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8 free digital magazine templates for online publishers and brands

4 minute read

A collage of devices showing various digital magazine templates.
Start creating stunning visual web content for free

8 free digital magazine templates for online publishers and brands

4 minute read

A collage of devices showing various digital magazine templates.

Turn your assets and words into must-read immersive experiences with these free digital magazine templates.

Author Ben Ice headshot.

by Ben Ice

by Ben Ice

Brands and publishers have plenty of options when it comes to providing a premium reading experience to their audiences. Sure, web articles are great, and flipbooks are a common choice, but neither ticks a few important boxes. Only Shorthand can help you provide the immersive, creative experience that keeps readers coming back.

Whether your plan is to distribute your print magazine online, or simply take some web content to the next level, these free, high-quality templates are ready to host your branding, media, and amazing words.

You’ll find what you need in the list below:

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Digital magazine template

The classic magazine layout is popular for a reason, perfected over decades and loved by generations of readers. This template adds immersive elements to that iconic format.

It blends premium shots with ones more focused on product and location. A cover page-style Title section, a letter from the editor, one longform feature article, and a selection of shorter articles, make it the perfect choice for those who want to publish a full magazine issue.

Use it to showcase:

  • message from the editor, manager, or CEO
  • news and events write-ups
  • longform feature articles, and
  • full-width media.

A retro car in front of a Palm Springs house
Screenshot from a car magazine article

Travel magazine template

Here is a perfect template for showcasing great imagery of places and attractions. Designed to suit lifestyle magazines, destination marketing, or travel writing content, it's ideal for just about any topic that is led by visuals.

Full-width image sections mean you can wow with premium photography, and its striking header copy is ready to customise with your fonts and colours.

Tables allow you to list out details such as packages and pricing. Whether you’re covering travel or not, Media Galleries and inline imagery mean this digital magazine template is ready to hook readers.

Travel magazine template

Use it to showcase:

  • unique fonts
  • fantastic visuals
  • details, dates and pricing, and
  • destination branding and logos.
A travel magazine template
A travel magazine template

Fashion magazine template

Here is another template that lets the visuals do the talking. Take advantage of its full-width media sections to create striking luxury product features or glamorous brochures.

Large-scale media assets make this particular layout perfect for brands or publications that lean towards the minimalist end of the scale — and instead want to bring images to the fore of their graphic design.

Use it to showcase:

  • products
  • sponsored content, and
  • ranges or collections.

Images of people wearing sunglasses
Sunglass magazine

College sport magazine template

Whether you want to keep an alumni community engaged or simply promote a school’s physical education program, this sports magazine bio template helps you champion your talent, team, and facilities. With consistent branding design throughout, it’s easy to apply your own magazine’s logo, colouring, and fonts.

Sports magazine template

Use it to showcase:

  • brand assets and colour, and
  • action photography.

A young woman with white skin and brown hair holding a basketball.
Screenshot from an article about a basketball player.

Professional profile template

When you’re ready to showcase the photos and work of one person, team, department, or organisation, try this researcher profile template. It’s ideal for alumni magazines, business magazines, and more. Complete with full-width scrolling media and branded colouring, it’s ready to apply with your premium assets, brand colours, and typography.

It also has space for a logo and top navigation section, and uses icons throughout, which could be used to your advantage with your vector or icon assets.

Use it to showcase:

  • programs and projects, and
  • professional profiles.

A woman with light brown skin and black hair peers into some tech equipment.
A young woman with light brown skin and black hair stands with arms crossed.

Matchday programme template

Engage followers and share the news with a captivating magazine-style programme designed for sporting events or brand activations. With an opening letter section, media galleries, Q&As, and stats charts, it perfectly blends the classic elements of a magazine with engaging digital wizardry made possible online.

Its responsive design renders beautifully on mobile devices, and it’s fully customisable. The template is ideal for sport, but suitable for any material you want to present in a magazine issue style.

Matchday programme template

Use it to showcase:

  • message from the editor, coach, or brand CEO
  • full-width action shots
  • team or brand colours and logos, and
  • stats and figures.
Soccer players
Article on soccer team

Science magazine article template

This one's a great option to help you design your own templates for generalist or specialist science communication, tech, or engineering.

It has animated effects and visual explainer content to help you communicate your topic and datasets clearly — whether it's for fellow academics or the wider public.

Use it to showcase:

  • illustrated explainers
  • animations and photography
  • engaging scroll effects, and
  • brand style, colours and logos.

Colourful microscopic images of gut microbes.
Colourful microscopic images of gut microbes.

Player profile article template

This template follows a listicle format. With functionality to suit digital newspapers, matchday programmes, newsletters, blogs, and other forms of sports journalism, it uses a magazine-style layout ready for photography and strong visual storytelling.

Its engaging scroll effects and simple narrative will help keep your readers on the page as they learn about key player stories and stats.

Player Profile Template

Use it to showcase:

  • action photography
  • statistics and figures
  • achievements, and
  • player biographies.
Profiles on sports players
Fencing athlete and cyclist

Didn’t find the template for you?

Why not try our free brand communications templates, annual report templates, or feature article templates?

Or see the whole selection in our template gallery.

Tablets showing other related templates