Wills & Trust vs LegalWills
Free expert-drafted will collection and secure safekeeping in 48 hours, compared with a paid DIY will you print, sign, witness, and store yourself.
Quick comparison
Recommended
Your choice
Free expert-drafted South African will with 48-hour turnaround, secure collection, and unlimited amendments at no cost.
Competitor
DIY platform
R499 once-off online will you complete yourself, print, sign, witness, and store. Optional extras are available for lawyer review and printing.
The practical difference comes down to cost, custody, and guidance. Wills & Trust covers drafting at no charge, collects your signed original, and gives you a specialist to guide the process. LegalWills charges to create the document and leaves printing, witnessing, physical safekeeping, and future physical custody to you.
Competitor pricing and service details are based on publicly available LegalWills.co.za pricing and FAQ pages reviewed on 9 May 2026.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Wills & Trust | LegalWills.co.za |
|---|---|---|
| Price to create a will | Free: no fee to draft your will | R499 once-off fee for MyWill |
| Will amendments and updates | Unlimited amendments at no cost | Included for 1 year, then optional extension from R119/year |
| Printing and physical document | Signed original collected on your behalf | User prints it, or optional print and mail-out listed at R99 |
| Legal review | Expert-drafted by a specialist from the start | Optional lawyer review listed at R999 |
Wills & Trust charges nothing to draft, update, or store your will. LegalWills starts at R499, with optional add-ons if you want lawyer review, print/mail-out, or post-first-year update access.
| Feature | Wills & Trust | LegalWills.co.za |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting turnaround | 48-hour turnaround from consultation to draft | Create online in approximately 20 minutes at your own pace |
| Guidance and support | Specialist consultants via video call, phone, WhatsApp, or in person | Online self-service with email, live chat, and toll-free support |
| Signed original storage | Signed original collected and stored securely | User is responsible for printing, witnessing, and storing the signed document |
| Estate administration | Dedicated in-house case managers for the full winding-up process | DIY will platform; estate administration is not the core service |
Wills & Trust gives you a specialist consultant at every stage and takes custody of your signed will so it is not lost in a drawer. LegalWills is fast if you know exactly what you want, but the signing, witnessing, and physical safekeeping responsibility stays with you.
| Feature | Wills & Trust | LegalWills.co.za |
|---|---|---|
| Children's trust | Available: protects children's inheritance until a specified age | Not positioned as a core feature of the DIY MyWill service |
| Widow's trust | Available: provides financial security for a surviving spouse | Not positioned as a core feature of the DIY MyWill service |
| Shari'ah-compliant wills | Available: structured around faith, family, and long-term responsibilities | Not specified as a standard MyWill option on the pricing page |
For families with specific trust requirements or faith-based planning needs, Wills & Trust offers specialist support that goes beyond a standard self-service online will.
How it works
There are no forms to print alone and no documents left in a kitchen drawer. Your signed original is collected and kept securely on your behalf.
1
Tell us about your family, assets, and wishes. We guide you by video call, phone, WhatsApp, or in person.
2
A specialist drafts your will within 48 hours. You review it and request any changes at no additional cost.
3
South African law requires your signature plus two competent witnesses. We walk you through the requirements.
4
Your signed original is collected and kept securely. Your family knows exactly where it is.
No cost. No obligation. No executor lock-in.
Common questions
These are the most common concerns people raise when comparing free will services with paid platforms.
Yes. A will's validity under the Wills Act depends on how it is signed and witnessed, not on what it cost to draft. The signed document must comply with South African will formalities, including two competent witnesses.
No. You are free to nominate any executor you choose. Wills & Trust provides guidance and drafting as a service, without forcing an executor appointment.
More complex estates are where specialist support matters most. Wills & Trust can help with children's trusts, widow's trusts, provider's trusts, Shari'ah-compliant wills, business-owner planning, and estate administration support.
Clicking through a form quickly and having a legally sound, signed, stored document are different outcomes. Our 48-hour turnaround includes specialist consultation, drafting, review, and guidance on signing and safekeeping.
With Wills & Trust, unlimited amendments are included at no cost. LegalWills currently includes one year of updates with MyWill, then offers optional paid extensions.
Yes. Wills & Trust operates under a POPIA-aware Privacy Policy, and your information is used to provide the services you request.
Start with the right help
If the difference matters to you, start with the service that drafts, guides, collects, stores, and updates your will at no cost.