Probate services compared

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

There is no single right way to settle an estate, only the way that fits its size and your appetite for the work. Four routes are open, and they differ more in price than most people expect.

The four routes

Do it yourself. You pay only the £526 government fee. Most effort, lowest cost; sensible for a straightforward estate. High-street solicitor. A fixed fee (often £1,500–£3,500), an hourly rate, or a percentage; judgement where it is needed. Bank or professional executor. Convenient, but frequently charges a percentage of the estate, which on a large estate can be dear. Online probate service. A fixed-fee middle path — cheaper than a high-street firm, more hand-holding than pure DIY.

How to choose

Match the route to the estate. Simple affairs and a willing executor: do it yourself. Complexity — a business, trusts, foreign property, likely tax, or a possible dispute: a solicitor earns the fee. A percentage-charging executor rarely represents value on a large, simple estate. Whatever you choose, compare published prices before you commit.

Sources. GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees; SRA transparency rules; provider pricing (cited per provider at build).