ownership and proper beneficiary designations achieves probate avoidance for many people without the trust complexity.
State-Specific Requirements Most People Miss
Will execution requirements vary by state. Most require two adult witnesses who are not beneficiaries and a notary for self-proving status (which speeds probate). Louisiana requires a notarized will with two witnesses and specific language to be valid. Colorado and North Dakota allow holographic (handwritten) wills. An online service that does not adapt to your state's requirements produces a document that may fail when it matters most.
Healthcare directives are particularly state-specific. Some states do not recognize out-of-state directives. If you split time between states, you need compliant documents for both. The best online services flag these multi-state issues and produce duplicate compliant forms automatically.
When You Need an Attorney Instead
Use an attorney rather than an online service when: your estate exceeds $1M with significant real estate or business assets; you have children from multiple relationships; you want to disinherit an heir (which requires specific language to withstand challenges); you have a disabled beneficiary who receives government benefits (trusts can disqualify them without careful drafting); or your intended beneficiaries are likely to contest the will.
Online services are appropriate for: straightforward estates, married couples with shared assets and shared children, and anyone primarily concerned with ensuring the four core documents exist and are valid — which is better than having nothing at all, which describes roughly 60% of American adults.
How We Evaluate Online Estate Planning Services
We evaluated: state coverage and document customization depth, will and trust availability (not all services offer trusts), healthcare directive completeness, document storage and access, attorney review availability, and update/amendment process. We also considered whether services prompt for the documents most people forget — beneficiary review guidance, digital asset instructions, and letter of instruction for personal property not named in the will.
For the specific trust-creation category within estate planning, our Best Living Trust Service Online 2026 covers revocable trust creation tools ranked for completeness and legal validity. For the Trust & Will service specifically, Trust & Will Review 2026 provides an in-depth look at their estate plan bundles and attorney network. For the power of attorney documents that typically accompany an estate plan, Best Power of Attorney Forms Online 2026 covers durable and healthcare POA options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a will and an estate plan?
Do I need an estate plan if I'm young and healthy?
How often should I update my estate plan?
Can I name a minor as a beneficiary?
What happens if I die without an estate plan?
What are the four essential estate planning documents?
How We Evaluate Financial Products
We compare financial products based on objective criteria: annual fees, APR ranges, rewards rates, sign-up bonuses, and key perks. We do not factor in issuer relationships or compensation when determining rankings. Products are ranked based on overall value for the target use case described on this page.
Rates and terms change frequently. We update these pages regularly, but always verify current rates directly on the issuer’s website before applying. APR ranges shown reflect the full possible range — your actual rate depends on your creditworthiness.
This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We compare products; we do not advise on which product is right for your personal financial situation. Read our full methodology →