Online wills have moved from a niche idea to the default route for most UK adults writing their first will. By 2026, the typical person no longer books a high-street solicitor unless their estate is genuinely complex - and even then, they're often using an online tool to do the groundwork first.
Why has the shift happened so quickly? It comes down to four practical things: cost, speed, control, and the ability to keep the will up to date.
The shift in numbers
Around half of UK adults still don't have a will, but among those who are writing one, the proportion choosing an online or guided digital service rather than a traditional solicitor has grown substantially over the last five years. Industry estimates put online and digital wills at well over half of new wills written in 2025 - and rising.
The reasons people give cluster around the same handful of frustrations with the traditional route.
Reason 1: Cost
A standard high-street solicitor in 2026 typically charges £200-£500 for a simple will, more for mirror wills for a couple, and considerably more for anything trust-based. A guided online will is usually £40-£100. For the majority of estates that don't need bespoke drafting, the price difference is hard to justify - especially when the legal requirements (under the Wills Act 1837 section 9) are identical regardless of how the document is produced.
We have a full breakdown of will costs in the UK in 2026 if you want to compare every route side-by-side.
Reason 2: Speed
A traditional solicitor will is a multi-week process: book the consultation, attend the meeting, wait for the draft, review it, return for signing. Two to four weeks is normal.
A guided online will is typically completed in 15 to 30 minutes of focused effort. You can pause and come back. You can change your mind about an executor at 11pm without rebooking anything. The signing still has to happen on paper in front of two witnesses, but the drafting is done when you say it's done.
For most people that's the bigger difference. The cost is one thing; not having to take an afternoon off work is another.
These are the kinds of decisions our Smart Will Engine walks you through one question at a time - typically under half an hour for a standard estate.
Reason 3: Control
Online services let you see what you're agreeing to. The draft updates as you answer each question, so when you finish you've already read your will - rather than receiving a typed document at a follow-up appointment full of "the testator hereby" language you have to ask someone to translate.
This matters because:
- You're more likely to spot something that doesn't reflect your wishes.
- You can experiment ("what if I split it 50/50 between the kids vs 60/40?") without scheduling another meeting.
- You go in informed instead of relying entirely on someone else's interpretation.
Reason 4: Updates that don't cost £200 each time
Wills aren't a one-time thing. People marry, divorce, have children, buy houses, lose family members. The traditional model is: pay for a new will every time something changes. The cost of staying current adds up.
Most online services now offer annual updates - either as a small subscription or a flat re-issue fee. Trusted Hands' updates option, for example, lets you regenerate your will whenever your circumstances change for a flat annual amount. Your will stays current without another £300 invoice.
We have a separate guide on when to update your will covering the events that should trigger a review.
What about validity?
This is the question every first-time online-will-writer asks, and the answer is straightforward: an online-drafted will is legally valid in England and Wales if it complies with the Wills Act 1837. That means:
- It's in writing.
- You sign it in the presence of two adult witnesses, both present at the same time.
- The witnesses sign it in your presence.
- Neither witness is a beneficiary or married/in a civil partnership to one.
The mechanics of producing the document - on a screen, in a solicitor's office, on a typewriter - have no bearing on validity. What matters is the signing.
> Thinking of writing yours? Trusted Hands distils these decisions into a guided 15-30 minute flow. Start free - you only pay when you're ready to download.
Where online wills aren't right
It's worth being honest about the limits. Guided online services aren't the right answer for every estate. They're a great fit when:
- You know who you want to inherit and in what shares.
- Your estate is mostly in the UK.
- You're not setting up a discretionary trust or a complex business succession plan.
- You don't have children with disabilities requiring trust-based provision.
If your estate has any of those features, a guided service can still produce most of the document, but you should expect to pair it with private-client legal advice for the bespoke parts. For complex estates, we recommend you seek assistance from a Trusted Hands Advisor or your own legal advice.
What people get wrong about online wills
Three common misconceptions:
- "They're just templates." Modern guided builders aren't fill-in-the-blanks templates. They use branching logic to ask different questions based on your situation - the will produced for a married parent of three is structurally different from one produced for a single homeowner with no children.
- "They're not as legally robust as a solicitor's will." A will is robust because of how it's drafted and signed, not who drafted it. A well-built online will, signed correctly, is as binding as a £500 solicitor's will.
- "They're hard to update." The opposite is true. Online wills are easier to update than paper ones, because the underlying answers are stored and can be regenerated.
How to choose a good online will service
Not all online will services are equal. Before paying anyone, check:
- Are the templates UK-specific? A will valid in California is not valid in England. Make sure the service is designed for England and Wales (or Scotland, if relevant - the rules differ slightly).
- Who reviews the templates? A reputable service has its document templates drafted and reviewed by qualified UK private-client lawyers, and will say so on its site.
- Does it validate your answers? Look for explicit warnings about witnesses who can't witness, missing residual clauses, executors under 18, and other classic failure modes.
- What does the signing guide look like? Good services include a clear printed signing guide so you and your witnesses know exactly what to do.
- What's the updates policy? Lifetime updates, annual subscription, or pay-per-update - all are valid models, but make sure you know which you're getting.
- Is the company ICO-registered and transparent about data handling? Your will contains sensitive personal and family information.
If a service is vague on any of these, that's a signal to look elsewhere.
> Ready to start your will? Trusted Hands turns these decisions into a 15-30 minute guided builder. Start free → — only pay when you download.
Frequently asked questions
Are online wills legally binding in the UK?
Yes - provided they're signed and witnessed in line with the Wills Act 1837 section 9. The drafting method has no bearing on validity.
How long does an online will take?
Most people complete a standard online will in 15-30 minutes. Complex situations take longer. You can usually pause and come back.
What if I make a mistake?
Reputable services flag mistakes (witnesses who can't legally witness, missing residual clause, etc.) before you finalise. You can also re-issue corrections, especially if the service offers an annual updates option.
Is my data safe with an online will service?
A serious provider will be ICO-registered, encrypt your stored answers, and not share data without consent. Always check the service's privacy policy before paying.
Do I still need a solicitor for any part of it?
Not for a standard estate. For complex situations - life-interest trusts, business succession, foreign assets, large estates with IHT planning needs - yes. The IHT thresholds (£325,000 nil-rate band, £175,000 residence nil-rate band, both frozen until April 2030) are the usual trigger for thinking about a solicitor.
Ready to write your will?
Trusted Hands is a guided, plain-English will builder. You answer simple questions, see your draft as you go, and only pay when you're ready to download.
- Free to start - no card details to begin
- Smart Will Engine - only asks what's relevant to your situation
- Fixed price - no hourly bills, no surprises
- Annual updates option - keep your will editable as life changes