In our October 29th piece, Empire Builder: A Tool or Just a Money Trap?, we questioned Darren Campbell’s Empire Builder platform. Was it just another marketing gimmick?

We suspected it might be nothing more than a white-labeled product disguised as something innovative. At the time, we didn’t have solid proof, but our spidey sense instincts screamed something shady was going on.

Here’s what had us suspicious from the start:

• Sneaky Marketing Tactics: Empire Builder’s vague descriptions left us with more questions than answers—no screenshots, no demos, no testimonials. Compare that to Helium 10 or Jungle Scout, where you know exactly what you’re getting.
  
  
• Copycat Software?: There wasn’t anything groundbreaking about Empire Builder. It felt like recycled tech with a fancy new name.
  
  
• A Money-Making Funnel: The platform was aggressively pushed as “essential” for those in Darren’s FBA Brand Builder course. It felt more like a sales pitch than a tool to genuinely help users.

We knew something wasn’t adding up, but now, we’ve uncovered the full story. Spoiler: It’s even worse than we thought.

The Truth About Empire Builder—And Why It’s a Total Rip-Off

Here’s what our investigation uncovered: Empire Builder isn’t some exclusive tool created by Darren Campbell. It’s a white-labeled version of Zonbase, marked up to more than triple the price. Here’s how we pieced it together:

• Locked-In Dependence: Darren doesn’t just recommend Empire Builder; he requires it for anyone in his FBA Brand Builder program. There’s no free or cheaper alternative offered. In one video, Darren makes this crystal clear:"You're going to need Empire Builder from every launch anyway, and after your launch, because obviously, we want you now to go in and use it as a software for absolutely everything."Translation? Darren makes sure clients have no choice but to pay for this overpriced tool.
  
  
• The Smoking Gun: Zonbase Source Code
  A quick look at the HTML source code of Empire Builder revealed multiple references to "Zonbase." For context, Zonbase is a white-label SaaS product available to anyone for just $30 a month. Meanwhile, Darren’s Empire Builder charges $99 per month—or $999 annually. That’s a markup of over 200% for the exact same product.
  
  
• Copy-Paste Features with a New Name
  Empire Builder’s tools—like Vision Hunter and keyword tracking—are a straight copy of Zonbase’s offerings. Same features, same functionality, just with a different logo. Darren hasn’t added a single thing to improve or customize the product for his clients.
  

Darren Campbell’s False Promises Unraveled

If the tech evidence wasn’t enough, Darren’s own claims expose even more lies. Throughout his program, he sells Empire Builder as a proprietary tool, claiming it was built specifically for FBA Brand Builder participants. Here’s what he says:

"This came solely from the FBA Brand Builder. We have built that software ourselves with a development team."

And this gem:

"I have invested well over $300,000 into trial and error and making mistakes. So, you now have that software."

The truth? These statements are completely false. Empire Builder isn’t custom-built—it’s just a rebranded version of Zonbase. Darren’s “exclusive tool” is a marketing ploy to justify the inflated price and lock clients into paying for something they could get cheaper elsewhere.

How Darren’s Empire Builder Drains Your Wallet

Here’s what this scam really costs clients:

• Sky-High Prices: Empire Builder charges $99 per month or $999 a year. For comparison, Zonbase—the same software—costs just $30 a month. That’s more than triple the cost for zero additional value.
  
  
• No Way Out: By refusing to recommend alternatives, Darren ensures his clients have no choice but to pay up. It’s a deliberate strategy to keep the money flowing.
  
  
• A Money-Making Machine for Darren: Every Empire Builder subscription means recurring revenue for Darren. Meanwhile, his clients unknowingly pay through the nose for a rebranded product.

The Deeper Pattern of Deception

Back in our first article, we highlighted red flags about Empire Builder, but we underestimated just how bad the situation really was. Darren isn’t just being shady—he’s deliberately misleading his clients to squeeze as much money out of them as possible.

This isn’t the first time we’ve uncovered questionable practices. In our November 21st article, we exposed how Darren encouraged clients to misrepresent income on Revolut applications, showing a clear pattern of prioritizing profit over ethics. Empire Builder’s overpriced subscriptions follow the same playbook: push misinformation, lock clients into payments, and profit big.

Darren Campbell’s Empire Crumbles—The Bottom Line

Empire Builder could have been a helpful tool for Amazon sellers—if Darren had been honest about what it is and priced it fairly. Instead, it’s a blatant cash grab. From mandatory subscriptions to inflated fees, Darren’s approach is all about profits, not transparency or client success.

So there you go, folks—another lie from Darren that he’ll likely dismiss as “outside noise.” But while you’re shelling out £99 per month or committing to an annual license, ask yourself: who’s really benefiting here? The platform isn’t even regarded as a strong option in the Amazon FBA space, and you’re paying for what’s essentially a white-labeled version of a cheaper product.

Please, start asking Darren and his team the tough questions—that’s all we’re trying to achieve here. Nothing more. Protect yourselves and your wallets.