Recommended Resources
These are the tools I actually use and recommend for building an online business with AI. Every tool listed here has been tested. Where there is a free option, it comes first.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, Marcus may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. He only recommends tools he genuinely believes in.
The Free Starter Stack
Everything you need to launch an online business for $0. Start here before spending anything.
- Systeme.io (Free Plan) , funnels, email marketing, course hosting, and affiliate management. The best all-in-one free platform for beginners. No credit card required.
- ChatGPT (Free) , AI writing, research, brainstorming, and strategy. The free plan is genuinely useful for getting started.
- Google Gemini (Free) , a strong free alternative to ChatGPT. Great for research and real-time information.
- Canva (Free) , design tool for blog images, social graphics, lead magnet PDFs, and more.
When you are ready to invest
These are the paid upgrades worth considering once you are already making money and want to scale.
- Systeme.io Paid Plans (from $27/month) , upgrade when you hit 2,000 contacts or need more funnels and automation.
- ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) , faster, smarter output. Worth it once you are producing content consistently.
- [JASPER_AFFILIATE_LINK]Jasper ($49/month)[/JASPER_AFFILIATE_LINK] , best for scaling SEO content. Recommended once you are publishing 4 or more articles per week.
- [HOSTINGER_AFFILIATE_LINK]Hostinger (from ~$3/month)[/HOSTINGER_AFFILIATE_LINK] , cheapest reputable hosting for your own WordPress site. Worth adding once you want to build long-term SEO traffic.
Helpful guides for each tool
- Systeme.io Review 2025 , full breakdown of features and free plan
- Systeme.io Free Plan: Everything You Get , how to max out the free plan
- Systeme.io Tutorial for Beginners , set up your first funnel step by step
- ChatGPT vs Gemini , which free AI tool is right for you
- How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Blog Post , step by step with real prompts
- Jasper AI Review 2025 , honest review of when it is worth paying for
- Systeme.io vs Your Own Website , which to start with
If you want the fastest route through the site, go back to Start Here.

