Trust & Will and Nolo WillMaker represent two fundamentally different philosophies about how estate planning software should work. Trust & Will is a modern, cloud-based platform — sleek, fast, accessible from any device, with your documents stored securely online and automatically updated when laws change. Nolo WillMaker is desktop software with over 25 years of history — comprehensive, offline-capable, packed with legal guidance, and trusted by millions of Americans since the days of floppy disks.
Neither is objectively better. They're built for different kinds of users. Trust & Will is designed for the modern internet user who wants to complete their estate plan quickly in a browser. Nolo WillMaker is designed for the thorough user who wants deep legal explanations alongside every document they create and prefers to work with downloaded software.
This comparison breaks down every meaningful difference: pricing, format (online vs software), document coverage, update model, and the user experience of each approach. By the end, you'll know which is right for you.
Trust & Will offers the best user experience in online estate planning — clean, fast, modern. Nolo WillMaker offers more comprehensive legal guidance and a lower one-time price. Your choice depends on whether you prioritize ease of use or depth of legal information.
| Category | Trust & Will | Nolo WillMaker |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Online (cloud-based browser) | Desktop software download |
| Starting Price | $159 (individual will plan) | $99 (one-time download) |
| Subscription Option | N/A — one-time fees only | $179/year (auto-updates) |
| Living Trust Price | $299 (individual) | Included in software |
| Couples Pricing | $259 (will) / $399 (trust) | Included in one purchase |
| Legal Guidance | Basic explanations | Comprehensive legal book included |
| Works Offline | No | Yes |
| Automatic Updates | Yes (cloud) | Subscription only |
| User Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good |
| Track Record | Founded 2017 | 25+ years, millions of users |
| State Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Best For | Modern users, convenience | Thorough users, deep guidance |
Trust & Will was founded in 2017 with a clear mission: make estate planning accessible to the millions of Americans who had been avoiding it because the traditional attorney-based process was too expensive and intimidating. The founders built a platform that removes every possible barrier — no software to install, no appointments, no confusing legal forms, no sticker shock from attorney invoices.
The result is a web platform that runs in your browser on any device, guides you through your estate plan with a clean, step-by-step questionnaire, and produces attorney-drafted, state-specific documents in under 30 minutes. It's the best-designed estate planning experience available online, full stop.
Trust & Will charges one-time fees with no recurring subscription. Once you've paid, you own your documents and can access and update them through the platform. Since Trust & Will is cloud-based, your documents are automatically updated if relevant laws change in your state — you don't need to remember to download a new version of software.
The platform's user interface is genuinely exceptional. Visual design, logical flow, plain-language explanations, and rapid completion times make Trust & Will the most pleasant estate planning experience in the industry. For users who dread complex paperwork, Trust & Will's streamlined approach is a significant quality-of-life improvement over alternatives.
Nolo has been a legal publishing institution since 1971 — it was founded specifically to demystify the law for ordinary people, producing plain-language legal books and eventually legal software that put professional-quality legal tools directly in the hands of consumers. WillMaker, Nolo's estate planning software, has been continuously refined for over 25 years and has been used by millions of Americans to create valid, comprehensive estate plans.
Nolo WillMaker is desktop software: you download it and install it on your Windows or Mac computer. Unlike Trust & Will's cloud-based approach, your documents are stored locally on your computer (with optional cloud backup). The software works offline, which some users prefer for privacy reasons.
The pricing structure is one of Nolo's major advantages. At $99 for a one-time download, a couple can complete their entire estate plan — both spouses' wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives — for $99 total. Trust & Will charges $399 for the equivalent Couples Trust Plan. That's a significant price difference.
The tradeoff with the one-time download is updates. Estate planning laws change periodically at the state level — executor powers, witness requirements, digital asset provisions, and more. With the $99 one-time version, your software won't automatically update when these changes occur. The $179/year subscription includes automatic annual updates, which is important if you want to ensure your documents remain fully current year over year.
The breadth of what Nolo WillMaker includes is one of its most impressive features. The software includes documents beyond standard estate planning forms — like final arrangements documentation and survivor letters — that Trust & Will doesn't offer. These aren't strictly legal documents, but they're practically valuable for families navigating a loved one's passing.
The fundamental difference between Trust & Will and Nolo WillMaker isn't just pricing or document coverage — it's the underlying model for how estate planning software should work.
Trust & Will's cloud model means your documents live on Trust & Will's servers, accessible from any device, anywhere, at any time. When your state's laws change, Trust & Will updates its system and your documents reflect current law automatically. You never need to think about software versions or updates. The tradeoff is that you need an internet connection to access your documents, and you're trusting a third-party company to store them securely.
Nolo WillMaker's desktop model means your documents live on your computer. No internet required after installation. Your data doesn't go to a cloud server. You're in complete control of your documents' physical location and security. The tradeoff is that keeping your documents current with state law requires either purchasing the annual subscription or manually checking for significant legal changes.
For most users, the cloud model is more practical in 2026 — automatic updates, device independence, and cloud backup are meaningful conveniences. But for privacy-conscious users who prefer local data storage, or for users in areas with unreliable internet connections, Nolo's desktop approach has real merit.
One of Nolo WillMaker's most distinctive features is its integration of extensive legal guidance alongside the document creation process. When you're creating your will in Nolo WillMaker and you encounter a decision about how to handle a specific asset or family situation, the software provides a plain-language legal explanation of your options and their implications.
This goes significantly deeper than what Trust & Will offers. Nolo has been in the legal publishing business since 1971 — writing legal guides and books for everyday people is literally what the company was founded to do. That expertise is built into WillMaker's explanatory text. Users who want to genuinely understand their estate plan — not just fill out forms — will find Nolo's guidance invaluable.
Trust & Will provides contextual explanations throughout its questionnaire, and they're helpful and clear. But they're written for speed and brevity — they tell you what you need to know to answer the question, not everything you might want to know about the underlying legal concepts. For many users, that brevity is exactly what they want. For users who want to understand the full legal picture, Nolo goes deeper.
Estate planning laws change regularly at the state level. Witness requirements, notarization requirements, digital asset provisions, executor powers, trust administration rules — all of these can be modified by state legislatures, and they are, regularly. Your estate planning documents need to comply with current law to be valid and effective.
Trust & Will handles updates automatically. Because the platform is cloud-based, the development team can update document templates instantly when state laws change. If you log back into your Trust & Will account a year after completing your estate plan, the underlying templates your documents are based on reflect current law. You're notified if significant changes require you to revisit your documents.
Nolo WillMaker handles updates through its annual subscription model. The $179/year WillMaker Plus subscription includes annual software updates that incorporate state law changes from the prior year. If you purchase the $99 one-time download, your software does not automatically update — you'd need to purchase a new version if significant changes occur in your state.
For long-term estate planning maintenance, Trust & Will's cloud model has a meaningful advantage. The subscription model also works well if you intend to use Nolo WillMaker annually, but requires an ongoing commitment.
Trust & Will is America's top-rated online estate planning service. Attorney-drafted documents for all 50 states, cloud storage, and automatic updates — all for a one-time flat fee.
Start Your Estate Plan at Trust & Will →Let's compare the actual cost for common scenarios:
Individual estate plan (will + trust + POA + healthcare directive):
Couples estate plan (both spouses' wills + trusts):
For couples especially, Nolo WillMaker's value proposition is extraordinary. Both spouses can create their complete estate plans — wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives — for $99 total. Trust & Will charges $399 for the same scope. The $300 difference is significant.
The counterargument for Trust & Will is the experience quality. If the clean, modern interface and automatic cloud updates are worth $300 to you — and for many users, they genuinely are — Trust & Will is worth the premium. Estate planning is a one-time (or infrequent) event; paying more for a better experience is a reasonable choice.
Both Trust & Will and Nolo WillMaker produce legally valid estate planning documents when properly executed. Both are attorney-drafted and state-specific. Both are used by millions of Americans. Neither platform's reputation or document quality gives you reason for concern on legal validity.
Proper execution is the user's responsibility — you need to sign your will in the presence of two witnesses (and a notary in some states). Both platforms provide explicit, state-specific execution instructions to ensure you complete this step correctly. Follow those instructions, and your documents are legally valid.
The only caveat applies to complex estates — significant business interests, multiple properties across states, blended family situations with potential disputes. In those cases, neither platform is a substitute for an estate planning attorney who can address the specific complexities of your situation. Both Trust & Will and Nolo acknowledge this in their documentation.
Trust & Will and Nolo WillMaker are both excellent, trustworthy estate planning tools. The right choice depends on your priorities.
Choose Trust & Will for the best modern online experience, cloud storage, and automatic updates at a higher price point. Choose Nolo WillMaker for comprehensive legal guidance, offline functionality, couple-friendly pricing, and the deepest feature set at the lowest cost.
For most individuals seeking a fast, pleasant, modern experience, Trust & Will is our recommendation. For couples seeking the best value and users who want to deeply understand their estate plan, Nolo WillMaker is outstanding.
Both Trust & Will and Nolo WillMaker will help you create a legally valid estate plan. Trust & Will offers the best online experience; Nolo offers the best value — especially for couples.
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