4 Jun 2025
My Core Tech Stack (TL;DR):
This is the foundation I use to run everything — my website, membership, newsletter, and payments.
- WordPress: Free and open-source. It’s the sovereign creator’s CMS of choice . I’ve been using WordPress since 2004 (version 1.0). It was a blogging platform then, but today, it’s a robust all-purpose platform that powers most websites on the Internet (43% as of 2024).
- Rocket: The world’s fastest WordPress hosting, at $30/month. I’ve tried many — Rocket is the one I trust.
- GeneratePress + GenerateBlocks: The design and layout engine behind this site. Lightweight, powerful, and precise. Pricing ranges from $0 to $149/year (I use the GeneratePress One plan).
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit): My email platform of choice. Brilliantly made, built for creators. $0/month for Newsletter plan (10K subscribers). I use their Creator Pro plan. (→ Here’s my full Kit review.)
- SureMembers + SureCart: Handles all membership and payment processing. SureMembers is $69/year. SureCart is either free (with 1.9% transaction fee) or $179/year.
Why SureMembers & SureCart?
They’re part of the same product family — designed to work together seamlessly.
SureMembers is a fast, lightweight, native WordPress membership plugin. It does one thing incredibly well: access control.
SureCart is a modern, lightning-fast shopping cart system and Stripe gateway. One-time payments, subscriptions, digital downloads, courses, ebooks, SaaS, physical products — it handles everything without fuss.
It’s smooth. Cohesive. No duct tape required.
Cost Breakdown
Your mileage will vary depending on the versions you use (free vs premium), but here’s a rough range:
- Basic setup: $30/month (Rocket hosting + free versions of the other tools),
- Full-featured setup: $170/month (Premium ConvertKit, SureCart, GeneratePress One)
This tech stack is everything you need to run a powerful, independent digital business — as a creator, online educator, or indie publisher.
No gatekeepers. No walled gardens.
Just you, your ideas, and the people who care.
It’s the essence of being a sovereign creator.
Final Thought
It’s kind of wild when you think about it.
At no point in history has it been this possible to build something lasting — to reach people directly, and get paid — with tools this accessible.
If you’ve got something to say, something to teach, something to build…
There’s never been a better time.
Tiny Digital World Builders (Private)
1 Apr 2025
While I’m still using Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro), once I’ve relocated to the UK in May, I’ll be migrating to an integrated suite of native WordPress tools by a passionate team building robust, reliable tools for independent creators:
4 Jun 2025
I’m now using SureMembers and SureCart.
Core Stack
- SureCart (Lightweight and Lightning-Fast E-Commerce Cart and Stripe Payment Gateway)
- Whether it’s a one-time payment, subscription, installment plan, digital download, course, ebook, software, SaaS, or physical product, SureCart has you covered.
- SureMembers (Membership Plugin)
Automations
- OttoKit/SureTriggers (No-Code Workflow Automation Platform)
Powerful Form Builder
- SureForms (Creating Beautiful Forms Easily)
Community Platform
- SureDash (Everything You Need to Connect, Engage, Grow, and Scale Your Community)
I already use OttoKit and SureForms with PMPro. I use OttoKit to connect Kit and Circle with PMPro.
SureCart and SureMembers will replace have replaced PMPro.
Note: Currently, SureDash is in Alpha release, meaning it’s not yet production ready. However, it’s scheduled for full production release sometime in May. SureDash has been officially released.
My long-term plan is probably to migrate from Circle to SureDash later in 2025, completing my migration to the full “SureStack” suite of integrated tools and services.
Member Pricing
Pricing isn’t straightforward due to how the Sure team structures their tools and services. Their pricing varies based on number of sites, and for OttoKit and SureForms, the Starter plans (for a single site) don’t include Pro features. To get Pro features, you’d typically need to upgrade to a 10-site license, significantly increasing your cost.
So here’s what I’ve done, which feels fair:
I’ve applied a 40% discount to SureMembers and SureCart.
For OttoKit and SureForms, I’m offering all Pro features at the Starter price. I can provide this because I own the Agency versions (Business Plus and Business licenses, respectively).
OttoKit/SureTriggers is essential if you connect to external tools like Kit or other email service providers. However, its capabilities extend far beyond email integration (see the OttoKit features page for the full range of possibilities).
Similarly, SureForms offers much more than simple contact forms. It’s a powerful tool for creating interactive, no-code website applications that can accomplish virtually anything. (Check out Doug from Convology’s demonstration to see what’s possible.)
Important: As I’ve mentioned before, SureCart and OttoKit function by creating “client” sub-accounts under my agency account. This structure technically gives me some visibility into your activity.
I don’t need ongoing access to your WordPress site (I’ll only need temporary admin access to install and activate SureMembers and SureForms, after which you can remove my user account).
If privacy is a concern, I recommend purchasing these tools directly. This will cost more but will maintain complete privacy of your account activity and whatnot.
~ André