I created about 5 free templates before I attempted any paid ones. It’s a great way to gain traction for any paid products you might want to launch. But the best advice I ever received was to put my templates on Gumroad because generous people often choose to pay you for them. This year I’ve made $365 from free templates, which is better than $0!
My only suggestion with a free product is to include a ‘suggested’ amount. It just helps people to gauge how much might be a good idea to donate to you.