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Online cremation means you make the arrangements by web or phone with a licensed provider. You don't have to sit in a funeral home to do it. After walks families through authorization, transport into care, permits, cremation and return of the ashes, with clear pricing in the metros we serve. If you need to talk through next steps right now, a Care Specialist is available 24/7 at (844) 905-2639.
Can you arrange cremation online?
Yes. You can arrange direct cremation online or by phone from wherever you are. Licensed local professionals still do the actual care in person.
This isn't a fringe option. In the NFDA 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, 36.3% of NFDA-member firms said they offer online cremation arrangements, and another 25% plan to within 4 years.
What changes is where you sit while you decide. You don't drive to a funeral home or sit across a desk from anyone. You look at the options, sign the forms and ask your questions from your phone or computer. If you'd rather talk it through, you call. That's really the whole difference with online cremation services. The care itself doesn't change.
What online cremation is (and isn't)
Online cremation is a way to arrange cremation. It's not a different kind of cremation. A licensed crematory performs it, under the same state rules as any other.
The online part is the decisions. You pick a provider, see the price before you commit, sign the authorization forms electronically and pay. A Care Specialist is a phone call away the whole time.
Nothing physical happens remotely. Transport, care and the cremation itself still happen in person, with licensed people. Arranging online doesn't get you around licensing or permits. And it doesn't mean you skip a memorial. You just hold it when you want to.
After offers direct cremation. That means no viewing, no embalming and no funeral-home ceremony. Our direct cremation guide explains it in full.
Step-by-step: how arranging with After works
You can do every step by phone or computer, and a Care Specialist stays with you for each one.
How it works (from After's /pricing):
1. Contact After.com. Contact a member of our dedicated staff by calling or submitting an online form. We're available by phone any time, day or night. Call (844) 905-2639 or start at /pricing. If the death just happened at home under hospice care or at a care facility, request a member of their staff contact us. If a passing occurs at home, not under hospice care, call 911 first, then After.
2. Careful transfer of your loved one. With your permission, one of our compassionate care team members will gather the necessary information and arrange to safely transfer your loved one into our care. Hospice or care-facility pickups typically happen within 1-2 hours. Families may remain at home with their loved one up to 24 hours before transfer. Your loved one is placed in a dignified, climate-controlled environment within 24 hours.
3. We listen and carry out your wishes. One of our care specialists will walk you through each option, step by step, including authorization forms online. Once your wishes are documented and the necessary legal permits have been acquired, we'll complete the dignified cremation of your loved one.
4. Transportation of urn & cremated remains. We'll arrange for the urn and cremated remains to be returned to you. Families choose hand delivery, USPS delivery, or local pickup. Ashes come back within 7–14 days, depending on the delivery option you select.
Licensing, local care partners, and how trust works
After is the arranger. Licensed funeral providers and crematories in your area do the physical care. After is legally licensed by the funeral boards in every state we serve. You can view After's current licenses at after.com/licenses.
Handing your mom or dad to a company you found online is a lot to ask. So this is who does what. We handle the forms, the coordination and the support. Licensed local partners handle transport, care and the cremation. Want to know which provider will care for your loved one? Ask us. We'll tell you.
If you want to look closer, is After legit? answers the questions we hear most.
Why families choose After
Short version: you see the price first, and someone always picks up the phone. After has a 4.86 average on Trustpilot from 1,312 reviews.
The price comes before the conversation. Direct cremation with After: see the Base price table below, then confirm on /pricing.
Licensed local partners still do the in-person care. Transport, care and cremation are handled by licensed professionals where your loved one is.
Family in other cities can take part. Forms and questions happen by phone or computer, so a brother in Denver and a sister in Phoenix can both be part of it.
A Care Specialist answers 24/7. Call (844) 905-2639, day or night.
You can plan ahead for yourself. A prepaid cremation plan is set up online too. Start at /prearrange.
Here's how a few families put it:
Michael at After was an Amazing. His kindness, compassionate care and follow through was more than I expected. Especially, on an online process. His voice was calming, and kind. He made me feel like her cared for what our family was going through. …
Mia Bojang, 5★ on Trustpilot, Jul 14, 2024
Arranging for a cremation from out of state could have been a nightmare, but Cara's efficiency and her excellent communication skills were priceless.
Nina Sullivan, 5★ on Trustpilot, Nov 9, 2022
every step of the process was clear and efficient. we felt very taken care of during such a profound loss. Ruy C., our care specialist, was incredibly kind and thoughtful throughout.
Emilio Svich, 5★ on Trustpilot, Oct 12, 2024
What's included in an online direct cremation arrangement
An online direct cremation arrangement with After covers the essentials, from the first call to the return of the ashes.
After's all-inclusive Base arrangement includes: transportation into care for up to 25 miles, refrigeration in a climate-controlled facility, filing permits and preparing the death certificate, a basic cremation container, the cremation itself, return of the ashes, and a dedicated Care Specialist.
Extras are usually separate, if you want them. Think additional certified copies of the death certificate, an upgraded urn, or shipping the ashes to another address. Ask a Care Specialist for the current list.
Live pricing in your area
After shows one Base price for direct cremation in your area, before you talk to anyone.
After Base direct cremation prices by market (fetched from after.com pages on 2026-10-30, America/Denver). These are Base-plan figures shown on the cited pages. Confirm against /pricing before publish; prices can change by market and package.
For your ZIP, see live pricing at /pricing.
After.com keeps costs low by operating online with upfront, transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
For context, Funeralocity puts the national average for direct cremation at $1,924 ("What Is Direct Cremation and How Much Does It Cost?", Aug 2026). A funeral with a viewing and cremation runs a national median of $6,280 (NFDA 2023 Member General Price List Study). Those are industry numbers, not After's prices. Our cremation cost guide walks through what drives them, and the full After breakdown is on our pricing page.
Where After offers online arranging today
After arranges direct cremation in select metros across several states. That's not every town, and it's not all 50 states. Check your area first on /pricing.
We currently operate in certain areas of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin, with more states coming soon. Coverage is in selected areas (not statewide everywhere).
Local details are on our city pages: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, Tucson, Phoenix, Dallas. Or browse by state: Arizona, Colorado. Looking for someone close to home? Our guide to cremation services near you can help.
Area not listed? Call (844) 905-2639. A Care Specialist will tell you whether we can help. If we can't, they'll tell you what to ask a local provider.
Online cremation vs a traditional funeral home visit
Both paths end with the same licensed care. The difference is how much you do in person and when you see the price
A funeral home is the right call for a lot of families, especially if you want a viewing or a ceremony with the body present. Arranging online fits families who want direct cremation, a clear price, and a memorial they plan on their own time.
When family isn't all in one place
Arranging online makes it easier for relatives in different cities to be part of it. Everyone sees the same options and can join the same call.
Send the pricing page to your siblings before anyone decides. Get several people on one call with a Care Specialist. If more than one person has to sign an authorization, we can send each of them the forms. Nobody has to fly in to sit in a meeting.
If the family doesn't agree yet, a Care Specialist can lay out the options for everyone at once. We won't push anyone to decide.
Set up a prepaid cremation plan online
You can also plan your own cremation ahead with a prepaid cremation plan, all online. You choose direct cremation, pay today's price, and your wishes go on file.
When the time comes, your family calls one number. The decisions are already made. Start at /prearrange.
Frequently asked questions
Is online cremation legal?
Yes. We arrange funeral or cremation services online in every state we serve. The cremation itself is performed in person by a licensed crematory under state rules.
Are you licensed in my state?
After is legally licensed by the funeral boards in every state we serve. You can view After's current licenses at after.com/licenses. Check your area on /pricing or call (844) 905-2639, and we'll tell you which provider will care for your loved one.
Do I ever need to visit in person?
No. You can do every step of the arrangement by phone or online. Some families want to meet the local care team or pick up the ashes in person. That's welcome. It's just not required.
How fast can arrangements start?
If you need immediate help after a passing, we can start arrangements within minutes online or by phone. We're available by phone any time, day or night (24/7). Call (844) 905-2639 and a Care Specialist will tell you what to expect in your area.
How do I know the price won't change?
Ask any provider for an itemized list, and ask what's not in it. With After, you see the Base price for your area before you commit (table above; confirm on /pricing). What all-inclusive Base covers: transportation into care for up to 25 miles, refrigeration in a climate-controlled facility, filing permits and preparing the death certificate, a basic cremation container, the cremation itself, return of the ashes, and a dedicated Care Specialist. After.com keeps costs low by operating online with upfront, transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
Can multiple family members join a call?
Yes. Tell us who should be on it and we'll set up a call everyone can join. Each person can also review and sign forms from their own phone or computer.
What happens to my loved one during the process?
A licensed local team brings your loved one into care. They're sheltered in a climate-controlled facility while permits are processed. Once the permits are in place and the state waiting period has passed, the cremation is performed at a licensed crematory, and the ashes are returned to you (hand delivery, USPS, or local pickup; typically within 7–14 days depending on the option you choose). You can ask a Care Specialist where your loved one is at any point.
How do I start?
Call (844) 905-2639 any time, day or night. Or arrange cremation online at /pricing.
Arrange online with After
Look up your price on /pricing, then call (844) 905-2639 or arrange online. If you want to talk it over with family first, take the time. A Care Specialist will answer whenever you're ready.
Dallin Preece
CRO, After.com - Cremation & Preplanning Divisions
Published Date:
October 30, 2026






