Why This Comparison Matters Right Now

We’re in a moment where everyone is trying to turn their prompts, frameworks, and SOPs into something a bit more “productized.” Agencies want AI tools inside portals. Coaches want follow-along tools for students. Consultants want to gate their IP and package their thinking.

You have three paths:

1. Build inside FormWise
   
   
2. Build a ChatGPT GPT
   
   
3. Build your own custom-coded app
   
   

The problem? All three sound similar from the outside.

But under the hood, they solve completely different jobs.

Let’s break it down in a way that’s practical for agencies, coaches, consultants, and template sellers — the people who need tools that ship today and generate revenue tomorrow.

FormWise vs. GPTs vs. Custom Apps (Quick Comparison)

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1. The Real Difference in User Experience

Before we talk features, we have to talk delivery.

FormWise = AI tools that feel like products

You build:

• SmartForms – one-question-at-a-time workflows
  
  
• CoPilots – branded GPT-style assistants
  
  
• Toolsets – dashboards of tools
  
  

This matters because your clients and students do NOT want ChatGPT-like chaos.
They want:

• “Write my emails.”
  
  
• “Create my listing.”
  
  
• “Generate my lead magnet.”
  
  

One job. Clear structure. Done.

This is why SmartForms perform so well inside GHL portals, coaching memberships, and agency client dashboards. They remove prompt anxiety.

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GPTs = Chat-like but unstructured

GPTs are great for personal use.
But they break for:

• Clients who need guardrails
  
  
• Students who need consistency
  
  
• Local business owners who hate prompting
  
  

You can’t embed them. You can’t design a form flow. You can’t bundle multiple GPTs into a branded dashboard.

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Custom Apps = You define everything

You have full control, but also full responsibility.

UI, UX, auth, payments, hosting…
All on you.

Great for VC-backed startups. Not great for someone who just wants to sell a $37/mo content generator.

2. Monetization & Client Access: The Hidden Deal-Breaker

FormWise: Built for selling your tools

FormWise is built for agencies, coaches, and consultants who want to gate their IP and create recurring revenue.

You get:

• Login Mode (user accounts + controlled access)
  
  
• Stripe payments (free, tiered, or paid plans)
  
  
• Credit systems (usage-based plans)
  
  
• Toolsets (bundle multiple tools as a single product)
  
  
• Revoke access instantly when a client stops paying
  
  
• Whitelabel for agency plans
  
  

This is why people build entire micro-SaaS businesses in FormWise without touching code.

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GPTs: Monetization is basically nonexistent

You can’t:

• Charge for access
  
  
• Build subscription tiers
  
  
• Gate different sets of tools
  
  
• Limit usage per user
  
  
• Embed a GPT behind a payment wall
  
  

ChatGPT is designed for open consumer use — not for selling your tools.

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Custom Apps: Unlimited flexibility but high cost

You can build your own paywalls, credits, dashboards, and user systems…

But that means:

• Hiring devs
  
  
• Maintaining servers
  
  
• Handling authentication
  
  
• Securing user data
  
  
• Debugging payment logic
  
  

For most agencies/coaches, this is a brutal burn of time and money.

3. How Each Platform Handles Your IP & Expertise

FormWise: Turn frameworks into repeatable tools

This is where FormWise shines.

You can embed:

• PDFs
  
  
• SOPs
  
  
• Playbooks
  
  
• Course materials
  
  
• Links
  
  
• Brand assets
  
  

Your tools then speak in your frameworks.

This is what coaches, consultants, and template sellers want: Your unique way of thinking — protected, gated, repeatable.

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GPTs: Your IP is there… but it’s not protected

You can upload docs to GPTs, but:

• They're not behind a login wall
  
  
• Users can jailbreak the instructions
  
  
• You can’t revoke access
  
  
• They’re all just floating in the ChatGPT ecosystem
  
  

Not ideal if you're selling IP.

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Custom Apps: Fully controlled

You can do all the above, but again — you're paying for custom dev every time you want to update anything.

4. Integrations & Workflows

FormWise

• Native Go HighLevel OAuth
  
  
• Embeds in Circle, Kajabi, Webflow
  
  
• Outbound webhooks for SmartForms
  
  
• BYO OpenAI or Claude keys
  
  
• Works perfectly as a workflow step in client dashboards
  
  

Agencies love this because they can drop a SmartForm into any niche portal and suddenly the portal looks 10x more valuable.

GPTs

No real integrations.
You can link APIs, but not reliably and not for client-facing delivery.

You also can’t embed them in GHL or Kajabi.

Custom Apps

Integrations are unlimited…
…if you pay someone to build them.

5. Speed to Market

This one is simple.

FormWise

10–30 minutes to ship a fully functioning tool.
One afternoon to ship an entire toolset.

This is why we constantly see:

• Agencies adding $2–5k MRR with gated toolsets
  
  
• Coaches selling AI-enhanced course add-ons
  
  
• Consultants productizing their templates
  
  

Speed wins.

GPTs

Fast to build, but not sellable or embeddable.

Custom Apps

Slow. Expensive. Risky.
You’ll ship version 1 in weeks or months.

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Which One Should You Choose? (Based on Persona)

For GHL Agencies → Choose FormWise

You can embed tools directly into client portals, snapshots, and funnels.

For Coaches & Course Creators → Choose FormWise

SmartForms eliminate confusion for students. Toolsets monetize easily.

For Consultants → Choose FormWise

Turn SOPs into tools. Gate everything. Sell monthly.

For Prompt Sellers / Template Creators → Choose FormWise

Your prompts become a product — not a PDF.

For Developers or Funded Startups → Choose Custom Apps

If you need a custom mobile app, fully custom UX, or proprietary backend logic, go custom.

For Personal Use or Experimentation → Use GPTs

Great for tinkering, prototyping, or creating internal assistants.

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Final Recommendation

If you're building tools that other people will use, and especially if you want to sell or gate them…

➡️ FormWise is the only platform designed for that business model.

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GPTs are for personal experimentation.

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Custom apps are for funded, long-term dev builds.

For 99% of agencies, coaches, and consultants, FormWise is the fastest path from idea → product → revenue.

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Ready to Build Your First Tool?

You can start creating SmartForms, CoPilots, or a full Toolset here:

👉 https://app.formwise.ai/

If you want help or inspiration:

• Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/181507861300697/
  
  
• Explore use-case guides: https://manual.formwise.ai/formwise/free-resources/use-case-guides
  
  
• Join Office Hours: https://www.formwise.ai/office-hours
  
  

Ship your first tool this week.
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You’re one build away from a new revenue stream.

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