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About Make It Use It
What is Make It Use It?
A marketplace for real, buildable DIY plans. Discover step-by-step projects — each with a materials list, the tools, photos and safety notes — and, if you make things, publish or sell your own designs. From first weekend build to professional shop, everything you need to build it lives on one sheet.
Who can use Make It Use It?
Anyone. Browsers and builders can read and buy plans; makers can open a free creator studio and publish their own. You need to be 16 or older to hold an account.
Why should I create an account?
An account lets you buy plans, keep them in a library you can reach from any device, save favourites, and — if you want — publish your own. Browsing and reading free plans needs no account at all.
Is Make It Use It available where I live?
Yes. The site is open globally and plans are digital, so you can read and buy from anywhere. Prices are shown in Canadian dollars, and checkout accepts international cards through Stripe.
Can I browse without an account?
Absolutely. The whole archive is open and free plans are fully readable when signed out. You only sign in to buy, save favourites, or publish.
Account creation & login
How do I sign in?
We are passwordless. Enter your email, we send a six-digit code, you type it in — that is it. Nothing to set, forget or leak.
My sign-in code did not arrive.
Check your spam folder first, then request a fresh code (they are limited to one a minute). Codes expire after five minutes. Still nothing? Write to us and we will sort it out.
How do I sign out?
Open the profile menu at the top-right and choose Sign out. Signing out of one device does not touch your others.
Can I change the email on my account?
Reach out from the contact page and we will help you move your account to a new email address.
Profile & dashboard
What is on my profile?
A display name, an optional bio and avatar, and — if you are a creator — the plans you have published. Buyers see your creator profile; your email address is never shown publicly.
Where do I manage my account?
Settings holds your profile, plus the tools to export your data or delete your account.
How do I become a creator?
One click in the studio unlocks creator mode, and your first plan publishes free.
Access & devices
Can I use my plans on any device?
Yes. Sign in anywhere and your library and purchases follow you — nothing to re-download or transfer.
Is my account secure?
Passwordless sign-in means there is no password to steal, codes expire in five minutes, and everything runs over encrypted HTTPS.
Finding plans
How do I find a plan?
Browse the archive, filter by category or to free-only, or search. Every plan card shows the price, the difficulty and the maker so you can scan quickly.
What does the difficulty rating mean?
A three-level guide — beginner, intermediate, advanced — the creator sets, so you can pick a build that matches your experience.
Are plans free or paid?
Both. Many plans are free and fully readable; paid plans preview their first steps so you know what you are getting before you buy.
Buying & your library
What exactly do I get with a plan?
The full build sheet: an overview, a materials list (with specs and, where the creator added them, buy links and alternatives), the tools, step-by-step instructions with photos, plus any safety notes, FAQs and reference links.
Where do my purchased plans live?
In your library — available any time, on any device you sign into, for good.
I bought a plan and the creator updated it. Which version do I have?
The one you bought. Purchases pin to a revision: your library keeps your version, and the plan page shows the current one with a changelog so you can decide whether to upgrade.
Can I save a plan for later?
Favourite it with the heart and it lands in your favourites, ready when you are.
Are plans refundable?
Digital plans are refundable within 14 days if you have not downloaded the full sheet. Write to us from the contact page with the order id.
Building & community
Can I ask the creator a question?
Community features — reviews, questions and build shares — are rolling out. For now, each plan's FAQ covers the common questions, and you can always reach us.
Can I sell what I build from a plan?
That depends on the plan's license — personal, commercial-with-credit, or commercial. The license is shown on every plan; check it before you sell a build.
Becoming a creator
How do I become a creator?
One click in the studio unlocks creator mode, and your first plan publishes free. From there you build a plan section by section and publish when it is ready.
What makes a good plan?
Clear steps, a complete materials and tools list, real photos, and honest safety notes. The editor walks you through each section so nothing gets missed.
Building & publishing
How do I build a plan?
In the studio editor: an overview, materials and tools (each with specs, costs, buy links and alternatives), steps with photos, FAQs, safety and pricing. It saves as you go; publish when you are happy.
What are revisions?
Every time you publish, we mint a revision with a changelog buyers can see. Buyers keep the version they bought; new buyers get your latest.
Can I schedule a plan to go live later?
Yes. Set a future go-live time on the Publish tab and the revision parks as scheduled until then.
Importing a PDF
Can I import a plan I already sell?
Yes. Our importer pulls the steps, materials, tools and photos from your PDF into a draft you review and edit. PDF import currently runs with our team — reach out from the contact page and we will set it up with you.
Who owns an imported plan?
You do. An imported plan lands owned by you, as a private draft, and nothing publishes until you review and approve it.
Pricing & licensing
How do I price my plan?
Free or paid, in Canadian dollars, on the Pricing tab of the editor.
What do the license tiers mean?
Personal use (build for yourself), commercial with credit (sell builds and credit you as the maker), or full commercial (sell freely). You choose per plan.
What is a Founding Member?
Creators who open the studio before the founding window closes earn the Founding Member badge and pay no platform fee on their first sales — our thank-you for building the catalogue early.
How do earnings work?
You keep your share of every sale, and we snapshot the split at the moment of purchase so it never changes underneath you. Detailed payout scheduling arrives with the maker-market rollout.
Payments & receipts
How are payments handled?
Card payments run through Stripe. Card numbers never touch our servers — Stripe processes them directly under its own security.
What currency am I charged in?
Canadian dollars. Stripe handles the conversion for international cards.
Where is my receipt?
Emailed to you at the moment of purchase, and your library always shows what you own.
The maker market
How do maker-market deposits work?
Deposits are captured, refundable payments — not card holds. They stay refundable until the maker marks the build started, and the balance is charged only when it ships.
What does backing a campaign commit me to?
Nothing until the batch fills. Your card is saved when you pledge and charged only if the goal is reached by the deadline; if it is not, nothing happens.
Account, data & troubleshooting
How do I delete my account or export my data?
From Settings, or by writing to us. Deletion removes your personal data; if you have published plans, they can be transferred or retired first so buyers are not left stranded.
A sign-in code will not arrive.
Check spam, then request a fresh code (one a minute). If it still will not come through, write to us and we will help.
Something looks broken.
A refresh clears most hiccups. If it persists, write to us from the contact page with what you were doing and we will chase it down.
