7 Best Project Planning Templates for 2026

Summary: Discover top project planning templates from Fluidwave, Miro, Asana, and more to keep projects on time and on budget.

Introduction

Kicking off a project without a solid plan is like setting sail without a map. A good project planning template is more than a document — it’s your roadmap, a central spot for communication, and the team’s single source of truth. It clarifies goals, assigns responsibility, and helps you spot trouble before it derails your progress.¹

This guide cuts through the noise to present seven top sources for project planning templates. For each one, you’ll find what makes it strong, which teams it suits best, and quick tips to implement a plan that actually gets used.

1. Fluidwave

Fluidwave is an AI-powered task management platform that combines automation with a human-in-the-loop delegation model. It’s built for busy executives, agile teams, and entrepreneurs who want to reduce busywork and focus on high-value tasks.

Key features

• AI-powered auto-prioritization that surfaces what matters most.
• Multiple views: Table, List, Calendar, Kanban, and Cards for different perspectives.
• Integrated delegation marketplace (pay-per-task human assistance) to offload work.
• Workflow automation for recurring tasks and reminders. The company reports these automations can save users over four hours per week.²

How to implement

1. Create a new project and add tasks, milestones, and deadlines.
2. Add descriptions, attachments, priorities, and budgets to each task.
3. Choose the view that fits your workflow: Kanban for flow, Calendar for deadlines.
4. Automate recurring items and flag tasks to delegate via the marketplace when ready.

Pricing and availability

• Free Forever: Up to 100 tasks, great for individuals or small projects.
• Premium: $10/month billed annually, unlocking automation, custom prioritization, and priority support.

Website: https://fluidwave.com

2. Microsoft (Project, Planner, and Microsoft Create)

If your team already uses Microsoft 365, Microsoft’s templates are a natural fit. They offer downloadable Office templates via Microsoft Create and integrated templates in Microsoft Project and Planner.

Why it’s useful

• Seamless integration with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook.
• Microsoft Create offers ready-made Word, Excel, and PowerPoint templates for timelines, budgets, and Gantt charts.
• Project and Planner provide built-in templates for complex plans with dependencies and resource allocation.

When to choose Microsoft

Choose Microsoft when you need native Office formats, enterprise-level controls, and deep integration across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Website: Microsoft Project Planning Templates

3. Smartsheet

Smartsheet bridges spreadsheets and project management with a large, curated library of free templates you can download in Excel, Google Sheets, or Word — often without signing up.³

Why it stands out

• Free downloads let you start immediately and edit offline.
• Templates can be opened in Smartsheet to unlock real-time collaboration, Gantt charts, dashboards, and automation.
• Library includes specialized documents like work breakdown structures, risk registers, and communications plans.

When to choose Smartsheet

Pick Smartsheet if you want a spreadsheet-based start with the option to upgrade to a collaborative platform as projects scale.

Website: Smartsheet Project Management Plan Templates

4. Miro

Miro is a collaborative whiteboard that turns planning into a visual workshop. It’s ideal for kickoffs, stakeholder alignment, and teams that benefit from co-creation.

Why teams use Miro

• Infinite canvas for goals, timelines, risks, and role mapping.
• Templates for Kanban, sprint planning, retrospectives, SWOT, and RACI charts.
• Real-time collaboration gets stakeholders aligned faster than static files.

When to choose Miro

Use Miro for interactive sessions, cross-functional workshops, and early-stage discovery where visual clarity and input from many people matter.

Website: Miro Project Planning Templates

5. Asana Templates

Asana’s templates create live, actionable projects inside the platform. With a single click, a template spins up tasks, custom fields, and suggested automations so teams can move from planning to execution quickly.

Why it works

• Templates are pre-configured projects, not static files.
• Multiple views: list, board, timeline, and calendar.
• Role- and industry-specific templates for marketing, IT, operations, and more.

When to choose Asana

Choose Asana when you want templates that immediately become working projects with built-in accountability and reporting.

Website: Asana Project Plan Templates

6. ClickUp Templates

ClickUp offers highly customizable, all-in-one templates that install entire workspaces with tasks, custom fields, statuses, and dashboards.

Why ClickUp is powerful

• Templates set up views, automations, and ClickUp Docs that connect tasks to goals.
• Large community template library plus the ability to save your own templates.
• Free plan is generous, with paid tiers for advanced features.

When to choose ClickUp

Pick ClickUp if you want deep customization and a single platform for planning, execution, and reporting.

Website: ClickUp Project Management Plan Template

7. Etsy (Digital Template Marketplace)

Etsy’s digital marketplace is great for getting visually polished, niche templates without a subscription. Independent creators sell project charters, Gantt charts, dashboards, and themed template bundles for Excel, Google Sheets, Notion, and more.

Why try Etsy

• One-time purchase for unique, client-ready designs.
• Niche and aesthetic options that corporate libraries often lack.
• Templates for many platforms, from spreadsheets to Notion and Trello.

When to choose Etsy

Use Etsy when you want a one-off, well-designed template for client deliverables or when you prefer a specific visual style.

Website: Etsy Project Plan Templates

Comparison snapshot

Turn your template into a high-performing project

A template is a launchpad, not the finish line. To keep plans alive:

• Centralize the plan where everyone can access it.
• Make each item assignable, timeboxed, and measurable.
• Keep progress visible and update regularly.

Choose tools based on the project’s complexity and the team’s working style: Miro and Asana for visual collaboration, Smartsheet or Microsoft Project for data-heavy planning, ClickUp or Fluidwave for combining planning with execution.

For templates and guides on related processes, see our project management workflow resources and daily work log templates at these internal links: Project Management Workflow and Daily Work Log Template.

FAQ — Quick answers

What template should a small team choose?

Small teams often benefit from Asana or ClickUp templates because they turn plans into actionable projects quickly and include built-in task ownership.

How do I keep a template from becoming outdated?

Assign ownership for updates, schedule regular check-ins, and automate recurring tasks and reminders so the plan stays current.

Can I combine templates from different sources?

Yes. Start with a visual kickoff in Miro, export milestones to Smartsheet or Excel for detailed budgeting, and run day-to-day tasks in Asana, ClickUp, or Fluidwave.

Ready to move from planning to doing? Fluidwave helps automate prioritization and delegate tasks so your plan becomes actual progress. Sign up at https://fluidwave.com.