Where to Get Free Business Letter Templates (2026): Word, Canva, Vertex42 and More

Business letters haven't gone away. They've just become rarer, which means the ones you do send get read more closely: a formal complaint, a reference, a supplier notice, a change of terms. A good template stops you worrying about the layout so you can concentrate on what you're saying. Here's where to find one free.

Five places to download a letter template

In no particular order:

• Canva: best for a printable letter that doesn't look like a tired, overused template.
• Microsoft Word: best for personalising letters with your brand logo, colours and business information.
• Venngage: best for a range of designs, from formal business letters to personal ones.
• Vertex42: best for a free sample business letter in a traditional format.
• Visme: best for picking a letter template and swapping in your own text.

Letter template sources compared

Source	Best for	Free plan (as of Nov 2026)
Canva	Designed, printable letters	Not stated
Microsoft Word	Branded letterheads	Not stated
Venngage	Formal and personal designs	Yes
Vertex42	Traditional block format	Not stated
Visme	Quick text swaps	Yes

Pages and plans change, so check the vendor's own page before you rely on a limit.

The catch: layout and format aren't the same thing

This is where most business letters go wrong. People pick an attractive layout and assume the format is sorted. They're two separate questions.

Format is the structure of the letter: where the addresses, the date, the greeting, the body and the sign-off go. Vertex42 stresses using a professional business letter format, such as the traditional block format, and offers a free sample business letter to help you get started. Layout is how it looks. Canva and Venngage give you designed letter templates, and Microsoft's Word page lets you personalise letters with brand logos, colours and business information.

Get the structure right first, then make it look like you. A beautiful letter with a muddled structure reads as careless. A plain letter in a clean, traditional format reads as professional, every time.

Writing the letter itself

1. Decide the format before you open any template. Vertex42's sample uses the traditional block format.
2. Add your letterhead: logo, colours and business details, which Word lets you build into a template.
3. Put the date and the recipient's details where the format says they go.
4. Say why you're writing in the first sentence.
5. Keep the body to a few short paragraphs, one point each.
6. Close with what you want the reader to do next, then sign off.
7. Save your finished version as your own template for next time.

Making a letter stand out without breaking convention

Canva makes a fair point on its letters page: it's easier to lose the reader's attention when you follow a tired, old, overused letter template. It pitches its free, printable letter templates at people who don't want to start from scratch. Venngage covers a wide range too, from a formal business letter to a heartfelt personal one and other kinds of correspondence.

Visme keeps it simplest. You choose one of its letter templates, edit it and replace the text with your own content, or use it unchanged.

For most business letters, a little design goes a long way. A clean letterhead with your logo and colours is usually enough. Save the bolder designs for letters where the brand matters, such as a welcome letter to a new client or an announcement to your customers.

A quick check before it goes out

Whatever template you use, run through this list before you print, sign or send:

• The recipient's name, title and company are spelled correctly.
• The date is today's date, not the date you first opened the template.
• The first paragraph says why you're writing.
• There's one clear request or next step, not three competing ones.
• Any reference, order or account details the reader will need are included.
• Your contact details and signature are at the bottom, and they're current.
• You've kept a copy, either saved alongside the template or filed with the rest of the correspondence.

It takes a couple of minutes, and it catches the mistakes that make an otherwise good letter look rushed. If the letter matters, ask someone else to read it too, because it's much easier to spot a missing word in someone else's writing than in your own.

Letters for specific situations

Some letters need more than a template. If you're leaving a job, my guide on how to write a resignation letter walks through the wording. Applying for one instead? These cover letter writing techniques will help. And if you're telling clients about a rate change, the rate increase announcement swipe file I put together has wording you can adapt.

Which one I'd open first

For a formal letter, start with Vertex42's sample and its block format. For everyday business letters on your own letterhead, set up a branded template in Word once and reuse it. When the letter needs to look designed, Canva, Venngage or Visme will get you there quickly. Whichever you use, read the letter aloud before it goes out.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a free business letter template?

Vertex42 has a free sample business letter template, and Canva describes its letter templates as free and printable. Venngage and Visme offer letter templates and list free plans.

What format should a business letter use?

Vertex42 recommends a professional business letter format, such as the traditional block format.

Can I add my logo to a business letter template?

Yes. Microsoft's Word business templates page says you can personalise letters with brand logos, colours and business information.

Can I edit a letter template or use it unchanged?

Both. Visme says you can choose a letter template, edit it and replace the text with your own content, or use it as it comes.

Do these templates cover personal letters too?

Venngage says its templates range from formal business letters to heartfelt personal letters and other types of correspondence.

Why not use a plain old template?

Canva's view is that a tired, overused letter template makes it easier to lose the reader's attention.