Online will vs. hiring a lawyer
A lawyer costs roughly $400 to $1,200 for a simple will — and for some estates that is money well spent. Here is how to tell which you are.
Figures checked on August 4, 2026. Sources at the foot of the page.
The honest bottom line
For a straightforward estate — you know who your beneficiaries are, your assets are in Canada, nobody is likely to contest anything — an online will produces the same legal document for a fraction of the cost. For the situations listed below, a lawyer is not an upsell, it is the correct answer, and we would rather tell you that than take your $15.
Where a lawyer wins
Yes, this section is on our website. A comparison that pretends the other side has nothing is not a comparison.
You want to disinherit a spouse or an adult child
Especially in British Columbia, where WESA section 60 lets a spouse or child ask a court to vary your will. Uneven divisions and disinheritance are the most litigated part of Canadian estate law. Get advice.
You own a business, farm, or a professional practice
Succession of a business interest, shareholder agreements and estate freezes all interact with your will in ways a questionnaire cannot handle.
You own property outside Canada
Foreign real estate is usually governed by the law where it sits, which can mean a second will and a genuine risk of conflicting documents.
You want a trust
Discretionary trusts, spousal trusts, and disability trusts — including a Henson trust to protect a beneficiary's provincial disability benefits — need to be drafted for your circumstances.
Blended families with competing claims
Providing for a second spouse and for children from a first marriage at the same time is the classic case where do-it-yourself goes wrong.
There is any question about capacity or influence
If someone might later argue that you did not understand what you signed, or that you were pressured, a lawyer's file notes are the evidence that defends your will.
Significant tax planning
Large estates, holding companies, and capital-gains planning on death need an accountant and a lawyer, not a form.
Where EstateCanvas wins
Cost
A simple lawyer-drafted will in Canada commonly runs $400 to $1,200, and a couple's pair of mirror wills more. Ours is $15 until October 31, 2026, then $29.
It is the same kind of legal document
There is no requirement in Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta that a will be drafted or witnessed by a lawyer. What makes a will valid is that it is in writing, signed by you, and witnessed correctly. A will made on EstateCanvas and signed properly is as legally valid as one from a law office.
Changes do not cost anything
Going back to a lawyer to add a beneficiary or change an executor usually means another bill. Updating with us is free, and it is the reason most wills go stale — people do not want to pay to fix them.
You can do it tonight
No appointment, no waiting for a draft. Most people finish the questionnaire in about twenty minutes.
Feature by feature
| EstateCanvas | A lawyer | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost, simple will | $29 (currently $15) | $400 – $1,200 |
| Legally valid when signed correctly | ✓ | ✓ |
| Time to complete | About 20 minutes | Weeks, plus appointments |
| Cost to make changes later | Free | Usually billed again |
| Advice tailored to your situation | — | ✓ |
| We can tell you what the rules are. We cannot tell you what you should do. | ||
| Trusts and tax planning | — | ✓ |
| Foreign assets and multiple jurisdictions | — | ✓ |
| Business succession | — | ✓ |
| Evidence of capacity if the will is challenged | — | ✓ |
| Province-specific signing instructions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ongoing estate record you maintain yourself | ✓ | — |
“✓” means included at the base price. “—” means not offered. EstateCanvas price: $15 per will until October 31, 2026, then $29.
Decide for yourself.
Start the questionnaire and read your finished will before paying. If we are not the right fit, you will know before it costs you anything.