The short version: the Google Sheets template gallery, Microsoft Create's Excel templates, Vertex42, Smartsheet's template gallery and the templates inside Excel itself are where to get free spreadsheet templates in 2026. Start with the gallery built into the app you use, then go to Vertex42 for more specialised trackers and planners.
A good spreadsheet template saves you from building the same tracker from scratch every time. Project timelines, schedules, inventories, attendance sheets and content plans all have a ready-made version somewhere. The real skill is choosing a template that's simple enough to keep using, and knowing the small catches before you rely on one.
Five places to find spreadsheet templates
In no particular order:
- Google Sheets template gallery: best if you work in Google Workspace and want to edit online.
- Microsoft Create: best for designed Excel templates that open straight in Excel.
- Vertex42: best for specialised spreadsheet templates for business, home and school.
- Smartsheet template gallery: best for project templates if you're open to its own app.
- Excel's built-in templates: best for a quick start from File, New.
Spreadsheet template sources side by side
| Source | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets gallery | Online editing | Some templates need an add-on |
| Microsoft Create | Designed Excel files | Opens in Excel |
| Vertex42 | Specialised trackers | Excel, Google Sheets and OpenOffice templates |
| Smartsheet gallery | Project templates | Built for its own app |
| Excel built-in | Quick starts | Already in the app |
Template ranges change, so open a copy and test it before you build a process around it.
Google Sheets, Vertex42 and Smartsheet in more detail
Google's help explains the template gallery in a few steps. Open Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms or Sites, click Template Gallery at the top right, and pick a template; a copy opens for you to edit. Google also points out that organisations can create branded templates for documents like proposals and reports, which is handy if your team wants everyone starting from the same layout.
Vertex42 has been creating spreadsheet templates for business, personal, home and educational use since 2003. It says it loves Microsoft Excel but is also a leading provider of templates for Google Sheets and OpenOffice, and it has a large section of free calendars and planners plus Word templates. It also publishes Excel tutorials for beginners, which helps if a template uses a formula you haven't seen before.
Smartsheet has a template gallery built around its own work management app, with project management templates and pre-built solutions that come with a guide. It's worth a look for project planning layouts, but those templates are designed for Smartsheet itself rather than a plain spreadsheet file.
Add-ons and admin settings: the catches
Google's help notes that if a template has Add-on next to it, you may have to install an add-on to use it. That isn't a problem in itself, but add-ons can ask for access to your files, so read what it requests before you click allow, especially on a work account.
The second catch is team templates. Google says that some template options, such as creating and sharing your own templates in the gallery, only work if your organisation supports them. If you can't see the option to submit a template, it's usually an admin setting rather than something you're doing wrong. Personal accounts can still save a copy of any template and reuse it.
Formulas are the third thing to watch. A template can look perfect and still hide a formula that only covers the first twenty rows, or one that breaks when you insert a column. Before you rely on any template, add a few rows of real data, insert a row in the middle and check the totals still update. If they don't, fix the range or pick a different template. It takes five minutes and stops a quiet error from creeping into a report you share with clients.
Microsoft Create and Excel's own built-in templates are the quickest route for Excel users. Open Excel, choose a new file from a template, and you'll see designs for schedules, lists and trackers that open ready to edit. They're less specialised than Vertex42's range, but they're tidy, easy to read and already formatted for printing, which is often all a small team needs.
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Choosing a template you'll keep using
- Write down what you want to track before you browse.
- Start in the gallery of the app you already use.
- Pick the simplest template that tracks what you need.
- Make a copy and test it with a week of real data.
- Check any formulas by changing a number and watching the totals.
- Delete sample rows and save a clean master copy.
Projects, schedules and content plans
Free spreadsheet templates suit project timelines, rotas, inventories, attendance and content plans. If you're new to Google's app, my Google Sheets tutorial covers the basics, and my guide to making a Gantt chart in Google Sheets turns a task list into a timeline. Thinking of switching apps? See my roundup of Excel alternatives.
My advice: start in your own app's gallery, test with real data before you trust it, and keep a clean master. A simple template you open every day beats a clever one you abandon. Once it's working, share a view-only copy with your team so everyone reads from the same sheet.
Run a free spreadsheet template site that belongs on this list? See how to get it featured.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get free spreadsheet templates?
The Google Sheets template gallery, Microsoft Create, Vertex42, Smartsheet's template gallery and Excel's built-in templates all offer free spreadsheet templates.
How do I find templates in Google Sheets?
Google's help says to open Sheets and click Template Gallery at the top right, then pick a template. A copy opens for you to edit.
Why does a Google Sheets template need an add-on?
Templates marked Add-on may need an add-on installed before you can use them, according to Google's help. Check what access it asks for first.
Do Vertex42 templates work in Google Sheets?
Vertex42 says it's a leading provider of templates for Google Sheets and OpenOffice as well as Microsoft Excel.
Why can't I submit a template to my company's gallery?
Google says some template features only work if your organisation supports them, so it's usually an admin setting.
