The short version: the best free project charter templates in 2026 come from Asana, Miro, Notion and Visme, which all list a free plan, plus Atlassian's Confluence template. Asana and Atlassian suit teams that want a structured document, Miro has a lean charter on one board, Notion is easiest to adapt to your own workflow, and Visme is best for a designed charter you can download or share.
A project charter is one of those documents people skip because it feels like admin. Then three weeks in, nobody can agree what the project was meant to deliver, who signs things off or when it ends. I'd rather spend an hour on a charter than a month arguing about scope. Here's where to get a free template, and how to make sure it does its job.
Five places to find a project charter template
In no particular order:
- Asana: best for a charter built around getting sign-off from key stakeholders.
- Atlassian (Confluence): best for teams that already keep their project documents in Confluence.
- Miro: best for a lean, visual charter focused on objectives, scope and success criteria.
- Notion: best for adapting a charter to an industry-specific workflow.
- Visme: best for a designed charter you can download or share online.
Comparing the charter template sources
| Source | Best for | Free plan (as of Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Asana | Stakeholder approval | Yes |
| Atlassian (Confluence) | Teams already on Confluence | Not stated |
| Miro | Lean, visual charters | Yes |
| Notion | Custom workflows | Yes |
| Visme | Designed, shareable documents | Yes |
Pages and plans change, so check the vendor's own page before you rely on any limit.
The catch: a charter is a pitch before it's a plan
Asana's own description gives the game away. It says a project charter template outlines everything you need to get approval from key stakeholders. That's the job. A charter isn't the plan, the schedule or the task list. It's the document that gets the project agreed in the first place, so the people who sign it off need to understand it in one read.
Atlassian's version shows what that means in practice: goals, team members, stakeholders, resource needs and timelines, all in one structured place. Miro goes the other way with a lean charter that sticks to objectives, scope and success criteria. Both are useful. The mistake is filling in every box of a long template when your approver only cares about three of them.
So before you download anything, ask who has to say yes. A director who has to free up people and budget will want resources and timing spelled out, which is where the Atlassian-style structure earns its place. A small team agreeing what done looks like may only need the lean version.
Writing a charter, step by step
- Name the person or group who has to approve the project, before you write a word.
- Pick the template to match: a structured document for formal sign-off, a lean one-board charter for a small team.
- Write the objective in one sentence anyone in the business would understand.
- Define the scope, including what's out of scope, so you've got something to point to when new requests arrive.
- List the team members, stakeholders and the resources you'll need.
- Add the timeline and the success criteria the project will be judged on.
- Share it with the approver and get a clear yes in writing before work starts.
Why the scope section earns its keep
Of everything on Atlassian's list, scope is the section I'd spend most time on. Miro's lean charter puts it right next to objectives and success criteria, and that's the right company for it. If the charter says what's in and what's out, every later request has a reference point. My scope creep defence swipe file has wording for the moment someone asks for just one more thing.
Stakeholders deserve the same care. A charter that names them early stops the surprise objection at the final review. I've written about why early stakeholder involvement matters in project planning if you want the longer case.
Once it's approved, the charter feeds everything else. If you're turning the timeline into a schedule, these Gantt chart tools are where I'd look next, and if the success criteria tie to company goals, OKR software keeps them in view after the kick-off.
Reusing one charter across projects
Notion says its templates can be customised to fit industry-specific workflows while keeping core project management principles. That's the right way to think about reuse: keep the core sections fixed and change the wording to fit your team. Once you've adapted a template once, save it as your house version and start every new project from that.
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Atlassian makes a similar point, saying an easy-to-use template simplifies creating and managing project charters. If you run lots of projects, managing the charters matters as much as writing them, so keep them in the same place your team already works.
If your charter goes to people outside the team, such as a client or a board, presentation matters more. Visme lets you customise a charter template and then download it or share it online, which is handy when your approver doesn't use your project tool.
Which charter source I'd pick
If you need formal approval, start with Asana or Atlassian's structured templates. If you need the team to agree quickly, use Miro's lean charter. If you'll reuse it across projects, build your house version in Notion, and if it's going to a client, design it in Visme. Whichever you choose, keep it short enough that the approver reads all of it.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free project charter template?
Asana, Miro, Notion and Visme all offer project charter templates and list a free plan. Atlassian has a Confluence project charter template too, though its page doesn't state a free plan.
What goes in a project charter?
Atlassian's template covers goals, team members, stakeholders, resource needs and timelines. Miro's lean charter focuses on objectives, scope and success criteria.
Who approves a project charter?
Key stakeholders. Asana describes a project charter template as outlining everything you need to get their approval.
Is a project charter the same as a project plan?
Not quite. The charter is the document that gets a project approved, setting out goals, scope and who's involved, while the detailed schedule and tasks come after.
Can I reuse a project charter template?
Yes. Notion says its templates can be customised to fit industry-specific workflows while keeping core project management principles, so you can adapt one and keep it as your standard.
Can I share a project charter outside my team?
Visme lets you customise a project charter template and then download it or share it online.
