Best Online Estate Planning Services of 2026
We evaluated online will and trust services on document comprehensiveness, attorney access, ease of use, and value for families.
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Showing 5 of 5 results
- 1
9.4
Best Overall$199 (will) or $499 (trust)Best Overall
Best Overall
$199 (will) or $499 (trust)at Direct
- State-specific documents reviewed by licensed attorneys
- Covers will, healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, and guardian designation
Complete estate planning that actually makes sense
Trust & Will is purpose-built for families and it shows. Their guided interview process asks exactly the right questions — especially around minor children and guardian designation — and produces state-specific documents reviewed by licensed attorneys. The most important paperwork you'll ever complete.
Read the full Trust & Will review →Pros
- State-specific documents reviewed by licensed attorneys
- Covers will, healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, and guardian designation
- Annual plan allows unlimited updates as family grows
Cons
- Trust plan ($499) is pricier than LegalZoom equivalent
- Does not provide ongoing attorney representation
Score Breakdown
Safety9.5Value9.1Ease9.6Quality9.3Specs
- Documents Included
- Will, POA, Healthcare Directive, Guardian
- State Specific
- Yes
- Attorney Review
- Yes
- Update Policy
- Unlimited
- 2
9.1
Free will, life insurance from $8/monthBest for New Parents
Best for New Parents
Free will, life insurance from $8/monthat Direct
- Free will creation — no estate planning fee
- Guardian designation for minor children is the primary focus
Will + life insurance in one place for new families
Fabric by Gerber Life makes a powerful argument: every new parent should have a will in place before leaving the hospital. Their free will service handles the most critical piece — guardian designation for minor children — and the seamless life insurance integration makes protecting your family a 15-minute exercise.
Read the full Fabric by Gerber Life review →Pros
- Free will creation — no estate planning fee
- Guardian designation for minor children is the primary focus
- Integrates life insurance application in the same flow
Cons
- Will is basic compared to Trust & Will's comprehensive packages
- Attorney review not included in the free tier
Score Breakdown
Safety9.3Value9.8Ease9.7Quality8.9Specs
- Documents Included
- Will, Guardian Designation
- State Specific
- Yes
- Attorney Review
- No
- Update Policy
- Unlimited (free)
- 3
8.8
$89–$179Best Established Service
Best Established Service
$89–$179at Direct
- 20+ years of trust — used by millions of American families
- Attorney advice available as add-on service
America's most-used legal document service since 2001
LegalZoom is the name millions of families trust when it comes to legal documents. Their estate planning package is comprehensive, state-specific, and backed by 20+ years of legal document expertise. Not the flashiest option, but reliable and thorough.
Read the full LegalZoom Estate Planning review →Pros
- 20+ years of trust — used by millions of American families
- Attorney advice available as add-on service
- One of the broadest state-specific document libraries
Cons
- Can feel overwhelming with many upsell options
- Customer service response times can be slow
Score Breakdown
Safety9.1Value8.9Ease8.7Quality8.8Specs
- Documents Included
- Will, POA, Healthcare Directive
- State Specific
- Yes
- Attorney Review
- Add-on
- Update Policy
- Fee per update
- 4
8.4
FreeBest Free Option
Best Free Option
Freeat Direct
- Completely free for basic will creation
- Takes about 20 minutes to complete
Simple, free wills for straightforward estates
If you've been putting off creating a will because of cost, Willing removes that excuse entirely. It's free, fast, and produces a legally valid basic will. For simple estates and young families, it handles the most critical piece: ensuring your wishes are documented.
Read the full Willing review →Pros
- Completely free for basic will creation
- Takes about 20 minutes to complete
- Good starting point for young families just getting organized
Cons
- Limited to basic will — no trust, no healthcare directive
- No attorney review included
- Less comprehensive than paid services
Score Breakdown
Safety8.8Value9.9Ease9.5Quality8.1Specs
- Documents Included
- Basic Will
- State Specific
- Yes
- Attorney Review
- No
- Update Policy
- Free
- 5
8.6
$149/yearBest End-to-End Planning
Best End-to-End Planning
$149/yearat Direct
- Covers will, advance directive, and digital legacy all in one place
- Guides users through difficult end-of-life conversations
Estate planning and end-of-life prep in one place
Cake takes a holistic approach to end-of-life planning that goes beyond legal documents. Their platform guides families through difficult conversations and ensures the right people have access to the right information at the right time — a genuinely thoughtful product.
Read the full Cake review →Pros
- Covers will, advance directive, and digital legacy all in one place
- Guides users through difficult end-of-life conversations
- Stores documents digitally and shares them with designated contacts
Cons
- Annual subscription model vs. one-time fee of competitors
- More focused on end-of-life planning than living trusts
Score Breakdown
Safety9.0Value8.7Ease9.2Quality8.8Specs
- Documents Included
- Will, Advance Directive, Digital Legacy
- State Specific
- Yes
- Attorney Review
- No
- Update Policy
- Unlimited
Estate Planning Buying Guide
Why can’t parents skip estate planning?
For parents, estate planning has one item that outranks every other: naming a guardian for your children in a legally valid will. Without it, that decision falls to a court with no knowledge of your family. The rest of the basic package — will, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, healthcare directives — determines whether a crisis is administratively simple or a year of expensive court process. Online services have made the essentials affordable in an afternoon; the excuse inventory is empty.
What to look for
Guardianship done right
The core parental document: your will names primary and backup guardians for minor children. Any service you use should treat this as the centerpiece, and you should confirm the named guardians are willing before the documents say so.
State-specific validity
Wills and directives are governed by state law — witnessing, notarization, and language requirements differ. Use services that generate state-specific documents and follow the signing instructions exactly; an improperly executed will can fail entirely.
The full basic package
Beyond the will: financial power of attorney, healthcare directive/proxy, and HIPAA authorization cover incapacity, not just death. Parents need all of them; compare what each service tier actually includes.
Will versus trust, honestly
A will covers most young families. Revocable living trusts add probate avoidance and control — worth it for homeowners in high-probate-cost states, blended families, or larger estates — at a higher price. Beware upsells in both directions.
Beneficiaries and the will must agree
Retirement accounts and life insurance pass by beneficiary designation, overriding the will. Estate planning includes auditing those designations — a forgotten ex-partner beneficiary is a classic, catastrophic miss.
Update mechanics
Life changes — births, moves, divorces — require document updates. Compare one-time purchases against subscription services with unlimited updates, and check what an amendment costs later either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need a lawyer, or is an online will service enough?
For a typical young family — modest estate, straightforward wishes, guardianship as the priority — reputable online services produce valid state-specific documents at a tenth of attorney cost, and some include attorney review options. Hire an actual estate attorney for complexity: blended families, special-needs children (who need specific trust structures), business ownership, or estates near tax thresholds. An online will now beats a perfect plan never.
What happens if parents die without a will?
State intestacy law distributes assets by formula, and — the part that should move you to action — a judge selects your children’s guardian without your input, weighing petitions from whoever comes forward. The process is public, slower, and costlier than administering a will. Naming a guardian yourself is the entire reason this category is urgent for parents.
Will or living trust for a young family?
Start with the will-based package (will + powers of attorney + healthcare directives) — it covers guardianship and distribution for most families at low cost. A revocable living trust earns its extra cost when probate in your state is slow or expensive, when you own property in multiple states, or when you want structured payouts instead of lump sums at adulthood. You can add a trust later; you can’t retroactively name a guardian.
Our Ranking Methodology
Services were evaluated on legal document comprehensiveness, attorney access and review options, ease of use for non-lawyers, price and value.
Learn more about how we test and score →