A DIY online form
- Cost
- Free to about £90
- Who writes it
- You write it. Software fills a template.
- Who checks it
- Nobody reads it before you sign.
- Who it suits
- A very simple estate and real confidence you have not missed anything.
Online will, or a professional one?
The choice is not really online against professional. Plenty of professionally written wills start online. The question that decides it is simpler: does a person read your will before you sign it, and does anyone stand behind it if it is wrong?
The three routes, side by side
| Route | Cost | Who writes it | Who checks it | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A DIY online form | Free to about £90 | You write it. Software fills a template. | Nobody reads it before you sign. | A very simple estate and real confidence you have not missed anything. |
| A written will over the phoneWhat we do | £49, normally £249 | A will writer takes your wishes over the phone and drafts it for you. | Checked by a person before it reaches you, and backed by £5m of insurance. | Most families. Property, children, second marriages, specific gifts. |
| A high street solicitor | £200 to £650 | A solicitor drafts it, usually across one or two appointments. | Checked by a solicitor, with legal advice attached. | Complex estates, trusts, tax planning, or anything likely to be contested. |
A written will over the phoneWhat we do
- Cost
- £49, normally £249
- Who writes it
- A will writer takes your wishes over the phone and drafts it for you.
- Who checks it
- Checked by a person before it reaches you, and backed by £5m of insurance.
- Who it suits
- Most families. Property, children, second marriages, specific gifts.
A high street solicitor
- Cost
- £200 to £650
- Who writes it
- A solicitor drafts it, usually across one or two appointments.
- Who checks it
- Checked by a solicitor, with legal advice attached.
- Who it suits
- Complex estates, trusts, tax planning, or anything likely to be contested.
Where a DIY form actually catches people out
Signing it wrongly voids it
A will has to be signed in front of two witnesses who are not beneficiaries, and who watch you sign. Get that wrong and the document is worthless, which nobody discovers until it matters.
The words do not mean what you think
"My children" may or may not include stepchildren. "My house" may not cover the one you move to. A template cannot ask what you meant, because a template cannot ask anything.
Nothing catches what you left out
No form knows you have a business, a second property or a child from a first marriage unless you think to say so. A conversation gets there because someone is asking.
When you should see a solicitor instead of us
We would rather say this plainly than take the money. If any of these describe you, the £49 route is not the right one and a solicitor is worth what they charge.
- Your estate is likely to face inheritance tax and you want it planned around, not just recorded.
- You want to put assets into a trust, or you already have one.
- You own a business, farm or agricultural land.
- You own property abroad, or you are not domiciled in the UK.
- You expect someone to contest the will, or you are deliberately leaving out a close family member.
- Someone involved may lack the mental capacity to make or understand the will.
If none of them describe you, you are in the position most families are in, and a professionally written will over the phone does the job for a fraction of £200 to £650.
What £49 actually buys
A bespoke will, not a template
Your Family & Estate Will covers your executors, guardians for your children, who inherits what, gifts and keepsakes, funeral wishes, pet care and digital assets. Written for you over the phone by an award winning team.
A person, and a guarantee
30 years, 170,000+ families helped, and every will backed by £5m insurance. Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
The book that comes with it
A will tells your family who gets what. It doesn't tell them where to find your accounts, what kind of funeral you'd want, or who looks after your dog. This free book comes with every Family & Estate Will and fills that gap, so in the hardest moment of their lives they're not left guessing.
Find out what yours would cost
Answer a few short questions and an expert will call you back with your price. It is a free enquiry, there is nothing to pay to start, and you are not committing to anything.
Family & Estate Will £49, normally £249. Couples Will for you and your partner £99, normally £498.