DEV Community: Катерина

Why Does Starting an Online Business Feel So Expensive? I Found a Way to Start for $0

Катерина — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 16:11:34 +0000

You don't need five subscriptions, a developer, or a huge budget to test your first online business idea.

Can we talk about something that genuinely annoys me about the whole "make money online" industry?

Everyone keeps telling you how easy it is to start an online business.

"Sell a digital product."

"Build a sales funnel."

"Start an email list."

"Automate everything."

Sounds amazing, right?

Until you actually try to figure out how to do it.

Suddenly, you need a website builder. An email marketing platform. A landing page tool. Something to process payments. Maybe another subscription to automate it all.

And before you've made your first dollar, you're already looking at a pile of monthly expenses.

Wait. Wasn't the whole point to make money, not spend it?

That's the part I think we don't talk about enough.

The Biggest Problem Isn't Your Business Idea

I think a lot of people never even test their ideas because getting started feels unnecessarily complicated.

Imagine you want to sell something simple.

A $15 digital planner. A collection of templates. A beginner-friendly course. Or maybe you just want to collect leads for your freelance services.

You don't need a massive company.

You need a place where people can discover your offer, sign up, and eventually buy.

But when you start researching how to build that system, things get overwhelming fast.

And I genuinely don't believe someone should have to invest hundreds of dollars just to discover whether their idea has potential.

Your first goal shouldn't be building the perfect business. It should be finding out if someone actually wants what you're offering.

That's why I started looking for simpler options.

Then I Came Across Systeme.io

One platform kept catching my attention: Systeme.io.

Not because it promised overnight success or some magical passive-income formula.

But because it brought together tools that people usually pay for separately.

Landing pages. Sales funnels. Email marketing. Automations. Online courses. Payment integrations.

All in one place.

And here's what surprised me:

It actually has a free plan. Not a seven-day trial. A free plan that doesn't expire.

I checked what it includes, because whenever someone says "free," my first question is usually: Okay, what's the catch?

Here's what you can currently get:

Up to 2,000 contacts
3 sales funnels
Unlimited email sending
1 email campaign
1 automation rule
1 online course
Landing pages and sales pages

And you don't need a credit card to sign up.

Of course, the free plan has limits. More advanced businesses may eventually need an upgrade, and payment providers can charge processing fees.

But for someone who wants to test a business idea without committing to another subscription?

That's a pretty interesting starting point.

Check out Systeme.io and create a free account here.

Here's What You Could Actually Do With It

Let's make this practical.

Say you want to sell a $19 digital productivity planner.

Instead of spending weeks building a website, you could create a simple funnel:

Step 1: Create a landing page.

Offer a free productivity checklist in exchange for an email address.

Step 2: Automate the welcome email.

When someone subscribes, they receive an email with the checklist automatically.

Step 3: Introduce your paid product.

Create a sales page for your $19 planner and explain why it might be useful.

Step 4: Set up your checkout.

Connect a supported payment provider and configure how customers can purchase your product.

That's your starting point.

No complicated code. No need to connect five different marketing subscriptions.

Now, does this mean people will suddenly start buying?

Obviously not.

You still need something people want, a compelling offer, and a way to attract potential customers.

But you can at least build the infrastructure without spending money on several subscriptions before you've validated your idea.

And that makes a difference.

You Don't Have to Have Everything Figured Out

Here's something I've been thinking about.

We spend so much time preparing to start.

Researching platforms.

Comparing subscriptions.

Watching tutorials.

Looking for the perfect business model.

And sometimes all that preparation becomes another reason to postpone actually doing something.

I'm not saying you should launch a random product tomorrow and expect to get rich.

I'm saying you can stop treating a huge starting budget as a prerequisite for experimenting.

You can create a landing page.

You can test an offer.

You can see whether people are interested.

You can learn what works before paying for more sophisticated tools.

And if your idea doesn't work?

You haven't locked yourself into an expensive software stack just to find out.

So, Is Systeme.io Worth Trying?

If you already have an established business with complex requirements, you'll probably want to compare it with your existing tools.

But if you're starting from zero, exploring digital products, or looking for a more affordable way to manage your marketing?

I think it's worth a look.

Especially because the entry cost is literally $0.

You don't have to buy a course about making money online before testing an idea.

You don't need a beautifully designed website before collecting your first email address.

And you definitely don't need to pay for a bunch of tools just because everyone on the internet says you should.

You can start small. Learn. Test. Improve.

That's a much more realistic approach to building something that could eventually become a source of income.

One Last Thing

If you've been putting off your business idea because you thought you needed more money, more technical skills, or more tools, maybe it's worth reconsidering that assumption.

The platform won't do the hard work for you.

But removing some of the cost and technical barriers might be exactly what helps you take the first step.

And personally, I think that's a much better place to start than buying another subscription and hoping everything works out.

Want to see what you can build without spending anything?

Try Systeme.io for free and start building your first sales funnel.

No credit card required. No expiring free trial. Just a chance to test your idea.

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. I'm an independent Systeme.io affiliate, which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.

How I Resize AI-Generated Ads Without Ruining the Original Design

Катерина — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:33:06 +0000

I've been working with advertising creatives for almost a year now, and during that time, I've learned a few things about using AI for commercial design.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was adapting the same advertising creative to different sizes without changing the original design.

You create a banner, everything looks good, the client approves it, and now you need a mobile version.

Sounds simple, right?

But AI doesn't always understand that you want to change the layout, not the design itself. Products can look different, packaging details can change, and sometimes the entire composition gets redesigned.

I've run into this more than once.

After experimenting with different prompts, I found an approach that makes the whole process much more predictable.

And it comes down to one simple thing: telling AI exactly what it can change and what it needs to leave alone.

Here's how I do it

Let's say I've created a desktop banner for a promotional campaign, and now I need to adapt it for mobile.

For example:

Desktop banner: 2880 × 1024 px
Mobile banner: 750 × 1108 px

These are two completely different layouts.

Simply stretching or cropping the original image won't work. The products need to be repositioned, the text needs to remain readable, and the entire composition has to make sense in a vertical format.

But here's the important part: I don't want AI to create a new design.

I want it to work with the one I already have.

So instead of writing something like "Resize this banner for mobile," I upload the original image and use a prompt that clearly separates what must stay the same from what can be adjusted.

The prompt I use

ROLE

Act as a senior advertising designer specializing in e-commerce visuals and professional layout adaptation.

CONTEXT

I'm uploading an existing advertising creative that needs to be adapted to a different format.

The original design is already approved. Your job is to preserve its visual identity while adapting the composition to the new dimensions.

TASK

Adapt the uploaded image to:

TARGET DIMENSIONS: [INSERT WIDTH × HEIGHT]

Use the original image as the main visual reference.

CONSTRAINTS

PRESERVE:

Exact products, packaging, labels, and logos
All original promotional text and spelling
Brand colors, lighting, and visual style
Product proportions and important details
The overall visual identity of the campaign

YOU MAY CHANGE:

Canvas dimensions and aspect ratio
Positioning and spacing of existing elements
Text placement to improve readability
Background extension when necessary
Composition to fit the new format naturally

DO NOT:

Redesign the original creative
Invent, replace, or remove products
Change packaging or product details
Add new decorative elements
Rewrite promotional text
Stretch or distort the original image

OUTPUT FORMAT

Create one adapted version of the original creative for the requested format.

Keep the composition visually balanced and professional.

If an element cannot fit naturally without changing an important detail, explain the limitation instead of silently modifying it.

One more thing I've learned

A detailed prompt helps, but it doesn't guarantee a perfect result.

AI can still make small mistakes, especially with product packaging, labels, and typography.

That's why I always compare the adapted version with the original before sending anything to a client.

I usually check four things:

Products: Are the shapes, colors, and packaging details still correct?
Text: Is every word accurate and readable?
Composition: Does the new layout actually work for its intended format?
Brand consistency: Does it still look like part of the same campaign?

If something needs a small correction, I often find it easier to fix it manually in Canva rather than regenerate the entire image.

I also check the final export dimensions, because requesting a specific size from an AI image tool doesn't always mean the generated file will have those exact pixel dimensions.

My takeaway

I've learned that getting better results with AI isn't always about finding a better tool.

Sometimes it's simply about being more specific with your instructions.

For me, separating the things AI can change from the things it absolutely needs to preserve has made adapting advertising creatives much easier to manage.

It doesn't mean every image comes out perfect on the first try. But it gives me more control over the process and helps me avoid unnecessary redesigns.

And that's exactly what I need when working on real client projects.

If you're also working with AI tools, design, content, or digital projects, I share more practical prompts and workflows in my Telegram channel, WORKKIT.

https://t.me/workkitai

Just useful AI tricks and tools that make everyday work a little easier.

An AI Tool That Analyzes and Compares Multiple Sources — Here's How to Use It

Катерина — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:10:47 +0000

Compare YouTube videos, find conflicting opinions, and uncover useful insights without manually analyzing every source.

You have five YouTube videos on the same topic. Each is an hour long, and every creator has a slightly different opinion.

You could watch all five, take notes, and try to compare everything yourself.

Or you could use Google NotebookLM to analyze all five sources together.

Here's a practical example of how it works.

What I Tested

I uploaded five YouTube courses about affiliate marketing in 2026 into NotebookLM.

The videos covered similar topics: choosing profitable niches, finding affiliate programs, driving traffic, and generating sales.

I wasn't looking for five separate summaries.

I wanted to know:

Which recommendations do most creators agree on?
Where do their opinions contradict each other?
What useful ideas appear in only one video?
Which conclusions deserve further research?

One comparison prompt generated a structured report showing agreements, differences, and unique insights across the sources.

What NotebookLM Found

1. YouTube vs. SEO: Which Drives Better Results?

Josh Burns Tech reported that video content generates more than 90% of his $40,000 monthly affiliate revenue.

Marketer Milk argued that SEO-driven blogs can be more effective because YouTube viewers sometimes search for products directly instead of clicking affiliate links.

Alex Micol presented a different approach: selling through TikTok Shop without building a traditional website.

Three different strategies, presented side by side.

Instead of simply summarizing what each creator said, NotebookLM made the differences between their approaches easier to identify.

2. Is Amazon Associates Worth Using?

Adam Enfroy criticized Amazon's relatively low commissions and short attribution window.

Josh Burns Tech recommended Amazon Associates as a starting point for beginners because of its accessibility and established customer base.

The difference becomes clearer when you compare their priorities: higher commissions versus a lower barrier to entry.

Neither position automatically applies to every business. But the comparison reveals what each recommendation is based on.

3. Do You Actually Need a Website?

Santrel Media and Marketer Milk emphasized the importance of owning a website for credibility, affiliate approvals, and building an email audience.

Alex Micol described an approach that relies on TikTok Shop instead.

NotebookLM identified these competing recommendations without requiring me to manually organize the five courses.

These findings reflect the claims identified in the uploaded video transcripts, not independently verified earnings or business results.

It Also Found Ideas That Weren't Repeated Everywhere

The analysis highlighted several additional techniques:

1. The Vitamin vs. Painkiller Framework

Marketer Milk differentiated between products people would like to have and products that solve an immediate, important problem.

2. Direct Brand Partnerships

Several creators discussed contacting brands directly to negotiate custom affiliate commissions instead of relying exclusively on public affiliate networks.

3. ManyChat Automation

Santrel Media described using ManyChat to automatically deliver resources and affiliate links when users comment specific keywords on short-form videos.

4. AI Search Optimization

Adam Enfroy discussed structuring article headings around specific questions to make content more discoverable in AI-powered search.

5. Professional Media Kits

Josh Burns Tech highlighted the importance of presenting audience demographics and performance metrics when pitching brands.

These ideas were scattered across different courses. NotebookLM organized them into one comparison, making it easier to identify which techniques deserved a closer look.

How to Do This Yourself

You can repeat this workflow with almost any research topic.

Step 1. Open Google NotebookLM

Go to notebooklm.google.com and create a new notebook.

Step 2. Add Your Sources

Choose three to five YouTube videos about the same topic.

Click Add sources → YouTube and paste the video URLs.

NotebookLM uses available transcripts, so choose public videos with accessible captions.

Step 3. Run the Comparison

Once your sources have been processed, paste the following prompt into the NotebookLM chat.

Copy This Prompt

Role:
Act as a research analyst specializing in comparing multiple sources.

Context:
I have uploaded several sources covering the same topic.

Task:
Analyze all sources together and identify:

1. Ideas and recommendations that multiple sources agree on.
2. Direct contradictions between sources.
3. Unique insights mentioned by only one source.
4. Important details that some sources overlook.
5. Practical conclusions supported by the material.

Constraints:
- Use only the uploaded sources.
- Include source citations for major findings.
- Do not invent missing information.
- Distinguish actual contradictions from different perspectives.
- If evidence is insufficient, say so explicitly.

Output Format:
1. Comparison table.
2. Shared conclusions.
3. Contradictions with supporting evidence.
4. Unique insights.
5. Key takeaways.
6. Questions worth researching further.

Step 4. Review the Results

NotebookLM will organize the findings into a structured comparison.

Pay particular attention to:

Recommendations supported by multiple sources.
Contradictory claims worth investigating.
Insights mentioned by only one creator.
Questions that remain unanswered.

Use the source citations to verify important conclusions before making decisions based on them.

Where Else Can You Use This?

This workflow isn't limited to YouTube courses or affiliate marketing.

Learning

Compare lectures from different educators to understand how they explain the same concept.

Research

Analyze several sources to identify recurring arguments, conflicting evidence, and missing information.

Buying Decisions

Compare product reviews to see which advantages and disadvantages multiple reviewers consistently mention.

Business

Compare expert strategies, case studies, or industry analyses before deciding which approach deserves further investigation.

Content Creation

Analyze multiple tutorials or articles to identify useful perspectives and research gaps before developing your own content.

The Real Value of This Workflow

The most useful part of NotebookLM isn't simply getting a shorter version of a long video.

It's being able to ask one question across multiple sources and see how their answers compare.

Instead of asking:

“What does this video say?”

You can ask:

“What do these sources agree on, where do they disagree, and what important information am I missing?”

That turns a collection of videos into a structured starting point for research.

And you can apply the same process to almost any topic.

Discover More Practical AI Tools & Workflows

Want to discover more useful ways to work with AI?

Join WORKKIT on Telegram to explore practical AI tools, ready-to-use prompts, step-by-step workflows, and productivity shortcuts.

From research and content creation to design, freelancing, and everyday tasks — find AI solutions you can actually put to work.