Online probate services compared

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

A new breed of fixed-fee providers has grown up between doing it yourself and instructing the family solicitor, and for the right estate they offer real savings — provided you read what is, and is not, included.

What they offer

Online probate services handle the application and much of the administration for a published fixed fee, typically below a high-street firm’s. Some offer a grant-only service (they obtain the grant; you do the rest) and a full administration service at a higher price. The appeal is transparency and predictability.

What to check

Read the scope closely: whether the £526 court fee and other disbursements are included, what happens if the estate turns out to be complex, and whether inheritance-tax work is covered. For a genuinely complicated estate — trusts, disputes, foreign assets — a regulated solicitor may still be the safer choice. Compare a provider’s fee against both DIY and a local solicitor before deciding.

Sources. Provider pricing and scope (cited per provider at build); SRA / regulatory status of each provider.