The Heir Protocol
How Much Does Heirfolio Cost vs Free Alternatives?
By Michael Tanguma, Founder & CEO of Heirfolio. Reviewed by Diana Cruz, GIA Graduate Gemologist.
TL;DR. Heirfolio's free tier covers documentation, valuation, and a basic letter of intent — enough for most families. Vault is $29/month and adds video assay by a credentialed gemologist, brand verification, and an estate-grade FMV report. Vault Pro is $99/month and adds a signed ASA/NAJA appraisal, multi-party Heir Protocol activation, and family-office reporting. Compared honestly to Vigil ($129/year), Trust & Will ($199–$499 one-time + $39/year), and LegalZoom ($89–$349 one-time + $99/year): each does something different. This piece walks through which tool is right for which job, with the cases where Heirfolio is the wrong choice.
Honest disclosure
I founded Heirfolio. I have an obvious interest in framing this piece favorably. I've written it the way I'd want a friend who runs a competing product to write about ours: name the limitations first, then the cases where we're the right answer, then the cases where another tool is.
If you finish this article thinking "Heirfolio isn't the right fit for me," that's a successful outcome. The wrong customer at the wrong tier costs both of us more than no customer.
What you're actually buying
Most estate-planning tools sell one of three things: document drafting (a will template), document storage (a vault for files), or asset documentation (a record of what you actually own). The pricing differences across the market mostly reflect which of these three a tool focuses on.
Heirfolio is primarily the third — asset documentation, with the rest layered on top. The other tools listed below skew toward the first two, with limited asset coverage. That's the key distinction when comparing prices.
| What you're buying | Heirfolio | Vigil | Trust & Will | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will drafting | Basic letter of intent (free) | No | Yes (core product) | Yes (core product) |
| Document vault | Yes (all tiers) | Yes (core product) | Yes (Plus tier) | Yes (some plans) |
| Asset valuation | Yes (core product) | No | No | No |
| Designer authentication | Yes (Vault+) | No | No | No |
| Date-of-death valuation | Yes (Vault Pro) | No | No | No |
| Multi-party activation triggers | Yes (Heir Protocol) | Partial | No | No |
| Settlement (sell to cash or BTC) | Yes (Heirfolio direct) | No | No | No |
The tools aren't strict substitutes. They're complements with overlap. The right comparison depends on what part of the estate planning problem you're trying to solve.
Heirfolio pricing, tier by tier
Three tiers. The free tier is genuinely free — no card, no expiration, no upsell-required limitation.
Free tier
Price: $0/month, $0/year. No card required at signup.
What you get:
- Unlimited item documentation (photos, weights, hallmarks, notes)
- Live spot-price valuation for gold (14k, 18k, 22k, 24k, 10k)
- Karat conversion and melt-value math
- Basic letter of intent (auto-generated from your inventory + heir assignments)
- Folio sharing with up to 3 family members in read-only mode
- Direct sell-to-cash quotes (Heirfolio takes 8–15% spread on accepted sales)
- Document storage for related files (appraisals, certificates, photos)
What it's right for: Most families. If you have under 50 items, no IRS-filing-tier estate, and want documentation + basic distribution planning, the free tier covers it.
What it's not for: Estates that need credentialed signed appraisals, designer authentication, or multi-party Heir Protocol activation.
Vault — $29/month or $290/year
Price: $29/month, or $290/year ($24.17/month annualized — about a 17% discount).
What you get (everything in Free, plus):
- Video assay by a GIA Graduate Gemologist on any piece you upload
- Brand verification for designer pieces (Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef, Bulgari, David Yurman, etc.)
- Fair-market-value report written for estate use (not credentialed-signed; suitable for distribution planning, not for IRS filings over the federal exemption threshold)
- Folio sharing with up to 10 family members and role-based access (executor, beneficiary, advisor)
- Priority support
- Integration with major homeowners insurance carriers for scheduled jewelry coverage
What it's right for: Households with 50+ items, designer pieces requiring authentication, families with adult children abroad who need shared access, or anyone whose total documented asset value is in the $50K–$500K range.
The honest math: $290/year is roughly the cost of one professional jewelry appraisal of a small-to-medium estate. If you'd otherwise pay an appraiser $300+ per cycle every few years, the Vault tier breaks even quickly while adding continuous valuation, designer authentication, and the rest.
Vault Pro — $99/month or $990/year
Price: $99/month, or $990/year ($82.50/month annualized — about a 17% discount).
What you get (everything in Vault, plus):
- Signed fair-market-value appraisal by an ASA or NAJA-certified Master Appraiser, suitable for IRS Form 706 filings
- Multi-party Heir Protocol activation (multi-signature triggers, attorney/trustee escrow integration)
- Family-office reporting (PDF and CSV exports formatted for accountant and attorney handoff)
- Unlimited folio sharing with role-based access
- White-glove onboarding (a Heirfolio specialist documents the first 20 pieces with you)
- Direct line to founder & senior team
- Discounted Heirfolio Auction commission for high-value pieces
What it's right for: Family offices, multi-generational households, estates over the federal exemption threshold, attorneys serving multiple clients (per-seat pricing available), and households with 200+ items or a single piece over $50,000.
The honest math: $990/year is less than the cost of a single credentialed signed appraisal of a meaningful estate at private-appraiser rates ($1,500–$5,000 for a small-to-medium estate, often more for IRS-grade work). Vault Pro pays for itself in the first appraisal cycle and adds documented Heir Protocol architecture, which is otherwise unavailable at any price from a single-purpose tool.
Honest comparison: Heirfolio vs the three most-cited alternatives
The four tools most commonly compared with Heirfolio. The comparison isn't apples-to-apples — they solve different problems — but here's the honest framing.
Heirfolio vs Vigil
Vigil: $129/year. Digital estate planner focused on documents and online accounts. Lets you list bank accounts, crypto wallets, social media accounts, subscriptions, and named beneficiaries. Sends a multi-party activation trigger when the holder dies.
Heirfolio: Free–$990/year. Asset documentation, valuation, and physical-asset distribution. Adds full physical-jewelry and gold coverage, including credentialed appraisals at the top tier.
When Vigil wins:
- You have many digital accounts and few physical assets
- Your estate is primarily financial (brokerage, crypto wallets, business interests) rather than physical (jewelry, gold, art)
- You want a focused tool for one specific use case (digital account inheritance)
When Heirfolio wins:
- You have meaningful physical-asset holdings (jewelry, gold, watches, art)
- You want continuous valuation and live market pricing, not static records
- You need credentialed appraisals or designer authentication
- You want the option to settle (sell) directly from the platform
The honest answer: Many families benefit from using both — Vigil for digital accounts, Heirfolio for physical assets. They overlap on the activation-trigger feature, but neither fully covers what the other does. For the detailed feature-by-feature, see Vigil Protocol vs Heir Protocol.
Heirfolio vs Trust & Will
Trust & Will: $199 for will-based plan, $499 for trust-based plan, both one-time. Plus $39/year for plan updates. Comprehensive online will and revocable trust drafting with attorney review available.
Heirfolio: Free–$990/year. Asset documentation and physical-asset distribution. Generates a basic letter of intent (free tier) but doesn't draft a legal will or trust.
When Trust & Will wins:
- You don't have a will or trust yet — this is the foundational document
- Your estate planning needs are mostly about who gets what (will-level decisions) and how (trust-level decisions)
- You want attorney review of a legal instrument
When Heirfolio wins:
- You already have a will and want to add the physical-asset documentation layer
- The pieces matter more than the legal structure (a will saying "my jewelry to my daughter" doesn't specify which ring)
- You want continuous valuation and active management of the physical inventory
The honest answer: These are complements, not substitutes. Trust & Will (or any will/trust drafter) creates the legal instrument. Heirfolio's letter of intent specifies which pieces go to which person within that legal instrument. Most families need both.
Heirfolio vs LegalZoom
LegalZoom: $89–$349 one-time for a will (varies by attorney review and complexity). $99/year for "LegalZoom Plus" with ongoing access to documents and limited attorney consultation. Broader legal-services platform with estate planning as one product among many.
Heirfolio: Free–$990/year. Asset documentation, not legal drafting.
When LegalZoom wins:
- You want a single platform for multiple legal needs (will, LLC formation, trademark, etc.)
- You want attorney consultation built into the product
- You want a name-brand legal platform with broad recognition
When Heirfolio wins:
- The estate's complexity is in the physical assets, not the legal structure
- You want active management of the inventory, not just a one-time document
The honest answer: Same as Trust & Will — complements, not substitutes. LegalZoom drafts; Heirfolio documents and distributes.
When Heirfolio is the wrong choice
Three cases where I'd suggest another tool entirely.
1. You have no physical assets to document
If your estate is entirely brokerage accounts, retirement accounts, and digital assets, Heirfolio's core feature (physical-asset documentation and valuation) isn't useful. Use Vigil or a similar digital-estate tool, and use Trust & Will or LegalZoom for the will/trust itself.
2. You need a will and only a will
If you're starting from zero and need the foundational legal document, start with a will-drafting tool (Trust & Will, LegalZoom, Nolo, FreeWill). You can layer Heirfolio on top later once the will exists. Heirfolio's letter of intent isn't a substitute for a will.
3. You want a one-time service, not an ongoing relationship
Heirfolio works as a continuous documentation and valuation platform. The free tier costs $0, but the value compounds with regular use. If you want to document the estate once and never touch it again, you can — but most of the platform's value comes from the continuous updating (live spot, new pieces added, distribution adjustments). For a true one-time service, a single paid appraisal from a local credentialed appraiser plus a paper letter of intent in your filing cabinet is sufficient.
The pricing question I get most
"Why is Heirfolio Pro $99/month when [other tool] is $29/month?"
Because the products are different.
The Pro tier includes:
- A signed appraisal by a credentialed Master Appraiser (one of those alone costs $300–$800 at retail)
- Continuous valuation pipeline against live spot
- Designer authentication and brand verification
- Family-office reporting
- Multi-party Heir Protocol activation architecture
- White-glove onboarding (real human spending real time on your first 20 pieces)
A $29/month estate-planning tool typically delivers document storage and a will template. Both are useful. They're not the same product.
If you don't need the credentialed appraisal or the family-office reporting, the $29/month Vault tier is the right choice — and it's competitive with or cheaper than most named-brand alternatives that don't include valuation at all. If you genuinely need only document storage and a will template, free or low-cost alternatives are fine. Pick the tool for the job.
What 80% of users actually use
Honest distribution of usage across the Heirfolio user base (rough numbers, May 2026):
- ~75% are on the free tier and use it as designed — documentation, valuation, basic letter of intent.
- ~20% are on Vault ($29/month), mostly families with designer pieces that benefit from authentication, or households that want shared access for adult children abroad.
- ~5% are on Vault Pro ($99/month), mostly family offices, attorneys with multiple clients, and estates over the federal exemption threshold.
The recurring question I get from new users: "If the free tier is this useful, why would anyone pay?" The answer: most users don't, and that's fine. The free tier funds itself through the spread on settlement (when users sell pieces through Heirfolio, we take 8–15%, which is competitive with the lowest-spread mail-in buyers). The paid tiers exist for the use cases where Free genuinely doesn't cover what's needed — almost always designer authentication, IRS-grade appraisal, or multi-party Heir Protocol.
What 2026 pricing looks like across the market
For reference, the rough price points across the estate-planning and asset-documentation market in May 2026:
| Tool | Starting price | Top tier |
|---|---|---|
| Heirfolio | Free | $99/month ($990/year) |
| Vigil | $129/year | $129/year |
| Trust & Will (will plan) | $199 one-time + $39/year | $499 one-time + $39/year |
| LegalZoom (will plan) | $89 one-time | $349 one-time + $99/year |
| Nolo (DIY will) | $0–$70 one-time | $99 one-time |
| FreeWill | Free | Free |
| Everplans | $75/year | $200/year |
| Final Roadmap | $25 one-time | $99 one-time |
| Local estate attorney (will) | $300 one-time | $1,500+ one-time |
| Local estate attorney (trust) | $1,500 one-time | $5,000+ one-time |
| Local fine-art appraiser (per piece) | $50/item | $300+/item |
| Local credentialed jewelry appraiser (estate) | $200 flat | $5,000+ flat |
The honest read: at the free tier and $29/month Vault tier, Heirfolio is competitive with most named-brand digital alternatives. At $99/month Vault Pro, the price is well below the equivalent retail cost of credentialed appraisals + Heir Protocol architecture purchased separately.
→ Start with the free tier — no card required
Frequently asked questions
Is the Heirfolio free tier actually free?
Yes. No card required at signup, no expiration, no time-limited "trial" structure. The free tier covers documentation, live spot-price valuation, basic letter of intent, and folio sharing with up to 3 family members. The free tier is funded by the spread on settlement sales, not by paywalled features.
What's the difference between Vault and Vault Pro?
Vault ($29/month) adds video assay by a credentialed gemologist, brand verification for designer pieces, and a fair-market-value report suitable for estate distribution planning. Vault Pro ($99/month) adds a signed appraisal by an ASA or NAJA-certified Master Appraiser (suitable for IRS Form 706), multi-party Heir Protocol activation architecture, and family-office reporting. Most paid users land on Vault; Vault Pro is for family offices and estates needing IRS-grade documentation.
How does Heirfolio compare to Vigil?
Vigil focuses on digital accounts and document storage. Heirfolio focuses on physical-asset documentation, valuation, and distribution. Many families benefit from using both — they're complements, not substitutes. For the detailed feature-by-feature comparison, see Vigil Protocol vs Heir Protocol.
Do I need Heirfolio if I already have a will?
You don't need it. You may benefit from it. A will typically says "I leave my jewelry to my daughter." It doesn't specify which ring, what each piece is worth, or what condition each is in. Heirfolio's free tier adds that documentation layer to whatever will or trust you already have. The letter of intent generated by Heirfolio is referenced from your will but is itself a separate document.
What happens to my Heirfolio account if I stop paying?
Your data stays. If you downgrade from Vault or Vault Pro to the free tier, all documented items, photos, and valuations remain. You lose access to the paid-tier features (video assay, signed appraisals, multi-party activation) but the underlying documentation is preserved indefinitely. We don't paywall your data — we paywall our active services.
Can I export my data from Heirfolio?
Yes. Full CSV and PDF export available on all tiers, including free. The export includes all documented items, photos, valuations, hallmarks, and notes. You can leave with everything you've put in.
Does Heirfolio replace an estate attorney?
No. Heirfolio doesn't draft wills or trusts and doesn't provide legal advice. For the legal instruments themselves (will, revocable trust, durable power of attorney, healthcare directive), use an estate attorney or a will-drafting platform like Trust & Will, LegalZoom, or Nolo. Heirfolio operates on top of those legal documents, adding the asset documentation and physical-distribution layer.
Is the Vault Pro appraisal accepted by my insurance carrier?
The Vault Pro signed appraisal is written by an ASA or NAJA-certified Master Appraiser, which meets the credential requirements of every major U.S. homeowners and stand-alone jewelry carrier we've worked with (Chubb, AIG Private Client, PURE, Jewelers Mutual, State Farm, Allstate). Confirm with your specific carrier before relying on it for scheduled coverage.
What's the commission on selling through Heirfolio?
Direct-to-melt sales (gold and jewelry refined for metal value) carry an 8–15% spread, depending on tier (lower for Vault Pro). Branded-piece consignment through Heirfolio Auction carries a 10–18% seller's commission, competitive with or below specialist consignment platforms (The RealReal, Worthy, 1stDibs). Specific quote on a specific piece is always disclosed upfront.
Can I cancel Vault or Vault Pro anytime?
Yes. Monthly subscribers can cancel anytime and retain access through the current billing period. Annual subscribers can cancel anytime; we prorate refunds for the unused portion at the annual rate (so you don't get penalized for prepaying). No cancellation fees, no retention pressure.
Tools mentioned in this article
- Heirfolio free tier signup — no card required
- Heirfolio pricing page — full tier comparison
- Heir Protocol overview — the multi-party activation architecture
Related reading
- The Honest Guide to Selling Inherited Jewelry in 2026
- Estate Jewelry Appraisal Cost: What's Fair in 2026?
- Vigil Protocol vs Heir Protocol: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison
- Inheritance Tax on Jewelry: Federal + State Breakdown
- The Letter of Intent: The Estate Document Almost No One Has
Michael Tanguma is the founder and CEO of Heirfolio. He previously founded Onramp Bitcoin, a Bitcoin financial services firm. Diana Cruz, GIA Graduate Gemologist, reviewed this article for accuracy. Last updated May 25, 2026.