Passings vs GoodTrust: Comparing End-of-Life and Digital Legacy Platforms

What is GoodTrust?

GoodTrust is a digital legacy and estate planning platform founded in 2020 in Palo Alto, California, by former Google executives. It offers attorney-crafted wills and trusts valid in all 50 US states, a digital vault for storing documents and online account information, and a digital executor service that can close or memorialise social media accounts after a death.

GoodTrust's distinctive features include a "Last Goodbye" tool for scheduling posthumous messages and videos, and a "dead man's switch" that automatically triggers asset sharing if you stop responding to periodic check-in emails. Pricing starts at $149 for the first year and $39 per year after that.

What is Passings?

Passings is a comprehensive end-of-life planning platform that combines guided planning checklists (270 tasks across 13 categories), a zero-knowledge encrypted document vault, a provider marketplace, an AI planning companion, an obituary writer, a budget estimator, and a legacy studio. It supports both pre-need and immediate-need planning with dedicated workflows for each. Passings starts free and offers paid plans for expanded features.

Where do these platforms overlap?

Both Passings and GoodTrust help families prepare for end-of-life. Both offer document vaults, legacy messaging features, and family sharing capabilities. Both are direct-to-consumer platforms available to anyone in the US.

Beyond that, they solve different problems. GoodTrust is focused on legal document creation and digital account management. Passings is focused on holistic planning guidance, provider discovery, and secure document storage.

How do they differ on planning guidance?

This is the largest gap. Passings offers 270 guided tasks across 13 categories, organised into both pre-need and immediate-need checklists. The system walks families through each step, tracks progress, and adapts based on your specific situation. It is designed for people who do not know where to start and need structure. A resource like the end-of-life planning guide can help you understand what a complete plan looks like before you choose a platform.

GoodTrust does not offer guided planning checklists or task management. It provides a fill-in-the-blank document creation experience (wills, trusts, directives) and a digital vault for storing and sharing the results. If you already know what documents you need and simply want to create them, GoodTrust gets the job done. If you need help figuring out the full scope of end-of-life planning beyond legal documents, Passings provides that guidance.

How do they differ on legal document creation?

GoodTrust's strongest feature is legal document creation. Its attorney-crafted wills and trusts cover unlimited family members, are valid in all 50 states, and can be completed in approximately 20 minutes through a guided questionnaire. The platform also creates advance directives and powers of attorney.

Passings does not currently create legal documents — this is on the product roadmap. Instead, Passings' provider marketplace connects families with estate attorneys in their area who can draft documents tailored to their specific circumstances. For straightforward estates, GoodTrust's automated approach is faster and cheaper. For complex situations involving multiple properties, blended families, or significant assets, working with an attorney through Passings' marketplace may produce a more thorough result.

How does digital account management compare?

GoodTrust excels at digital legacy management. Its digital executor service can close online accounts, memorialise Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, extract Google Photos, and cancel subscriptions on behalf of the deceased. The "Last Goodbye" feature allows you to schedule emails and video messages to be delivered after your death or on specific dates.

Passings currently focuses on physical-world planning (funeral arrangements, legal documents, financial matters, family coordination) and legacy preservation (personal letters, voice notes, photos). Digital account management is on the Passings roadmap but is not yet available. If managing your online accounts after death is a priority, GoodTrust addresses this comprehensively today.

How does security compare?

Passings uses zero-knowledge AES-256-GCM encryption with client-side key derivation. Documents are encrypted on your device before upload — Passings cannot access your files. This means that even in the event of a data breach, stored documents remain unreadable.

GoodTrust uses 256-bit encryption described as equivalent to bank-level security, with multi-factor authentication. While robust, this is standard server-side encryption rather than a zero-knowledge model. GoodTrust can technically access your stored documents, which is necessary for features like the digital executor service (which requires the platform to act on your behalf after death).

This creates an inherent design trade-off: zero-knowledge encryption provides maximum privacy but means the platform cannot act on your stored data autonomously. GoodTrust's model sacrifices some privacy to enable automated post-death actions.

What does each platform cost?

GoodTrust charges $149 for the first year and $39 per year after that. There is a limited free tier (three website logins and three documents), but meaningful functionality requires a paid subscription. There is no month-to-month option.

Passings offers a free tier with core features including guided checklists, family collaboration, the provider marketplace, and AI planning companion. Paid plans unlock the encrypted vault, obituary writer, and budget estimator. The free tier is functional enough for families to create a meaningful plan without paying.

For families who are weighing their options, the estate planning checklist and the end-of-life documents checklist help clarify what a complete plan should include — so you can evaluate which platform covers your actual needs. If the key question is burial vs. cremation costs, the cremation vs. burial costs guide is a useful starting point before committing to either platform.

Frequently asked questions

Can GoodTrust create a legally binding will?

Yes. GoodTrust's attorney-crafted wills and trusts are valid in all 50 US states once printed, signed, and witnessed according to your state's requirements. The platform covers wills, trusts, advance directives, and powers of attorney for unlimited family members.

Does Passings offer digital account management?

Not yet — digital account management is on the Passings roadmap. Currently, Passings focuses on guided planning, secure document storage, provider discovery, and legacy creation. Families who need digital account closure today should consider GoodTrust for that specific need.

Which platform is better for funeral planning?

Passings is significantly stronger for funeral planning. Its guided checklists cover funeral logistics in detail, the budget estimator helps families understand costs, and the provider marketplace connects you with local funeral homes, officiants, and florists. GoodTrust does not address funeral planning directly.

Can I use both platforms together?

Yes. Some families use GoodTrust to create their legal documents (wills, trusts, directives) and Passings to manage the broader planning process (checklists, provider discovery, legacy creation, document storage). The two platforms address different aspects of end-of-life preparation.

Disclaimer — For informational purposes only

This article is compiled from publicly available resources and is provided solely for general informational purposes. It does not constitute and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, tax, insurance, medical, psychological, or other professional advice. Passings is a planning and organizational platform, not a licensed advisory service, and no attorney-client, financial advisor-client, or other professional relationship is created by reading this content.

Laws, regulations, financial products, and professional standards vary by state and change over time. Passings makes no representations or warranties — express or implied — regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of any information contained herein. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Passings disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or harm arising from your use of or reliance on this content. Always consult a qualified, licensed professional — including an attorney, financial advisor, CPA, or licensed counselor — before making decisions specific to your situation.

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