Google Sites Templates: What Exists and How to Make Your Own

Google Sites has its own Template Gallery, opened from the top right of the Sites home screen, and picking one opens an editable copy. You can reuse any site you built with Make a copy. Workspace organisations can also publish shared templates. Files from other website builders, including ours, cannot be imported into Google Sites.

Ways to start a Google Site from a template (as of October 2026)
MethodWho can use itHow
Template GalleryAnyone with a Google accountSites home, Template Gallery, pick one
Copy your own siteAnyone who can edit the siteMore, Make a copy, whole site or selected pages
Organisation templatesSome Google Workspace editionsAdmin turns on custom templates; members submit sites
Third-party templatesVariesUsually a shared Google Site you copy

Updated

To be plain about it: the website templates on We.Inc are not Google Sites files and cannot be opened or imported in Google Sites. Google Sites only builds from its own sites. This guide covers what Google offers, how to turn a site you made into a reusable starting point, and how to tell whether Google Sites suits your project at all.

Is Google Sites right for this project?

Answer four questions. Nothing is saved or sent.

  1. Is the site mainly for people inside your school, team or company?
  2. Do you need to sell products or take payments on the site?
  3. Do you plan to publish regular blog posts or news with dates and categories?
  4. Is this a public site for a business that needs its own look and to be found on search?

Answer all four to see a suggestion.

Adding your own HTML with Embed

In the Sites editor, choose Insert, then Embed, then the Embed code tab, paste the code and insert it. Google added this in December 2017. Embedded code runs in its own frame, so it cannot restyle the rest of the page.

Opening hours card for an Embed block

A small self-contained block with its own styles. Edit the times and the phone number, then paste it into Embed code.

<div style="font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;max-width:320px;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:12px;padding:16px">
  <h3 style="margin:0 0 8px">Opening hours</h3>
  <p style="margin:4px 0">Mon to Fri: 9:00 to 17:30</p>
  <p style="margin:4px 0">Sat: 10:00 to 14:00</p>
  <p style="margin:4px 0">Sun: closed</p>
  <a href="tel:+15555550123" style="display:inline-block;margin-top:10px;padding:8px 14px;border-radius:999px;background:#4F98FB;color:#fff;text-decoration:none">Call us</a>
</div>

Template routes compared

What each route gives you
RouteKeeps your layoutShared with othersNeeds an admin
Template GalleryNo, Google's layoutNoNo
Make a copyYesOnly if you share the copyNo
Organisation galleryYesYes, across the organisationYes, to turn it on

Organisation templates in Google Workspace

Admins control custom templates in the Admin console under the Drive and Docs template settings. Submission can be open to everyone, moderated so an admin approves each new template, or restricted to admins.

If the setting is moderated or restricted and you cannot submit, the template still works for you through Make a copy; it just will not appear in the shared gallery for colleagues.

When Google Sites is the right tool

Google Sites shines for intranets, class pages, project hubs and event pages where everyone already works in Google Drive and sharing can be limited to your organisation.

It is a weaker fit when you need a store, booking with payments, a blog with dated posts and categories, or detailed control over search settings. The chooser below asks about those needs.

How it works

  1. Open Google Sites while signed in and choose Template Gallery at the top right of the home screen.
  2. Pick a template. Google opens a copy in the editor that you own, so changes never affect the original.
  3. To reuse your own layout, open a finished site, choose More, then Make a copy, and pick the whole site or selected pages.
  4. In a Workspace organisation, ask your admin whether custom templates are on; if so, submit your site to the organisation's gallery tab.

Tips

  • Build one tidy master site with your header, colours and footer, then copy it for each new project instead of starting from the gallery every time.
  • Google's help warns that very large sites may not copy, so keep a template site lean.
  • Use the Embed option for things Sites does not do natively, such as a booking widget, but keep each embed small and test it on a phone.
  • Before you rebuild a site elsewhere, list its pages and download its images from Drive so nothing is lost.

Frequently asked questions

Are there free Google Sites templates?

Yes. Every template in Google's own Template Gallery is free to use with a Google account. Some outside designers sell templates, which are usually Google Sites they share for you to copy.

Can I import a website template into Google Sites?

No. Google Sites has no import for HTML themes or templates from other builders. You can paste small pieces of HTML into an Embed block, but the page layout itself has to be built in Sites.

How do I make my own Google Sites template?

On any account, keep a master site and use Make a copy for each new project. In Google Workspace organisations where an admin has turned on custom templates, you can also submit a site to the organisation's tab of the Template Gallery.

Which Workspace editions support custom templates?

Google's admin help lists Business Standard and Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Standard and Plus, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Nonprofits, and the older G Suite Basic and Business editions.

Can We.Inc templates be used in Google Sites?

No. They are full websites built and hosted with We.Inc. If you like one, you would build with We.Inc instead of Google Sites; nothing transfers between the two.

Related: Google Sites alternatives, Google Sites pricing, Wix vs Google Sites, We.Inc website templates, Website planner.

Start for free or see all free tools. We.Inc is free to start, with no card needed. AI building is on paid plans from $20 a month.

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