ChatGPT dropped a wave of new plugins and features, and most people scrolled past them without a second thought. That is a mistake. These tools are not just party tricks for tech fans. They are real money-making shortcuts that cut hours of work down to minutes, and in some cases, seconds.
This post breaks down five specific ways you can use the newest ChatGPT features and plugins to generate income online right now. These are not hypothetical. Each one is something you can open a browser tab and start testing today, even if you have never made a dollar online before.
What You’ll Walk Out With
- A clear walkthrough of the CapCut ChatGPT plugin and how to use it to produce TikTok-style videos in under five minutes
- How to use the Coloring Book Hero plugin to create printable products you can list on Etsy and Amazon today
- The exact process for generating custom thumbnails and logos with DALL-E inside ChatGPT, then selling them as a service
- Why ChatGPT’s new Bing browsing feature changes how affiliate marketers do their research
- How to build a custom GPT for a local business and turn that into a recurring service you can sell on Fiverr or directly
- What each of these opportunities actually requires in terms of time and starting cost
- Which of these five fits your current skills, background, and goals (use finder.platformproof.com to find out in two minutes)
Way 1: The CapCut Plugin Creates Videos From a Single Sentence
Three years ago, creating a short video meant coming up with an idea, doing research, finding free stock footage on a site like Pexels, recording or hiring a voiceover, editing everything together, and then hoping the algorithm gave it any reach. That process took hours per video.
With the CapCut plugin installed inside ChatGPT, you type one sentence. Alston demonstrated this in real time without any jump cuts or editing tricks: he typed “create a TikTok video about three ways to make money online.” ChatGPT connected to CapCut, wrote a script, confirmed it with him, and then generated a complete video with an AI voiceover, captions, and video footage in the 9×16 TikTok format.
The finished video is saved directly into your CapCut account online. You download it, make any edits you want to the text or footage inside CapCut, and post it. The AI voice handles the narration. The images and clips are pulled automatically. You can even run this from your smartphone.
The income angle here is straightforward. If you are building a faceless TikTok channel in a niche like personal finance, fitness, or food, you can now produce content at a volume that was impossible before. More content means more chances for a video to pop, and a channel with reach opens doors to brand deals, TikTok Creator Fund payments, and affiliate commission from product mentions in your bio or captions.
The one note Alston added: the output is a solid starting point, not a finished product you post without any thought. Being a little more creative with the topic prompt will get you better results than a generic “ways to make money” angle. The tool handles the production. You still control the strategy.
Way 2: Coloring Book Hero Lets You Publish on Etsy and Amazon With Zero Design Skills
Coloring books are one of the best-selling digital product categories on both Etsy and Amazon, and before this plugin existed, creating them required either design skill, a decent budget to hire an illustrator, or a lot of time hunting for public domain images. The Coloring Book Hero plugin eliminates all of that.
Inside ChatGPT, Alston typed “man riding bike” and the plugin generated a clean line-art coloring page in seconds. He then tested a more detailed prompt: “man riding bike, detailed, for seventh graders.” The output was noticeably more intricate. Then he tried “adorable creepy monsters” to see what a themed coloring book might look like. The results came back in about ten seconds, also without any editing in the video.
Here is how you turn that into money. You pick a specific niche. Animals for kids. Mandalas for adults. Holiday scenes. Affirmation books. You generate 20 to 30 pages using varied prompts within that theme. You compile them into a PDF. Then you list the digital download on Etsy, or you format it as a print-on-demand book and publish it on Amazon KDP. Buyers pay, they download or receive a physical copy, and you do not touch inventory or shipping.
Alston checked Etsy while making the video and confirmed coloring books for kids as well as adult coloring books were both active, selling categories. Amazon also consistently ranks coloring books in its top-selling categories for physical books, particularly around the “ages 4 to 8” segment he noticed during the demo.
The real advantage here is volume. Once you understand how to write prompts that produce clean coloring pages, you can generate a full coloring book in an afternoon. Publishing one a week across a few different niches gives you a catalog that earns passively from both platforms without requiring any ongoing work after the upload.
Way 3: DALL-E Inside ChatGPT for Thumbnails and Logos You Can Sell
Alston gets roughly 20 emails a day from people pitching to create YouTube thumbnails for him. What he noticed is that some of the unsolicited samples people send are actually better than what others are trying to sell him. That gap is an opportunity, and the DALL-E image generation inside ChatGPT is why that gap is now closeable for almost anyone.
During the video he tested two use cases. First, he asked ChatGPT to create a YouTube thumbnail about “the best ways to make money online in 2024” and specified a hex color code. The result came back with actual thumbnail-quality composition, a readable title treatment, and color scheme that matched what he asked for. Not perfect, but closer to usable than most beginners would achieve with Canva from scratch.
Second, he asked it to “create a logo for a business called Godbolt.” Several distinct logo concepts appeared. Again, not print-ready without some refinement, but good enough to serve as a starting point that you import into Canva, adjust colors and fonts, and deliver to a client.
The service model this supports: list yourself on Fiverr, Upwork, or People Per Hour as a thumbnail or logo designer. Use ChatGPT with DALL-E to generate three to five concepts for each order in a few minutes. Refine in Canva. Deliver. As your portfolio grows, you raise your prices. Alston noted he is on the $20 per month ChatGPT Plus plan for access to these image tools, which means your cost of business is $20 a month before you bill your first client.
He also mentioned the HotMods plugin as a variation worth testing for thumbnail creation. He had already used it earlier in the session to generate a thumbnail concept for a “10 ways to make money” video. The output was usable without heavy editing, which puts it in a similar category to DALL-E for this specific income stream.
Not sure which of these five fits where you actually are right now?
Take the two-minute quiz at finder.platformproof.com and get a specific answer based on your background, time, and goals.
Way 4: Bing Browsing Gives Affiliate Marketers Real-Time Research
Before this feature existed, ChatGPT had a hard cutoff date for information. Ask it about affiliate programs or trending products and it would give you outdated data from months or years earlier. The Bing browsing integration changed that. Now ChatGPT can search the web in real time and surface current results.
Alston tested this by asking: “scour the web and find new ways to make money online with affiliate marketing.” The model browsed Bing and returned several angles it found: inflation-driven discount and comparison niches, resale retail marketplaces, influencer marketing partnerships, AI-driven advertising solutions, and brand partnerships for content creators.
The output was not revolutionary in isolation. But the use case is not to use the raw answer as your business plan. The value is in using it as a starting point for research that you then refine with follow-up prompts. You can ask it to go deeper on one angle, look for specific affiliate programs in a niche, find forums where that audience hangs out, or identify content gaps that are not being covered well on YouTube or Pinterest. That kind of targeted research used to take hours with browser tabs and spreadsheets. Now it is a conversation.
If you are already running an affiliate website or building one, this is a tool for staying current. If you are new to affiliate marketing, it is a fast way to survey what markets look like before you pick a niche and start building content.
Way 5: Build Custom GPTs for Local Businesses and Sell Them
This one is the biggest opportunity Alston covers in the video, and it is also the one that most people are going to sleep on. ChatGPT now lets you build custom GPTs. These are not just fancy prompts. They are purpose-built mini chat tools you can configure for a specific business, industry, or task, and then share via a link.
Alston showed the process live. He typed: “I am a plumber. I need more leads.” ChatGPT built a custom GPT tailored to help a plumber attract new customers. The description it produced: “This GPT can provide advice on marketing strategy, suggest improvements to your online presence, and offer tips on customer engagement.” Then it asked him to name the GPT and generate a logo for it.
Think about what that actually means for a trade business owner. A plumber or electrician or house cleaner has no interest in learning marketing. They want more calls. If you can hand them a custom tool that helps them with their Google business profile, their follow-up messages to past customers, or their social media posts, that is a real service with a real business impact.
The delivery mechanism is simple. You build the GPT, get the share link, and deliver it to the client. You collect payment through PayPal or Stripe before handing over the link. There is no software to maintain, no server to manage, and no ongoing cost beyond your ChatGPT Plus subscription. You could list this on Fiverr as “I will build a custom AI assistant for your business” or pitch it directly to businesses in your town.
The deeper angle here is that most small business owners have no idea this capability exists. Being the person who shows up and explains it in plain terms, then delivers something working the same day, positions you as a tech consultant without requiring any technical background beyond being comfortable with ChatGPT. That gap between what AI can do and what most business owners know about is where real money is right now.
Honest Drawbacks to Know Before You Start
ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month. That is your baseline cost for access to the plugins and features in this video. If you are not earning more than $20 from one of these methods within the first month, something in your approach needs adjustment before you continue paying.
The CapCut plugin outputs are a starting point. They are not polished enough to post without review. The AI voice sounds like an AI. The video topics it generates on a simple prompt tend to be generic. You will get better results by being more specific and creative with your prompts before accepting the first output.
Coloring books require you to understand Etsy SEO and Amazon KDP formatting before you will see sales. Generating the images is now easy. Getting people to find your listing is still a skill you have to develop separately.
DALL-E image outputs often need refinement before they are client-ready. You will spend time in Canva cleaning up outputs. Budget for that when you are pricing your services.
Building custom GPTs for businesses requires you to do the sales work yourself. The tool is straightforward, but getting in front of business owners and convincing them to pay for something they have never heard of takes effort upfront.
None of these are reasons to avoid these opportunities. They are just honest context so you are not surprised when the first output is not immediately sellable.
Which One Should You Start With
The right starting point depends entirely on what you already know how to do and how much time you have. These five methods are not equally accessible for everyone.
If you are already comfortable on social media and have ever posted any kind of short-form video, the CapCut plugin is the lowest-friction entry point. You know how platforms work. You just needed production to be faster. Now it is.
If you have any interest in passive income products and are willing to spend a few hours learning Etsy or Amazon KDP, the Coloring Book Hero method has the most potential for income that does not require you to keep working after the initial setup.
If you like creative work and want freelance income relatively quickly, thumbnail and logo creation via DALL-E gives you a service you can list and start getting orders on within a week.
If you are already doing affiliate marketing and just need better research tools, the Bing browsing feature is an immediate upgrade to how you are working right now with no learning curve.
If you can talk to business owners without getting nervous and you understand that most of them have money but not enough time or tech knowledge, building and selling custom GPTs is probably the highest-earning option on this list with the right positioning.
Find Your X
The question is not “which of these five methods is best.” The question is “which one fits where I actually am right now?” That answer depends on your background, your schedule, and what kind of work you are willing to do. The quiz at finder.platformproof.com is built to give you a specific answer based on your actual situation, not a generic recommendation. It takes about two minutes and gives you a starting path that makes sense for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need ChatGPT Plus to use these features?
Yes. The CapCut plugin, Coloring Book Hero, DALL-E image generation, Bing browsing, and custom GPT creation are all features of the paid ChatGPT Plus plan, which costs $20 per month. The free version of ChatGPT does not include plugin access or the tools covered in this video.
Can I actually make money with AI-generated coloring books, or is the market too saturated?
The coloring book market on both Etsy and Amazon has a lot of listings, but it is far from a closed market. The sellers who do well tend to focus on specific niches rather than generic “kids coloring book” listings. If you research what is actually selling before you publish, there are underserved angles. The AI tools lower the barrier to production, but your ability to research and pick the right niche still matters.
How much can I charge for custom GPTs I build for businesses?
Pricing depends on how you position the service and who you are selling to. On Fiverr, basic custom GPT gigs tend to start around $25 to $75 for a simple build. Selling directly to a small business owner who understands the value of a tool that brings in leads or saves them time, you could charge considerably more. The complexity of the GPT and how well you explain the benefit to the buyer drives the price more than anything else.
Is the CapCut plugin still available inside ChatGPT?
Plugin availability inside ChatGPT changes as OpenAI updates its platform. At the time this video was recorded, CapCut was an installable plugin. Check the ChatGPT plugin store for what is currently available. If CapCut is no longer listed, there are other video generation tools that work with ChatGPT or alongside it that serve the same purpose.
Can I sell the images I generate with DALL-E commercially?
OpenAI’s terms of service, as of their last major update, allow users to use images generated through DALL-E for commercial purposes, including selling them. That said, terms change over time. Before building a business around selling AI-generated images, check OpenAI’s current usage policy to confirm what is permitted, particularly around resale and commercial licensing.
How do I collect payment for a custom GPT I sell to someone?
Alston specifically mentioned PayPal and Stripe as the two options he would use. Set up a PayPal.me link or a Stripe payment page, send the buyer the payment link, collect the money, and then deliver the GPT share link. You do not need any special software or platform to make this work. It is a simple transaction before you hand over the link.
What kinds of businesses would actually pay for a custom GPT?
Local service businesses are a strong starting point. Plumbers, electricians, landscapers, house cleaners, and similar trade businesses tend to have money, limited time, and very little technical knowledge. A GPT that helps them write follow-up texts to customers, respond to reviews, or draft social media posts is genuinely useful to them. Real estate agents, insurance brokers, and small retail shops are also good candidates. The narrower and more specific the use case, the easier it is to sell.
Which of these five methods works without having an existing audience?
All five can work without a pre-existing audience, but some are faster without one than others. Selling custom GPTs and freelance thumbnail or logo work via Fiverr or Upwork lets you reach buyers through the platform’s built-in traffic. Etsy and Amazon KDP do the same for coloring books. Building a TikTok or YouTube channel with AI-generated content takes longer because you are building an audience from scratch before you see significant income. Affiliate marketing with Bing research also requires a content platform or email list to send traffic through your links.
Read Next
If you want to expand beyond these ChatGPT tools and look at other ways people are making real money online with low competition, this next post goes deeper on that:
5 Secret Side Hustles with Low Competition: How to Make Money Online in 2023
Sources
- ChatGPT Plus by OpenAI (plugin store, DALL-E, Bing browsing, custom GPT builder)
- CapCut (video creation tool, free version available)
- Coloring Book Hero (ChatGPT plugin)
- HotMods (ChatGPT plugin for thumbnail generation)
- Etsy (marketplace for digital downloads and print-on-demand)
- Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing for self-published books)
- Fiverr, Upwork, People Per Hour (freelance platforms for selling services)
- PayPal, Stripe (payment processors for direct client transactions)
Helping 1 million working adults make their first $3,000 online with the skills they already have. Alston Godbolt, Platform Proof.