The short answer
Estate planning costs range from nothing to several thousand dollars. The three main paths are: do it yourself with free or low-cost templates, use a flat-fee online service, or hire an estate-planning attorney. The right choice depends on how complex your situation is and how much personalized legal advice you need.
What drives the price
- How many documents you need (a single will vs. a complete plan with trust and powers of attorney)
- Whether you need a revocable living trust, which is more involved than a will
- Complexity: blended families, business interests, special-needs beneficiaries, or taxable estates
- Whether you want ongoing updates as your life changes
- Your location (attorney fees vary widely by region)
The three paths, roughly
- DIY templates: free to ~$100, but no state-law validation and easy to get the signing wrong
- Flat-fee online drafting (like Estateur): a one-time fee — $79 for a single will, $99 for a full Will Plan of seven documents, $279 for the Trust Plan — the same in every state, no required subscription
- Estate-planning attorney: commonly ~$1,000–$3,000+ for a full plan, with personalized legal advice
For complex estates — significant tax exposure, business succession, special-needs planning — an attorney's advice is worth the cost. For common situations, flat-fee online drafting covers the same core documents for much less.
Watch for subscriptions
Some online services advertise a low starting price but use recurring memberships, or gate a complete plan behind higher tiers. When comparing, add up the total cost for the documents you actually need, not just the headline price. Estateur's pricing is a flat one-time fee for the whole plan.