Choosing the right estate planning software is one of the most consequential decisions a will writer or estate planner can make. The platform you use determines how quickly you can draft documents, how much you pay in overheads, what services you can offer to clients, and how easily you can grow your business.
In this guide, we review and compare the leading estate planning software platforms available in the UK in 2026. We examine pricing, features, document coverage, contract terms, lead generation capabilities, and overall value for money. Whether you are just starting a will writing business or looking to switch from your current platform, this review will help you make an informed choice.
What to Look For in Estate Planning Software
Before diving into individual platform reviews, it is worth establishing the criteria that matter most. Based on conversations with hundreds of estate planners across the UK, these are the factors that have the greatest impact on your business:
- Document coverage — Can the platform produce wills, LPAs, trusts, severance of tenancy, and all the other documents your clients need? Or do you need to pay extra for each document type?
- Pricing structure — Is the price fixed and predictable, or does it fluctuate based on usage? Are there per-document charges that erode your margins as you grow?
- Contract terms — Are you locked into an annual contract, or can you subscribe month to month? What are the cancellation terms?
- Membership requirements — Does the platform require you to be a member of a specific professional body? This can add hundreds of pounds per year in mandatory fees.
- Lead generation — Does the platform help you find clients, or is that entirely your responsibility?
- Ease of use — How intuitive is the interface? How steep is the learning curve? Can you be productive from day one?
- Support and training — What help is available when you get stuck? Is there phone support, live chat, documentation, or training videos?
- Compliance and updates — Is the software kept up to date with changes in legislation? Are compliance checks built into the document generation process?
With these criteria in mind, let us look at each platform.
1. Willo — Best Overall Value
Willo is developed by Project Will Ltd, a company that has been building software for the estate planning industry since 2009. It is designed from the ground up for independent will writers and estate planners, with a focus on simplicity, completeness, and affordability.
Pricing
- £150 per month — flat rate, all-inclusive
- Unlimited documents — wills, LPAs, trusts, and all other document types included
- No contracts — cancel at any time, no exit fees, no lock-in
- No accreditation required — open to all estate planners regardless of professional memberships
- Client leads: £5 each — qualified estate planning enquiries delivered to your dashboard
Key Features
- Guided interview workflows for all document types
- Automated document generation with built-in compliance checks
- Full CRM for client management and follow-ups
- Secure cloud-based document storage
- Lead marketplace with qualified enquiries at £5 per lead
- Regular software updates reflecting legislative changes
- Phone and email support
Strengths
Willo's greatest strength is its straightforward, all-inclusive pricing. There are no surprises, no add-on charges, and no per-document fees. Whether you produce 5 documents a month or 500, you pay £150. This makes it exceptionally attractive for growing businesses, where other platforms become progressively more expensive as volume increases.
The built-in lead marketplace is another major differentiator. At £5 per lead, it is one of the most affordable ways to acquire new clients. For estate planners who are just starting out and do not yet have an established referral network, this can be transformative. See our will writing leads guide for more on how leads work.
The absence of contract lock-ins and accreditation requirements means the barrier to entry is as low as possible. You can sign up today, start drafting documents immediately, and cancel next month if it does not work for you. No other platform offers this level of flexibility.
Who Is It Best For?
Willo is the best choice for independent estate planners, new will writers, home-based businesses, and anyone who wants comprehensive features at a predictable, affordable price. It is equally suitable for experienced practitioners who want to reduce their overheads.
At £150 per month with unlimited documents, no contracts, and leads at £5 each, Willo offers the best value proposition of any estate planning software in the UK.
Try Willo Today — No Contract Required
£150/month for unlimited wills, LPAs, and trusts. Built-in leads at £5 each. Cancel any time.
2. Arken — Established but Expensive
Arken is one of the longer-established platforms in the UK estate planning software market. It offers a range of products covering wills, LPAs, and trusts, but each product area is priced separately.
Pricing
- Arken Wills — from £107/month for 10 documents per month (additional documents charged extra)
- Arken LPA — additional module, approximately £60–£100/month
- Arken Trusts — additional module, approximately £100–£150/month
- Total cost for full suite: typically £267–£357/month or more, depending on document volume
Key Features
- Will drafting with clause library
- LPA drafting (separate module)
- Trust drafting (separate module)
- Document storage and client management
- Integration with some third-party services
Strengths
Arken is a mature platform with a well-developed clause library for will drafting. It has been in the market for many years and has a solid user base, particularly among larger firms and those with established practices. The will drafting module is capable and well-regarded.
Weaknesses
The modular pricing structure is Arken's most significant drawback. If you want to offer wills, LPAs, and trusts — which is the standard service range for most estate planners — you need to purchase three separate modules. The combined cost can easily exceed £300 per month, more than double what Willo charges for the same (and more) functionality.
The base will package is also limited to a set number of documents per month. If you exceed that limit, you pay extra. This creates a variable cost structure that penalises growth and makes it difficult to predict your monthly overheads.
Arken does not offer a built-in lead marketplace. Client acquisition is entirely your responsibility, which means you need to invest additional time and money in marketing and networking.
Who Is It Best For?
Arken may suit larger firms that have negotiated volume discounts, or practitioners who only need the will drafting module and do not offer LPAs or trusts. For independent estate planners offering a full service, the costs are difficult to justify when more affordable alternatives exist.
3. WillSuite — Membership-Gated
WillSuite is a cloud-based will writing platform that has built a following among members of the Society of Will Writers (SWW) and the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW).
Pricing
- £150 per user per month
- Requires SWW or IPW membership — SWW membership costs from approximately £396/year (£33/month); IPW membership is similar
- Effective total cost: approximately £183/month including mandatory membership
Key Features
- Will drafting with guided workflows
- LPA generation
- Client management tools
- Document storage
- Training resources for members
Strengths
WillSuite offers a clean, modern interface and integrates well with the SWW and IPW ecosystems. For practitioners who are already members of these organisations and value the professional recognition that comes with membership, WillSuite is a natural fit. The platform receives regular updates and has responsive customer support.
Weaknesses
The mandatory membership requirement is the most significant barrier. If you are not already a member of the SWW or IPW, you must join before you can access the software. This adds £33 or more per month to your costs, and it means WillSuite is simply not available to estate planners who choose not to — or cannot — join these organisations.
The per-user pricing also makes WillSuite expensive for small teams. If you have two people in your business who need access, you are paying £300 per month before membership fees — compared to £150 total with Willo.
Like Arken, WillSuite does not include a lead generation service. You must source your own clients through marketing, networking, or third-party lead providers.
Who Is It Best For?
WillSuite is best suited to sole practitioners who are already SWW or IPW members and want a platform that integrates with that ecosystem. It is less suitable for those who want to keep costs low, avoid mandatory memberships, or access built-in lead generation.
4. Other Options Worth Mentioning
Microsoft Word / Manual Templates
Some estate planners, particularly those who have been in the industry for many years, still use Word templates for document drafting. While this approach has zero software costs, it is significantly slower, more error-prone, and lacks the compliance checks, client management, and efficiency gains that dedicated software provides. For anyone serious about running a professional, scalable practice, manual templates are not a viable long-term solution.
Generic Legal Software
Some practitioners use general-purpose legal practice management software (such as Clio, Leap, or PracticePanther) for their business. These tools are excellent for case management and billing but typically do not include estate planning document generation. You would still need a specialist platform like Willo to draft wills, LPAs, and trusts.
DIY Will Platforms
Consumer-facing platforms like Farewill and Beyond (both of which have experienced significant commercial difficulties in recent years) are not relevant to this comparison. They are designed for consumers to create their own documents, not for professionals to draft documents on behalf of clients. Professional estate planners need professional tools.
Head-to-Head Comparison Table
Here is how the three main platforms compare across the criteria that matter most:
| Feature | Willo | Arken | WillSuite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £150 | From £107 (wills only) | £150/user |
| Full suite (wills + LPAs + trusts) | £150 (included) | £267–£357+ | £150/user + membership |
| Document limits | Unlimited | 10/month (base), extra charged | Unlimited |
| Contract required | No — monthly rolling | Typically annual | Varies |
| Accreditation required | No | No | Yes (SWW or IPW) |
| Built-in lead marketplace | Yes — £5/lead | No | No |
| CRM / client management | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud-based | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-user pricing | Contact for team pricing | Per-user add-ons | £150 per additional user |
| Industry experience | Since 2009 (Project Will) | Established | Established |
Cost Comparison: A Real-World Scenario
To illustrate the practical impact of these pricing differences, let us consider a typical independent estate planner who drafts 20 complete estate planning packages per month (each package including wills, LPAs, and trusts).
| Cost Element | Willo | Arken | WillSuite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software subscription | £150 | £267–£357 | £150 |
| Extra document charges | £0 | £100–£200+ (overage) | £0 |
| Mandatory membership | £0 | £0 | £33+ |
| 20 client leads | £100 | N/A (external cost) | N/A (external cost) |
| Total monthly cost | £250 | £367–£557+ | £183+ (no leads) |
With Willo, you pay £250 per month and receive both unlimited software access and 20 qualified leads. With Arken, the equivalent software capability alone costs £367 to £557 or more, with no leads included. WillSuite comes in at £183 before you account for the cost of acquiring clients through other channels — which can easily add hundreds of pounds per month in advertising or third-party lead services.
Over a full year, the difference between Willo and Arken's full suite could amount to £1,400 to £3,700 in additional costs — money that comes directly out of your profits.
Stop Overpaying for Software
Switch to Willo and get unlimited documents, built-in leads, and no contracts — all for £150/month. See why estate planners across the UK are making the move.
What Estate Planners Actually Need From Software
Having reviewed the platforms, it is worth stepping back and considering what really matters in daily use. Here are the features that estate planners consistently tell us make the biggest difference to their productivity and profitability:
Speed of Document Production
The faster you can move from client consultation to finished document, the more clients you can serve. Guided interview workflows that collect all necessary information in a logical sequence, combined with automated document generation, are essential. Manual cut-and-paste approaches are a relic of the past.
Accuracy and Compliance
Estate planning documents must be legally sound. Built-in compliance checks that flag issues before a document is finalised — such as missing witnesses, conflicting provisions, or incomplete beneficiary details — prevent costly errors and protect your professional reputation.
Client Acquisition Support
The best software in the world is worthless if you do not have clients. A platform that actively helps you find clients — through a lead marketplace, for example — adds value that goes far beyond document generation. This is where Willo distinguishes itself most clearly from the competition.
Predictable Costs
As a small business owner, you need to know what your overheads will be each month. Platforms with per-document charges, tiered pricing, or mandatory add-ons create uncertainty. A flat monthly fee for unlimited use is the simplest and most business-friendly model.
Freedom and Flexibility
Long-term contracts and mandatory memberships restrict your ability to adapt. If a platform is not delivering value, you should be free to leave. If you do not want to join a professional body, that should be your choice, not a software requirement.
Making the Switch
If you are currently using another platform and considering a move to Willo, the process is straightforward:
- Sign up for Willo — No contract means no risk. You can run both platforms in parallel during a transition period if needed.
- Familiarise yourself — Willo's guided workflows are intuitive, but take a few hours to explore the features and draft some test documents.
- Migrate your workflow — Start using Willo for new clients while completing existing cases on your current platform.
- Cancel your old subscription — Once you are fully transitioned, cancel your previous software. With no contract on Willo, there is no overlap penalty if you need a month or two to transition.
Many estate planners tell us they are fully productive on Willo within the first week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Willo if I am not a member of the SWW or IPW?
Yes. Willo has no membership requirements whatsoever. You can sign up and start using the platform immediately, regardless of your professional affiliations. This is one of the key differences between Willo and WillSuite, which requires SWW or IPW membership.
Is £150 per month really all-inclusive?
Yes. £150 per month covers unlimited wills, LPAs, trusts, and all other document types. There are no per-document charges, no add-on module fees, and no hidden costs. Leads from the marketplace are purchased separately at £5 each, on a pay-as-you-go basis with no minimum spend.
What happens if I want to cancel Willo?
You cancel. There is no contract, no notice period, and no exit fee. You can resubscribe at any time if your circumstances change.
How do the £5 leads work?
The Willo lead marketplace aggregates estate planning enquiries from consumers across the UK. When someone requests help with a will, LPA, or trust, their details are made available to estate planners in the marketplace. You purchase individual leads for £5 each, receive the client's contact information, and follow up to convert them into a paying client. For a comprehensive guide, read our will writing leads article.
Which platform is best for someone just starting out?
Willo is the clear choice for new estate planners. The combination of affordable pricing, no contracts, no membership requirements, and built-in leads makes it the lowest-risk, highest-value option. Pair it with training from Become an Estate Planner, and you have everything you need to launch successfully. Our guide on starting a will writing business from home covers the full process.
Our Verdict
After thorough evaluation, Willo is our top recommendation for estate planning software in 2026. It offers the most complete feature set at the most affordable price, with the added advantage of a built-in lead marketplace that no other platform provides. The absence of contracts and membership requirements makes it accessible to everyone, from brand-new will writers to seasoned professionals.
Arken remains a capable platform with a strong clause library, but its modular pricing makes it significantly more expensive for anyone offering a full estate planning service. WillSuite is a solid option for committed SWW/IPW members, but the mandatory membership requirement and lack of lead generation limit its appeal.
For estate planners who want the best combination of features, value, flexibility, and growth support, Willo is the platform to choose. Understanding the full scope of what estate planning involves will help you make the most of whichever platform you select.
Ready to get started? get your free demo today — no contract, no commitment, no risk.