You don't have to spend money to get a legally valid will. Several services in 2026 offer a completely free online will maker — and while free plans come with limitations, they're a genuine, legally binding option for people with straightforward estates.
We evaluated every major free will service available in the US, testing ease of use, document quality, legal validity, and what's actually included at zero cost. Here's what we found.
| Service | Cost | Includes | POA/Healthcare Directive | All 50 States | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric by Gerber ★ | Free | Will + guardian nomination | Paid add-on | ✅ | |
| FreeWill | Free | Will + charitable bequests | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Tomorrow | Free | Will + beneficiary designations | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Do Your Own Will | Free | Basic will template | ❌ | ✅ |
Fabric was acquired by Gerber Life Insurance, which is how the math works — they offer a free will to attract parents who may then buy life insurance. But you don't need to purchase anything. The will creation flow asks you to name beneficiaries, choose an executor, and (critically for parents) nominate a guardian for minor children if both parents die. The completed will is a proper legal document, signed and witnessed using Fabric's electronic witness flow.
The iOS and Android app is genuinely well-designed. Clear typography, friendly language, and logical question order make it the most accessible will-making experience available at any price point. The app stores your completed will and sends you reminders to review it after major life events like marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child.
The gap you need to know about: Fabric's free will doesn't include a durable power of attorney or healthcare directive. If you become incapacitated — not dead, but unable to make decisions — there's no legal document naming who manages your finances or healthcare choices. For a complete estate plan, you'd need to add these separately or switch to a paid service like Trust & Will ($199 for the full package).
FreeWill's business model is elegantly aligned with users: nonprofits pay FreeWill to make the platform available to potential donors. You benefit from a free, high-quality will creation experience. The nonprofit benefits if you include a charitable bequest in your estate plan. There's no pressure — you can complete your will without leaving anything to charity.
The platform is entirely web-based, so no app download is required. The will questionnaire is thorough and clearly written. FreeWill covers beneficiary designation, executor naming, guardian nomination, and specific bequests for personal property. The charitable giving section lets you search from thousands of nonprofits and include a percentage or fixed amount bequest cleanly within your will.
Like Fabric, FreeWill doesn't offer power of attorney or healthcare directive through the free platform. For most users with simple estates and a philanthropic angle, it's an excellent option. For a complete estate plan, see our full guide to the best online will makers.
Tomorrow's big insight is that most people's largest financial assets — retirement accounts, life insurance — don't actually pass through a will at all. They go directly to whoever is named as beneficiary on the account. If that beneficiary designation is outdated (naming an ex-spouse, for example, or a deceased parent), the will is irrelevant. Tomorrow solves this by integrating beneficiary review directly into the estate planning flow.
The will creation process is beginner-friendly and mobile-optimized. You can complete the entire process without creating an account, though signing up provides document storage and reminder features. Like the other free services, Tomorrow doesn't offer power of attorney or healthcare directive — if those are a priority, a paid service is necessary.
Do Your Own Will (doyourownwill.com) has been around for years and provides straightforward, state-specific will templates. After a brief questionnaire, you download a PDF will that you sign, witness, and keep in your files. There's no app, no cloud storage, and no ongoing account — the entire value is in the document itself.
This approach suits privacy-conscious users who don't want estate documents in anyone's cloud. The tradeoff is no guided support if you're uncertain about a provision, and no reminders to update after life changes. Of all the free options, this one requires the most legal self-confidence to use effectively.
Every free will maker we tested provides only a will — not a complete estate plan. Here's what's missing and why you should care:
A durable power of attorney (POA) names someone to manage your financial affairs if you're alive but incapacitated — whether due to accident, illness, or cognitive decline. Without one, your family may need to go through a costly, time-consuming court process to get legal authority to pay your bills, manage your bank accounts, or handle your property. None of the free will services include this document.
A healthcare directive specifies your medical wishes and names a healthcare proxy to make decisions if you can't communicate. Without one, medical providers will look to family members for guidance — and family members may disagree, or may not know your wishes. This is especially critical for unmarried couples, estranged family members, or anyone with strong end-of-life care preferences.
If you own real estate, a living trust lets you pass it to your heirs without probate — saving months of court time and thousands in fees. No free service offers a living trust. For homeowners, this is often the most valuable estate planning document of all. See our guide to the best online living trust services.
Trust & Will's Individual Plan ($199) includes your will, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directive — all attorney-reviewed and valid in all 50 states. Complete in 30 minutes.
Get a Complete Estate Plan →Yes — a free online will is just as legally valid as one created by an attorney or a paid service, as long as it's properly executed. Legal validity has nothing to do with cost; it has everything to do with how the document is signed and witnessed.
In all 50 US states, a valid will requires:
All of the services in this review walk you through your specific state's requirements. The document quality from Fabric, FreeWill, and Tomorrow is attorney-drafted and entirely legitimate — these aren't amateur templates. They're the same type of documents used by paid services, offered at no cost through a different business model.
Our recommendation: if you don't have a will at all, use Fabric today — it's free, takes 10 minutes, and is far better than nothing. Then, when budget allows, upgrade to a paid service like Trust & Will for the complete package.
Answer 5 quick questions and we'll tell you exactly what documents you need — and whether a free will is enough for your situation.
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