Trust & Will vs LegalZoom: Cost, Reviews and Which Fits You

Trust & Will and LegalZoom both sell online wills and estate plans, and both say their documents are built or created by attorneys. Trust & Will sells a will plan and a trust plan, with an optional attorney add-on. LegalZoom sells will packages with an optional attorney phone plan. Neither one is the better service on quality, so the right pick depends on whether you need a will, a living trust or both, how much attorney help you want, and what you can pay.

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Trust & Will vs LegalZoom at a glance

What does each service actually sell?

Trust & Will says that “a will covers the basics.” Its compare page describes the Will Plan as one that “appoints guardians for your kids and pets, specifies your healthcare wishes, and determines who gets what after you’re gone.” Its Trust Plan is described as “the most comprehensive way to seamlessly pass down your assets without probate court, keep your estate private, and secure the future.” Its guidance is to start with a will when your estate is straightforward and you want the quickest and most affordable option, and to add a trust when you own a home or significant assets or want to avoid probate court.

LegalZoom’s will page says you can start a will by answering questions “from the comfort of home,” and that it “takes about 15 minutes.” It says documents are typically available for download within 2-3 business days, after which you review and sign. Its FAQ explains the core trade-off: “A last will is quicker and easier to set up, but it needs to go through the court probate process after your death,” while “a living trust allows your loved ones to avoid the potential hassle of probate court.”

If you are new to these terms, the estate planning basics guide explains what each document does before you compare prices.

Can LegalZoom be trusted, and what about Trust & Will?

LegalZoom describes itself as “a trusted online service with a 4.6 out of 5 rating.” Its will page shows that rating “based on 33,770 + reviews,” but its FAQ says “nearly 20,000 reviews.” The same page also says it has helped customers create “over 1.8 million last wills” and, elsewhere on that page, “over 1.3 million last wills.” These are LegalZoom’s own figures.

LegalZoom’s homepage describes an Accurate Filing Guarantee: if a filing is “rejected or incorrect due to our error, we’ll correct it with the government agency at no additional cost to you.” The guarantee is worded for filings with a government agency, so check the LZ Guarantee terms to see whether it applies to a will or trust. The homepage also says that “you will always know the full price before you begin.” Its homepage fine print adds that “the information you provide to LegalZoom is not protected by attorney-client privilege.”

Trust & Will says “all of our estate plans are built by attorneys and customized by you,” and that it uses “bank-level security” and will “never sell or share your information without consent.” Its site lists rankings it attributes to Forbes Advisor (July 2026), ConsumerRating.org (June 2026) and Business Insider (June 2025). Its member stories, posted on its own site, include one customer who says “I felt so relieved when it was done.”

For more on each service, read the Trust & Will review and the LegalZoom review.

How much do Trust & Will and LegalZoom cost?

Trust & Will’s prices are from its compare page as of October 28, 2026. LegalZoom’s prices are from its will overview page captured October 29, 2026. Prices and bundles change, so check the checkout for today’s price.

Check the order page before you pay.

Is there a monthly fee for having a trust? Trust & Will’s compare page lists the Trust Plan at $499 and a membership at $49/year. Confirm at checkout whether the membership is required and what recurs. LegalZoom’s Legal Assist Plan renews at $25 a month after its first 30 days, and you can cancel online or by calling. For LegalZoom’s trust price and any trust-related recurring charge, check its trust order page at checkout. Trust & Will says that “payment plans are available for both our Will Plan and Trust Plan.”

What is the cheapest way to do a living trust? Trust & Will lists its Trust Plan at $499. For LegalZoom’s trust price, check its trust order page at checkout. Free help is another route. The USAGov legal aid directory lists “free and low-cost legal help,” and says some programs “limit their services to people with low incomes.” The Legal Services Corporation finder locates LSC-funded legal aid by address or city. The how to find free legal aid guide covers the options in more detail.

What does the law require for a will or trust to work?

State law sets these rules, so they differ by state. Trust & Will says that “in order to ensure your estate plan is legally binding, sign and notarize the documents upon receiving or downloading.” California is one example: its California statutory will form, published by the California courts, says the will must be signed in the presence of two adult witnesses. The form reads: “You must sign this Will in the presence of two (2) adult witnesses. The witnesses must sign their names in your presence and in each other’s presence.” The same form tells you to “read the whole Will first” and to ask a lawyer about anything you do not understand.

Probate is the court process that follows a death, and it works differently from state to state. The California court guide to wills and probate covers “transferring property with or without going to probate court.” In Texas, the Texas State Law Library probate guide describes a “muniment of title” that may apply when “the estate has no debts (except for a mortgage or other debts secured by a real estate lien),” and notes that “the beneficiaries will likely need an attorney to file the application with the court.”

Federal estate tax is a separate question. The IRS estate tax page says “most relatively simple estates” do not require filing an estate tax return. To see how your state’s rules work, the statute regulation rule or guidance guide shows how to read the source behind a legal rule.

Can I do it myself with a recipe, and what does that involve?

You can. LegalZoom’s “Will vs. Living Trust” article says “online programs can be a legitimate and low-cost option for creating wills and trusts.” The work is in the details. A living trust only works if it is funded, meaning the assets are moved into it. One estate planning attorney’s page describes what that takes: you “transfer title to all your assets,” including your home, bank accounts and investment accounts, and you must “change your beneficiary designations on your life insurance and retirement accounts.” That same page estimates probate costs of “$40,000 to $60,000” for a $1 million home if the deed is recorded incorrectly. Those are that firm’s figures.

Trust & Will and LegalZoom sell the done-for-you version of that work: questions, drafted documents and signing instructions. Trust & Will says that “some people can finish their estate plans in as little as 30 minutes.”

The question “which assets should stay out of the trust?” is one to ask the service and an attorney before you sign. Ask each service which assets belong in the trust and which pass by beneficiary form.

Can a nursing home take your house if it’s in a trust? LegalZoom’s “Will vs. Living Trust” article says a revocable trust “wouldn’t offer any protection against creditor lawsuits,” because the assets in the trust “technically still belong to you.” Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino’s post lists long-term care planning among the reasons to meet an attorney first. Bring this exact question to an attorney in your state.

When is a lawyer worth paying for?

Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino, an estate planning law firm, lists situations where it says to start with an attorney. Those include “long-term care,” “estate taxes” (it says “if your total estate is over $15 million” the estate “may pay federal taxes”), “special needs,” and “asset protection.” It adds that “your estate only needs to be over $2 million for it to pay a Massachusetts estate tax.”

Both services say the same thing about complex cases. Trust & Will says it will connect you with a pre-screened attorney, “no cost to match,” if you have a child with special needs, an estate of $15M+, a business with 3+ employees, or a blended family with complex family dynamics. LegalZoom’s FAQ says that “for large estates or special situations—like having beneficiaries with special needs or a blended family—hiring an attorney could be a good option.”

Which one suits which reader?

Trust & Will suits someone who wants a short quiz to match a will or trust, a single trust plan with a membership, and an attorney add-on for $299. Its own guidance points simple, low-cost estates to a will and homes or larger estates to a trust.

LegalZoom suits someone who wants a will package and the option of a half-hour attorney phone consultation. Its Legal Assist Plan limits you to one consultation for each new legal matter and to one Legal Assist Plan per estate plan.

If you have one of the situations above, both services point you toward an attorney.

Other ways to get this done

Free court self-help, legal aid and other online services are compared side by side in our online legal services guide, so you can see the free routes next to the paid ones before you choose.

What should I check before I order?

• Confirm which price includes which documents on LegalZoom’s Individual ($129, $149 and $299) and Couple ($229, $249 and $399) packages, and whether a power of attorney is in your package.
• Confirm Trust & Will’s refund terms on its order page or with support, and read LegalZoom’s “LZ Guarantee and Refund Policy” before you pay.
• Check your state’s signing and witness rules before you print. California requires two adult witnesses for a statutory will.
• Ask how many attorney calls come with your plan, and whether the attorney reviews your documents.
• Write down the monthly and yearly charges and how to cancel each one.
• Ask each service which assets go into the trust and which pass by beneficiary form.

When you are ready, pick the plan that matches your situation, check today’s price at checkout, and read the refund terms before you pay.

By LegalHelpOnline.org Legal Research & Editorial Team