Effective base price is a tie: First is $649 with notarization included; HelloPrenup is $599 + $50 notarization = $649. The real separation is the attorney tier — HelloPrenup's lawyer package runs about $2,000 per couple vs. First's $3,500 — plus HelloPrenup's payment plans and its required-representation states (CA, AL, NY, WA support waivers; SC, WV agreements). Budget couples: either. Attorneys: HelloPrenup.
Two platforms. Same target couple. And — this is the part that surprises people — the same effective base price.
First and HelloPrenup both sell guided, state-specific prenups built for regular couples, not billionaires. What separates them hides in the second half of the pricing page: what happens when lawyers get involved, how notarization is handled, and which one your state situation prefers.
The head-to-head
| First | HelloPrenup | |
|---|---|---|
| Base package | $649 Self-Serve (notarization included) | $599 + $50 e-notarization = $649 |
| Attorney tier | $3,500 Lawyer Review (attorney for each partner, notarization included) | ~$2,000 per couple ($699–$799 per partner, notarization included) |
| Quick legal question | Package-based | $49 per 20-minute attorney Q&A |
| State coverage | State-specific at checkout | 49 states published |
| Payment plans | Package pricing | Afterpay / Klarna available |
| Model | One guided flow, two tiers | À la carte add-ons around a $599 core |
| Notarization | Included from the start | $50 add-on (free with attorney tier) |
Read the first two rows together: the base tiers are a dead heat at $649. The attorney tiers are not even close.
Round 1: The self-serve tier → draw
$649 with notarization (First) versus $599 + $50 notarization (HelloPrenup). You’re choosing interfaces, not prices. Both give you:
- A guided questionnaire you complete as a couple, each with your own login
- State-specific documents with disclosure schedules built in
- Electronic signing with online notarization options
- Flat fee — no hourly meter, no retainer
Pick whichever flow feels better in the first ten minutes. That’s a legitimate tiebreaker when price and substance match.
Round 2: With attorneys → HelloPrenup, by $1,500
This is where the comparison stops being close:
- First: Lawyer Review = $3,500 flat per couple, notarization included. Clean, premium, done-for-you.
- HelloPrenup: Attorney representation ≈ $699–$799 per partner → ~$2,000 per couple, notarization included, plus a network of 100+ attorneys across 49 states — and a $49 quick-question option for couples who only need an hour of guidance.
Identical legal outcome — a licensed attorney reviews, customizes, and signs as counsel of record — at roughly 40% less with HelloPrenup. Unless First’s included polish is worth $1,500 to you, the math is the math.
Round 3: The state-specific edge
Here’s a detail most comparisons miss, and it matters if you’re in one of these states:
HelloPrenup’s attorney package is the required path where state law demands representation — including spousal-support waivers in California, Alabama, New York, and Washington, and enforceable agreements in South Carolina and West Virginia. If you live there and want support terms, the “just the $599 tier” option isn’t available to you regardless of platform — so a service that prices the attorney route at ~$2,000 instead of $3,500 earns its keep.
(Not sure what your state demands? The cost calculator shows your local rules and price bands.)
Round 4: Cash flow during wedding season
Wedding season is a cash vacuum: venue, rings, flights, dresses. HelloPrenup’s Afterpay/Klarna checkout splits the $599 into interest-free installments — First presents flat package pricing. Neither is wrong; if spreading the cost over months keeps the prenup from slipping to “after the honeymoon” (where it becomes a much harder postnup), that’s a real-world advantage.
Who should pick which
Pick First if:
- You want one simple choice: self-serve or full lawyer package, nothing in between
- Included notarization in the base price appeals and you’d rather never think about add-ons
- You prefer its guided flow after trying both (both offer free starts — take ten minutes in each)
Pick HelloPrenup if:
- You want the attorney tier — you’ll save roughly $1,500 for the same protection
- You’re in a state requiring representation for your clauses (CA/AL/NY/WA waivers, SC/WV)
- You might only need a $49 quick lawyer question instead of a full review
- Spreading payment over installments matters right now
- You value the deeper prenup-only specialization and 100+ attorney network
The honest verdict: at $649, you can’t lose on either. The decision only matters when lawyers enter the picture — and then HelloPrenup’s pricing wins for almost every couple that isn’t shopping purely for maximum bundled simplicity.
Next: both offer free starts — run HelloPrenup first since it’s the cheaper escalation path, and keep the 17-point checklist open in the other tab so you know what questions to ask in either flow. Wondering whether online itself holds up? The validity check is here.
Transparency: we earn a commission if you sign up through our links — it never changes a verdict, and you pay the same either way. See our affiliate disclosure.