# Accessing the visual builder

> The visual builder runs inside Zendesk. Here's how to get started with a free app trial, open the builder, and how trial and installed themes work.

Source: https://www.zenplates.co/documentation/visual-builder/accessing-the-builder (Visual builder › Introduction)

The visual builder is a Zendesk app that runs inside your Zendesk account. Once it's installed, you can open it from the Zendesk nav bar and start customizing a theme, whether you're trying it out on a trial theme or editing one in your theme library.

## What you need

To start using the visual builder you only need the app:

-
  The **Zenplates Help Center Page Builder app**, installed from the Zendesk Marketplace. Start with the 14-day free trial, then continue on a monthly subscription. The Single brand plan ($39.95/month) edits the help center for your account's main brand; the Multi brand plan ($49.95/month) edits every branded help center in your Zendesk account and adds dark mode styles. The app refers to these plans as **Standard** and **Pro** respectively.

-
  **No theme license to explore.** You can start a trial of any marketplace theme from the dashboard and customize it in the builder without buying anything.

A **Developer license** is only needed when you want to **install** a customized theme into your Zendesk account, or to edit a theme that's already installed there. Licenses can be bought through our website or through the [Zendesk Theme Marketplace](https://www.zendesk.com/marketplace/themes/). See [purchasing a theme](https://www.zenplates.co/documentation/overview/purchasing-a-theme) for the difference between Standard and Developer licenses.

A theme license applies to **all brands** in your Zendesk account. With the Multi brand plan you can edit it on every brand from a single interface; on the Single brand plan, other brands appear locked in the builder.

Licenses are added to your Zendesk account automatically, so there's no key to enter. Purchases from our website apply straight away, and Zendesk Marketplace Developer licenses are picked up within a day. To check sooner, open **View licenses** in the builder and click **Refresh**. A license key is only needed for purchases made in our previous store.

## Opening the builder

1. Install the [Zenplates Help Center Page Builder app](https://www.zendesk.com/marketplace/apps/support/1298926/help-center-builder) in your Zendesk account.

2. Open the app from the Zendesk nav bar. The dashboard shows your **Theme library** (your trial themes and the themes installed in the brand you're currently working in) and the **Marketplace themes** you can start a trial of.

3. If you manage more than one brand and have the Multi brand plan, choose the brand you want to work on from the brand dropdown. The first time you edit a theme on another brand, you'll be asked to authorize access to that brand.

4. Click **Customize** on the theme you'd like to edit to open it in the visual builder.

![The visual builder dashboard listing available themes](https://www.zenplates.co/assets/images/documentation/visual-builder/dashboard.webp)

## Trial themes vs. installed themes

The dashboard lets you work with two kinds of themes:

### Trial themes

A trial theme is a safe sandbox copy you can experiment with freely. It isn't visible to your help center visitors, which makes it the perfect place to try ideas, learn the builder or prototype a new design. You don't need a license to start a trial or to customize a trial theme. When you're happy with it, a Developer license lets you install it to add it to your Zendesk theme library; if you don't have one yet, click **Buy now** on the theme.

### Installed themes

An installed theme lives in your Zendesk theme library, and needs a Developer license to be edited in the builder. Changes you save are written directly to that theme. The theme only becomes visible to visitors once you **activate** it in Zendesk, so you can keep refining an installed theme without affecting your live help center until you're ready.

You can browse and start trials of our marketplace themes directly from the dashboard, rename your themes to keep things organized, and use **View in Workbench** from an installed theme's menu to open the Zendesk [Theming Workbench](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408824139546-Branding-your-help-center) at any time to manage and activate themes.

For more on how your work is stored and published, see [saving and publishing changes](https://www.zenplates.co/documentation/visual-builder/saving-and-publishing-changes).