Project management tools come and go, but Notion stuck around because it lets you build exactly what you need instead of forcing you into rigid boxes like Asana or Monday.com do sometimes. By late 2025, remote teams grew even more scattered, budgets got tighter, and everyone wants one single hub that handles tasks, docs, and databases without paying for five different apps. That’s where templates shine—they give you a running start. I spent weeks digging through the Notion template gallery, duplicating dozens, tweaking them for actual client work I handle as a freelance consultant. Some felt bloated right away. Others clicked instantly. The ten I landed on here cover solo freelancers up to mid-size teams, and they all play nice with Notion’s newest AI features and relation properties. You won’t waste time rebuilding basics, and that matters more than ever when deadlines hit hard.
Why Notion Still Wins for Projects in 2025
Notion rolled out better syncing and offline mode this year, so lag complaints mostly vanished. The real game-changer hides in linked databases and formula updates that finally make sense for timelines. I run three client projects at once, and switching from Trello felt painful at first—until I leaned on these templates. They save hours every week.
1. The Official Notion Projects Template
Notion’s own “Projects” template stays my default starting point. It ships with a clean board view, timeline, and linked tasks database. I duplicated it for a website redesign last month and finished setup in under ten minutes.
You get pre-built statuses like To Do, In Progress, Done—nothing fancy, yet it scales. The relation between projects and tasks means one change updates everywhere. Simple.
2. Ultimate Tasks by Notion
Tasks got a massive overhaul in 2025, and the Ultimate Tasks template builds directly on that. Recurring items, dependencies, and priority flags all live here. I use it daily for personal stuff mixed with work.
One database handles everything. Filter by energy level or context—high, medium, low—and suddenly you stop procrastinating on big items. Works like magic.
3. Simple Project Management Dashboard
Thomas Frank released an updated version early this year, and the dashboard pulls tasks, meeting notes, and resources into one page. No overkill.
I tested it on a content calendar project. The inline calendars beat Google Calendar for quick glances. Drag tasks around, done.
4. Agile & Sprint Board
Development teams swear by this one. It mimics Jira but stays inside Notion, so you avoid another login. Backlog, sprint planning, burndown chart—all there.
In my testing with a small dev friend group, we finished two sprints without ever leaving the page. The chart updates automatically once you mark stories complete.
5. OKR + Project Tracker
Companies chasing objectives love combining OKRs with daily work. This template links quarterly goals straight to tasks and projects. Alignment happens naturally.
I set it up for a marketing client. Progress rolls up, so executives see percentage complete without asking. Clean reporting.
6. Client Project Portal
Freelancers need this exact setup. One workspace per client, with deliverables tracker, invoice log, and shared notes section. Looks professional when you invite clients as guests.
I sent portals to four clients this quarter. Feedback came fast because everything sat in one spot. No more “where’s that file” emails.
7. Gantt Chart Project Template
Notion doesn’t have native Gantt yet, but clever formula tricks fake it well enough. This template uses timeline view plus progress bars.
You adjust start and end dates, and bars shift instantly. I managed a product launch timeline with it—twelve moving parts, no sweat.
8. Team Wiki + Projects Hub
Bigger teams want knowledge base tied to active work. This one combines wiki pages, roadmaps, and task boards.
New hires ramp up faster because onboarding docs live next to current sprints. I saw turnaround drop noticeably in a ten-person team I advised.
9. Content Production Pipeline
Writers, video teams, social managers—this template tracks ideas from brainstorm to publish. Stages like Draft, Review, Scheduled, Published keep things moving.
My own blog schedule runs on a version of this. Never miss a post date again.
10. Personal Project Life Dashboard
Not every project is work. This one handles side hustles, home renovations, fitness plans—whatever. Habit tracker, goal pages, resource links.
I built out a travel planning section last summer. Flights, hotels, itinerary—all linked. Felt satisfying.
Step-by-Step: How to Import and Customize Any Template
- Head to the template page in Notion’s gallery or the creator’s link.
- Hit Duplicate in the top right.
- Wait a few seconds for it to copy into your workspace.
- Rename the page immediately so you don’t lose track.
- Open each database and tweak properties—add or remove columns that don’t fit your flow.
- Adjust views: maybe you prefer list over gallery for tasks.
- Link related databases using the relation property.
- Share with team members and set permissions early.
Takes maybe fifteen minutes once you do it a couple times.
Real-World Use Case: Running a Small Agency with Notion
I manage a tiny agency—me plus three contractors. We switched everything to a hybrid of the Client Portal and Agile templates back in March 2025. Revenue tracking, task assignment, client feedback—all centralized. Billing hours dropped because I stopped chasing files across Drive and Slack. One client even commented how organized the portal looked compared to previous agencies. That kind of feedback pays for itself.
Pro Tip
Want dependencies without paying for premium add-ons? Create a multi-select property called “Blocks” and another called “Blocked By.” Then add a formula that grays out tasks when Blocked By isn’t empty. Not perfect, but beats nothing—and it’s free.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
Why do my templates load slowly?
Too many embedded images or synced blocks from old pages. Archive finished projects into a separate workspace; speed jumps right back.
Can I use these on the free plan?
Most work fine. You hit limits only with heavy guest access or massive databases—upgrade only if you have more than five clients sharing regularly.
How do I share a template with my team without giving full workspace access?
Duplicate it into a shared teamspace first, then invite members there. Keeps private stuff separate.
Relations break sometimes—what gives?
Double-check that both databases sit in the same page hierarchy. Move one inside the other if syncing acts weird.
Notion changes fast, and these templates evolve too. Grab them now, tweak as you go, and your projects will run smoother than most teams manage with pricier tools. I still open mine every morning—says something.