What Tools and Software Does Dan Koe Use? (His Full Stack)

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Dan Koe has built a rare kind of business: a multi-million-dollar, largely one-person content operation that runs on roughly two focused hours of writing a day. So a question a lot of his readers ask is — what's the actual software stack behind that? This is an in-depth breakdown of the writing, capture, email, and AI tools Dan uses, what each one is for, and the cheaper alternatives. (Accurate as of mid-2026; creators change tools often, so treat this as a current snapshot.)

A note before the list: Dan is unusually clear that the tool is never the point. His entire philosophy is that consistent writing and original thinking matter far more than any app. So treat this as a window into how a focused creator operates, not a shopping list you need to copy to start.

Before the tools, the bigger thing: the system behind them. If you want the actual writing system Dan teaches, you can get our full summary of his 2 Hour Writer here for the core method without the price tag.

The stack at a glance

Writing and idea capture

What it is: the most important tool in Dan's world is the one he co-founded — Kortex, a writing and second-brain app built specifically for creators, where you capture ideas, save highlights, and write content in one place. Why he uses it: he built it to replace the patchwork of tools writers juggle, and he's said he's deliberately moved his own workflow toward it. Who it's right for: writers who want capture and drafting unified rather than spread across apps. The alternative: before Kortex, Dan's core tool was Notion, which he used and recommended for years to build writing dashboards, idea databases, and the templates that ship with his courses. He's since said he's migrating toward Kortex for the actual writing, but Notion remains the tool most of his audience associates with his systems. Some writers in his orbit use Obsidian as a second-brain alternative.

Email and newsletter

What it is: Dan's newsletter is the center of his business, reaching a very large audience weekly, and he runs it on Kit (formerly ConvertKit). Why he uses it: it's built around owning your audience rather than renting it from a social algorithm — a principle Dan preaches constantly — and it's one of the better tools to monetize a newsletter over time. Who it's right for: any creator serious about building an email list they control. The alternative: any beginner-friendly email platform works to start; the point is to start collecting emails, not to perfect the tool.

That 'own your audience' principle is central to everything Dan teaches. The full capture-to-publish system is in our full summary of 2 Hour Writer if you want it laid out step by step.

AI and the rest of the stack

What it is: Dan uses AI as a writing assistant rather than a replacement — tools like ChatGPT for research, idea expansion, and breaking through blank-page resistance, always with his own perspective layered on top. (Kortex also bakes AI features directly into its writing workflow.) Why he uses it: speed, not substitution. Who it's right for: any writer who wants to draft faster without outsourcing their thinking. Beyond that, his stack is deliberately minimal — he's repeatedly said that owning fewer tools and writing more is the whole game.

Want the system behind the stack? Get 80% of Dan Koe's 2 Hour Writer in a summary you can read in an afternoon. Summary of Dan Koe's 2 Hour Writer.

Build his setup by budget

The honest version of Dan's stack for someone starting out is almost embarrassingly simple: one place to write and capture ideas, one email platform to own your audience, and a daily writing habit. Everything else is optimization. As Dan would put it, the tools won't make you a writer — writing will.

Frequently asked questions

What writing app does Dan Koe use?

Dan co-founded and uses Kortex, a writing and second-brain app built for creators. He previously used and widely recommended Notion, and has said he's been migrating his writing workflow toward Kortex.

What email platform does Dan Koe use?

He uses Kit, formerly ConvertKit, to run his newsletter. His consistent advice is to own your email list rather than depend on a social platform's algorithm.

Does Dan Koe use AI to write?

He uses AI tools like ChatGPT as an assistant for research and idea expansion, but not as a replacement for his own thinking — he always layers his own perspective on top.

How to copy his setup

One place to write and capture (Kortex, Notion, or even a plain notes app), one email platform to own your audience (Kit), and a daily writing habit. That's the whole core. The tools are deliberately few; the consistency is the point.