True Cost Comparison Calculator (20-Year Lifetime Cost)
Compare the real long-term cost of a High-Street Solicitor vs Farewill vs SwiftWill over your lifetime.
e.g. marriage, children, moving house, new beneficiaries
3 updates
Used to calculate corporate executor fees
High-Street Solicitor
£10,200
- • Initial Will: £400
- • 3 updates: £450
- • 20yr document storage: £600
- • 2.5% Executor fee: £8,750
Farewill
£400
- • Initial Will: £100
- • Subscription (£10/yr): £300
- • Storage: Digital included
- • Executor fee: Extra if selected
Best Value
SwiftWill
£35
- ✓ Initial Will: £35 once
- ✓ Lifetime updates: FREE
- ✓ Storage fees: £0
- ✓ Corporate executor fees: £0
What are the hidden costs of a solicitor will?
Most people look at the upfront price tag of a Will (£150 to £400 with a solicitor), but fail to calculate the ongoing costs across a lifetime:
- Update Fees: Life changes (marriage, birth of children, buying a house, moving) require Will updates. Solicitors charge £100–£200 for every codicil or re-draft. Farewill charges a £10/year ongoing subscription. SwiftWill updates are 100% free forever.
- Document Storage Fees: Many companies charge £20–£40 per year to store a piece of paper in a safe. You can store your Will at home or deposit it with HMCTS Probate Service for a one-off £33 fee.
- Corporate Executor Trap: The biggest hidden cost. Banks and solicitors often insert themselves as executors, taking 2.5%–5% of your total estate upon your death. On a £400,000 estate, that is £10,000–£20,000 lost from your family's inheritance.