Online Funeral Planning Services and How to Use Them

Online funeral planning services are websites and apps that help you compare funeral homes, record your wishes, arrange a service from a distance or keep your important documents in one place. They can save time, but the rules that protect you still come from the FTC Funeral Rule, and funeral homes are not yet required to post prices on their websites. A 2022 review of 1,046 funeral home websites in 35 state capitals found that only 18 percent posted their price lists, so you may still need to phone or email.

What are online funeral planning services?

The phrase covers several different things. It helps to know which you need:

• Price comparison websites. They list funeral homes in your area so you can see prices and reviews in one place.
• A funeral home's own website. Many show services and contact details, and some post a full price list.
• Online cremation providers. Companies that arrange a direct cremation mainly by phone, email and online forms. See our guide to online cremation services.
• Planning checklists and apps. Tools that walk you through decisions, budgets and timelines. Our funeral planning apps guide and funeral comparison websites guide cover the options.
• Wishes and document storage. Places to write down your preferences and store papers for your family.
• Livestreaming and online memorials. Ways for distant relatives to attend or share memories. See funeral live streaming and online memorials.

Can you plan a funeral entirely online?

You can do a lot of it. The FTC says you can shop for funeral services by phone or online, and you can ask funeral homes for information by email or text instead of visiting in person. Research each home's website, compare services and prices, and search the business name with terms like "complaint" or "review" to see other people's experiences.

Some steps still involve a licensed professional. The funeral director handles the death certificate, permits and the care of the body. Authorization forms for burial or cremation vary by state. The CDC's handbook for funeral directors notes that the form of authorization, and who issues it, differs from state to state. So ask any funeral home exactly which steps you can complete remotely and how they handle signatures. Our guide to planning a funeral remotely covers what to expect when family is in several places.

What are your rights when shopping online?

The FTC Funeral Rule applies to funeral providers whether you first find them online or not. The key protections:

• Funeral directors must give price information by phone to anyone who asks. You do not have to give your name, address or phone number first.
• If you ask in person about goods, services or prices, the funeral home must give you a General Price List to keep. The Rule does not require it to mail one in reply to a phone call, but many will send it if you ask.
• Before you pay, you must get an itemized written statement of the items you chose and their prices.
• A funeral home cannot refuse to handle a casket, cremation container or urn you bought elsewhere, or charge you a fee to do so.

The Rule does not currently require funeral homes to publish prices online. In November 2022 the FTC asked for public comment on possible changes, including requiring funeral homes to post price lists on their websites. As of September 2026 no final rule has changed the requirements, so check the FTC's Funeral Rule page for updates.

In its 2022 notice, the FTC cited a survey by the Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) and the Consumer Federation of America that found only 191 of 1,046 funeral home websites in 35 state capitals (18 percent) posted price lists. An FTC staff review of nearly 200 sites in October 2022 found that fewer than 40 percent showed any pricing information. Practice may have changed since then, so check each site. Our guide to the FTC Funeral Rule explains each protection.

How to use online tools to compare funeral homes

1. Write down what you want. Burial, cremation and a memorial later all have different price lists. Our funeral type finder can help if you are unsure.
2. Build a short list. Use a comparison site, a map search and your local FCA group's price survey if there is one. The FCA price surveys page links to surveys across the country.
3. Ask each home for its price list by email. Comparison sites may be incomplete or out of date, so confirm every price with the funeral home's own General Price List.
4. Compare the same items side by side. Start with the basic services fee and the price of direct cremation or immediate burial. Our guide to shopping around for a funeral home shows how.
5. Get an itemized statement before you pay.

Is it safe to buy caskets and urns online?

Yes. The FTC says you can buy a casket, cremation container or urn online or somewhere else to use at a funeral home, and the funeral home cannot charge a fee for using it. Before ordering, check the size, the delivery date and the return policy, and confirm with the funeral home or crematory that it will accept delivery. Our guides to buying a casket online and online vs funeral home urns go into more detail.

Is planning ahead online worth it?

Planning ahead is worth it, though not necessarily by paying in advance. The FCA says that by comparison shopping you can make reasonably priced arrangements without prepaying anything. Whatever you decide, tell your family what you want and where your papers are.

The FTC and the FCA both advise caution about prepaying:

• The FTC says state laws on protecting prepaid money vary widely, and some offer little effective protection if a funeral home closes.
• The FCA says that if you cancel, move or change your plan, you may not get a full refund.
• If your family does not know you prepaid, they could end up paying twice.

The FCA suggests two alternatives: compare prices and write down your wishes without paying, or put money in a payable-on-death bank account for a trusted person. The FTC says to keep your preferences somewhere your family can reach quickly, not only in a safe deposit box, since arrangements may be made on a weekend or holiday. Our guides to pre-paid funeral plans and telling family your funeral wishes help with both.

How do you organize digital accounts for your family?

An online life needs planning too. The FCA recommends five steps:

1. Name a digital executor in your will or power of attorney.
2. List your digital accounts and decide which matter.
3. Give clear instructions for each account, such as close, memorialize or transfer.
4. Use a password manager and back up photos and documents.
5. Decide what you want to leave behind online.

For each account, record the name, web address, username, email and two-factor details, plus phone and computer unlock codes. The FCA notes that Apple, Google and Facebook let you name a legacy contact or set post-death options. It also cautions that sharing passwords with family is not legally recognized and may breach computer-access laws, so use the legal route instead. See our guides to digital estate planning and password management after death.

How to check an online funeral provider first

Before you send money or personal details to any provider you found online:

• Search the business name with "complaint" or "review", as the FTC suggests.
• Ask for the General Price List and an itemized statement in writing.
• Confirm it is licensed in your state. Your state funeral board can tell you.
• Ask who will collect the body, where it will be kept and who performs the cremation or burial.
• Be wary of any provider that will not explain what a price includes.

If a funeral provider refuses to give you information, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.

What to do next

1. Decide whether you are planning for now or for the future.
2. Gather price lists from three to six funeral homes by email or phone.
3. Write your wishes down and tell your family where to find them.
4. Make a list of your online accounts and name a digital executor.