> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.kneadapp.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Upgrading Your Plan

> Move from Free or Starter to a higher Knead plan to lift your order cap and unlock analytics, Sous Chef, and more.

## Overview

Knead grows with your bakery. As orders pick up, upgrading takes less than a minute and gives you immediate access to everything your new plan includes — no waiting period, no logging out.

## Knead's Plans

* **Free Trial** — Full access to everything, time-limited, so you can try the whole toolkit up front.
* **Free** — \$0 forever. **5 orders per month** plus the essentials (your order form, order management, client list, inbox, and a basic Counter).
* **Starter — \$29/month** — Everything in Free, with **unlimited orders**, the full Morning Briefing, customer quote approval, and priority support.
* **Growth — \$59/month** — Everything in Starter, plus the Analytics dashboard and the Sous Chef AI assistant.

For the full feature-by-feature breakdown, see [Knead Plans and Pricing](/account-and-billing/knead-plans-and-pricing).

## When Your Free Trial Ends

When your trial's time is up, you're **not locked out**. Your account moves to the **Free** plan automatically, and all your data stays put. Free caps you at **5 orders per month** — so if you're taking more than that, upgrading is what keeps new orders flowing. When a trial expires, Knead shows a self-serve **upgrade** prompt that unlocks everything again in a couple of taps.

<Note>Good to know: Hitting the 5-orders-a-month cap on Free doesn't cost you any data or access to what you've already got — it just means it's time to move up to Starter for unlimited orders.</Note>

## How to Upgrade

Upgrading is managed by the account **Owner**.

1. Tap **Settings** in the main navigation.
2. Tap **Billing**.
3. You'll see your current plan and the available upgrade options.
4. Tap **Upgrade** on the plan you want.
5. Knead opens a secure **Stripe Checkout** page.
6. Enter your payment details and confirm.
7. You're redirected back to Knead with your new plan active.

<Note>Good to know: All payment processing is handled by Stripe. Knead never sees or stores your card number.</Note>

## What Happens When You Upgrade

Your upgrade takes effect **immediately**. There's no waiting period and no need to log out and back in — features gated to your new plan become available right away. If you upgrade mid-cycle, Stripe prorates the charge so you only pay for the remaining days at the new plan's rate.

## Managing Your Subscription

After upgrading, you can manage everything from **Settings → Billing**:

1. Go to **Settings → Billing**.
2. Tap **Manage Subscription**.
3. Knead opens the Stripe billing portal, where you can:
   * Update your payment method.
   * View invoices and payment history.
   * Change your plan.
   * Update billing details.

<Tip>Pro tip: Access the billing portal from Settings whenever you need to update a card or download an invoice for your records.</Tip>

## Downgrading Your Plan

If you need to move to a lower tier:

1. Go to **Settings → Billing**.
2. Tap **Manage Subscription**.
3. In the Stripe billing portal, select the plan you want to switch to.

Your downgrade takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you keep your higher-tier features until then. **No data is deleted when you downgrade.** Your orders, products, and customer records all stay intact.

<Note>Good to know: If you downgrade and later upgrade again, your data is right where you left it. Nothing is lost.</Note>

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Can I try the paid features before committing?**
Yes — your free trial unlocks everything Knead offers up front. If you're already on a paid plan and want to try a higher tier, reach out at [hello@kneadapp.co](mailto:hello@kneadapp.co).

**What payment methods are accepted?**
Stripe accepts all major credit and debit cards. Availability depends on your region.

**Will I lose data if I downgrade?**
No. All your data is preserved regardless of which plan you're on.

## Related Articles

* [Knead Plans and Pricing](/account-and-billing/knead-plans-and-pricing)
* [Managing Your Subscription](/account-and-billing/managing-your-subscription)
* [Team Members and Roles](/account-and-billing/team-and-roles)
* [Understanding Your Analytics](/understanding-your-analytics)
* [Cancellation and Data Export](/account-and-billing/cancellation-and-data-export)

***

*Still need help? [Contact us](mailto:hello@kneadapp.co)*