Free or Cheapest Ways to Get a Legal Will (And Whether They're Actually Worth It)
The short answer: a free or cheap will can be 100% legitimate. The "free" part doesn't make it any less legal — what matters is whether it meets your state's signing rules and whether it actually covers your specific family situation. Here are 5 real options, what each one costs, and when paying $300 for a lawyer is the smarter move.
If you've ever Googled "do I need a will" and gotten quoted $800 to $2,000 by a local lawyer, you're not alone. The good news is that for most people with a straightforward family situation, you don't need to spend that much. The bad news is that the cheapest options aren't right for everyone — and getting it wrong creates the exact mess your will was supposed to prevent.
Are free wills actually legal?
Yes. A will isn't legal because of how much you paid for it — it's legal because it meets your state's basic requirements. Those requirements vary slightly by state, but they almost always include:
You're an adult of sound mind
The will is in writing
You signed it (or directed someone to sign for you)
It's witnessed by two adults (sometimes you also need it notarized)
That's it. Whether your will came from a $2,000 estate planning attorney or a $0 form off your state court website, the same rules apply once it's signed. Both will hold up in probate court the same way.
The real question isn't "is the cheap version legal?" — it's "does the cheap version cover your specific situation?" Some do. Some don't.
When a free or cheap will makes sense
You can probably get away with a free or cheap will if all of these are true:
Simple family. Married or single, kids who are all yours (or all your spouse's), no stepkids, no estranged relatives, no kids from a prior relationship.
Simple assets. A house, some retirement accounts, maybe a savings account, maybe a car. Nothing exotic.
Estate under $1M. You're nowhere near the federal estate tax threshold ($13M+ in 2026).
You know who you want to leave things to and there's nothing controversial about it.
No special-needs family members depending on you.
No business interests — you don't own a company or a meaningful piece of one.
No property in multiple states (the vacation house in another state complicates things).
If that's you, a free or cheap online will is probably enough. Save your money.
When you should pay a lawyer
You probably want to spend $300 to $1,500 on a lawyer if any of these are true:
Blended family. Stepkids, kids from a prior marriage, or a second spouse you want to provide for differently than your kids.
Special-needs family member. A disabled child or sibling depending on you. You'll likely need a special-needs trust, which an online tool will not handle properly.
Business interests. You own a company, a piece of one, or have business partners.
Multi-state property. You own real estate in more than one state.
Specific people you want to disinherit. Cutting out a family member needs to be done carefully or it'll get challenged.
Estate over $5M. You're getting close to the federal estate tax threshold and need real planning.
The lawyer fee will be a tiny fraction of what your family would otherwise spend untangling a poorly written will after you die.
The 5 real options for a free or cheap will
Listed roughly cheapest to most expensive, with what each one is actually good for.
1. State-provided (statutory) will forms
Some states publish free statutory will forms that are legally valid as long as you follow the instructions exactly. Examples:
California Statutory Will
Texas Statutory Will
Florida Simple Will
Maine Statutory Will
Check your state's official court or attorney general website to see if yours offers one.
Cost: $0 Best for: Truly simple estates. Single person with one beneficiary, or a married couple with everything going to each other. The catch: Very rigid format. If you customize anything, the state will often reject the form. Not offered in every state.
2. Legal aid and nonprofits
If you qualify for legal aid based on income, you may be able to get a will drafted for free or at low cost through:
LawHelp.org — Connects you to free legal aid in your state.
Local bar associations — Many host free "Wills Clinics," especially during National Make-A-Will Month (August). Search "free will writing workshop near me" to find one.
Cost: $0 if you qualify Best for: Lower-income individuals and seniors. The catch: Limited capacity, often a wait, and you need to qualify (typically income at or below 125–200% of the federal poverty line).
3. Online will makers (free versions)
If your situation is straightforward — a few assets, clear beneficiaries, no complicated trusts — these free guided platforms are a solid start:
FreeWill.com — Easy to use, covers most basic needs. Makes money from charitable bequests (the donation is optional).
DoYourOwnWill.com — Simple templates, no frills.
LawDepot — Free for 1 week; good if you also want to add a power of attorney or healthcare directive while you're in there.
Cost: $0 Best for: Adults with simple to moderately complex situations who want a guided experience. The catch: Limited customization. Not ideal for complex estates (blended families, business interests, special-needs dependents).
4. Online will makers (paid, more guided)
These are the well-known online estate planning services. Quality is solid for standard situations.
Trust & Will — Cleanest UX, best for first-timers.
LegalZoom — Been around the longest, broad service catalog.
Rocket Lawyer — Bundles ongoing legal advice subscriptions.
Cost: $89 to $199 for a basic will package; $159 to $399 for a full estate plan with trust Best for: Most middle-income families with a typical situation. The catch: The default forms work for most people but don't necessarily catch your specific edge cases — you have to know what to flag.
5. Software-based estate kit
Quicken WillMaker / Nolo — Comprehensive software-based kit from Nolo (the legal publisher). Produces a will, healthcare directive, power of attorney, and a few other documents. More options than the online services but a steeper learning curve.
Cost: $89 (one-time) Best for: People who want to do their own research and like having a thorough toolkit. The catch: It's software you install, not a web app. If you prefer something cloud-based, the online options are simpler.
Quick comparison
| Option | Cost | Guided experience | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| State-provided statutory will form | Free | None | Truly simple estates |
| Legal aid / Wills Clinics | Free | Lawyer-led | Income-qualifying individuals |
| FreeWill / DoYourOwnWill / LawDepot | Free | Yes | Simple to moderate situations |
| Trust & Will / LegalZoom / Rocket Lawyer | $89–$199 | Yes | Most middle-income families |
| Quicken WillMaker / Nolo | $89 | Software | DIY-ers who want a toolkit |
| Lawyer (basic) | $300–$1,000 | Yes | Anyone with complications |
How to make sure your cheap will is actually valid
Three mistakes that invalidate wills regardless of where they came from:
1. Witnesses are wrong. Most states require two adult witnesses who aren't named in the will (some states allow it, but don't risk it). Your spouse or kids should not witness it. Pick neighbors, coworkers, or friends.
2. Signing in the wrong order. Most states require the witnesses to watch you sign, then sign themselves while in the same room. Not "signed when I dropped it off later." Same room, same time.
3. Notarization confusion. Some states require a separate "self-proving affidavit" that needs to be notarized. Without it, your witnesses might have to physically appear in court when your will is admitted to probate. Get the affidavit notarized — it's usually one extra page.
If you used an online service, follow their instructions for execution exactly. Don't sign the will alone in your kitchen and call it done.
What a will doesn't cover (and what you might also want)
A will is the floor, not the ceiling. Here's what it doesn't handle and what to add:
Retirement accounts and life insurance pass to the named beneficiary, not via the will. Update those forms separately.
Joint accounts and TOD/POD accounts pass automatically. Not covered by the will.
A trust if you want to skip probate or have a more complicated situation. More on wills vs. trusts.
Healthcare directive — what doctors should do if you can't speak for yourself. Free to create on most state hospital websites.
Durable power of attorney — who handles your finances if you become incapacitated. A will doesn't help with this because it only kicks in after you die.
Most of the online will services bundle the healthcare directive and power of attorney in their packages for an extra $20-$50. Worth it.
How Good Grief helps
Good Grief is the executor portal — useful both after a death and during planning. The pre-planning use case here: storing your will, healthcare directive, beneficiary forms, and a clear "where to find everything" document in one place. So whoever ends up being your executor isn't hunting through filing cabinets after you die.
Once your will is signed, the next move is making sure your eventual executor knows it exists and where to find it. Good Grief is one way to do that. A simple printed list in a fireproof safe is another.
FAQ
Is a handwritten will valid?
Sometimes. About half of US states recognize "holographic wills" — wills entirely in your own handwriting, signed and dated, but not witnessed. Quality varies wildly. Even where they're legal, they're harder to probate and easier to challenge. If you have time to do something better, do something better.
Do you need a lawyer to make a will valid?
No. A will is valid based on how it's signed and witnessed, not who drafted it. A $0 will from a free template can be just as legally valid as a $2,000 will from an attorney.
Can I write my own will?
Yes, in every state. The pen-and-paper version is called a holographic will (recognized in about 25 states with various rules). The typed version is recognized everywhere as long as it's properly signed and witnessed. Whether you should write your own depends on how complicated your situation is.
Does a will need to be notarized?
It depends on your state. Most states don't require the will itself to be notarized, but they do require a "self-proving affidavit" — a separate page that gets notarized and saves your witnesses from having to appear in probate court later. Almost every will should include one.
What is the cheapest legitimate way to make a will?
A free state court template plus two witnesses is the cheapest fully legal route. Total cost: $0 (or maybe $5 for a notary). It works for simple situations. For anything more involved, FreeWill.com is the best free guided option.
Are online wills as good as lawyer-drafted wills?
For straightforward situations, basically yes. The legal language is the same — most lawyers are using templates anyway. The lawyer earns their fee in the conversation around your specific situation: catching the issue you didn't know was an issue, suggesting a trust where one would help, structuring around a complicated family. For simple cases, the lawyer is mostly billing for the form-filling.
What happens if my online will has a mistake?
It depends on the mistake. Wrong beneficiary name, easy to fix — sign a new will. Missing witness signature, the will is invalid and you'd die intestate. Ambiguous wording about who gets what, your family ends up in court fighting about it. The cost of getting it wrong is usually paid by the people you love after you're gone, which is the worst kind of cost.
Bottom line?
The bottom line: a free or cheap will is the right answer for most adults with simple lives. The 5 options above cover almost everyone — pick the one that matches your situation and execute it correctly. The most important thing isn't where you got the will. It's that you have one, signed properly, that your family can find when they need it.
If you have any of the complications mentioned above (blended family, special needs, business, multi-state property), the lawyer fee is genuinely worth it — usually less than $1,000 for what you save your family.
Already further along? See our wills vs. trusts breakdown and 7 ways to avoid probate.
Need help with other end-of-life topics? Explore more guides on Good Grief’s blog.
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