Trust & Will vs Nolo WillMaker: Which Is Better?
The verdict
Trust & Will wins on experience; Nolo WillMaker wins on value. Trust & Will (4.7/5) offers the smoothest, most guided estate planning flow and is our top overall pick. Nolo Quicken WillMaker (4.5/5) is our value pick, giving you far more documents for a lower one-time price.
Choose Trust & Will for ease and guidance; choose Nolo if you want the most documents for the least money, especially for a whole household.
Key takeaways
- Trust & Will is easier and more guided; our top overall pick.
- Nolo WillMaker is far cheaper and includes 35+ documents for the whole family.
- Nolo is a one-time purchase; Trust & Will adds a small annual fee after year one.
- Both make valid wills and trusts; pick experience (Trust & Will) vs value (Nolo).
Trust & Will and Nolo Quicken WillMaker sit at two ends of the online estate planning spectrum. Trust & Will is a modern, guided service that holds your hand through a polished flow. Nolo WillMaker is a value-packed, software-style tool that bundles dozens of documents into one low one-time price. Both make legally valid wills and trusts; the question is whether you would rather pay more for a smoother experience or less for far more documents.
This comparison breaks down price, documents, ease of use, and format. For the deeper dives, see our full Trust & Will review and Nolo WillMaker review.
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Factor | Trust & Will | Nolo WillMaker |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Will price | $199 ($299 couple) | From $109 |
| Trust price | From $499 | From $149 |
| Pricing model | Per plan + annual fee | One-time purchase |
| Documents | Complete plan bundle | 35+ for whole family |
| Ease of use | Excellent, guided | Good, utilitarian |
| Best for | Smooth experience | Best value |
Price and Value
On price, Nolo wins decisively. It is a one-time purchase from about $109, with no subscription, and crucially the price covers your whole immediate family, so a spouse and adult relatives can create their own documents at no extra charge. Trust & Will’s will plan is $199 for an individual, and it adds a small annual fee ($19 to $39) after the first year to keep editing. If raw cost-per-document is your metric, Nolo is hard to beat.
Documents
Nolo also leads on sheer breadth: 35-plus documents including wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, transfer-on-death deeds, and many supplementary forms. Trust & Will focuses on assembling a clean, complete core estate plan rather than maximizing the document count, the essentials done well, rather than a large catalog. If you want lots of documents for a household, Nolo; if you want a tidy core plan, Trust & Will.
Ease of Use
Trust & Will is the clear winner here. Its interview-style flow is purpose-built for estate planning, explains terms as you go, and feels reassuring for a first-time planner. Nolo WillMaker is more utilitarian, closer to traditional software, which delivers more documents but less hand-holding. If the topic feels intimidating, Trust & Will’s guidance is worth the premium.
Format and Privacy
Nolo offers a meaningful option Trust & Will does not: downloadable software, so your documents and personal data can live on your own computer rather than in the cloud. For the privacy-conscious, that is a genuine plus. Trust & Will is cloud-based, which is more convenient for access and editing from anywhere but keeps your data online.
Both services produce documents that are only valid once signed and witnessed per your state’s rules. Confirm your state’s requirements before finalizing.
Which Should You Pick
Choose Trust & Will if you want the smoothest, most guided experience and a clean core plan, and do not mind paying more. Choose Nolo WillMaker if you want the most documents for the least money, are comfortable with a more software-like tool, or want to cover a whole household or keep your data offline.
Want to see how both stack up against everything else? Our best online will makers roundup has the full field, and DIY will vs attorney helps you decide whether to go online at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trust & Will or Nolo WillMaker better?
It depends on what you value. Trust & Will offers a smoother, more guided experience and is our top overall pick. Nolo Quicken WillMaker is the better value, giving you far more documents for a lower one-time price, ideal if cost and document breadth matter most.
Which is cheaper, Trust & Will or Nolo WillMaker?
Nolo WillMaker is significantly cheaper. It is a one-time purchase from about $109 that covers your whole immediate family, while Trust & Will’s will plan is $199 (plus a small annual fee after year one). For pure value, Nolo wins clearly.
Does Nolo WillMaker include a living trust?
Yes. Nolo Quicken WillMaker includes a living trust in its estate plan tier, starting around $149, along with 35-plus other documents. Trust & Will’s trust plan is more guided but costs more, starting at $499.
Which is easier to use, Trust & Will or Nolo?
Trust & Will is easier and more modern, with a clean guided flow and term explanations. Nolo WillMaker is more utilitarian and feels more like software, which gives you more documents but less hand-holding.
Is Nolo WillMaker a subscription?
No. Nolo WillMaker is a one-time purchase with one year of free revisions. Trust & Will, by contrast, charges a small annual membership fee after the first year to keep editing your documents.