Both are tools for passing on your property, but they work very differently, especially around probate.
A will is a document that states who gets your property after you die and who should act as executor to carry that out. It only takes effect at death, and it has to go through probate, the court process that validates the will, settles debts, and oversees distribution of assets. Probate is public record, can take months (sometimes over a year), and often involves court fees and attorney costs that come out of the estate. A will also lets you name a guardian for minor children, which a trust cannot do.
A living trust (specifically a revocable living trust) is a legal entity you create while you're alive. You transfer ownership of your assets into the trust, and you typically remain the trustee in control of those assets during your lifetime. When you die, the assets in the trust pass directly to your named beneficiaries without going through probate. That's the main advantage: faster distribution, lower cost, and it stays private rather than becoming a public court record.
A living trust also covers you while you're alive, not just after death. If you become incapacitated, the successor trustee you named can step in and manage the trust's assets immediately, without needing a court-appointed conservatorship. A will offers no protection during incapacity since it only activates at death.
The tradeoff is effort and cost upfront. Setting up a trust is more involved and expensive than writing a will, and it only works if you actually retitle your assets into the trust's name, a step called "funding" the trust that people sometimes forget to complete, which defeats the purpose.
In practice, many estate plans use both: a living trust for major assets like a house or investment accounts, plus a "pour-over will" that catches anything left outside the trust and names guardians for children. Which setup makes sense depends on the size of your estate, your state's probate process, and whether privacy and avoiding probate delays matter to you. An estate planning attorney can help you weigh the specifics for your situation.