How much does a will cost in the UK? An honest comparison

When you first start looking into getting a will, the range of prices you encounter can be genuinely confusing. You might see an online template for £19.99, a quote from a local solicitor for £400, and several services in between, all claiming to offer the same thing. They do not offer the same thing – and understanding the difference matters, because the wrong choice can leave your family with a document that fails when they need it most.

This article gives you an honest breakdown of what different types of will writing service actually cost in the UK, what you get for your money at each price point, and how to identify the option that is genuinely right for your situation – not just the cheapest or the most expensive.

Option 1: Online will templates (£0–£50)

At the bottom of the price range are online will templates and DIY will kits – a fillable document you complete yourself, often in under an hour, with minimal guidance.

What you get

A basic legal framework with blanks for you to fill in. Typically a simple word-processed or PDF document that you print, sign, and have witnessed. Some services offer a brief Q&A format to guide you through the process.

What you don’t get

Any professional review of what you have written. Any check that your instructions are legally sound, internally consistent, or reflective of your actual circumstances. Any advice about guardianship, trusts, inheritance tax, or how to handle complex family situations. Any assurance that the finished document will hold up if challenged.

The real risk

A will is only as good as its execution. Common errors in DIY wills include incorrect witnessing (both witnesses must be present simultaneously and cannot be beneficiaries), ambiguous wording that creates disputes, failure to account for all assets, and instructions that are legally unenforceable. A will that has been incorrectly executed is invalid – and your family would not discover this until after your death, when there is no opportunity to fix it.

For very simple estates with no property, no children, no business interests, and entirely straightforward wishes, a template might be adequate. For anyone with a home, a partner, children, or any complexity at all, it is a risk not worth taking.

Option 2: Online will writing services (£80–£200)

The middle tier of the market is occupied by online will writing services that offer a more guided process – typically a structured online questionnaire that produces a customised will document, sometimes reviewed by a paralegal or qualified will writer before it is issued.

What you get

A more personalised document than a blank template, generated from your answers to structured questions. Some services include a basic review by a trained (though not always legally qualified) professional. Prices typically range from £80 to £200 for a single will.

What to watch for

The qualifications of whoever reviews your will vary enormously. ‘Trained will writer’ is not the same as ‘legally qualified professional’, and the level of advice you receive for more complex situations – inheritance tax, trust planning, blended families, property ownership structures – may be limited. Always check whether the person reviewing your will holds a recognised professional qualification, and what that qualification actually covers.

Where this works

For straightforward situations – a married couple with children, no property complications, no blended family dynamics, no inheritance tax exposure – a reputable online service can represent reasonable value. The key word is reputable: look for member firms of the Society of Will Writers or equivalent professional bodies, and check their reviews carefully.

Option 3: High-street solicitors (£300–£1,000+)

At the top of the price range are traditional solicitors – typically charging between £300 and £500 for a single will, and £500 to £1,000 or more for mirror wills or more complex arrangements. For complex estate planning involving trusts, inheritance tax planning, or business succession, fees can go significantly higher.

What you get

Fully qualified legal advice from a solicitor or chartered legal executive, face-to-face appointments, and a document drafted specifically to your circumstances with full professional liability behind it. For genuinely complex situations – significant estates, trust planning, cross-border assets, business interests – this level of professional engagement is appropriate and the fee is justifiable.

The drawbacks

Cost is the obvious one. For families who simply need a professionally drafted, legally sound will that ensures their home goes to the right person and their children are protected, a £500 to £1,000 solicitor’s fee is often disproportionate. The process can also be slow – solicitor availability varies, and it is not unusual for a will to take several weeks from initial appointment to final document. The experience can also feel impersonal and intimidating, which puts many people off starting the process at all.

Option 4: Step-qualified will writers – the best-value option

There is a fourth category that many people are not aware of: STEP-qualified will writing professionals who operate outside the traditional solicitor model, offering the same level of professional expertise at a significantly more accessible price point.

STEP – the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners – is the internationally recognised gold standard qualification in wills, trusts, tax law, and estate planning. It is the same qualification held by specialists at the country’s most prestigious law firms. A STEP-qualified will writer is not a paralegal or a trained administrator completing an online template – they are a professionally qualified estate planning specialist.

At Versatile Wills, all wills are drafted by STEP-qualified professionals. The pricing is straightforward:

• Single will: £100
• Mirror wills: £125
• Lasting Power of Attorney: from £125 per document
• Wills with LPA bundle: from £300

Every will is completed within five working days. Consultations are conducted by phone or video – no office appointments, no waiting weeks for availability – and the process is explained in plain English throughout. Fixed fees, with no hidden extras.

Why professional expertise matters more than you might think

It is tempting to look at a will as a fairly standard document and assume that the difference between a £50 template and a £150 professionally drafted will is mainly about price rather than quality. It is not.

A professionally drafted will does things a template cannot. It checks that your instructions are legally valid and internally consistent. It asks about aspects of your estate you may not have considered – how your property is held, what happens to your pension, whether your children have specific needs, whether your executor is capable of fulfilling the role. It accounts for the possibility that a beneficiary predeceases you. It considers whether the assets you intend to leave will actually be available to leave.

A template asks you to fill in blanks. A professional will writer has a conversation with you about your life, your family, and your wishes – and produces a document that accurately and legally reflects what you actually want.

The hidden cost of getting it wrong

An invalid or poorly drafted will can cost your family far more than the money you saved on the document itself. Probate disputes are expensive. Family provision claims through the courts are expensive. Unnecessary inheritance tax liability is expensive. Delays in administering an estate are expensive – in money, in time, and in the emotional toll on the people left behind.

The question is not ‘how cheaply can I get a will?’ It is ‘how much is my family’s security and peace of mind worth?’ For most people, the answer is considerably more than the difference between a template and a professionally drafted will.

Learn more about our will writing service , or if you are ready to get started, book a free consultation today. Your will can be completed within five working days.