Willful vs LegalWills: Which Online Will Platform is Best for You?

Planning for what happens after you pass away isn’t easy, especially with different rules in each province. Estate lawyers offer comprehensive advice, but they can be costly and less accessible. That’s where online platforms come in, making it easier and more affordable to create a legal will in Canada.

So which online will platform should you choose?

Two of the most popular options in Canada are Willful and LegalWills. Both provide legally-valid wills, but they cater to different needs:

• Willful is ideal if you want a guided, user-friendly experience with unlimited updates and expert support.
• LegalWills offers more flexibility for complex estates, with advanced features and add-ons like expat wills and digital storage.

We’ll break down how these platforms compare so you can choose what’s right for your situation.

Understanding Online Will Platforms

Online wills have become increasingly popular thanks to their affordability, accessibility and convenience. Unlike traditional wills that are drafted by a lawyer and can cost hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars, online will platforms let you create legally valid documents from the comfort of your own home, often in as little as 20 minutes. Whether you're updating an existing will or just starting to think about your legacy, online wills offer a reliable and affordable way to ensure your loved ones are protected. 

Of course, not all online wills are created equal. Some key factors to keep in mind when choosing which platform to go with include:

• Ease of use: Look for a platform that is easy to use and intuitive so you don’t get overwhelmed while using it.
• Legal coverage: Ensure that your digital will is legally binding in Canada.
• Cost: To get the best online will, compare pricing packages and be sure to read the fine print about what’s included at each price point.
• Updates: Life is constantly changing. Check to see if your online will includes free updates so you can make revisions as often as needed without incurring extra fees.

A Side-by-Side Comparison of Willful vs. LegalWills

Overview of Willful vs LegalWills

Willful Overview

Willful was founded in 2017 with a mission to help every Canadian easily and affordably create a will that accurately reflects their wishes. Since then, the online will platform has been trusted by more than 300,000 Canadians for their estate-planning needs. The intuitive platform is designed for individuals or couples. If your estate-planning needs are straightforward—without complex trusts, business succession planning, or arrangements for overseas assets—Willful is probably a great fit.  Depending on what option you go with, you can also include a power of attorney for health (also known as a living will) and a power of attorney for property.

Here are some of Willful’s main features:

• Ease of use: Willful uses an intuitive platform to walk you through the process of making a will. By answering a series of important questions, the platform ensures all your wishes are accurately documented. 
• Canadian legal compliance: Willful works with professional estate lawyers in each province to make sure its documents fully meet provincial and national standards and will be legally valid.
• Pricing: Willful is the most comprehensive online will platform in Canada and offers  plans that cater to different estate planning needs, starting at just $99. 
• Updates: All of Willful’s plans include unlimited free updates for life.
• Canada Will Registry access:  All plans include free access (a $40 value) to the Canada Will Registry, which is Canada’s largest registry for wills.
• Unique features:  A user-friendly platform, no extra fees for unlimited updates, step-by-step instructions, a 30-day money-back guarantee and the first online will platform accepted into the Law Society of Ontario’s Access to Innovation project. Willful is available in every province including Quebec, but is not yet available in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Nunavut.

Start your legal will for free today →

LegalWills Overview

Created in 2000, LegalWills.ca was the first online will platform in Canada. The company’s goal is to make comprehensive estate-planning easy and cost effective. The platform caters to various estate planning needs  with provisions for trusts, guardianship designations and expatriate wills for users with international  assets. You can also make a power of attorney for health and for property. 

Here are some of LegalWill’s main features:

• Ease of use: The platform is straightforward to use and highly customizable. A basic will can take between 20 to 30 minutes to create. 
• Canadian legal compliance: Documents are legally valid throughout Canada.
• Pricing: Offers four plans that go from $49.95 for the basic plan, up to $129.95 for the premium estate plan. There are also numerous a la carte document add-ons you can purchase for specific needs.
• Updates: Only one year of free updates is included. For additional updates you would need to purchase membership extensions, ranging from 1 year for $11.95, 25 years for $79.95 or $129.95 for lifetime updates. 
• Canada Will Registry access: Plans come with a free  Canada Will Registry code you can use to register your will.
• Unique features: Designed for basic as well as more complex estates like expat wills, highly customizable, available in all provinces and territories, 30-day money-back guarantee, and users can purchase numerous add-ons to personalize their estate package.

Willful vs LegalWills: Feature Comparison 

Willful Ease of Use

Willful offers an intuitive questionnaire-style format that seamlessly guides users through the process step-by-step. By answering a variety of straightforward questions about your personal and financial circumstances, you can create customized will and power of attorney documents in as little as 20 minutes. 

To sign up, you simply create an account by providing your name and email. You’ll then be guided smoothly through a series of easy-to-understand questions such as “are you married?” and “do you have children?”,  to create your legally-valid will . Throughout the process, Willful addresses potential questions and has the option to ask questions to a chatbot. The platform frequently provides the opportunity to review your answers to make sure there are no errors. 

You can create documents for guardianship of children and pets, leave specific gifts to someone special, donate part of your estate to charity, select primary beneficiaries and more. It’s even possible to designate individuals or charities to receive a set percentage of your estate and easily adjust the allocation for each beneficiary. There’s also the option to include information about your preferred final resting place. Every will includes an instructions page that outlines the legal requirements in your province and includes details instructing you to sign in front of valid witnesses. Signature and initial boxes clearly indicate where each individual will need to sign to make the will legally enforceable.

All of Willful’s packages include free unlimited updates, so you can make changes to your documents at any time without additional costs.

LegalWills Ease of Use

LegalWills has a straightforward interface that provides clear guidance to create a will. While it occasionally offers more detailed options than Willful—which some users may find slightly overwhelming—this added depth provides greater customization for those with more complex estate-planning needs.

You can sign up by creating an account and selecting a userID and password or you can try out the process without having to first sign up. The platform will ask you to respond to numerous questions to create your estate documents. If you need assistance on a section, you can refer to a series of “Common Questions” that appear on every page. You’ll also see a preview of your last will and testament being created in real time in response to your answers. You’ll have the opportunity to name your beneficiaries and an executor, make bequests to charities, include provisions for the care of a pet , distribute your assets and more. To make the document legally binding, the will must be printed and then signed in front of two witnesses who are then required to sign the document in your presence.  

If you want to edit your will once it’s completed, LegalWills includes one year of free unlimited updates, however, you’ll have to pay additional fees if you want to make changes to your documents after the first year.

Legal Validity and Compliance

Both platforms ensure wills are legally binding in Canada as long as they are signed and witnessed according to instructions. 

Willful works closely with professional estate lawyers in each province, including Quebec, to ensure that its wills and powers of attorney documents are legally enforceable and meet provincial and national requirements. The platform provides clear instructions for signing and witnessing wills, ensuring users understand how to make their documents legally binding. Willful is also approved by the Law Society of Ontario and is an approved participant in the Law Society of British Columbia's Innovation Sandbox.

LegalWills has collaborated with Canadian lawyers to ensure all estate documents are legally valid. The platform provides detailed instructions for signing and witnessing the will so that it’s legally enforceable.

Pricing and Value

While LegalWills has estate plans at a lower initial cost, Willful’s free unlimited lifetime updates offer great long-term value for those who want to make changes to their estate documents whenever they want without worrying about cost. It’s important to update your will anytime you experience life changes such as buying a home, getting married or divorced, or welcoming a new child or pet.

Willful prioritizes making it as easy as possible for Canadians to make legal wills via its user-friendly platform. Unlimited updates are included for free with all estate plans.

• Legal Essentials ($99) includes a legal will, Canada Will Registry access, and unlimited updates.
• Premium Coverage ($189) adds power of attorney documents and an asset list for loved ones.
• Premium x 2 ($329) provides coverage for two adults with all the above features.

LegalWills provides more customizable options:

• Plans start at $49.95 for a basic will with registry access, with upgrades up to $129.95 for features like power of attorney, funeral wishes, and secure document storage.
• Updates range from an additional cost of $11.95/year to $129.95 for lifetime access.
• Optional add-ons are available, including expat wills for $49.95.

Customer Support & User Reviews

Both platforms offer a variety of ways to access customer support. 

You can contact Willful via live chat (available Monday–Friday), a website form, email, SMS, and toll-free phone support. The platform has received an impressive rating of 4.3 (out of over 1500 reviews) on TrustPilot and 4.8 on Google Review where the company is praised for its user-friendly website and responsive customer service. 

LegalWills offers email support, a website form, chat and a toll free number. It has a Google Review of 4.9 and a TrustPilot rating of 4.8 (out of over 4800 reviews) where reviewers speak highly of the platform’s comprehensive features. 

Unique Features and Benefits

Willful and LegalWills have unique features that may  appeal to different individuals. Willful offers a one-time payment with free lifetime updates, making it easy to adjust your will as life changes. The platform is fast, user-friendly, and backed by legal experts to ensure compliance across provinces, with top-rated customer support by chat, email, or phone.

LegalWills caters to complex needs with customizable documents and add-ons like MyKeyholders and MyVault. It’s available Canada-wide and ideal for those wanting more control and flexibility.

Willful is the Best Choice for Most Canadians

Online wills are legally valid across Canada when properly signed and witnessed. When it comes to easy and affordable estate planning, Willful is the best choice for most Canadians thanks to its intuitive questionnaire, consultation with multiple estate lawyers across the country, free lifetime updates and a wide variety of customer support options. However, if you have a complex estate involving things like international assets or a child with a disability you may want to consult an estate lawyer. 

Start your legal will for free today →