MadeThis Review: I Used It to Build My Online Business From Scratch
Here’s an honest look at what MadeThis is, what it actually costs, and whether it’s worth it in 2025.
This review contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use.
AI analysis powered by GPT-4o-mini (OpenAI)
Quick Verdict
Pros
- AI builds your site for you
- No coding needed
- Affordable pricing
- Digital products + checkout built-in
Cons
- Newer platform
- Fewer templates than Shopify
Best For
People starting their first online business
What is MadeThis?
MadeThis is an AI-powered platform for building and running an online business. It’s not just a website builder — it’s the whole operation. Store, checkout, blog, customer support, and marketing automation, all in one place, all powered by AI.
The thing that sets it apart is the AI co-founder, named DAN. Unlike a chatbot that answers basic questions, DAN knows your business — your products, your customers, your goals — and actively helps you run it. It writes copy, suggests strategy, handles outreach, and answers customer questions around the clock.
I found MadeThis after spending two weeks comparing platforms: Gumroad, Shopify, Kajabi, Podia. None of them felt right for someone starting from zero with no tech background. MadeThis was the first platform where I felt like I had a co-founder, not just a tool.
It’s built specifically for solopreneurs, first-time entrepreneurs, and digital product creators. If you want to go from idea to live business without hiring a developer or stitching together 10 different SaaS tools, this is the platform for that.
What I Built With MadeThis
I used MadeThis to build StartWithAI — this site. It’s an affiliate blog and digital products store, and it went from zero to live in under a day. I didn’t write a single line of code.
DAN, the AI co-founder, handled the technical architecture. It set up the storefront, configured the checkout, wired up the SEO blog, and helped me write the first product descriptions. I focused on the content strategy and business direction while DAN handled everything else.
Within the first month, I had digital products listed, blog posts indexed by Google, and real traffic coming in through organic search. The outbound marketing feature drove my first sales — the AI wrote targeted outreach and sent sequences on my behalf. I didn’t run a single ad.
That’s not a pitch. That’s what actually happened.
MadeThis Features
AI Co-Founder
DAN builds and runs your site alongside you — writing copy, suggesting strategy, handling customer questions, and identifying growth opportunities in your business.
Digital Product Checkout
Sell ebooks, courses, templates, and services with a built-in checkout. Payments are processed automatically and digital files are delivered instantly after purchase.
SEO Blog Engine
A full blog system built for organic traffic. AI helps you research topics, write content, and optimize for search — so customers find you without paid ads.
Marketing Automation
Outbound email sequences, ad copy, and analytics — all managed by the AI. It identifies your target audience and reaches out on your behalf while you focus on building.
MadeThis Pricing
You can start free and upgrade when you’re ready.
Starter
Free
Build your store, list products, and make your first sales — no credit card required.
- ✓Store + checkout
- ✓Digital delivery
- ✓AI co-founder (basic)
- ✓MadeThis subdomain
Growth
PopularPaid
For businesses ready to scale — more AI capacity, custom domain, and lower fees.
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓Custom domain
- ✓Advanced AI features
- ✓Lower transaction fees
Scale
Paid
For serious operators who want maximum AI capacity and volume.
- ✓Everything in Growth
- ✓Highest AI capacity
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Team access
See madethis.com/pricing for current pricing and plan details.
Who Should Use MadeThis?
- First-time entrepreneurs who want to start an online business without a tech background
- Digital product sellers — ebooks, courses, templates, coaching, services
- Bloggers who want to monetize their content and build an audience-first business
- Side hustlers who are serious about building toward full-time income
- Solopreneurs who want one platform instead of 10 disconnected tools
Who Shouldn’t Use MadeThis?
I’m going to be honest here — no platform is for everyone.
- Large enterprise e-commerce operations that need deep Shopify integrations and complex inventory management
- Developers who want full control over their infrastructure, codebase, and hosting environment
- Physical product businesses that rely on advanced logistics and fulfillment integrations
Final Verdict
I’ve tried a lot of platforms. MadeThis is the only one where I felt like I had a co-founder from day one — not just a tool to manage. The AI is genuinely useful, the setup is genuinely fast, and the all-in-one approach removes the paralysis of trying to stitch together the right stack.
Is it perfect? No. It’s a newer platform, so the third-party integrations aren’t as deep as Shopify, and some advanced features are still rolling out. But for what most people actually need — a clean store, digital product delivery, an AI that helps you grow — it does everything.
If you’re serious about starting an online business in 2025, start on MadeThis. The free plan costs nothing. You can be live and taking payments by end of day. That’s not a line — that’s exactly what happened to me.
Ready to try it yourself?
No credit card. No time limit. Build your store, list your first product, and see if it resonates — before spending a single dollar.