Online Will vs Solicitor: Which Is Right for Me?

Both can produce a valid will

The law does not care how your will was prepared. A will drafted by a solicitor and a will produced by an online service are both legally valid, provided they are signed and witnessed correctly. That is the starting point.

The question is not which produces a valid will. The question is which approach suits your situation.

When an online service makes sense

Online will services work well for straightforward estates. If you want to leave everything to your spouse, and if they die first, to your children, that is something an online service handles cleanly. The same goes for naming executors and backup executors, leaving specific gifts to specific people, naming a guardian for children under 18, and recording funeral wishes.

An online service is significantly faster than a solicitor (typically 20 to 30 minutes versus weeks of appointments), significantly cheaper (from £79 versus £150 and above), and available at any hour without booking anything.

When you should use a solicitor

Some situations are genuinely beyond what an online template is designed for. Use a solicitor if:

• You have children from a previous relationship and a new partner
• You own property outside England and Wales
• You run a business or have significant business interests
• You want to set up a trust
• Your estate may be subject to inheritance tax
• You have relatives who might contest the will

PureWill actively warns you about these situations before you start. There is no point taking payment from someone whose will genuinely needs professional advice.

The regulation question

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They carry mandatory professional indemnity insurance. If they make an error in your will, you have clear routes to claim compensation.

Will writers (a separate category from solicitors) are unregulated. They need no qualifications and no insurance. Some are excellent. Some are not. There is no easy way to know which is which before engaging one.

Online will services work differently. You draft the will yourself; the service provides the structure, clauses, and formatting. The legal validity comes from the document and how you sign it, not from a professional preparing it on your behalf.

The honest summary

For a straightforward estate, the legal outcome of an online service and a solicitor is identical. The difference is cost, speed, and convenience.

For a complex estate, the difference matters and a solicitor is worth paying for.

If you are not sure which category you fall into, the first page of PureWill's form lists the situations where an online will is not the right choice. It takes about a minute to read and is designed to help you make the right call, not just start the form.