Most Canadians don't need to pay a lawyer $1,500 to make a will. But some do. Here is an honest breakdown of when an online will platform is the right choice — and when it isn't.
An online will platform walks you through a questionnaire, populates a legal template, and generates a PDF. For most Canadians with straightforward estates — a home, savings, a spouse, and children — this covers everything that needs to be covered.
The document is legally valid provided it is properly executed. That is the critical point. A will generated by an online platform is not a second-class document. It becomes legally binding the moment it is correctly signed and witnessed.
Where most platforms fail is exactly at that point — they hand you the PDF and leave execution entirely to you.
A wills and estates lawyer brings professional judgment to your specific situation. They will ask questions you might not think to ask, spot issues in your circumstances, and draft language tailored precisely to your needs.
For complex estates — contested assets, multiple jurisdictions, significant business interests, family situations that involve competing claims — a lawyer is not optional. The cost of getting it wrong far exceeds the legal fee.
A lawyer also handles execution at the appointment, typically completing the affidavit of execution as part of their fee.
Here is what you actually pay for a Will + Both POAs in Canada, all-in, for one person:
An online will is appropriate for the vast majority of Canadians. You are likely in this category if:
This describes the majority of Canadians making a first will. A properly executed online will prepared on a professional platform is legally identical to one drafted by a lawyer.
Consider a lawyer — or at minimum a consultation — if any of the following apply:
Here is the thing that most online will platform comparisons ignore entirely: the document is only half the product.
Every major online will platform in Canada — Willful, Epilogue, LegalWills — hands you a PDF and a set of instructions. You are responsible for finding witnesses, arranging a notary, completing the affidavit, and booking an appointment. This process typically takes 3–6 weeks and costs $125–$325 in additional fees you were not expecting.
Willbeing is the only online platform in Canada that includes execution. Ontario clients sign at Canada Notary — free, same day or next day. Outside Ontario, Canada Mobile Notary comes to you at a 20% discount. The affidavit is completed at the appointment. Nothing falls through the cracks.
For most Canadians: use Willbeing. The documents are prepared properly, execution is handled by regulated notary professionals, and the total cost is a fraction of a law firm.
If your situation is complex — business succession, multiple jurisdictions, contested estates, significant disability provisions — consult a lawyer. If you are unsure, start the Willbeing questionnaire. The process will surface any complexity, and we will flag it for you.
The worst outcome is no will at all. Dying intestate means Ontario or your province decides how your estate is distributed — not you. A Willbeing will prepared today is infinitely better than a lawyer appointment scheduled for next month that never happens.