Best LaTeX Research Paper Templates (2026)
The right LaTeX paper template is the one your target venue publishes: IEEEtran for IEEE, llncs for Springer, acmart for ACM, RevTeX for Physical Review, and AASTeX for astronomy. Pick the matching class and the formatting is handled for you. Here are the best free ones.
Every template below is compile-tested and opens on LetX with one-second compiles and real-time co-authoring — and your unpublished work is never used to train AI.
The templates
IEEE Conference Paper
IEEEtran — the standard two-column class for IEEE conferences and transactions.
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Elsevier Article (elsarticle)
Elsevier elsarticle — for Elsevier journals across science and engineering.
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Nature Article Template
A Nature-style article layout for high-impact submissions and preprints.
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REVTeX 4.2 Physics Paper
RevTeX 4.2 — American Physical Society journals (PRD/PRL/PRX).
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AASTeX Astronomy Paper
AASTeX 6.3.1 — The Astrophysical Journal, AJ and other AAS journals.
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Elegant arXiv Preprint
A clean, elegant arXiv preprint layout for posting before peer review.
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PRISMA Systematic Review
A PRISMA-compliant systematic review template with the flow diagram.
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Elsevier CAS Double Column
Elsevier CAS double-column class for the newer Elsevier format.
Open in LetX →Which one should you pick?
| If you are submitting to... | Use |
|---|---|
| IEEE conference/journal | IEEE (IEEEtran) |
| Springer CS proceedings | Springer LNCS |
| ACM venue | ACM acmart |
| Physics (APS) | RevTeX 4.2 |
| Astronomy (AAS/RAS) | AASTeX or MNRAS |
| Preprint server | arXiv preprint |
Browse them all — plus 150+ other free LaTeX templates — at letx.app/templates. Everything is MIT-licensed and compiles in your browser in about a second.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a specific LaTeX template for each journal?
Yes — most journals mandate their own document class (IEEEtran, llncs, acmart, elsarticle, RevTeX, AASTeX). Using the correct class ensures the right margins, columns and reference style, and avoids desk-rejection for formatting.
What is the best LaTeX template for an IEEE paper?
Use IEEEtran, the official IEEE class. Our IEEE conference paper template is pre-configured with the two-column layout, author block and bibliography style IEEE expects.
How do I write a paper in LaTeX without installing it?
Open any paper template on LetX and click "Open as Template". It compiles to PDF in about a second in your browser, supports real-time collaboration, and exports submission-ready source.
Which template should I use for arXiv?
arXiv accepts any LaTeX class, so you can post your journal-formatted source directly, or use a clean preprint template like our elegant arXiv preprint for a venue-neutral look.
Can multiple authors edit the same LaTeX paper at once?
Yes. On LetX several co-authors edit the same source simultaneously in the browser, with one-second compiles — and your work is never used to train AI.
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Written by Shihab Shahriar Antor — AI Engineer & Founder of Shahriar Labs. Builder of LetX (collaborative LaTeX) and QuantumSketch (AI STEM video).