ProbatePack vs solicitor: what each actually costs, and when to pick which.
A solicitor and a ProbatePack pack end with the same outcome: a Grant of Probate and a distributed estate. They differ on cost, speed, scope, and the type of estate they are right for. This page lays out both sides honestly so you can pick the one that fits your case.
Side by side.
| ProbatePack | Solicitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | €79 to €449 | €2,000 to €10,000 plus VAT |
| Time to delivery | 2 minutes from checkout | 3 to 6 weeks before papers are lodged |
| What they produce | Pre-filled SA2, 25 institution letters, probate affidavit, CAT calculations | Same paperwork, lodged on your behalf |
| Professional liability | You carry it (your application) | They carry it via professional indemnity insurance |
| Revenue clearance | Draft letter (Complete Bundle) | Drafted and lodged for you |
| Contested wills / disputes | Not supported, honest referral | Yes, their core work |
| Foreign or business assets | Not supported above certain limits | Yes, their core work |
| Ongoing communication | Email support, same day | Weekly calls, partner-led |
What a solicitor actually costs.
Solicitor fees for probate vary, but the market is well-established. A straightforward personal estate costs €2,000 to €5,000 plus 23% VAT. A Grant-only service (where the solicitor lodges but does not administer) costs €1,500 to €2,500 plus VAT. Full administration (where the solicitor handles asset collection, debt settlement, and distribution) costs €3,000 to €6,000 plus VAT for a simple estate, and can exceed €10,000 for complex ones.
A ProbatePack pack costs €79, €229, or €449 depending on the tier. One-time, no hourly billing, no VAT added, 30-day refund if the pack is unusable. The pack delivers the same paperwork a solicitor would prepare, but the executor lodges it and manages the process themselves.
The fee difference is not because ProbatePack is cheap. It is because the solicitor is representing the estate to the Probate Office and taking on professional liability for the application. For estates where that representation genuinely adds value, it is worth paying for. For straightforward estates where the work is clerical, the representation does not change the outcome.
What the solicitor does that the pack does not.
Three things, in plain terms. First, they sign the application on your behalf as the legal agent, which carries professional indemnity insurance. Second, they handle any follow-up queries from the Probate Office during processing. Third, they manage asset collection, debt settlement, and distribution if you engage them for full administration rather than Grant-only.
A ProbatePack pack gives you the paperwork, the walkthrough, and the appointment briefing. You sign and lodge. If the Probate Office has a query, you respond to it using the follow-up letters in the pack. You collect assets using the 25 institution letters the pack generates. You distribute using the estate accounts template.
Pick ProbatePack when.
Uncontested will, straightforward estate
The will is clear. Beneficiaries agree. Assets are Irish bank accounts, a home, a pension, and maybe a few investments. No business, no farm, no overseas property.
Estate value under roughly €1 million
Above this figure, the professional liability a solicitor carries starts to matter more because the tax structuring work becomes significant. Below it, most estates are procedural.
Comfortable with paperwork
The pack is a preparation service, not a filing service. If the idea of signing forms and lodging them at the Probate Office does not faze you, you are a good fit.
Time matters more than hand-holding
You want to get on with it. Two minutes to delivery and a week or two of your own time beats three to six weeks before the solicitor even lodges the application.
Pick a solicitor when.
The will is contested
Someone is challenging the will on Section 117 (proper provision), capacity, undue influence, or formalities. This is litigation, not preparation.
Significant foreign assets
Overseas property, foreign bank accounts, cross-border pensions. Double-taxation and recognition rules need legal input.
Farm or business
Agricultural Relief and Business Relief structuring is specialist work. The conditions are strict and the value at stake is high.
Minor or incapacitated beneficiaries
Trustees need to be appointed, funds managed on their behalf, and the estate distribution delayed until majority. Solicitor territory.
Estate over €1.5 million
At this level the tax-structuring value and professional liability protection of a solicitor usually justify the fee.
You cannot face paperwork
If the prospect of lodging anything yourself feels impossible, pay a solicitor. This is not a judgement, it is an honest fit question.
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