Six providers compared side by side on price, trusts, attorney access, and real customer ratings
Last Updated: Aug 2026
Most estate planning comparisons rank providers by how much they pay for referrals. This one starts from aggregated customer ratings (Google Reviews, Trustpilot, BBB, and app store reviews) and then separates providers by what they actually do differently: whether trusts are included, whether an attorney is reachable, and what the plan costs over several years rather than on day one.
Start with the full table, then use the head-to-head breakdown below it to narrow by priority.
Quick Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of pricing, features, and scores to help you narrow your options.
| Service | Best For | Starting Price | Wills | Trusts | Attorney Access | Key Features | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethos | Fast digital estate & life coverage | Free (life quotes) | Life insurance bundling, fast underwriting | 4.43 | |||
| LegalZoom | Comprehensive legal services | $99 | Attorney review, full legal suite | 4.41 | |||
| LegalShield | Ongoing attorney membership | $24.95/mo | Monthly membership, unlimited consultations | 4.33 | |||
| Trust & Will | Focused estate planning | $159 | Guided trust builder, state-specific docs | 4.25 | |||
| Quicken WillMaker | DIY one-time purchase | $99 | One-time purchase, offline access | 4.15 | |||
| FastWill | Basic quick wills | Free–$19 | Free basic will, 5-minute setup | 3.97 |
Scores reflect our weighted composite of customer reviews across Google, Trustpilot, BBB, and app stores. Pricing is approximate and may vary.
The right provider depends on which of these matters most to you. Each category names a tradeoff, because every provider has one.
Quicken WillMaker & Trust
A one-time purchase covering wills, trusts, and directives with offline access. No recurring fee, which keeps the multi-year cost lower than subscription models for people whose documents rarely change.
Runner up: FastWill for a free basic will with no trust option.
LegalShield
A monthly membership with unlimited consultations, which matters when your questions continue after the documents are signed. LegalZoom is the alternative if you want attorney review bundled into a one-time package instead.
Runner up: LegalZoom for attorney review inside a fixed-price package.
Trust & Will
A guided trust builder with state-specific documents and a narrower product focus than the general legal platforms. Fewer upsells into unrelated legal services along the way.
Runner up: LegalZoom for trusts plus a broader legal suite.
Ethos
Highest aggregate customer rating in our data set (4.43 / 5 across 8,870 reviews) driven by fast underwriting and a simple digital flow. Note the tradeoff: no trust documents.
Runner up: LegalZoom at 4.41 / 5 across 10,520 reviews.
Scores combine Google Reviews (45%), Trustpilot (35%), BBB customer reviews (10%), and product or app store reviews (10%). We do not assign points for features we happen to like, and compensation does not move a score.
Ethos (4.43) and LegalZoom (4.41) are effectively tied. Use the feature columns to decide between closely scored providers rather than the decimal.
Advertised prices usually cover a first document set. Ask what a later update costs, whether storage is included, and whether attorney review is an add-on before comparing totals.
Full scoring detail is on our methodology page.
There is no single best service for every situation. In our 2026 comparison, Ethos scores highest overall (4.43 / 5) for digital-first estate and life coverage, LegalZoom (4.41 / 5) is strongest for comprehensive legal services with attorney review, and Trust & Will (4.25 / 5) is the most focused option for a guided will or trust build.
Compare five things side by side: whether the provider offers trusts as well as wills, whether attorney access is included, the total cost including updates, whether documents are state-specific, and how existing customers rate the experience. Advertising claims are a poor proxy for any of these.
LegalZoom, LegalShield, Trust & Will, and Quicken WillMaker all offer living trust documents. Ethos and FastWill focus on wills and life coverage rather than trusts, so they are not a fit if a revocable trust is your goal.
A one-time purchase (Quicken WillMaker, Trust & Will) usually costs less if your documents are unlikely to change. A subscription (LegalShield) makes more sense when you expect ongoing attorney questions or frequent document updates over several years.
FastWill offers a free basic will, and Ethos provides free life coverage quotes. Paid document packages generally start near $99 (LegalZoom, Quicken WillMaker) and rise to roughly $159 and up for trust-based packages. Traditional attorneys typically charge $1,000 to $3,000 or more.
Yes, when the documents are state-specific and you follow your state's signing and witnessing rules. Complex estates involving business ownership, blended families, or significant assets still benefit from a licensed attorney reviewing the plan.
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