If you’re comparing a public trustee with an online service like Will Hero, the first thing to get clear is what a public trustee actually is—because it changes the whole comparison.
Public trustees do a lot, and Wills are a big part of it. State Trustees in Victoria, NSW Trustee & Guardian, and the Public Trustee in each state prepare a huge number of Wills every year—often cheaply or free—and they’re also long-established providers of executor services, estate administration, and trust and financial management for people who can’t manage their own affairs. It’s a genuinely valuable public service.
For this comparison, the useful thing to keep in mind is simply that making a Will and appointing an executor are two separate services—and here we’re comparing the Wills. The big practical catch is availability: only State Trustees Victoria offers a genuine self-serve online Will. In most of Australia, a public trustee Will means an appointment, not an online form. Will Hero is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Quick answer
Only State Trustees Victoria offers a genuine self-serve online Will. In almost every other state and territory, public trustees prepare Wills by appointment rather than online (the ACT uses a third-party platform). Will Hero offers an online Will Australia-wide, handles more complex estates, and lets you appoint your own executor—while public trustees are also well known for acting as executors themselves, a separate estate-administration service paid from your estate.
Can you make a Will online with the public trustee?
Mostly, no. Among Australia’s state and territory trustee bodies, only State Trustees Victoria has a true self-serve online Will. The ACT offers one through a third-party platform. Everywhere else, Wills are prepared by appointment—phone, video or in person—not through an online platform. Here’s the reality by jurisdiction:
| State / Territory | Public trustee | Can you make a Will online? |
|---|---|---|
| VIC | State Trustees | Yes — self-serve online Will (around $69), plus appointments |
| ACT | Public Trustee & Guardian | Via a third-party platform, or by appointment |
| NSW | NSW Trustee & Guardian | No — by appointment |
| QLD | Queensland Public Trustee | No — by appointment (free Wills as a community service) |
| SA | Public Trustee SA | No — by appointment (free for eligible customers) |
| WA | Public Trustee WA | No — by appointment (free for eligible clients) |
| TAS | Public Trustee Tasmania | No — by appointment (around $140 single / $210 couple; free for pensioners) |
| NT | Public Trustee NT | No — by appointment (eligibility applies; around $149 simple) |
Availability, fees and eligibility are set by each state and change over time; confirm current details on the official pages linked. Separately, DIY paper Will kits (for example from Australia Post) are another offline option, but they offer no guidance or checks. Will Hero is independent and not affiliated with any public trustee.
So if you’re in Victoria and want the cheapest simple online Will, State Trustees is a real option. If you’re anywhere else and want to make your Will online, the public trustee generally isn’t set up for that—which is where an online Will service comes in.
Public trustee Will vs Will Hero: the online Wills compared
Because Victoria is the only jurisdiction with a public-trustee online Will, the fairest like-for-like comparison is State Trustees Victoria’s online Will against Will Hero. Both create a legally valid Will; they differ on coverage, capability and support.
| Online Will feature | Will Hero | State Trustees (VIC online Will) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it’s available | Australia-wide, state-specific | Victoria-based body; online Will usable by Australian residents |
| Typical price | $99 individual (see pricing); free to build and try first | ~$69 individual, paid upfront before drafting |
| Handles more complex estates | Yes — blended families, exclusions, conditional gifts, backup layers | No — simple estates only |
| Executors | Unlimited executors, with backups | Up to 2 executors |
| Guardians for children | Multiple guardians, each with a backup | 1 guardian, plus 1 substitute |
| Pet care | Name a pet carer (with a backup) and set aside funds for their care | One choice for all pets — nominate one adoptive owner, or have your executor or the RSPCA rehome them |
| Understanding & checks | Visual Will, scenario testing, AI review and plain-English summary | Form-based; no scenario testing or AI review |
| Professional review | Included (1–2 days) | Not included |
| Updates & guarantee | 12 months of updates; 30-day money-back guarantee; free print & post | 90 days of updates |
Indicative, based on publicly available information as at 2026; confirm current details with each provider. For a fuller side-by-side (including Willed and Safewill), see our best online Will services in Australia (2026 review).
Both options produce a valid Will: State Trustees’ online Will is the cheapest form-based choice for a simple Victorian estate, while Will Hero is an affordable online Will built for people who want national coverage, support for more complex situations, and tools that help you understand and check your Will—like the Visual Will, scenario testing and Review My Will—with professional review included.
A quick note on executor & estate administration (a separate service)
It’s worth separating the two things a public trustee does, because they’re often confused:
- Making a Will — the document (compared above).
- Being your executor / administering your estate — a service public trustees are well known for, done after you die, for which your estate pays their fees (a percentage commission in VIC, NSW, SA and the ACT; task-based fees in QLD and WA — see, for example, the State Trustees and NSW Trustee & Guardian fee schedules).
These are separate decisions: you don’t need a public trustee’s Will to appoint them as executor, and their Will doesn’t oblige you to use them as executor. Will Hero doesn’t offer executor or estate-administration services at all—you make your Will and appoint your own executor, usually a trusted family member or friend, at no ongoing cost to your estate. If you specifically want an independent professional executor, that’s a genuine reason to talk to a public trustee or a solicitor.
When a public trustee is the better fit
A public trustee can be the right choice when:
- You want an independent, professional executor—for example if you have no suitable family member or friend, or you’d rather not place that burden on a relative.
- You’d prefer to make your Will in a guided appointment (phone, video or in person) rather than online.
- You’re in Victoria, your estate is simple, and you want the lowest-cost online Will.
- A beneficiary will need ongoing management (for instance a minor or a vulnerable person).
For many people with a typical estate and someone they trust to act as executor, an online Will where you keep control—and pay no ongoing estate fees—is the better fit.
Best option based on your situation
| Your situation | Often the best fit |
|---|---|
| You want to make a Will online (anywhere in Australia) | Online Will service (e.g. Will Hero) |
| Simple Victorian estate, want the cheapest online option | State Trustees VIC online Will (or Will Hero for more capability) |
| Blended family, exclusions, conditional gifts, backup layers | Will Hero (built for more complex situations online) |
| You want an independent professional executor | Public trustee (or a solicitor) |
| Complex tax/business structures, disputes, contested estate | Solicitor (see online Will vs lawyer) |
Common questions
Can you make a Will online with the public trustee?
In most of Australia, no. Only State Trustees Victoria offers a genuine self-serve online Will (around $69). The ACT offers one through a third-party platform. Everywhere else—NSW Trustee & Guardian and the Public Trustee in QLD, SA, WA, TAS and NT—Wills are prepared by appointment, not online. To make your Will online outside Victoria, an online service like Will Hero is the practical option.
How much does a State Trustees or public trustee Will cost?
It varies. State Trustees Victoria’s online Will is about $69. Queensland Public Trustee prepares Wills free as a community service; SA and WA are free for eligible customers, and several others are free for pensioners. Appointment-based Wills elsewhere typically run from around $140 to a few hundred dollars. Always confirm current fees on the official site for your state.
Do public trustees do more than make Wills?
Yes. Public trustees prepare a large number of Wills (often cheaply or free) and are also well known for acting as executors, administering deceased estates, and managing trusts and finances for people who can’t. For this comparison the key point is that making a Will and appointing an executor are separate services—so having a public trustee prepare your Will doesn’t oblige you to use them as your executor.
Do I have to use the public trustee as executor if they write my Will?
No. Making a Will and choosing an executor are separate decisions. You can have a public trustee prepare your Will and still appoint your own executor, or appoint a public trustee as executor even if someone else drafted your Will. If a public trustee acts as your executor, your estate pays their fees after you die. With Will Hero you appoint your own executor and Will Hero never acts as executor.
Is Will Hero or State Trustees better for an online Will?
Both produce a valid Will. State Trustees VIC is a low-cost, form-based option for a simple Victorian estate. Will Hero is available Australia-wide, handles more complex situations, and adds visual drafting, scenario testing, AI review and included professional review, with a longer update window. Choose State Trustees for the cheapest simple Victorian Will; choose Will Hero for more capability and national coverage.
Does Will Hero offer executor or estate administration services?
No. Will Hero helps you create a valid Will online and appoint your own executor; it does not act as executor or administer estates. If you want a professional, independent executor, a public trustee or solicitor provides that (for a fee paid from the estate). The two are complementary, not the same.
Make your Will online, your way
If you want to make your Will online—anywhere in Australia—and appoint your own executor, Will Hero’s guided flow, Visual Will and Review My Will help you reach a sign-ready Will for most estates, simple or moderately complex.
Ready to start? Start your Will (free to build and try; pay when you’re ready to finalise).
Still comparing? See the best online Will services in Australia (2026 review), online Will vs lawyer, or who Will Hero is best for.
Will Hero is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and is not affiliated with any public trustee. Public trustee Will availability, fees and eligibility are set by each state and change over time—always confirm current details on the official pages linked above. Last updated: 6 July 2026.
