FreeWill

Overview

FreeWill is a web-based service for preparing wills and other estate-planning documents. It best suits people who want to put several common documents in place without paying, especially if charitable giving is part of their plans. Its breadth is useful, but people with complex needs should seek legal counsel.

Key features

The will questionnaire takes about 20 minutes, and FreeWill documents can be used in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. That makes it a practical starting point for people preparing plans online, though nationwide reach is not a substitute for advice tailored to a complicated situation.

The tools include wills, revocable living trusts, beneficiary designations, financial powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, and supplemental needs trusts. Users can make unlimited free edits and re-finalize updated documents, which is a substantial advantage when plans change. The free plan includes a Last Will & Testament, an Advance Healthcare Directive, a Financial Power of Attorney, and a California revocable living trust. That state qualification is important: the included trust is not presented as a general option for residents of other states.

Charitable giving is a particular strength. Users can include gifts in their plans, with support for donor-advised funds, stock and securities gifts, qualified charitable distributions, and cryptocurrency. FreeWill also partners with more than 2,400 nonprofits and businesses. Nonprofits get a separate platform for gift visibility, verified donor contacts, real-time campaign analytics, and alerts about new commitments, alongside branded planned-giving microsites that integrate FreeWill products and other tools. Those organizational features are valuable to nonprofits, but are distinct from the individual estate-planning offer.

FreeWill says it encrypts stored data with AES-256 GCM and protects data in transit with modern SSL/TLS settings. It reports completing an AICPA SOC 2 Type II audit and says its 2025 report is available on request. It also says it does not sell users’ personal data to third parties. Questions go through its Help Center and support team, including [email protected].

Pricing

FreeWill estate planning tools cost nothing, with no credit card required. The plan covers a Last Will & Testament, a California revocable living trust, an advance healthcare directive, and a financial power of attorney. Unlimited edits and re-finalization add meaningful long-term flexibility without a recurring charge. There is no paid individual tier to compare; the principal limitation is that the included trust is California-specific, while broader or more complicated needs may call for a lawyer.

Platforms

FreeWill is available on the web. It supports document creation, but document storage is not included, so users should not treat the service as a repository for their finalized papers.

Who it's for

FreeWill is a strong fit for individuals who want a free starting point for common estate documents, the ability to revise them without a fee, and a way to include charitable gifts. It is less suitable for people who need complex or individually tailored legal planning; FreeWill itself encourages those users to seek legal counsel.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The core plan costs nothing and requires no credit card, making it accessible to people who want to prepare several common documents without a subscription.
• Pros: Unlimited free edits and re-finalization make it easier to keep documents current as plans change.
• Pros: Charitable giving options include several gift types, while nonprofits can use analytics and commitment alerts to manage planned giving.
• Cons: The included revocable living trust is for California, a material constraint for users seeking a trust elsewhere.
• Cons: Document storage is not included, so users need to keep their finalized documents separately.
• Cons: FreeWill warns that online planning may not suit complex needs, limiting its role for people who require individual legal guidance.

Alternatives

Trust & Will is worth considering for people who want a free estate plan with no ongoing membership or would rather pay $49 a year for its Essentials membership; it also supports Android, iOS, and web, whereas FreeWill is web-only.

InterActive Legal is a better direction for elder-law or special-needs planning, or for drafting a firearms trust, with apps across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

EncorEstate Plans may suit someone looking for one-time document packages, including business assignments at $100, paid once or a powers-only plan at $125, paid once, rather than FreeWill’s free bundle.

Everplans is another freemium option for people seeking a web or iOS service.

WealthCounsel is aimed at professional estate-planning firms, with membership pricing dependent on firm user count and selection of products.

Farewill is a paid web-based alternative.

Quicken WillMaker & Trust is a paid option for people who prefer a one-time purchase: its Starter Plan is $109, paid once and its Plus Plan is $149, paid once, with support for macOS, web, and Windows.

Wealth.com may suit advisors looking for an estate-planning product with advisor-seat pricing, volume discounts, and no per-client or per-document fees; it supports Android, iOS, API, and web.

For broader comparisons, see Estate Planning Software or Legal Forms Software.

Verdict

Choose FreeWill if you want free access to several common estate-planning documents, particularly if charitable giving and unlimited revisions matter to you. The California-only trust in the included plan and the lack of document storage are real limits, and anyone with complex needs should look to legal counsel rather than rely on an online service alone.