How much does a will cost in Canada?
From free kits to $1,200 lawyer retainers — what every route to a will costs in 2026, what you get for the money, and when paying more is actually worth it.
The honest range in 2026 is $0 to about $2,000, and the differences are about judgement and convenience, not legal validity. A correctly signed will is equally binding whether it cost nothing or a retainer.
The going rates
| Route | Typical cost | Updates later |
|---|---|---|
| Free will kit or template | $0 | Redo it by hand |
| LegalWills.ca | $69.95 | Free for 1 year, then paid extension |
| EstateCanvas | $29 — currently $15 | Free, no expiry |
| Willful | $129–$349 | Free |
| Epilogue | $139–$199 | Free |
| Lawyer, simple will | $400–$1,200 | Usually billed again |
| Lawyer, couple’s mirror wills | $600–$1,800 | Usually billed again |
| Lawyer, complex estate (trusts, business) | $1,500+ | Billed |
Competitor prices from their public pricing pages, August 4, 2026. Lawyer ranges reflect commonly published Canadian rates — city firms charge more, rural practices often less.
What the money buys at each level
Free kits buy you a blank structure. Nothing checks your work — not the witness rules, not whether your percentages add up, not whether your province recognises the format. The full trade-off.
Online platforms buy you the rules. A questionnaire that adapts to your province, validation that stops the classic errors, documents that regenerate when life changes. The price differences between platforms are mostly business-model differences — we charge $15–$29 for what others price at $129–$199, and we let you read the will before paying, which as far as we know only Epilogue also does.
A lawyer buys you judgement — advice about your situation, drafting for circumstances no questionnaire handles, and a professional witness to your capacity if the will is ever challenged. For some situations that is the only correct answer.
Why is EstateCanvas so much cheaper?
Fair question, since the gap is large. Three reasons: the rules engine does the work a firm bills hours for; we sell one plan rather than maintaining tiers; and we are new and would rather win on price and product than on advertising. What we do not skimp on is the law itself — every figure on this site cites its statute, and our documents follow each province’s own legislation. Compare us line by line on the comparison pages, where we also list what competitors do better.
Checked against source on August 4, 2026. Legislation changes — if you are relying on a figure here for a decision, verify it against the statute. This is general information, not legal advice about your situation.