How an Online Will Writing Service Works
- Complete the questionnaire — plain-English questions about your assets, executors, beneficiaries, gifts, guardians for any children, and funeral wishes. Around 15–25 minutes. Save and resume any time.
- The service drafts your will using the correct legal wording for England and Wales.
- Compliance review — the draft is checked before it reaches you.
- Delivery — a print-ready PDF arrives within 24 hours, with detailed signing and witnessing instructions.
- Print, sign and witness — sign the will in front of two adult witnesses (not beneficiaries) who then sign in your presence. That signed copy is your legal will.
Online Will Writing vs Solicitor — Same Document, 80% Less
| ClearLegacy online | High street solicitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Single will | £69 | £300–£500 |
| Mirror wills | £99 | £500–£1,000 |
| Time to complete | Under 30 minutes | 2 appointments |
| Time to delivery | Within 24 hours | 1–3 weeks |
| When you can do it | 24/7 from anywhere | Office hours only |
| Legal validity | Same — Wills Act 1837 | Same — Wills Act 1837 |
| Compliance review | Yes | Yes |
| Add-on fees | None | Often storage £20–£40/yr, amendments £50+ |
| Best for | Most UK estates | Trusts, business succession, contested estates |
Benefits of Using an Online Will Writing Service
1. Cost
£69 for a single will and £99 for mirror wills — about 80% less than a high street solicitor. The legal effect of the finished document is identical for a standard UK estate.
2. Speed
From start to a signed, legally valid will in your hands is typically well under two days. Compare that to the 1–3 week wait for two solicitor appointments.
3. Convenience
Available 24/7. Start at 11pm on a Sunday from the kitchen table. No booking, no waiting room, no appointment to rearrange.
4. Plain English
The questionnaire asks "who looks after your children?" not "appointment of testamentary guardians". The legal wording goes into the finished will, not the user experience.
5. Fixed price
The total cost is known up front. No hourly billing, no surprise extras at the end.
Security and Legal Validity
Is an online will legally valid?
Yes. The Wills Act 1837 governs validity in England and Wales and does not specify who must draft the document. What it does specify is how the will must be executed: in writing, signed by you, witnessed by two non-beneficiary adults present at the same time. An online will writing service produces the document; the signing step happens in person.
How is my data protected?
ClearLegacy uses encrypted connections (HTTPS) for every step, stores submitted data securely in UK / EU data centres, and follows UK GDPR. Your data is used only to draft and deliver your will — it is never sold or shared. You can request deletion at any time.
Probate registries don't ask who drafted the will. They check that it complies with the Wills Act 1837. A correctly executed online will is admitted to probate in exactly the same way as a solicitor will.
What's Included at £69 (Single) / £99 (Mirror)
A complete, professionally drafted will containing:
- Full revocation of any earlier wills
- Appointment of up to four executors and substitute executors
- Guardians for children under 18
- Specific gifts (jewellery, vehicles, named items)
- Pecuniary gifts (fixed cash sums)
- Charitable legacies
- The residuary estate clause — the largest part of your estate
- Substitute beneficiaries if a primary beneficiary dies first
- Funeral wishes
- Compliance review by our drafting team
- Print-ready PDF delivered within 24 hours
- Signing and witnessing instructions
No subscription. No annual storage fee. No charges to make changes before you sign.
When an Online Service Isn't the Right Choice
An online will writing service handles the vast majority of UK estates. Use a specialist solicitor instead if you:
- Want to set up a discretionary or life-interest trust
- Are planning business succession for a company you control
- Hold significant property abroad in jurisdictions with forced-heirship rules
- Expect the will to be contested
- Are using your will as part of an inheritance tax planning strategy
- Have concerns about your mental capacity being challenged after death
Online Will Writing Service — From £69
Fixed fee. Compliance reviewed. Delivered within 24 hours.
Start My Will — £69 →Frequently Asked Questions
How does an online will writing service work?
You complete a guided questionnaire, the service drafts your will, has it reviewed for compliance, and delivers a print-ready PDF within 24 hours. You then print, sign and witness it in person.
Is an online will writing service legal in the UK?
Yes. The Wills Act 1837 governs validity in England and Wales. A will produced online is just as legally valid as one written by a solicitor.
How is my data protected?
Reputable services use encrypted connections, store data in UK / EU data centres, and follow UK GDPR. ClearLegacy uses your data only to draft and deliver your will — never sold or shared.
What does a £69 online will writing service include?
A complete will: revocation, executors, guardians, specific gifts, residuary clause, substitute beneficiaries, funeral wishes, compliance review, print-ready PDF, and signing instructions. No subscription, no storage fee, no amendment charges before signing.
Can the online will writing service handle complex estates?
It handles standard estates very well. For trusts, business succession, significant overseas property, or contested estates, use a specialist solicitor — see making a will without a solicitor.