Will Costs at a Glance (2026)
| Option | Single will | Mirror wills | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClearLegacy (online) | £69 | £99 | 24 hours |
| Honest Wills (online) | £79 | £129 | 3–5 days |
| Beyond (online) | £90 | £135 | 3–7 days |
| Make a Will Online | £90 | £135 | 5–10 days |
| Farewill (online) | £100 | £150 | 1–5 days |
| Co-op Legal Services | £150–£275 | £250–£400 | 2–4 weeks |
| High-street solicitor | £200–£500 | £400–£800 | 2–4 weeks |
| Specialist solicitor (complex) | £500–£1,500+ | £800–£3,000+ | 4–8 weeks |
| DIY will kit (WHSmith, Lawpack) | £10–£30 | £20–£40 | Immediate |
| Free will schemes (with conditions) | £0 | £0 | Varies |
Once you understand this, the next step is putting a legally valid will in place. ClearLegacy offers fixed-fee wills from £69 (single) or £99 (mirror) — checked by our automated review and delivered within 24 hours. See what makes a will legally valid →
What Affects the Cost of a Will?
Six factors push will costs up or down:
- Method of drafting. Online services use guided questionnaires and qualified will-writer review, with no office overheads. Solicitors charge for face-to-face meetings, hourly billing, and a physical practice. Same legal document — wildly different operating model.
- Estate complexity. A straightforward estate (home, savings, named beneficiaries, no business) is fast to draft. Add trust provisions for minor children, business succession planning, multiple properties, or overseas assets and the time required — and cost — jumps significantly.
- IHT planning. If your estate exceeds the £325,000 nil-rate band (or £500,000 with the residence nil-rate band), structuring the will to use both spouses' allowances or set up nil-rate-band trusts requires specialist input. Expect £500–£2,000 with a tax-aware solicitor.
- Single vs mirror. Mirror wills (two matching wills for couples) double the work at a solicitor but cost almost the same as a single will at online providers — because the underlying drafting is duplicated, not redesigned.
- Region. London and the south-east solicitor rates run 20–40% above the national average. Online providers charge the same price regardless of where you live.
- Extras. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) registration, will storage, executor services, and codicils for later updates all add to the total. Get a price for everything you actually need, not just the headline "will" fee.
For most people with straightforward estates — a home, savings, and named beneficiaries — an online service handles everything for £69–£100. The premium for a solicitor is only worth paying when complexity demands it.
Why Are Solicitor Wills So Expensive?
Solicitors charge by the hour, typically £200–£400 per hour. Even a straightforward will requires an initial consultation, drafting, and a review meeting. Add office overheads, and the total quickly reaches £300–£1,000.
Online services eliminate these overheads. ClearLegacy uses a guided questionnaire that captures the same information a solicitor would gather in a meeting, but in 15 minutes rather than an hour.
Are Cheap Wills Legally Valid?
Yes. A will's legal validity depends on correct drafting and proper execution (signing and witnessing), not on the price you pay. A £69 online will that meets the requirements of the Wills Act 1837 is exactly as legally valid as a £500 solicitor will.
The key to validity: your will must be signed by you, in the presence of two independent witnesses, who also sign. This applies regardless of how the will was drafted or what it cost.
Will Writing Service Cost Comparison (2026)
The cost of writing a will depends on which type of service you choose. Here is what you can expect to pay in 2026:
| Service type | Typical cost | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| DIY will kit | £10–£30 | Immediate |
| Online will service (e.g. ClearLegacy) | £69–£99 | 24 hours |
| Will writing company (in person) | £150–£400 | 1–2 weeks |
| High street solicitor | £300–£1,000 | 2–4 weeks |
| Specialist solicitor (complex estates) | £1,000–£3,000+ | 4–8 weeks |
For a standard single will or mirror wills, an online service offers the best balance of cost, speed, and legal validity. ClearLegacy charges £69 for a single will and £99 for mirror wills for couples — both professionally drafted and delivered within 24 hours.
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Will as a Couple?
Couples typically need mirror wills — two matching wills where each partner leaves everything to the other first, then to children or named beneficiaries. A solicitor will charge £400–£1,200 for a pair of mirror wills. ClearLegacy charges £99 for both, saving couples hundreds of pounds compared to every other option.
When to Pay More for a Will
A specialist solicitor may be worth the extra cost if your estate involves business assets requiring succession planning, property in multiple countries, complex trust arrangements, or you anticipate the will being contested.
For everything else — naming beneficiaries, appointing executors, specifying guardians, distributing assets — an online service like ClearLegacy provides everything you need at a fraction of the cost.
Free Will Options and Their Catches
"Free" rarely means unconditional. Each of the well-known UK free will schemes has eligibility criteria, an implicit ask, or limited availability. Here's the honest breakdown:
- Will Aid (November only). A scheme where participating solicitors waive their fee in exchange for a suggested charitable donation — usually £100 for a single will or £180 for mirror wills. So it's not really free, it's "redirect the cost to charity". Bookings open in autumn and slots are limited.
- British Red Cross Free Will Service. Any age. They cover the solicitor's fee on the understanding that you'll consider leaving a legacy gift to the Red Cross. No legal obligation, but the ask is the whole point of the scheme.
- Macmillan Cancer Support Free Will Service. Available to people aged 55 and over. Same model as the Red Cross — the charity expects you to consider a legacy gift.
- Free Wills Month (March and October). Available to people aged 55+ in participating areas. A consortium of charities funds free will writing through local solicitors. Limited capacity each season.
- Octopus Legacy. Free online wills for over-18s, funded by their probate and estate-planning business model. Reasonable choice if you fit their service — read the small print on data sharing.
- Bequest. Free basic online wills. Premium features (mirror wills, trusts) are paid.
Free will services make sense if you qualify by age, can wait for an availability window, and are comfortable with the charity legacy expectation. They don't make sense if you need your will drafted this week, you're under the age threshold for most schemes, or you'd rather pay a small fixed fee than be in a queue.
For everyone else, a £69 online will is the cheapest paid option that completes in 24 hours with no strings attached.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
The headline price isn't always the total cost. Before you commit, ask the provider about:
- Will storage fees. Some solicitors charge £20–£40 per year to keep your will in their vault. Online providers typically don't store the original — you keep it yourself (in a safe, with your executor, or with the Principal Registry of the Family Division for £20 one-off).
- Update / codicil fees. Marriage, divorce, a new child, or a beneficiary's death all require updates. Solicitors typically charge £75–£200 for a codicil; ClearLegacy includes one free amendment with every will and offers further updates at a reduced fee.
- Executor fees. If you name a solicitor as your executor (a common upsell), their firm may charge 1–5% of the estate value when probate happens — potentially tens of thousands of pounds on an average UK estate. Name a family member or trusted friend instead.
- Probate fees later. Separate from the will itself, your family will pay HMCTS £300 to apply for probate on estates over £5,000, plus any professional fees for probate administration (solicitors typically charge 1–5% of estate value; ClearLegacy charges a fixed £495 for the Grant application).
- LPA add-ons. A Lasting Power of Attorney is a separate document from a will. Bundling can be cheaper, but make sure you're comparing like with like.
Sources & references
Authoritative UK government, HMRC, statute and Citizens Advice sources. Last reviewed: 31 May 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write a will for free?
Some charities run free will writing schemes, most notably Will Aid in November. However, these are limited in availability and may have long waiting lists. The most affordable year-round option is an online service from £69.
Do mirror wills cost double?
Not with ClearLegacy. Mirror wills for couples cost £99 — not double the single will price. Both wills are delivered together within 24 hours.
How much does it cost to make a will in the UK?
A basic single will costs between £69 (online) and £1,000 (solicitor). Mirror wills for couples cost £99 at ClearLegacy or £400–£1,200 at a solicitor. The price depends on the service type, not the complexity of your wishes.
How much should a will cost?
For a standard will with straightforward wishes (naming beneficiaries, appointing executors, specifying guardians), you should not need to pay more than £100. ClearLegacy charges £69 for a single will and £99 for mirror wills. Only pay solicitor rates if you have complex estate planning needs.
Are there ongoing costs after writing a will?
ClearLegacy includes one free amendment. Beyond that, updates are available at a reduced fee. There are no annual fees or subscriptions.
How long does it take to write a will in the UK?
Time depends on the route. An online will typically takes 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire, then 24 hours for review and delivery. A high-street solicitor usually requires two appointments (initial consultation and signing) spread over 2–4 weeks. Free will schemes can take 4–12 weeks depending on solicitor availability.
Why is there such a wide price range for UK wills?
The wide range — £0 to £3,000+ — reflects two different markets, not two different products. Online services compete on volume and process efficiency. Solicitors compete on advice depth and complexity handling. For a standard estate, both produce the same legally valid document under the Wills Act 1837. For a complex estate (significant business interests, multi-jurisdictional assets, contested inheritance risk), the solicitor's deeper advice is worth the premium.
Are online wills legally valid in the UK?
Yes. Online wills carry the same legal weight as solicitor-drafted wills, provided they meet the requirements of the Wills Act 1837: the will-maker must be 18 or over, of sound mind, sign the will themselves, and have two independent witnesses also sign it in their presence. The route to creating the document doesn't affect validity.
What's the cheapest way to get a legally valid will in the UK?
The cheapest unconditional paid option is a £69 single will from ClearLegacy, delivered within 24 hours and reviewed by a qualified will-writer. Cheaper routes exist (DIY kits from £10, free charity schemes) but each has trade-offs: DIY kits carry a significant risk of drafting errors that invalidate the will, and free charity schemes typically have age requirements, seasonal availability, or an implicit legacy ask.