Pickaxe Review: Build & Monetize AI Tools in Minutes (AppSumo Tool of the Year)
Discover how Pickaxe enables entrepreneurs to create and monetize AI-powered tools without coding. This comprehensive review covers building AI forms and chatbots, setting up subscription models, and launching your own AI tool business.
Pickaxe has earned its place as one of AppSumo's Tools of the Year for 2024, and with good reason. As someone who's tested countless AI tools, I can confidently say this platform delivers what many of us expected from OpenAI's custom GPTs but never received: a straightforward way to create and monetize AI-powered tools.
Introduction [00:00]
Pickaxe - Plus Exclusive
AppSumo has selected six standout tools for their Tools of the Year 2024, and Pickaxe ranks as my personal favorite. While I discovered it later than some other tools, its capabilities for building and monetizing AI tools have thoroughly impressed me.
Terminology [01:20]
Before getting into the details, it's important to understand two key terms in Pickaxe:
- A "Pickaxe" is their term for an AI chatbot or AI-powered form
- A "Studio" is your storefront or marketplace where you can sell access to your AI tools
Creating a New Pickaxe - Form [01:50]
The form builder in Pickaxe takes a unique approach. Instead of traditional form building, you create a prompt on the left side while watching the form materialize on the right. Here's how it works:
- Start with an optional role definition for the AI
- Create your prompt frame using a Mad Lib style approach
- Add user inputs that automatically generate form fields
- Choose input types (short answer, long answer, multiple choice, checkbox)
I demonstrated this by building a marketing tool explainer form that helps entrepreneurs understand different marketing tools based on their needs and budget preferences.
Testing Out the Form [04:52]
The testing process is straightforward:
- Deploy your form as unlisted, public, or private
- Share via direct link or embed on your website
- Add to your studio for monetization
- Test the form with real inputs to verify responses
The AI provides detailed, contextual responses and allows for follow-up questions through a chat interface.
Capabilities [06:15]
Pickaxe offers several powerful capabilities:
- File upload support for users
- Image generation integration with multiple platforms (DALL-E, Midjourney, Flux)
- Customizable bot appearances
- Control over chat functionality
- Token length and creativity adjustments
Configure [06:45]
The configuration options are extensive:
- Custom bot/form appearance
- Chat icon customization
- Public/private visibility settings
- Hibernation settings
- Integration with various AI models
- Token management
- Response customization
Learn & Act [08:15]
The platform provides two powerful features for enhancing your AI tools:
Learn:
- Upload up to 50 documents per Pickaxe
- Train your AI on specific data
- Improve response accuracy
Act:
- Add web search capabilities
- Generate PDFs
- Integrate with voice generation
- Connect to Make and Zapier
- Create custom actions
- Use webhooks
Automatic AI Builder [09:02]
The AI builder streamlines the creation process through three simple questions:
- What type of tool you want to build
- What people will do with the tool
- Your unique take on it
The system then generates a complete chatbot with appropriate prompts and settings, which you can refine as needed.
Chatbot Configuration [12:46]
Chatbot configuration mirrors the form builder but includes additional features:
- Model selection
- Introduction messages
- Icebreakers
- Prompt injection
- Training dialogue upload
- Document training
- Action integration
Credits [13:51]
Pickaxe uses a credit system for AI interactions:
- Tier 2 on AppSumo includes 750 credits monthly
- Additional credits available for purchase
- Option to use your own API keys (OpenAI or Anthropic)
- Credit consumption per chat interaction
General Settings [15:15]
Key settings include:
- Domain whitelisting
- Usage limits per user
- Cloning permissions
- Community response feed options
- Privacy controls
- API integration options
Studio [16:33]
Studios are Pickaxe's solution for monetization:
- Create subscription tiers
- Bundle multiple AI tools
- Set usage limits
- Custom pricing
- Public or invite-only access
- Multiple subscription tiers
Landing Page [18:32]
The studio includes a built-in landing page builder:
- Customizable themes
- Logo integration
- Hero section management
- Color scheme adjustment
- White labeling options
- Custom code injection
- Analytics integration
Account Page & Popups [19:52]
Built-in features include:
- User account management
- Subscription tracking
- Login/signup popups
- Access control messages
- Password reset functionality
- Plan upgrade prompts
Typography [20:53]
Customize your studio's appearance with:
- Header font selection
- Body copy font options
- Navigation typography
- Button and label fonts
- Multiple font choices
Sharing [21:13]
Deploy your studio with:
- Custom domain support
- CNAME/ANAME record setup
- Automatic SSL certification
- Multiple sharing options
Conclusion [21:28]
Pickaxe earns a 9.1/10 rating - the highest I've given this year. It successfully delivers on the promise of making AI tool creation and monetization accessible to entrepreneurs. While the terminology (Pickaxe for tools, Studio for storefront) might take some getting used to, the platform's intuitive design and comprehensive features make it a standout choice for anyone looking to build an AI-powered business.
