Ways to make a will in Singapore: online platform, lawyer, or DIY?

Making a will is one of the most caring things you can do for the people you love. It is also something many of us put off – often because we are not sure where to begin, or how much it should cost. The people you love deserve a plan, and the truth is you have more options than you might think. None of them need to be complicated.

This guide walks through the three main ways to make a will in Singapore – a guided online platform, a lawyer, or doing it yourself – with the costs, the time involved, and when each one makes sense. By the end you will know which route fits your life.

The three ways to make a will in Singapore

Most people in Singapore create their will in one of three ways:

• A guided online platform – you answer a set of questions online, and the platform turns your answers into a will that is ready to print and sign. Quick, flat-fee, and designed for straightforward estates.
• A lawyer – you meet a lawyer who drafts a bespoke will for you. The most tailored option, and the right one for complex or unusual estates.
• Doing it yourself – you write your own will from scratch, or fill in a free template. No cost, but no guidance either.

Here is how they compare.

Figures are general ranges as of July 2026 and vary between providers. Always check current prices before you decide.

Option 1: A guided online will platform

A guided online platform sits between doing it yourself and paying for a lawyer. You answer plain-language questions about your family, your assets, your beneficiaries, and who you want to carry out your wishes. The platform assembles your answers into a will that is ready to print and sign.

The appeal is simple. It usually takes about an hour, the fee is fixed and known upfront, and the questions are designed so you do not overlook something important – like naming a substitute beneficiary, or appointing a guardian if your children are under 21. For most people with a straightforward estate, this is the fastest way to a will that is designed to comply with Singapore law.

You do not need a lawyer to make a legally valid will in Singapore. As long as you are at least 21 and of sound mind, you can create your own will and have it recognised under Singapore law – online platforms simply guide you through it.

Option 2: A lawyer

A lawyer drafts a will tailored to you, and can advise on the parts of estate planning that go beyond a standard will. This is the right choice when your situation genuinely calls for advice rather than a template.

Consider a lawyer if you have a complex or high-value estate, significant assets or property overseas, business interests beyond a simple shareholding, a family trust, or you want to control how and when children inherit through a trust. A lawyer is also the right route if Muslim inheritance (Syariah) rules apply to you, if you expect your wishes might be contested, or if you are navigating a blended family. The trade-off is cost and time: fees are bespoke – typically from around SGD 500 to SGD 1,500 for a will, and higher for complex estates – and the process usually runs over a month or more across meetings.

For many people with straightforward wishes, a lawyer is more than they need. For complicated estates, the tailored advice is well worth it.

Option 3: DIY or a free template

You can write your own will from scratch, or download a free template and fill it in. The only cost is your time.

The catch is that there is no one checking your work. Small mistakes can have real consequences – an unclear instruction, a gift left to a witness, a beneficiary who is not properly identified, or missing the signing requirements can all create problems when the will is needed most. If you go this route, it is essential to understand exactly what makes a will legally valid in Singapore before you start.

DIY can work for a confident person with a simple estate who fully understands the rules. For most people, the small saving is not worth the risk of a will that does not do what they intended.

How much does a will cost in Singapore?

The cost of making a will in Singapore depends on the route you choose:

• A guided online platform – usually a flat fee, often around SGD 90 to SGD 300, with the price known upfront. MakeGoodwill is SGD 179 for an individual will, including one year of unlimited edits, with a will for your partner at SGD 89.50 in the same checkout. After the first year, continuing unlimited edits is optional and costs SGD 35 per year.
• A lawyer – typically SGD 500 to SGD 1,500 for a straightforward will, charged as a bespoke fee, and more for complex estates.
• DIY or a free will template – free, or the cost of a template, but with no guidance and a higher risk of mistakes.

Whichever route you take, there can be small extra costs. Registering your will with the Singapore Academy of Law's Wills Registry, for example, is optional and costs SGD 50. It is also worth looking past the first year. Platforms differ in what is included after that, so compare the ongoing cost of keeping your will up to date, not just the headline fee. On balance, making a will yourself online is usually the most affordable way to get a will that is designed to comply with Singapore law, while a lawyer is worth the higher cost when your estate is complex.

Not all online will platforms are the same

If you choose the online route, it pays to look closely – online will services vary more than they first appear. A few things to check:

• Built for Singapore law, specifically. Your will should be designed to comply with the Wills Act 1838 and reflect Singapore rules, not a generic overseas template. For example, if you own property in Singapore and a beneficiary is under 21, it is advisable to have two executors to act jointly – a platform built for Singapore handles this for you.
• Depth of guidance. A blank template leaves you to work out the wording. A guided questionnaire prompts you step by step, so you are less likely to miss something like a substitute beneficiary or a guardian for children under 21.
• What it covers. Check that it handles substitute beneficiaries, guardianship, gifts to charity, and personal messages – and that it is clear about what sits outside a will, such as CPF savings and jointly held property.
• Whether a lawyer is involved. Some platforms offer an optional paid lawyer review or witnessing. Others are fully self-service with a support team you can reach, and suggest a lawyer only when your estate is genuinely complex.
• Support and updates. Check whether there is a team you can reach if you get stuck, whether you can update your will as your life changes, and what that costs after the first year.
• Transparent, flat pricing. Look for one clear fee with no surprises at checkout.

The gap between a bare template and a well-built guided platform is real: both may be inexpensive, but only one actively helps you get it right.

Are online wills legal in Singapore?

Yes. An online will is legally valid in Singapore once it is printed and signed correctly. What matters is not how the document was prepared, but that it meets the requirements of the Wills Act 1838. In short:

• You must be at least 21 and of sound mind.
• Your will must be a printed, signed hard copy – electronic or digital signatures are not valid for a will.
• You must sign it in front of two independent witnesses, who are over 21 and are not beneficiaries (or married to a beneficiary). You and both witnesses must all be in the same room at the same time when you sign.

There is no need to notarise or register your will in Singapore. Once it is properly signed and witnessed, it is legally binding. Wills made through online platforms are routinely accepted by the Family Justice Courts during probate, so a will made on a guided platform is just as valid as one drafted by a lawyer, provided it is printed and signed the right way. For a fuller explanation, see our guide to making a will in Singapore.

How to choose

A simple way to decide:

• Choose an online platform if your wishes are straightforward, you want it done quickly at a known price, and you would like guidance without paying lawyer fees.
• Choose a lawyer if your estate is complex, you hold assets overseas or business interests, you are setting up a trust, or your situation needs tailored advice.
• Consider DIY only if you fully understand Singapore's requirements and your estate is simple – and even then, weigh the risk of getting it wrong.

Whatever you choose, the most important step is to make a will at all. Without one, the Intestate Succession Act 1967 decides who inherits – not you. Some assets, such as CPF savings, sit outside your will and need a separate nomination, so it is worth understanding how the pieces fit together.

Where MakeGoodwill fits

MakeGoodwill is a guided online platform. You answer a few plain-language questions, and your will is ready to print and sign – it takes about an hour, from home, for a flat fee of SGD 179. Your will is designed to comply with Singapore law, with no lawyer needed for a straightforward estate, and over 1,100 wills have been created through the platform so far.

If your situation is more complex – overseas assets, business interests, a trust, or Syariah inheritance – we'd recommend getting independent legal advice from a lawyer. You can update your will as your life changes, with unlimited edits in your first year, your documents stay securely accessible in your account, and our will-writing team answers questions by email or chat, usually within 24 hours, every working day. If MakeGoodwill is not right for you, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

Create your will today. It takes about an hour.

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