Small wins don’t always look exciting at first. But sometimes they’re the beginning of something much bigger.
Can you really make money with Benable?
Yes—but probably not in the way many people expect. Benable works best as a long-term companion to content you already create, allowing you to curate useful resources and earn occasional commissions rather than relying on it as a standalone income source. In my own experience, small, consistent commissions across multiple lists have been far more encouraging than chasing quick wins.
TL;DR
Benable has become one of the simplest side-income experiments I’ve tried.
It hasn’t replaced my websites.
It hasn’t replaced affiliate marketing.
Instead, it has become another way to organise useful resources, help readers discover them, and occasionally earn a commission along the way.
For me, that’s exactly the kind of gentle, sustainable approach to online business that The Gentle Earner is all about.
📈 This is an ongoing case study. I’ll continue updating this article as I build more Benable lists, test new strategies and share my results.
When I first signed up for Benable, I wasn’t expecting much.
In fact, I almost ignored it completely.
The only reason I even had a product recommendation on my account was because the setup process encouraged me to add one.
A little while later I received a surprise notification.
Someone had purchased that book.
It wasn’t life-changing money.
But it made me stop and think.
“If one recommendation I barely thought about could earn a commission… what might happen if I actually put some effort into this?”
That simple question was enough to start an experiment.
What Is Benable?
Benable is a platform that lets you build curated recommendation lists around topics you genuinely know and enjoy.
Rather than creating a traditional blog post or product review, you organise useful resources into collections that people can browse.
Those resources can include:
- Books
- Software
- Travel recommendations
- Products
- Videos
- Websites
- Your own content
Some recommendations earn affiliate commissions automatically through Benable’s partnerships, while others simply help people discover useful resources.
For me, that combination felt like a natural extension of what I was already doing on The Gentle Earner.
Why I Decided to Give It a Proper Try
One of the core ideas behind The Gentle Earner is that online income doesn’t have to rely on a single platform.
I enjoy building websites.
I enjoy writing.
I enjoy documenting what I’m learning.
Benable didn’t replace any of those things.
Instead, it gave me another way to organise and share the resources I was already recommending.
Rather than writing endless “Top 10” articles, I could create curated collections that complemented my website.
It felt like another small piece of the puzzle.
How I’m Using Benable
Instead of creating random shopping lists, I decided to build collections around topics I actually use every day.
Some of my current lists include:
- Books that have shaped how I think about online business.
- Resources for starting an online business without the hustle.
- AI image creation tools I’m genuinely exploring.
- Practical resources that support the websites I’m building.
Every list has the same goal.
To be genuinely useful.
If someone never bought a single thing, I still wanted them to leave with an idea, a resource or a new direction to explore.
Something Surprised Me
As I built more lists, I noticed a pattern.
The lists that performed best weren’t trying to sell products.
They were solving problems.
People weren’t looking for another advertisement.
They were looking for recommendations they could trust.
That encouraged me to focus even more on quality rather than quantity.
One carefully built list is far more valuable than dozens of rushed ones.
My Results So Far
I’m still very early in this journey.
I’m certainly not claiming Benable is a way to replace a full-time income.
But I have started seeing something much more encouraging.
Instead of one accidental commission, my carefully curated Reading List has now generated multiple book sales.
I’ve also built an AI Image Creation resource hub that earned Benable’s Optimized badge, increasing its visibility within the platform.
Perhaps most interestingly, I’m now experimenting with Benable across two completely different niches:
- The Gentle Earner (online business)
- The Layered Traveller (travel)
Both have generated commissions.
That tells me the underlying idea isn’t limited to one topic.
It’s about creating genuinely useful collections.
What I’ve Learned
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this:
Don’t think like a salesperson.
Think like a curator.
Ask yourself:
“If someone was just starting this journey, what resources would I honestly recommend?”
That simple mindset changes everything.
Instead of trying to maximise commissions, you naturally build lists that people actually want to browse.
Ironically, I suspect that’s exactly why they convert.
Is Benable Worth Trying?
For some people, absolutely.
Especially if you:
- Already create content online.
- Enjoy organising resources.
- Like recommending products you genuinely use.
- Want another small income stream that complements your existing work.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a shortcut to instant online income, I don’t think Benable is the right fit.
Like almost everything else I talk about on this website, it rewards consistency far more than speed.
Where I’m Going Next
This experiment is still in its early days.
I’m continuing to build new resource collections, explore new ways to connect Benable with my websites, and document what works (and what doesn’t).
I’ll keep updating this article as the journey continues.
Because one of the things I enjoy most is sharing the process—not just the results.
FAQ
Is Benable free to join?
Yes. You can create an account and begin building recommendation lists without paying a membership fee. If you’ve decided Benable sounds like a good fit, you’re welcome to join using my referral link.
Can you really make money with Benable?
Yes, but it’s best viewed as a supplementary income stream rather than a guaranteed income source. My own experience has been a series of small but encouraging commissions from thoughtfully curated lists.
Do I need a website to use Benable?
No. However, I’ve found it works particularly well alongside a website because the two platforms naturally support each other.
What kinds of lists work well?
In my experience, resource-focused lists built around genuine interests and experience perform better than collections created purely to promote products.