If you have been researching affordable online cremation, two names you may be weighing against each other are Solace Cremation and Smart Cremation. Both are online-first companies that let families arrange a direct cremation from home -- by website or phone -- without sitting in a funeral home conference room during one of the hardest weeks of their lives.
On the surface they share the same model: clear, flat pricing, digital paperwork, and a focus on simple direct cremation rather than full-service funerals. But the details differ in ways that matter when you are making this decision. This guide compares Solace Cremation and Smart Cremation side by side -- pricing, service area, what is actually included, turnaround, and support -- so you can decide which fits your situation. Everything below is drawn from our individual reviews of each provider: the Solace Cremation review and the Smart Cremation review.
How Both Companies Work
Solace and Smart Cremation operate on the same fundamental model that powers most online cremation services. Neither company owns a crematory in every market it serves. Instead, each acts as an arrangement and coordination layer between your family and a network of licensed local funeral homes and crematories. The typical flow for both is:
- You arrange online or by phone. You provide details about the person who has died, sign authorization forms electronically, and pay.
- A licensed local partner handles transport. A funeral home or transport provider in your area brings the deceased into care from the place of death, hospital, or medical examiner's office.
- Cremation occurs at a licensed local crematory. The physical cremation is performed under the company's coordination, with no mourners present, as is standard for direct cremation.
- Ashes are returned to you. Most direct cremation services hand-deliver locally or ship the cremated remains via USPS, depending on the market.
This asset-light model is why both companies can offer prices below a brick-and-mortar funeral home. It also means the quality of your experience depends partly on the local partner assigned in your specific market -- something worth keeping in mind regardless of which brand name is on the website.
Solace Cremation: Overview
Solace Cremation is an online direct cremation provider that markets itself as a modern, family-first service built around online arrangement and clear, flat pricing. The emphasis is on a guided digital experience -- you complete arrangements from home, sign documents electronically, and lean on phone or chat support rather than walking into a funeral home.
What Solace typically includes in a standard direct cremation:
- Transfer of the deceased into care from the place of death (within the service area)
- Care and sheltering of the deceased
- Filing of the required permits and cremation authorization paperwork
- The cremation itself at a licensed crematory
- A basic container for the cremated remains
- Return of the ashes to the family
- Assistance obtaining certified copies of the death certificate
Pricing: According to our review, Solace's online direct cremation packages are typically advertised in the range of around $895 to $1,895 as of 2026, depending heavily on your state and metro area. Pricing is positioned as flat and all-inclusive, but the headline figure is rarely the only number that matters -- always confirm the written, itemized price for your ZIP code.
Best for: Families who want a calm, guided, all-digital arrangement with an emphasis on transparent flat pricing.
Smart Cremation: Overview
Smart Cremation is an online and phone-based cremation arrangement service that also focuses primarily on direct cremation. It positions itself around a straightforward, no-frills process: one phone call or online form to get started, all-inclusive pricing in its service areas, and minimal upselling.
Importantly, our review notes that Smart Cremation has historically concentrated on the western and southern United States, with stronger coverage in states like Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of the South. Because availability and the specific local partner change over time, the most reliable way to confirm service at a given address is to contact the company directly.
What Smart Cremation typically includes in a standard direct cremation:
- Transfer of the deceased into care (within a defined local radius)
- Required authorizations and coordination of paperwork
- Filing of the death certificate and obtaining the cremation permit
- The cremation itself at a licensed facility
- A basic temporary urn or container for the ashes
- Return of the cremated remains
Pricing: Our review explains that Smart Cremation does not post a single public price that applies everywhere, and rates depend on the local partner and market. As of 2026, direct cremation through online providers like Smart Cremation typically falls somewhere around $1,000 to $3,000, driven mostly by your metro area's local cremation costs.
Best for: Families in Smart Cremation's western or southern service areas who want a simple, single-point-of-contact process.
Solace vs Smart Cremation: Side-by-Side Comparison
The two providers are close on the fundamentals, but the table below lays out the differences each review describes. Treat every figure as an estimate that varies by location and over time.
| Feature | Solace Cremation | Smart Cremation |
|---|---|---|
| Core service | Direct cremation | Direct cremation |
| Business model | Online-first, care-team guided | Online and phone, single point of contact |
| Typical price range (2026) | ~$895 - $1,895 | ~$1,000 - $3,000 |
| Pricing style | Flat, all-inclusive | All-inclusive in covered areas |
| Service area | Select states/metros | Concentrated in western and southern US |
| What's included | Transfer, cremation, basic container, permits, return of ashes | Transfer, cremation, basic container, permits, return of ashes |
| Typical turnaround | ~1-3 weeks to receive ashes | ~1-3 weeks to receive ashes |
| Support | Phone and online care team | Phone and online, single point of contact |
| Add-ons | Urns, keepsakes, extra death certificates | Urns, keepsakes, extra death certificates |
| Physical locations | No | No |
A few things stand out. On the published ranges from our reviews, Solace's typical band ($895-$1,895) sits a bit lower and tighter than the broader $1,000-$3,000 range we cite for Smart Cremation -- but that gap reflects how each company's pricing is reported, not a guaranteed quote for your address. Both fall within the broader US direct cremation range of roughly $1,000 to $3,000. The biggest practical difference is geographic: Smart Cremation's coverage is concentrated in the West and South, so where you live may decide the matter before price ever does.
Pricing: What "All-Inclusive" Should Cover
Both companies advertise flat, all-inclusive pricing, and for the standard scenario that is generally accurate. But "all-inclusive" deserves scrutiny no matter which provider you choose. A complete direct cremation quote should cover transportation into care, the cremation and a basic container, filing of the death certificate and required permits, and return of the cremated remains.
Where families occasionally get surprised -- with either provider -- is in the edge cases. Both reviews flag the same potential add-ons:
- Additional certified death certificate copies beyond the first few, often around $10 to $30 each depending on your state
- Mileage or transfer-distance surcharges if the place of death is outside the standard radius
- Weight surcharges that some providers apply above a threshold
- Refrigeration or storage fees when a delay or state-mandated waiting period applies
- Rush or expedited handling, sometimes available for an extra fee
The fix is simple and applies to both: request a written, itemized General Price List (GPL). Under the FTC Funeral Rule, providers must give you itemized pricing on request, which makes it easy to compare apples to apples. Our guide to hidden cremation fees to watch covers the line items that tend to surprise families.
Service Area and Availability
This is where the two diverge most clearly. Both rely on networks of local funeral home and crematory partners, so coverage depends on whether they have a vetted partner near you -- but the footprints differ.
Smart Cremation has historically concentrated on the western and southern US, including states like Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of the South. If you are arranging in a market like Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, or Las Vegas, that regional focus may work in your favor.
Solace operates in select states and metros as well, and like any online provider it does not serve the entire country. Availability changes over time as each company adds or adjusts partnerships.
The single most important practical step is the same for both: confirm the provider covers the exact location where the death occurred, and ask which local funeral home or crematory will handle the physical work, before you invest time arranging anything. If neither serves your area well, our directory of local cremation providers can help you find vetted options nearby.
Turnaround and What to Expect
For both providers, the typical timeline from arrangement to receiving the cremated remains runs about one to three weeks, though this varies by state and circumstances. The drivers are mostly outside either company's control:
- State waiting periods. Many states require a waiting period between death and cremation.
- Death certificate processing. The signing physician or medical examiner and the local vital records office set much of the pace.
- Medical examiner involvement. If the death requires investigation or autopsy, expect added time -- see our guide on cremation after an autopsy.
Both Solace and Smart Cremation handle the paperwork coordination for you, which is one of the main reasons families choose an online provider in the first place.
Pros and Cons of Each
Solace Cremation
Pros: lower cost than traditional funeral homes; arrange entirely from home, which helps when relatives are spread across the country; transparent flat pricing that reduces showroom upselling; a simple, focused service; and digital paperwork that speeds things up.
Cons: no in-person presence; you do not choose the crematory; direct cremation only, so no viewing or service at the time of cremation; possible coverage gaps; and add-ons that can push the total above the advertised base price.
Smart Cremation
Pros: a simple process built around a single point of contact; convenience for families arranging remotely; a direct-cremation focus that means less pressure to add costly extras; all-inclusive pricing within covered areas; and paperwork handled for you.
Cons: no in-person location in most areas; you usually cannot choose the crematory; coverage gaps outside its western and southern focus; potential add-on fees for mileage, weight, refrigeration, or extra death certificates; and the fact that it is not always the cheapest option versus local providers.
The Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
There is no universal winner here. Based on what each review describes:
- Choose Solace Cremation if you want a guided, care-team-forward digital experience and a tight, transparent flat price, and Solace serves your area.
- Choose Smart Cremation if you are arranging in its western or southern US service region and want a simple, single-point-of-contact process by phone or online.
- Choose neither -- yet -- if you have not confirmed coverage for your area or gathered at least one or two local quotes. In many markets, a local cremation-only provider or nonprofit cremation society will match or beat both on price.
Because both are online providers that coordinate with local partners, let availability in your area and a written, itemized quote be the deciding factors. For a broader view of the category, see our roundup of the best online cremation services for 2026 and our full online cremation companies compared guide.
Prices in this article are 2026 estimates drawn from our individual provider reviews. They vary significantly by provider and location and are not guaranteed quotes. Always request a written, itemized quote for your specific situation before making any arrangement.
Helpful Resources
For authoritative, up-to-date information on cremation costs, consumer rights, and planning:
- FTC: Shopping for Funeral Services
- Cremation Association of North America (CANA)
- National Funeral Directors Association
Related guides on this site:
- compare cremation costs in your area
- average cremation cost by state
- cheapest direct cremation options
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Solace or Smart Cremation cheaper?
It depends on your market. Our reviews report Solace's online direct cremation packages typically around $895 to $1,895, while Smart Cremation generally runs around $1,000 to $3,000 depending on local cremation costs. Both price by location, so the only reliable answer comes from a written, itemized quote for your exact address. Local cremation-only providers can sometimes beat both.
Do Solace and Smart Cremation operate their own crematories?
Generally no. Like most online cremation companies, both coordinate with networks of licensed local funeral homes and crematories that perform the actual cremation. This is a normal and legal model. You can ask either company which local partner will handle your arrangement and verify that partner's licensing with your state funeral board.
Where is Smart Cremation available compared to Solace?
Our review notes Smart Cremation has historically concentrated on the western and southern US, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of the South. Solace operates in select states and metros as well. Coverage for both changes over time, so confirm service at your exact address before arranging anything.
How long does it take to receive the ashes?
For both providers, the typical timeline is about one to three weeks from arrangement to receiving the cremated remains, though it varies by state. Delays usually come from state-mandated waiting periods, death certificate processing, or medical examiner involvement rather than the company itself.
Should I consider a local provider instead?
Yes, it is worth comparing. Online providers offer convenience and transparent pricing, but local cremation-only providers and nonprofit cremation societies can sometimes match or beat them on price. Gather quotes from both online and local providers, compare the same included services, and then decide.