Checked on each provider’s own website, 3 November 2026
Probate help compared
Five other places executors turn to, side by side: what each costs, what is free, and what it does for you. Pick whichever suits you.
What’s different, and where others are ahead
- A plan for your situation with no sign-up. No account, name or email. EstateCopilot needs an account, and the Which? Legal checklist needs your name and email.
- Inheritance Tax with the working shown. Every line, the way HMRC sets it out, plus whether the estate is excepted.
- Bank limits you can check. Each figure links to the bank’s own page, checked 3 November 2026, and the bank check tells you, for each of their banks, whether the amount is under its limit.
- A named person behind it. SettleProbate doesn’t say who runs it.
- Where others are ahead: Nala covers more banks and the whole UK; SettleProbate and EstateCopilot sell estate accounts today; EstateCopilot fills in the probate forms; Which? Legal and the Bereavement Advice Centre let you talk to someone.
At a glance
| Who | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Probate Checklist | Free probate plan and tools for executors in England and Wales. | Free. A paid estate organiser is on a waitlist. |
| EstateCopilot | Estate administration software, for the whole UK. | Free tier. Full Estate £279 one-off per estate. |
| SettleProbate | DIY probate kits and an online workspace, for England and Wales. | Kits from £2.99, Starter Pack £4.99, Workspace £9.99, everything £19.99. One-off. |
| Which? Legal | Legal advice by phone, as a membership. | £9 a month plus a £29 joining fee, or £99 a year. Advice only: it doesn’t do probate for you. |
| Bereavement Advice Centre | Free helpline and guides, provided by Co-op Legal Services. | Free. Probate itself is referred to Co-op Legal Services for a fixed-fee quote. |
| Nala | Free guides and tools for everything after a death, for the whole UK, with an AI chat companion. | Free. |
Each one in detail
Probate Checklist
Best for: Executors who want a clear, free plan for their situation, without signing up.
- Price
- Free. A paid estate organiser is on a waitlist.
- Free
- Personalised plan, “do I need probate?” checker, executor checklist, letter writer and Inheritance Tax calculator. No account, name or email needed.
- Plan for your situation
- Yes, from 8 questions, about 2 minutes.
- Inheritance Tax
- Free calculator that shows every step, including the home allowance taper and whether the estate is excepted.
- Bank limits
- 19 banks and building societies with a published limit and 4 without one, each linked to its own page, checked 3 November 2026, plus a check for each of their banks.
- Letters and estate accounts
- Free letter writer for banks, pensions, insurers and utilities. Estate accounts are coming in the paid organiser (waitlist).
- Run by
- Romilly Eveleigh
EstateCopilot
Best for: Executors who want software to run the whole estate and are happy to pay £279.
- Price
- Free tier. Full Estate £279 one-off per estate.
- Free
- Estate assessment, first tasks and the start of an asset list, with a free account.
- Plan for your situation
- Yes, once you create an account.
- Inheritance Tax
- An Inheritance Tax wizard on the paid tier.
- Bank limits
- A bank threshold checker on the paid tier. No figures on its public pages.
- Letters and estate accounts
- Yes, paid: letter templates, asset and debt ledger, estate accounts and filled-in probate forms.
- Run by
- Mintly Ltd
Sources: estatecopilot.co.uk/pricing, estatecopilot.co.uk/do-i-need-probate, estatecopilot.co.uk/about
SettleProbate
Best for: Executors who want cheap printable letters and an accounts workbook.
- Price
- Kits from £2.99, Starter Pack £4.99, Workspace £9.99, everything £19.99. One-off.
- Free
- A personalised assessment (7 questions, no account) and guides.
- Plan for your situation
- Yes, free, with no account.
- Inheritance Tax
- A written guide with an example. No calculator.
- Bank limits
- A free guide with figures for 18 of 22 banks, updated October 2026.
- Letters and estate accounts
- Yes: 9 letters and an estate accounts spreadsheet from £4.99.
- Run by
- Not named on the site
Sources: settleprobate.co.uk/pricing, settleprobate.co.uk/assessment, settleprobate.co.uk/guides/bank-probate-thresholds, settleprobate.co.uk/terms
Which? Legal
Best for: Executors who want to talk to a lawyer when they get stuck.
- Price
- £9 a month plus a £29 joining fee, or £99 a year. Advice only: it doesn’t do probate for you.
- Free
- A probate checklist, which needs your name and email.
- Plan for your situation
- No, a general checklist.
- Inheritance Tax
- No calculator found.
- Bank limits
- No list found.
- Letters and estate accounts
- No. Its lawyers advise but don’t draft letters for you.
- Run by
- Which?
Sources: legalservice.which.co.uk/probate-checklist, legalservice.which.co.uk/our-service/common-questions
Bereavement Advice Centre
Best for: Executors who would rather talk it through on the phone, for free.
- Price
- Free. Probate itself is referred to Co-op Legal Services for a fixed-fee quote.
- Free
- Freephone helpline on weekdays, guides and a printable checklist. No sign-up.
- Plan for your situation
- No, a general guide. You can phone about your situation.
- Inheritance Tax
- A written guide only.
- Bank limits
- No list. Says most banks release up to £30,000.
- Letters and estate accounts
- No.
- Run by
- Co-op Legal Services
Sources: bereavementadvice.org/about-us, bereavementadvice.org/contact-us-probate, bereavementadvice.org/topics/probate-and-legal/probate-and-estate-administration
Nala
Best for: Families who want free help with everything after a death, not just probate.
- Price
- Free.
- Free
- 18 tools, including an Inheritance Tax calculator, a probate checker and a bank lookup.
- Plan for your situation
- Partly: a checklist tailored by up to 6 questions.
- Inheritance Tax
- A free calculator that gives an estimate.
- Bank limits
- A lookup covering 26 banks, last checked July 2026.
- Letters and estate accounts
- None found.
- Run by
- HEYNALAWORLD LTD
Sources: heynala.world/gb/tools, heynala.world/gb/tools/bank-probate-threshold, heynala.world/about
Questions executors ask
Is there a free site that gives me a step-by-step probate plan for my situation?
Yes. Probate Checklist gives a personalised plan for England and Wales from 8 questions, with no account, name or email. SettleProbate’s assessment is also free with no account. EstateCopilot’s needs a free account.
Is there a free Inheritance Tax calculator for an estate?
Yes. Probate Checklist’s calculator is free and shows every step, including the home allowance and whether the estate is excepted. Nala also has a free calculator. EstateCopilot’s is part of its £279 tier.
Where can I find how much each bank releases without probate?
Probate Checklist lists 23 banks and building societies, 19 with a published limit, each linked to its own page and checked on 3 November 2026, and checks each of their banks against the amount held. Nala covers 26 banks (checked July 2026) and SettleProbate 18 (October 2026).
What is the cheapest way to get probate letters and estate accounts?
Probate Checklist’s letter writer is free, for banks, pensions, insurers and utilities. SettleProbate’s Starter Pack is £4.99 for 9 letters and an estate accounts spreadsheet. EstateCopilot’s Full Estate tier is £279 and also fills in the probate forms.
How were these checked?
Every price and feature was read on each provider’s own website on 3 November 2026, and each one links to its sources. We didn’t sign up to paid tiers, so their features are as each provider describes them. Prices change, so check before you pay.