Willful vs. Traditional Lawyer: Which one is right for you?
For most Canadians, Willful makes it easy and affordable to write your will online, with free updates for life.
How Willful and a lawyer compare
Both platforms produce a legally valid Canadian will. Here are three of the biggest differences in how they work.
Cost over time
Lawyers typically charge $500–$1,500 for a simple will, with complex estate plans often exceeding $2,000. Updating your will can also come with additional legal fees — and most Canadians revise their estate plans multiple times after major life events like marriage, having children, divorce, or buying a home.
Every Willful plan includes unlimited updates for life, so you can make changes whenever life changes.
Time and convenience
Working with a lawyer usually means intake forms, appointments, reviews, revisions, and signing meetings over several weeks.
Willful lets you complete your will online from the comfort of your home, on your own schedule, from any device.
Legal complexity
Lawyers provide tailored legal advice. If your estate has complex trusts, or expected disputes, a lawyer can help you make your wishes clear.
Willful is designed for the 80–90% of Canadians with estates who don't need advanced legal structuring.
See the scenarios that Willful supports.
Estate planning shouldn’t become more expensive every time your life changes.
Accessible. Plain language. No hourly fees. Lawyer-reviewed documents in your province.
Willful or a lawyer?
Here's the difference.
Most Canadians update their will three to five times over their lives, after a marriage, a new baby, a divorce, or a new house. With Willful, every update is free, forever. With a lawyer, each visit comes with a new bill.
You can use Willful from home, on your schedule. A lawyer means booking an appointment, taking time off work, and waiting two to four weeks for drafting, review, and signing.
Willful asks plain-language questions and builds your legal documents around your answers. A lawyer can walk you through the same process in person, at their pace and price.
A will's legal validity depends to how it's signed and witnessed, not on who drafted it. Willful is approved by the Law Society of Ontario and the Law Society of British Columbia, and every document is reviewed by estate lawyers in your province.
Willful vs. a lawyer at a glance
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A closer look at what's included
Varies
Sometimes
Sometimes
Free
Usually
None
Usually
The real cost of a lawyer over 10 years
Most Canadians don't update their will just once. Life milestones like marriage, children, divorce, and buying property all warrant a review of your estate plan. The best will is one that evolves as your life changes.
The real cost comparison between Willful and a lawyer isn’t just the upfront cost; it's the total cost of maintaining your estate plan over time.
Log in any time. Update what you need. Print and sign. Cost of each update: $0.
Willful (Premium): $199 + lifetime free updates = $199
Willful isn’t just more affordable up front; it gives you the chance to update your estate plan for free for life. When it’s easier to update your will, you’re more likely to keep it current.
Updates after major life events: ~$300–$500+ each
Lawyer: Initial will + 3 updates = ~$1,500–$2,500+
Estate planning doesn’t need to be complicated
For most Canadians, estate planning means creating a will for a straightforward estate.
A home. A partner. Children. Savings. Investments.
Willful was created to help these families create legally-valid wills and powers of attorney without expensive appointments, legal jargon, or recurring fees.
And because updates are free for life, your will can evolve as your life changes.
Ready to write your will?
Lawyer-reviewed. Legally valid. Free updates for life.
Frequently asked questions
No. Canadian law does not require a lawyer to draft your will. A will becomes legally valid when it’s executed according to your province's signing and witnessing requirements.
Yes. Properly signed online wills are legally valid in Canada.
For most Canadian estates, yes — especially over time. Lawyer fees for initial wills and future updates can add up significantly over a decade.
You should consider a lawyer if you own shares in a business with special shareholder agreements, need advanced trusts (eg. Henson or Spousal trusts), or expect disputes around your estate.
Most experts recommend reviewing your will every 6–12 months and after major life events like moving provinces, marriage, divorce, children, or buying property.
Willful currently serves all 10 Canadian provinces.
Yes. Powers of attorney are included in eligible plans where provincially applicable.