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Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
"Online probate service" covers a wide range, from applying yourself on GOV.UK for the price of the court fee, through guided services that walk you through the forms, to full online providers who administer the estate for you. This overview sets them out honestly by what they do and roughly what they cost, so you can pick the right fit rather than the loudest advert. It is not a paid ranking and it is not exhaustive. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
We describe the options from cheapest to most hands-off, not from "best" to "worst" — because the best option genuinely depends on your estate. We compare types of service rather than ranking named brands, and Farra is simply one of the options. Where we quote a figure it is the official GOV.UK fee; provider prices change, so always confirm directly and get a written quote before committing.
| Feature | DIY via GOV.UK | Farra | Grant-only | Full-service online | Solicitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roughly what it costs | £300 application fee only | One fixed fee | £400–£800 + fee | Higher fixed fee (varies) | £1,500–£10,000+ (often 1–5%) |
| Who does the paperwork | You | You, guided | You + provider | Provider | Solicitor |
| Who administers the estate | You | You | You | Provider | Solicitor |
| You stay the executor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Confident executors, simple estates | Simple estates, want guidance | Happy to admin, want help with the grant | Want the admin handled online | Complex, taxable or disputed estates |
Indicative figures for a straightforward England and Wales estate, last reviewed July 2026. The £300 application fee is due to rise to £526 on 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. Third-party prices change — confirm directly.
You can apply for probate yourself directly on GOV.UK and pay only the application fee. This is the lowest-cost route and works well for a simple, solvent estate with a clear will and no inheritance tax. The cost is your time, and you carry personal responsibility for getting it right. Our what you can safely DIY guide is honest about where people slip up.
Guided services sit between pure DIY and a full professional service. You still do the work and remain the executor, but the process is broken into clear steps with the paperwork explained. Farra is one such option: one fixed fee, you keep control, and it is far cheaper than a solicitor's percentage. Farra is not a law firm and does not administer the estate for you, so it is not the right fit for complex or taxable estates.
Not sure if you need probate?
1 in 3 applications are sent back. In under 2 minutes, we'll tell you whether you need it and what to do next.
A grant-only service means a professional obtains the grant while you handle the rest of the administration. It typically costs a few hundred pounds plus the application fee. See our grant-only probate guide for what is and is not included.
A handful of established online providers offer a complete probate service that handles much of the administration for you for a fixed fee, usually payable from the estate. This suits people who want the work largely taken off their hands but prefer a fixed-fee online provider to a traditional firm. Fixed fees here are typically higher than guided DIY and lower than a full solicitor, but they vary and change — always confirm the current price with the provider. Our comparison of one such provider against a solicitor and DIY looks at this in more detail.
The most hands-off and usually the most expensive route, charging a fixed fee or a percentage of the estate. For a taxable, business, foreign or disputed estate, this is often the safest choice whatever the online alternatives cost. To compare quotes fairly, read our fixed fee vs percentage guide.
Start with two quick checks: whether you need probate at all, and what each route would cost for your estate.
1 in 3 probate applications are sent back.
Answer 5 questions in under 2 minutes. We'll tell you whether you need probate, which route to take, and the mistake most people make at this stage.
Where they normally lived, even if they died somewhere else.
Free to check · 2 minutes · No account needed · £295 for your full Farra plan
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