Best End-of-Life Planning Tools (2026) | Which One Is Right for You?
“The tools that help you get your house in order—while you still can.”
Only about 1 in 3 Americans have a will, and even fewer have a comprehensive end-of-life plan that covers digital accounts, care directives, funeral wishes, and pet arrangements. The good news: there are tools that make this surprisingly manageable. The tricky part is that they’re not all built for the same person.
Some people just need a simple will. Others want a full digital vault where every password, policy, and preference is stored and shared with the right people. And some people just need a guided conversation to figure out what they even want. The right tool depends on where you are in your planning journey and what feels manageable right now.
Here’s how to pick the right one.
The Best End-of-Life Planning Tools, Compared
| Tool | Best For | Cost | What It Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust & Will | Anyone who needs a legal will or trust and wants to do it online without a lawyer | $199 (individual will) / $499 (individual trust); $19–$39/yr after Year 1 | Creates legally valid wills, trusts, guardianship docs, power of attorney, and living wills. The most thorough DIY estate planning option. Best starting point if you have zero legal documents in place. |
| Everplans | Organized planners who want one secure place for everything—not just legal docs | Free basic app; Premium vault $99.99/yr (60-day free trial) | A digital vault organized into 9 categories (financial, legal, health, digital, home, etc.). Store documents, write instructions, and assign “deputies” who get access to specific sections. Great if you already have a will but need to centralize everything else. |
| Cake (transitioning to Afterall) | People who want a free, low-pressure starting point to document basic wishes | Free | Guided planning for living wills, advance directives, funeral preferences, and post-loss checklists. Note: Cake is transitioning to Afterall—existing users should download their data before the migration. |
| Bereev | People who want a guided, step-by-step mobile experience—especially for funeral wishes, pet care, and personal messages | Free lite version; Full plan ~$170 one-time (lifetime access) | A mobile app that walks you through planning via simple questions. Covers funeral type, pet care, email management, asset instructions. Unique: leave text, audio, or video messages to be sent after you’re gone. |
| Wellthy (formerly Lantern) | Caregivers and families managing end-of-life for someone else | Integrated into Wellthy’s caregiving platform (contact for pricing) | Originally a standalone planner; now part of Wellthy’s care concierge platform. Best for families already navigating caregiving who need end-of-life planning folded into broader support. |
Not Sure Where to Start? Here’s Your Quick Decision Guide
“I don’t have a will yet.” → Start with Trust & Will. Get the legal foundation in place first.
“I have a will but my family wouldn’t know where to find anything.” → Everplans. Centralize and share everything in one vault.
“I just want to start somewhere easy and free.” → Cake / Afterall. No cost, no commitment.
“I want to do this on my phone with guided prompts.” → Bereev. Step-by-step with the bonus of personal messages.
“I’m a caregiver helping someone else plan.” → Wellthy (formerly Lantern). Built for the person managing care.
Why This Matters
Planning for death feels uncomfortable. But here’s the truth: having everything in order is one of the most generous things you can do for the people you love. It means they won’t have to guess what you wanted. They won’t have to hunt for passwords, argue over wishes, or spend months untangling what you left behind.
These tools make it manageable. Pick the one that fits where you are today, and start. You can always upgrade or add more later. The hardest part is the first step—and every tool on this list is designed to make that step easier.
And When It’s Time to Act on Those Plans?
Good Grief Relief helps families navigate everything that comes after—so the plans you make today are carried out with care.
Learn What We DoNext in this series: Best Account & Asset Discovery Tools — finding everything they had so nothing slips through the cracks. Including tools you can use right now to audit your own digital footprint.