Online Will vs Solicitor — Which Is Better for You?

If you’re writing a will, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to use an online will writing service or a traditional solicitor. Both options produce legally valid wills, but they differ significantly in price, convenience, expertise and suitability. In this guide, we’ll compare them across every key factor to help you make the right choice.

The Quick Answer

For most people with straightforward estates, an online will writing service is the best option — it’s faster, cheaper and easier than using a solicitor. Our top pick is Farewill at £49. However, if your estate is complex, a solicitor is the safer choice despite the higher cost.

Here’s a summary comparison:

Price — Online Will Wins Easily

This is the most obvious difference. Online will writing services are dramatically cheaper than solicitors:

• Farewill — £49 for a single will, £90 for mirror wills
• Kwil — £39 for a single will, £75 for mirror wills
• Typical solicitor — £150–£300 for a single will, £300–£500+ for mirror wills

That’s a difference of £100–£250 for a single will and £200–£400+ for mirror wills. For most people with straightforward estates, the savings from using an online service are significant and hard to justify ignoring.

Some solicitors charge hourly rates, meaning the final bill can be even higher if your will takes longer than expected or involves multiple consultations.

Speed and Convenience — Online Will Wins Again

Online will writing services are designed for speed and convenience:

• Available 24/7 — You can write your will at any time, from home
• 15–30 minutes — Most people complete the process in under half an hour
• No appointments — No need to take time off work or travel to an office
• Instant access — Your will is available for download immediately after review

Using a solicitor is slower and less convenient:

• Business hours only — Appointments during the working week
• 1–2 weeks — Typically requires an initial consultation, drafting time, and a follow-up appointment to sign
• Travel required — You need to visit the solicitor’s office
• Multiple visits — Often two or more appointments are needed

If you’ve been putting off writing your will because it seems like a hassle, an online service removes every barrier. You can do it this evening from your sofa.

Legal Robustness — Solicitors Have the Edge (But Online Services Are Good)

This is where solicitors have a genuine advantage. A qualified solicitor is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), has years of legal training, and can advise on complex legal issues. They can also handle scenarios that online services can’t.

However, this doesn’t mean online wills are legally inferior for straightforward cases. The best online services — particularly Farewill — have will-writing specialists who check every will, and the resulting document is just as legally valid as one produced by a solicitor, provided it’s properly signed and witnessed.

For a straightforward will (leaving everything to your spouse, then children), both options produce equally valid documents. The difference matters when your situation is complex.

When You Should Use a Solicitor

Online will writing services are excellent for most people, but certain situations genuinely require a solicitor’s expertise:

Inheritance Tax Planning

If your estate exceeds the Inheritance Tax threshold (£325,000 per person, or £500,000 with the main residence nil-rate band), a solicitor can help structure your will to minimise tax. This could save your beneficiaries tens of thousands of pounds — far more than the solicitor’s fee.

Overseas Assets

If you own property or assets abroad, the legal position is complex. Different countries have different succession laws, and a solicitor with international experience can ensure your will is effective across jurisdictions.

Complex Family Situations

Blended families, children from multiple relationships, estranged relatives, or dependants with special needs all create legal complexities that online services are not designed to handle.

Trusts

If you want to set up a trust (for example, to provide for a disabled dependent, to protect assets from care home fees, or to control when beneficiaries receive their inheritance), you’ll need a solicitor.

Business Ownership

If you own a business, your will needs to address what happens to your share. This often involves business succession planning, shareholder agreements, and tax considerations that go beyond what online services offer.

Concerns About Capacity or Coercion

If there’s any question about your mental capacity to make a will, or if you think someone might challenge your will on the grounds of undue influence, a solicitor can document their assessment and provide evidence that the will was made freely and with full understanding.

When an Online Will Is the Better Choice

For the majority of UK adults, an online will is the smarter choice:

• Straightforward estates — A home, savings, pensions, personal possessions
• Standard beneficiaries — Spouse/partner, then children
• No Inheritance Tax concerns — Estate under £325,000 (or £500,000 with residence)
• No overseas assets — Everything is in the UK
• No complex trusts — Simple outright gifts to beneficiaries
• You want speed and convenience — Complete it in 15 minutes from home
• Budget matters — £49 vs £200+ is a significant difference

If this describes you, Farewill is our top recommendation. It offers expert checking, unlimited free updates and cloud storage at £49 — a fraction of what a solicitor would charge for the same result.

A Hybrid Approach — Online Now, Solicitor Later

Many people take a sensible hybrid approach:

1. Write an online will now — Get a valid will in place quickly and cheaply (Farewill, £49)
2. Use a solicitor later if needed — If your circumstances become complex (you inherit a large sum, start a business, buy property abroad), have a solicitor review and update your will

This approach ensures you have a valid will in place immediately (which is the most important thing) while keeping your options open for professional legal advice if your situation changes.

Farewill’s unlimited free updates make this approach particularly cost-effective — you can update your online will as many times as you need at no extra cost.

How to Decide — A Simple Checklist

Use this checklist to decide which option is right for you:

Use an online will service if:

• Your estate is straightforward (property, savings, possessions)
• Your beneficiaries are simple (spouse, children, named individuals/charities)
• Your estate is under the Inheritance Tax threshold
• You have no overseas assets
• You don’t need trusts
• You want to save money
• You want to complete your will quickly

Use a solicitor if:

• Your estate is over £325,000 (or £500,000 with residence)
• You have overseas assets
• You have a complex family situation
• You want to set up trusts
• You own a business
• You want face-to-face legal advice
• You anticipate a will dispute

Pros and Cons — Online Will vs Solicitor

FAQ — Online Will vs Solicitor

Is an online will as legally valid as a solicitor’s will?

Yes. A will produced by an online service is just as legally valid as one produced by a solicitor, provided it is properly signed, witnessed and dated in accordance with the Wills Act 1837. The difference is in the level of advice and the ability to handle complex situations — not in the legal validity of the document itself.

Will a solicitor-checked will is better than an online will?

For straightforward estates, both produce equally valid documents. For complex estates, a solicitor is better because they can provide legal advice, handle trusts, address tax planning and manage overseas assets — things online services don’t do.

Can I write a will online and then have a solicitor check it?

Yes, though this would mean paying twice. A more cost-effective approach is to write an online will now (Farewill, £49) and use a solicitor later if your circumstances become complex. Farewill’s unlimited free updates mean you can keep your will current without additional costs.

How much does a solicitor cost for a will?

A solicitor typically charges £150–£300 for a single will and £300–£500+ for mirror wills. Complex wills involving trusts or tax planning can cost £500–£1,000 or more. Compare this to £49 for Farewill.

Do online will writing services provide legal advice?

Online services provide guidance on will writing but do not provide formal legal advice in the way a solicitor does. They can tell you what to consider when writing a will, but they can’t advise you on tax planning, trust structures or complex legal scenarios.

Our Verdict

For most UK adults, an online will writing service is the better choice. It’s faster, cheaper and produces a legally valid document for straightforward estates. Our top pick is Farewill at £49 — it combines expert checking, unlimited free updates and cloud storage at a fraction of the solicitor’s cost.

However, if your estate is complex — Inheritance Tax, overseas assets, trusts, business ownership, or complicated family situations — a solicitor is worth the extra cost. The legal advice and tailored structuring they provide could save your family far more than the fee.

Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to actually write your will. Don’t let indecision about which method to use stop you from getting it done.

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Ready to write your will? Here are our recommended providers:

• Make a Will Online — Simple online will from just £[X]. Awin verified.
• ActiveWills — Professional will writing with expert review. Awin verified.
• Farewill — The UK’s most popular online will service from £49.