# Use a Free Email Builder

No template? No problem. If you’re starting from scratch and some of the other custom template options don't apply for you, there are plenty of tools—many free—that can help you design a simple, functional email template. Once you’ve created a template, just make sure it’s clean HTML and tested (we recommend **Litmus**), then send it to FeedOtter and our team will take care of the setup.

### **Recommended Tool & Resources**

#### **Template Builders**

* [**BEE (beefree.io)**](https://beefree.io/) – Easy-to-use builder with free templates and the ability to export clean HTML for FeedOtter.
* [**Topol.io**](https://topol.io/) – Lightweight, user-friendly builder with a library of customizable templates.
* [**Designmodo**](https://designmodo.com/email-templates/) – Professionally designed responsive email templates and a visual builder, with options for both free and premium layouts.
* [**Stripo**](https://stripo.email/) – Drag-and-drop email builder with hundreds of free and premium templates you can customize and export as HTML.

#### **Testing & QA Tools**

* [**Litmus**](https://www.litmus.com/email-testing) – Industry standard for building and testing emails to ensure consistent rendering across inboxes.
* [**Email on Acid**](https://www.emailonacid.com/email-testing/) – Another robust testing platform to preview how your template looks in different clients/devices.

### **Next Steps**

1. Read our [HTML email best practices here](/custom-template-guide/html-email-best-practices.md).
2. Pick a tool that best fits your needs.
3. Customize it with your branding, images, and messaging.
4. Test it in **Litmus** or a similar tool to confirm it renders cleanly.
5. Send the final HTML to FeedOtter, and we’ll apply the necessary tokens to make it compatible within FeedOtter.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.feedotter.com/custom-template-guide/overview/use-a-free-email-builder.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.