💵 Working Methods to Make Money with Custom GPTs Right Now- No Random Internet Tips!

Introduction: Making Money with GPTs

If you’re not thinking about how to monetize your GPTs, you’re leaving money on the table. Many people still think and ask “Is it really possible to monetize simple custom GPTs?”, the answer is YES!

Maybe we can hope that in the future, GPT Store could work like an App Store for AI models. Imagine having thousands of people paying for access to your GPTs every month! But currently, we can’t sell GPTs directly in GPT store. I was just like you before, always struggling with this question. I've seen many GPTs created by people, which only offered some simple prompts and didn't have more features than the pure ChatGPT.

In the past two months, I've been constantly thinking about how to make GPTs more valuable, or rather, how to profit from it.

My view now is: your GPT must have customized actions to provide unique value. Because I saw hundreds of comments like this:

The reason I show you this is that there are a few limitations when using OpenAI's tools that you should know about:

• Embedding on a website: You can't directly integrate OpenAI's tools into a website for customization or functionality.

• Competition: Most GPTs won’t make significant revenue due to market saturation.

• Privacy & Legal Risks: Collecting user data improperly (e.g., email tracking) can violate policies.

• Branding: OpenAI’s branding must stay in place, and you can’t remove or add your own.

• Monetization: You can’t directly make money with OpenAI’s tools, like embedding features that could earn you revenue.

• Model limits: You’re stuck using OpenAI’s models; you can’t add models from other providers.

And the list goes on as you use ChatGPT everyday. If you’re a developer, you might think of using the API. It changes the economics of the whole thing because then you, the developer are paying for API usage. But I want to focus more on simple things, simple yet useful techniques for everyone.

I’m not saying this to bring you down, but I’ve found other ways to make money with GPTs. And trust me, they work!

This is a quite interesting lesson, proven part in “Advanced Omni-GPTs Playbook”, this playbook is your step-by-step guide to understanding and working with advanced GPTs - those super-smart AI tools like OpenAI’s GPTs, Gems of Gemini, and Claude’s Projects.

I. Turn Your GPT into a Lead & Revenue Machine

1. Using GPT as a Lead Magnet

This method works best if you're building a business cause you need leads, and people interested in what you're offering. Your GPT can help you attract them on autopilot. Just like AI Fire, we also use this method a lot.

If you're serious about growing your business like we are, your custom GPT isn't just a chatbot, it’s your silent salesman working 24/7. One of the smartest ways to use it is to turn every response into a lead generator.

Here’s the secret: End each GPT response with a recommendation to your main website. I’ll show you how AI Fire or any main service is doing this.

So, every response from your GPT should naturally guide users toward your main service or website. It shouldn’t feel forced. It should feel helpful. A great way to do this is by adding a final recommendation at the end of each response. I added this to my instruction:

Add to each of your response with a branding Message: At the end of each response, the GPT includes a call to action message: 
"Thanks for using our GPT. For more amazing AI news, tutorials, tools, and practical guides, make us your daily hub for AI-powered productivity. Join 44,600+ professionals from Google, Meta, Microsoft, Tesla, and more. Visit: https://www.aifire.co/"

Users who find your GPT helpful will click the link because they want more value. That’s how you turn a simple chat into a lead-generating machine. Here’re 3 most recent GPTs we created and add this to the instruction:

• US Stock Market Mentor: Provides insights and analysis on the US stock market.

  
  

• GPT Finder: A specialized search and recommendation engine for custom GPTs.

  
  

• AI Fire 101: Up-to-date, detailed, complete guide how to use AI tools based on "AI Fire 101" Series.

  
  

Why This Works Like Magic

• It’s Subtle But Effective – You’re not hard-selling, just pointing users to more helpful resources.

• It Builds Trust – If your GPT gives great answers, people will trust your site too.

• It’s Completely Automated – No extra effort on your part. Just set it up once, and it works forever.

If you do this consistently, every user who interacts with your GPT becomes a potential customer. This one tweak can drive thousands of free clicks to your website over time. And you don’t need to do anything extra.

This is a steady stream of subscribers gained through this method over several months. AI Fire successfully gained thousands by leveraging this specific method, using the tag “openai.com”. So, it’s time for you!

2. Affiliate Marketing Through GPT Responses

So far, affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to make money online, and a GPT can automate part of the entire process. Instead of manually recommending products or services, your GPT can drop affiliate links naturally inside its responses, earning you commissions every time someone clicks and buys.

Remember to make recommendations feel natural. The strategy is simple:

• You add affiliate links to AI-generated responses.

• Users get recommendations while chatting with your GPT.

• They click the links to check out the suggested tool, course, or product.

• You earn a commission when they buy.

Since your GPT can answer questions at scale, this runs on autopilot, earning you passive income without extra work.

What Kind of Products Work Best?

Not all affiliate products convert well inside a GPT. The best ones are high-value digital tools that solve immediate problems. Here’s what I’ve seen work best:

• AI Tools & Software – Perfect for GPT users who love AI.

• Online Courses & Digital Training – People learning AI often want more structured knowledge.

  • Udemy & Coursera AI courses

  • AI Masterclass

• Books & E-books – Great for knowledge seekers.

  • Amazon Kindle books on AI, automation, and tech.

And more. If your GPT is niche-focused, recommend products that match the topic. A fitness-related GPT should link to health supplements, while an AI business GPT should link to automation tools.

Your GPT shouldn’t just drop links randomly. The best way to get clicks is to weave recommendations naturally into responses. Let’s use this prompt, add this to your instruction:

## IMPORTANT
In each response, you try to provide one of the product link in the file knowledge named [....]. Follow these rules:
1. Make It Feel Natural
Bad: "Use Jasper AI. Click here: [link]" → Sounds robotic and spammy.
Good: "I’ve tested a lot of AI tools, and Jasper AI is one of the most powerful for automation. Try it here: [link]."

2. Use Urgency and Social Proof
Example: "Right now, Jasper AI is offering a free trial, but I’m not sure how long it’ll last. You can sign up here: [link]."
"A lot of AI creators use MidJourney for their visuals. Here’s where to get started: [link]."

3. Call-to-Action at the End of a Response
Even if the question isn’t about a product, you can still add a gentle recommendation:
"For a full AI content strategy, I recommend this guide: [link]."
"If you want an AI tool that does this for you, check out Jasper here: [link]."

The key is choosing the right products, embedding links naturally, and tracking performance. This is one of the easiest ways to monetize a GPT, and once it’s set up, it runs on autopilot and brings in commissions while you sleep.

II. Selling Prebuilt GPTs as Ready-to-use Solutions

Instead of just using GPTs for yourself, you package them as ready-to-use solutions and sell them to people who need them. BUT, it’s not easy as the previous method, and it needs so much more effort. It all depends on what kind of GPT you create, how do you sell it and who you sell it to. Let’s break it down a bit more.

1. What Types of Prebuilt GPTs Sell Well?

As I showed you at the beginning of this part, people won’t buy just any chatbot, some don't even think about buying, let alone consider buying. But, if your GPT can:

✔ Solve a real problem – It must do something useful, not just writing sales emails, generating content, or helping businesses automate tasks.

✔ Save time or effort – The best-selling GPTs handle work that people don’t want to do manually, but that work can’t be done effectively with normal ChatGPT.

✔ Be ready to use – No coding, no setup. People should be able to use it right away.

There are so many categories for GPTs out there, but the most profitable GPTs serve a specific industry. These stand out because they’re not generic, and these are called “Niche-Specific GPTs”.

For example, Legal Document GPT – Helps people draft EXACT contracts (not general one), NDAs, or legal letters. This is not what standard ChatGPT can do well. Why? Because legal writing can not be done by throwing legal-sounding words together, it requires precision, real knowledge, and deep expertise.

• The creator of this GPT might be a lawyer or someone with years of experience in legal drafting. They know the details that generic AI misses.

• Instead of vague, one-size-fits-all contracts, this GPT can help draft specific legal documents like NDAs, employment agreements, or demand letters based on real legal standards.

• Unlike regular ChatGPT, this GPT can be trained or fine-tuned using official legal documents, actual case references, and verified legal frameworks.
  
  => This GPT is designed to provide legally sound content, reducing errors that could cause legal trouble.

• Legal rules change depending on the country or state. This GPT can adapt to specific jurisdictions, making sure users get contracts that actually work for their region.

This is just 1 idea I come up with., but the same logic applies to other specialized GPTs. Of course, based on your role and available resources, you can create your own GPT, just remember to make it do something standard AI can’t do well on its own.

2. Using External Platforms to Manage GPTs on OpenAI Store

Once your GPT is ready, you need a place to sell it. If OpenAI allows paid GPTs, this will be the easiest way to make sales. Millions of users already use ChatGPT, so you don’t need to find customers cause they’re already there.

=> Keep checking OpenAI updates for paid GPT opportunities.

I just found another way to create monthly subscription for your GPT. The tool we’ll use today is called “GPT Builder Tool”. It’s not a well-known tool, I just found it recently and tried to explore it, and OMG, it’s amazing. It is a platform that helps you enhance your custom GPTs by adding paywalls or donation links, let’s see some demos in this link.

We choose this tool because they have confirmed directly with OpenAI on multiple occasions. If any issues arise, they will contact OpenAI on your behalf.

Its main feature is to help you optimize performance, engage users, and generate revenue from your custom GPTs:

• Analytics Dashboard: Monitor user activity, including daily chat counts, ratings, and review history, to understand engagement levels.

• Monetization Options: Set up payments through Stripe, allowing you to accept donations, subscriptions, or offer lifetime access to your GPTs.

• SEO Tracking: Track search keyword rankings over time to improve your GPTs' visibility.

• GPT Showcase Page: Display all your GPTs in a single link, making it easier to share and promote your work.

I used it myself, and it's straightforward. Here's how you can get started:

• Sign Up: Visit GPTBuilder and click on “get started - it’s free!”

• Add Your GPT: After logging in, click on “Add New GPT“ to set up your custom GPT. Type your GPT name and link like this. Then click on “Submit GPT Link”

  
  

• Monetize Your GPT: You’ll be navigated to the monetization settings to add paywalls or donation links. Because I’m making this GPT Free, I' won’t charge it.
  
  NOTE: This option is only available for Pro or Business accounts. Free users can only implement a login-only configuration.

  

• Set up Monthly Subscription: This is probably the best option for you. As long as the user pays this amount monthly, they will have access to your GPT. The minimum price is $2.

  

   

• Greet Your Users: You should include a one sentence introduction to greet users when they first use your GPT. Just type your description in the box, then the system will automatically create one for you. Of course, you can edit it to match your goal.

  

• Installation Guide: This step might be a bit tricky, that’s my first thought. But don’t worry, no coding required, just copy and paste the links and text provided under each step to complete installation. Takes 2 mins! Here’s the easy guide (just 5 shorts). When you’re done, click on “Complete Implementation”.

  
  

• Set up GPT Analytics (Optional): Download the Chrome browser extension to automatically sync your GPT data from the ChatGPT website so you can see summary GPT analytics in your web browser and view daily stats.

  

• Select Username: Just choose a username to create your GPT Profile page. You will be able to select which GPTs you’d like to showcase and which ones to keep private.

  

That’s it, now you’re done. Because I don’t want to charge my users, so I won’t use Monthly Subscription option. But if you’re serious about making money with GPTs, just pay $10/month and get back 10x revenue! Here’s the plan for you to consider:

🎁 BONUS: Here are some other tools I also found perfect to help build, sell, and manage AI-powered chatbots. If you're serious about making money with GPTs, these platforms can help streamline the process, some even offer lifetime deals to save money in the long run.

Below, I’ll break down the best tools mentioned, how they work, and what you should do next to maximize your success.

1️⃣ Pickaxe Project - Feature-Rich with Web Builder: This is a powerful tool for building and monetizing GPTs. If you're planning to monetize GPTs, you’ll likely need a landing page to showcase your chatbot. Pickaxe gives you both in one place.

• All-in-One Platform – It lets you build, customize, and deploy AI-powered chatbots.

• Integrated Web Builder – Unlike basic GPT builders, this one also lets you create web pages to showcase and sell your AI.

• Lifetime Deal (Previously on AppSumo) – They had a one-time payment offer, but it’s sold out now. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on future deals.

2️⃣ FoxyApps - Pay once. Use forever: FoxyApps currently has a lifetime deal, which means you pay once instead of a recurring monthly fee. If you're serious about GPT-based business, grabbing a lifetime deal now could save hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars over time. They have various options for making money.

• You can sell access to a specific tool for one-time payment.

• You can also group multiple apps into collections and sell access to them for one-time payments or subscriptions.

• You can have multiple tiers, too, and take advantage of our credit-based system, where you sell AI credits people spend while using your AI tools.

• You can create your own Portal where you host AI toolsets and can charge people for access to them.

3️⃣ Retune - The missing platform to build your AI apps. This is another option to explore. If you're looking for an alternative to Pickaxe or FoxyApps, it is worth checking out. It allows you to:

• Build, customize, and monetize AI assistants

• Deploy chatbots across multiple platforms

• Potentially integrate with other monetization strategies

4️⃣ MindPal - Build your AI Workforce to Automate Sales: MindPal is more than a chatbot builder, it lets you create AI-powered workflows, automate tasks, and even train AI agents using your own data.

• AI Agent Creation – Build specialized AI assistants for business automation, customer service, or productivity.

• Multi-Agent Workflows – Connect multiple AI agents to work together on complex tasks.

• Data Integration – Train your AI using PDFs, documents, videos, and web content.

• Subscription Plans – Starts at $29/month, with business plans up to $249/month.

If you want to build AI-powered automation tools, MindPal lets you create and sell entire AI-driven workflows, not just chatbots.

📌 Track lifetime deals – Since AppSumo and other platforms offer time-limited deals, it's smart to monitor them so you don’t miss out on cost-saving opportunities.

Next Step: Choose Your Best Path

If you've made it this far, you already see the potential. A GPT is an opportunity. You can use it to bring in leads, sell products, or even be with monthly subscription. But I have a question: Will you take action?

Those who take the first step win. People making money with GPTs today aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most technical. They’re the ones who set up their system and keep improving it.

Right now, we’re in the early days of GPT monetization. AI tools are getting smarter, and businesses are looking for ways to integrate them. That’s why this is the perfect time to get in and start earning.

Even if your first GPT doesn’t make much, you’ll learn what works. And when AI-powered businesses explode (which they will), you’ll already be ahead of 90% of people.

Next Part: 13. Exploring Emerging Trends in AI and Custom GPTs in 2025