The claim
Generate Shopify themes and WordPress plugins with AI and sell them for passive income.
WordPress.org reported plugin submissions doubling in 2025, partly linked to AI.
How we checked
This is an evidence check, not a hands-on test. We reviewed platform rules and policies, published earnings data, regulator warnings and reporting: 5 sources, listed below.
Costs
- Start-up cost
- Varies
- Effort
- high
What the evidence shows
AI has made it easier to produce themes and plugins, which has mainly increased competition and review scrutiny rather than easy income. WordPress.org's plugin team reported submissions doubling in 2025 to around 330 a week, with AI influencing the surge; it allows AI-written code but rejects plugins containing copied or non-GPL code, and has seen AI reproduce code from existing plugins. Shopify's Theme Store requires a Partner account, Online Store 2.0 support, performance and accessibility benchmarks, and exclusivity. On Envato's marketplaces, all authors moved to a flat 50% fee from July 2026, according to Freemius, a rival sales platform.
Realistic earnings: The sources show high submission volumes and strict review standards; they do not show typical earnings for AI-made themes or plugins.
Limitations
Earnings ranges are typical outcomes for a beginner, drawn from the sources; some people do far better or worse. Platform rules change often, so check the latest policy before you start.
Rarely matches what is promised.
Sources
- WordPress.org plugin team's 2025 review: submissions doubled, 12,713 plugins reviewed, 69.5% approved make.wordpress.org
- WordPress.org: AI is influencing plugin submissions, which grew 87% year on year make.wordpress.org
- WordPress.org: AI-generated code is allowed but must be GPL compatible; copied code leads to rejection make.wordpress.org
- Shopify's Theme Store submission requirements and review stages shopify.dev
- Freemius on Envato moving all authors to a flat 50% fee from July 2026 freemius.com