Is FreeWill really free? Who pays for it, and what they get in return

FreeWill is one of the few genuinely free things in estate planning. There is no trial that converts, no card to enter and no premium tier for the will itself. That naturally makes people suspicious, so here is how it works, where the money comes from, and what, if anything, you give up. Everything comes from FreeWill’s own FAQ and help centre, read on the date in the facts table.

Who pays for FreeWill?

Nonprofits do. FreeWill says More than 1,000 nonprofit partners sponsor the service. Charities pay FreeWill because people making a will through it sometimes choose to leave a gift to charity, and a will gift is one of the largest donations a charity ever receives. FreeWill gives charities a way to make that option visible at the moment people are writing their wills.

So the “catch” is out in the open: at one point in the questionnaire you are offered the chance to leave a gift to a nonprofit. You can skip it, and FreeWill says a gift is not required to make or download your documents.

What do charities learn about you?

FreeWill’s help centre says personal details are shared Only if you leave a gift and ask FreeWill to notify that charity. If you leave no gift, or leave a gift but do not ask FreeWill to tell the charity, the charity does not receive your details from FreeWill. Read FreeWill’s privacy notice if you want to know what it does with usage data itself.

What is free?

Document	Cost
Will	Free
Health care directive and financial power of attorney	Health care directive and financial power of attorney, also free
Mirror will for a spouse or partner	Free mirror will for a spouse or domestic partner; each partner can also make their own will in the same account
Living trust	Free, California residents only
Updates	Free: edit in your account, print and sign again

The only thing that costs money is optional: remote online notarisation, which works Through Proof, paid to Proof; bring your own witnesses or pay Proof for them. Signing on paper in person with two witnesses, and a local notary if your will includes a self-proving affidavit, costs little or nothing.

Is a free will as good as a paid one?

Legally, yes, if it is signed correctly. A will’s validity depends on your state’s signing rules, not on what you paid. FreeWill’s witness guidance is: Two witnesses, 18 or older, not named in the will. A notary is Required only in Louisiana; elsewhere optional, for a self-proving affidavit.

Practically, a free will is as good as a paid one for simple wishes: who gets what, who is executor, who looks after the children. What FreeWill does not offer is the surrounding service:

• No attorney access: None built in; it points you to local attorneys, including its FreeWill Fellows.
• Living trusts only in California, and no way to amend a signed trust: No amendments: start a new trust if it is unsigned and unfunded; otherwise move assets to a new trust or see an attorney.
• No codicils: Not offered: edit and re-sign a new will instead.
• No document storage: Its help centre says FreeWill does not store or maintain copies of your documents.

None of these is a hidden cost. They are the edges of a free product.

So what is the catch?

There are three honest answers:

1. You will be asked about a charitable gift. You can say no.
2. You get the documents, not a service around them. No lawyer, no funding help, no notary partner of its own.
3. If you need a trust outside California, FreeWill cannot help, and you will need a paid service.

For many people, none of these matters, and FreeWill is the right answer. Our FreeWill review goes through what it does well and where it falls short, and our FreeWill alternatives page covers what to use for each gap.

If you use FreeWill

1. Make the will and both directives in the same session.
2. Decide about the charitable gift on its merits; it is optional.
3. Print and sign with two adult witnesses who are not in the will; our signing guide has the steps.
4. Keep the signed originals safely, because FreeWill does not store copies.
5. Update the will for free after any major life change.