My Toolbox and Work Setup
Explore my toolbox, where I share my go-to tools, hardware, and software, along with the WordPress plugins that fuel my content creation, web development, and online marketing.
Disclaimer: In full transparency, I am an affiliate for one or more of the products listed on this page. If you click a link and complete a purchase, I might make a commission at no extra cost to you. Please see the full disclaimer and FTC disclosure here.
Tools I Use Daily
Battle-tested tools that power my websites, content, and business operations.
AAWP
AAWP (Amazon Affiliate WordPress Plugin) is the most powerful tool for Amazon affiliates running WordPress sites. It creates beautiful product boxes, comparison tables, and bestseller lists that automatically update with current Amazon data. I've used AAWP on multiple affiliate sites and the conversion improvement is measurable. This page covers AAWP's features, templates, geotargeting capabilities, pricing, and integration options.
Marketers Delight
Marketers Delight is the WordPress theme that powers gauravtiwari.org and dozens of my client sites. Built specifically for content marketers and bloggers, it delivers exceptional performance with conversion-focused design. No page builder bloat, just clean, fast, and purposeful layouts. From landing pages to blog designs, Marketers Delight is the theme I recommend for serious content creators who care about speed and conversions.
Perfmatters
Perfmatters is a lightweight WordPress performance plugin that focuses on doing fewer things exceptionally well. It disables unnecessary scripts, manages lazy loading, implements local font hosting, and removes bloat that slows down WordPress sites. I use Perfmatters on every site I build because it complements caching plugins perfectly. This page covers the script manager, performance features, pricing, and measurable speed improvements.
Rank Math
Rank Math is the WordPress SEO plugin I use and recommend most. It offers more features in its free version than most competitors provide in their premium plans. From advanced schema markup and content analysis to redirect management and keyword tracking, Rank Math delivers exceptional value. This page covers Rank Math's feature comparison, pricing tiers, installation, and why I switched from Yoast years ago.
WPX
WPX Hosting was my hosting provider for three years, and I know the service intimately. Built specifically for WordPress, WPX delivers fast load times, free CDN, free site migrations, and some of the best support in the hosting industry. Their custom CDN and server optimization make a real performance difference. This page covers WPX's hosting plans, speed benchmarks, support quality, pricing, and my honest experience using it.
xCloud
xCloud is a managed server and WordPress hosting platform that deploys sites on your own cloud infrastructure from providers like DigitalOcean, Vultr, and AWS. This page covers xCloud's server management features, WordPress optimization tools, supported cloud providers, pricing, and how it compares to other server management panels like RunCloud and SpinupWP.
AppSumo
AppSumo is a digital marketplace that offers lifetime deals on software, tools, and services for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Instead of paying monthly subscriptions, you pay once and get access forever. I've purchased over 30 AppSumo deals over the years, some excellent and some disappointing. This page covers how AppSumo works, notable deals, the refund policy, and tips for evaluating which deals are actually worth buying.
Blocksy
Blocksy is a free WordPress theme that punches well above its weight class. With deep block editor integration, WooCommerce support, and a companion plugin that adds header, footer, and content block functionality, Blocksy delivers premium features at no cost. The performance is excellent, and the design options rival paid themes. This page covers Blocksy's features, starter sites, extensions, pricing for pro, and overall value.
Bricks Builder
Bricks Builder is a visual site builder for WordPress that gives developers and designers complete control over their website design. It generates clean code, offers dynamic data integration, and provides a professional development workflow. This page covers Bricks Builder's features, template system, custom elements, pricing, and comparison with other WordPress builders.
Bunny CDN
Bunny CDN is a content delivery network known for its competitive pricing, global coverage, and easy integration. It speeds up website loading by serving content from servers closest to your visitors. This page covers Bunny CDN's features, edge locations, pricing model, image optimization, and how it compares to Cloudflare and other CDN providers for WordPress sites.
Code Snippets
Code Snippets is a WordPress plugin that lets you add custom PHP, CSS, JavaScript, and HTML snippets to your site without editing theme files. It replaces the need for custom functions.php modifications with a clean admin interface that includes error checking and snippet management. For WordPress users who need to add custom code safely, Code Snippets is essential. This page covers features, snippet management, import/export, and pricing.
Enpass
Enpass is an offline-first password manager that stores your encrypted vault locally rather than on company servers. This approach gives you complete control over your password data. It syncs across devices using your own cloud storage like Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive. For users who want password management without trusting a third party with their vault, Enpass is a compelling choice. This page covers features, pricing, and security model.
Fluent Forms
Fluent Forms is a lightweight, fast WordPress form builder that handles everything from simple contact forms to complex multi-step workflows. Its conversational form feature and payment integrations set it apart from competitors. This page covers Fluent Forms' features, pricing, integrations, and how it compares to WPForms and Gravity Forms for WordPress users.
FlyingPress
FlyingPress is a lightweight WordPress performance plugin that I switched to after using WP Rocket for ten years. It handles caching, CSS and JS optimization, image lazy loading, and CDN integration with minimal configuration. This page covers FlyingPress features, performance benchmarks, pricing, and how it compares to WP Rocket and LiteSpeed Cache.
GenerateBlocks
GenerateBlocks is a lightweight WordPress plugin that adds four essential blocks to the Gutenberg editor: Container, Grid, Headline, and Buttons. Its philosophy of minimal blocks with maximum flexibility sets it apart from bloated alternatives. This page covers GenerateBlocks' features, pricing, and why I chose it for my own site over other block plugins.
Hostinger
Hostinger offers some of the most affordable web hosting available, with shared hosting plans that include a free domain and SSL certificate. Their performance has improved significantly in recent years. This page covers Hostinger's current plans, pricing, performance metrics, customer support quality, and whether Hostinger is the right budget hosting choice for your website.
Independent Analytics
Independent Analytics is a privacy-focused WordPress analytics plugin that tracks visitor data without external services like Google Analytics. All data stays on your server. This page covers its analytics features, dashboard design, privacy compliance, pricing, and how it compares to Google Analytics, Plausible, and other analytics solutions for WordPress sites.
InstaWP
InstaWP lets you spin up disposable WordPress sites in seconds for testing, development, and client demos. No server setup required. It's become an essential tool for developers who need quick WordPress environments. This page covers InstaWP's features, template library, collaboration tools, pricing, and how it compares to other WordPress staging and testing solutions.
Internxt
Internxt is a privacy-focused cloud storage provider that encrypts your files client-side before they ever leave your device. Unlike mainstream cloud services, Internxt can't access your data. This page covers Internxt's encryption approach, storage plans, pricing, file sharing capabilities, and how it compares to Google Drive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage options for privacy-conscious users.
Kadence Blocks
Kadence Blocks adds powerful custom blocks to the WordPress Gutenberg editor with advanced design controls and responsive options. From row layouts and advanced text to info boxes and testimonials, it extends the editor significantly. This page covers Kadence Blocks' features, block library, free vs pro differences, and how it compares to GenerateBlocks and Spectra.
MailerLite
MailerLite is an email marketing platform that offers exceptional value for small businesses and creators. With a generous free plan, intuitive drag-and-drop editor, and automation features that rival more expensive competitors, it's one of my top recommendations for businesses starting with email marketing. This page covers MailerLite's email builder, automation workflows, landing pages, pricing, and how it compares to ConvertKit and Mailchimp.
Nexter Blocks
Nexter Blocks is a WordPress Gutenberg blocks plugin that adds design-focused blocks to the block editor. From advanced sliders and animated headlines to team member showcases and testimonial carousels, it extends what you can build natively in WordPress. For users who want enhanced block editor capabilities without switching to a page builder, Nexter Blocks provides useful additions. This page covers the block library, features, pricing, and performance.
Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, databases, project management, and wikis in a single platform. It's become the tool of choice for individuals and teams who want flexible organization. This page covers Notion's features, use cases, pricing, and how it compares to competitors like Obsidian, Coda, and Microsoft OneNote for personal and team productivity.
Novashare
Novashare is a lightweight WordPress social sharing plugin built for performance. Unlike bloated alternatives that load multiple scripts, Novashare adds minimal page weight while still providing attractive share buttons and share count displays. It supports all major social networks, offers click-to-tweet blocks, and includes follow widgets. This page covers Novashare's features, performance impact, design options, pricing, and comparison with alternatives.
PDF Expert
PDF Expert is a PDF editing app for Mac and iOS that handles reading, annotation, editing, and form filling with a clean, intuitive interface. It's become one of the most popular PDF tools in the Apple ecosystem. This page covers PDF Expert's features, editing capabilities, pricing, and how it compares to Adobe Acrobat and other PDF editors.
Sapling
Sapling is an AI writing assistant that focuses on speed and accuracy for business communication. It integrates with email, CRM platforms, and chat tools to suggest completions and fix grammar in real time. This page covers Sapling's features, integration options, pricing, and how it compares to Grammarly and other writing assistants for professional use.
ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting offers managed VPS hosting with their proprietary SPanel control panel as an alternative to cPanel. It's built for users who want VPS power without the complexity. This page covers ScalaHosting's plans, SPanel features, performance, security tools, pricing, and how it compares to other managed VPS providers for businesses looking to upgrade from shared hosting.
SEMrush
SEMrush is the all-in-one SEO and digital marketing toolkit I recommend most. After using it daily for years across dozens of client projects, I can say it delivers the deepest competitive intelligence, keyword research, and site audit capabilities available. From backlink analysis and rank tracking to content optimization and PPC research, SEMrush covers every aspect of search marketing. This page covers features, plans, and current deals.
SendFox
SendFox is a budget-friendly email marketing tool created by the AppSumo team, designed specifically for content creators. It offers email automation, landing pages, and RSS-to-email features at a fraction of what Mailchimp charges. This page covers SendFox's features, email deliverability, pricing, and whether it's a viable option for growing your email list.
Shopify
Shopify is the leading ecommerce platform for businesses of every size, from solo creators selling handmade goods to enterprise brands processing millions in monthly revenue. With a complete ecosystem of themes, apps, and payment processing, it handles the entire online selling experience. This page covers Shopify's core features, pricing tiers, app ecosystem, and current promotional offers for new store owners getting started with ecommerce.
SureCart
SureCart is a modern ecommerce plugin for WordPress that simplifies selling digital and physical products. It offers a cleaner, faster alternative to WooCommerce for businesses that don't need complex store functionality. This page covers SureCart's features, payment processing, pricing, integrations, and how it compares to other WordPress ecommerce solutions for different selling needs.
Todoist
Todoist is one of the most popular task management apps available, used by millions for personal and professional productivity. Its clean interface, natural language processing, and cross-platform sync make task management effortless. This page covers Todoist's features, pricing tiers, integrations, and how it compares to alternatives like TickTick, Things 3, and Microsoft To Do.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress, offering an all-in-one platform for building websites without managing your own hosting infrastructure. It differs from self-hosted WordPress.org in several important ways that affect flexibility and control. This page covers WordPress.com's plans, features, limitations, and how it compares to self-hosted WordPress for different website types.
WP Grid Builder
WP Grid Builder creates filterable, animated grid layouts for WordPress posts, custom post types, and WooCommerce products. Its faceted search functionality makes it particularly powerful for directories and shops. This page covers WP Grid Builder's features, filter options, performance, pricing, and how it compares to other WordPress grid and filter plugins.
WP Rocket
WP Rocket is the most popular premium WordPress caching plugin, and for good reason. It's the easiest to set up and delivers significant performance improvements out of the box. This page covers WP Rocket's features, current pricing, performance benchmarks, and how it compares to free alternatives like LiteSpeed Cache and WP Super Cache.
Design & Development
- Pixelmator and Affinity for designing graphics
- Sublime Text 3 & Antigravity for Development and Writing Hacks.
- Claude Code for planning, coding, and everything else.
- GitHub for everything dev.
- SnippetsLab for Mac — for organizing my code snippets and other key data.
- Clop Pro for Image Optimization.
- CleanShot X to capture and annotate screenshots.
- Dropover for drag-and-drop file management.
- Versioning:
- Local WordPress® Development:
- Local by Flywheel/WP Engine
- Studio by WordPress.com
- xCloud also offers staging sites
- Optimized and self-hosted KaTeX for math-rendering.
- Programming Languages: PHP, Javascript (& jQuery), and Python. Learning Rust now.
- Markup Languages: Markdown, HTML5, CSS3, LaTeX, and MathML
SEO, Content & Marketing
- SEMrush – for Backlink Audit and Keyword Research.
- Google Docs and Chat – to handle documents created by my team.
- Craft & Obsidian for writing and planning content.
Hardware
- All Apple:
- Mac Mini M4
- Macbook Air
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPad Air
- Apple Magic Keyboard
- Apple Pencil
- AirPods Pro 3rd Generation
- PlayStation 5, Mi Notebook, Xbox Series S, LG 27″-4K Monitor (27UP850N-W).
Productivity Tools
- Craft — for notes, collaboration and media kits
- iA Writer + Typora for markdown writing and editing.
- Things 3 for tasks.
- Raycast for almost everything else. Currently on the Premium plan.
- Claude Max 5X ($100/month) & ChatGPT ($20/month)
WordPress Plugins
- Dynamic Month & Year into Posts to show auto-updating month, year and dates in content and meta.
- Perfmatters and FlyingPress for amazing performance.
- FluentCart for the shop
- Rank Math SEO Pro for SEO. Better than Yoast. Better than anything else.
- Ninja Tables for complex data tables.
- GenerateBlocks Premium for literally everything that is not normal content.
- Advanced Custom Fields – a total lifesaver.
- AAWP for Amazon Affiliates.
- Tangible Loops & Logic for inserting posts everywhere and creating dynamic lists.