Getting Started
What is Knead?
Knead is an order management and capacity planning platform built for home bakers and cottage food operators. It gives you one place to take orders, plan your schedule, track ingredients, send invoices, and get paid. Sign up at kneadapp.co.Who is Knead for?
Knead is for home bakers, cottage food operators, and small bakery businesses. Whether you sell custom cakes, decorated cookies, sourdough loaves, or weekly bread subscriptions, Knead fits your workflow. If you run a baking business from your home kitchen, this was built for you.Do I need a cottage food license or business license to use Knead?
Knead does not require any license to create an account. However, cottage food laws vary by state and county, so check your local regulations before selling baked goods. Knead helps you run your business — it does not provide legal advice.Can I use Knead on my phone?
Yes. Knead is a web app that works on any modern browser — phone, tablet, or desktop. No app store download required. Bookmark kneadapp.co on your home screen for quick access.How do I get started?
Create an account at kneadapp.co, set up your bakery profile, add your first product, and share your Board link with customers. The Quickstart guide walks you through each step.Orders and Customers
How do customers place orders?
Customers order through The Board — your public-facing order form. Share your unique Board link on social media, your website, or in a text message. Customers browse your products, pick a date, and submit a request. No app download or account required on their end.How do I know if I can take another order this week?
Open The Sweet Spot — your capacity planning calendar. It shows your production hours, order load, and available capacity for every day. Color-coded indicators tell you instantly whether you have room. Tap any day to see exactly what is scheduled.Can I create orders manually for phone or text requests?
Yes. Tap New Order on The Counter and enter the details yourself. Manual orders work the same as Board submissions — they flow through the same statuses, capacity checks, invoicing, and production checklists. See Creating Orders Manually for details.How do I handle rush orders?
You handle rush orders the same way as any other order. Check The Sweet Spot to confirm you have capacity for the requested date. If you do, accept the order. If you charge extra for rush turnaround, adjust the pricing when you create the invoice.Can I track customer allergies and dietary needs?
Yes. Each customer profile includes fields for allergies and dietary notes. This information shows up on order details and production checklists in The Pass so you never miss it on bake day. See Client Notes and Allergy Tracking for setup details.Pricing and Payments
Can my customers pay online?
Yes. Knead integrates with Stripe so your customers can pay online through a link in their invoice. You connect your own Stripe account, and payments go directly to you. Knead never holds your funds.Do I need a Stripe account?
You need a Stripe account to accept online payments. Knead walks you through the setup during onboarding. If you only accept cash or offline payments, you can skip Stripe and record payments manually.Can I accept deposits or partial payments?
Yes. When you create an invoice, you can set a required deposit amount. The customer pays the deposit first. You collect the remaining balance before or at pickup. See Deposits and Partial Payments for the full setup.How much does Stripe charge per transaction?
Stripe charges [XX]% + a flat fee per transaction. These are Stripe’s standard processing fees — Knead does not add any additional transaction fees on top. See Understanding Processing Fees for a detailed breakdown.Can I record cash or Venmo payments?
Yes. If a customer pays you in cash, by check, through Venmo, or any other method outside Stripe, you can manually mark the invoice as paid. The order status updates the same way as an online payment. See Recording Manual Payments for steps.How much should I charge for my products?
Start by knowing your true ingredient cost per item. The Pantry calculates this automatically when you link a recipe to a product. A common starting point is 3-4x your ingredient cost, then adjust for your time, overhead, and market. See Setting Prices and Understanding Margins for guidance.Quotes and Invoices
What is the difference between a quote and an invoice?
A quote is an estimate you send before confirming the final price. An invoice is a request for payment. Use quotes for custom orders where pricing depends on the customer’s choices. Once the customer approves the quote, convert it to an order and invoice in one step. See Quote Approval Workflow for the full flow.Can customers approve quotes online?
Yes. When you send a quote, the customer receives an email with a link to review and approve it. They can approve, request changes, or decline — all from their browser. You get notified of their response on The Counter.Data and Security
Is my data secure?
Yes. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Knead uses Supabase for database infrastructure and Stripe for payment processing — both are industry-leading platforms with strong security practices. Knead never shares your data with third parties.Can I import existing orders or customers?
Not yet, but import tools are in progress. Reach out to hello@kneadapp.co and we can help you get your existing data into Knead.What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data stays available for 30 days after cancellation. During that window, you can export your orders, customers, and recipes. After 30 days, your data is permanently deleted. See Cancellation and Data Export for details on how to export before you go.Plans and Billing
How much does Knead cost?
Knead offers plans designed for home bakers at every stage. Visit kneadapp.co for current pricing and plan details.Is there a free trial?
Yes. You can try Knead free before committing to a paid plan. Visit kneadapp.co for current trial details and to create your account.Getting Help
How do I request a feature?
Send your idea to hello@kneadapp.co. Knead is built by a small team and baker feedback directly shapes the roadmap. We read every suggestion.How do I contact support?
Email hello@kneadapp.co. We are a small team and we read every message. Expect a response within one business day.Home Bakery Software & Workflows
How do I manage orders for my home bakery?
Share your order link (The Board) on Instagram, your website, or via text. Customers browse your products, pick a delivery date, and submit a structured request. Orders land on your Counter dashboard for review — no more digging through DMs or copying into spreadsheets.How do I price my custom cookies so I actually make money?
Add your ingredients and costs to The Pantry, build a recipe, and Knead calculates your true cost per item. Compare that against your sell price to see your margin percentage. Use per-item pricing for countable sell units like dozens to set prices at the individual cookie level.What is the best software for home bakers?
Knead is purpose-built for home bakers, caterers, and cottage food businesses. It combines order management, capacity planning, recipe costing, invoicing, and inventory tracking in one platform. Unlike commercial bakery software (BakeSmart, Cybake), Knead is designed for custom order workflows — the way home bakers actually work. Plans start free.How do I send professional invoices for my home bakery?
Go to any confirmed order and tap Create Invoice. Knead generates a branded invoice with your logo, itemized line items, and a Stripe payment link. Send it to your customer by email. They pay online, and the payment is tracked automatically.Is there an app that tells me if I have capacity to take another order?
Yes. Knead’s Sweet Spot calendar shows your production capacity at a glance. When a new order request comes in, you can see immediately whether you have room that day. The What-If toggle lets you preview how a potential order would affect your week before you commit.What software do home bakers use instead of spreadsheets?
Home bakers are switching to purpose-built platforms like Knead that replace order spreadsheets, recipe costing sheets, capacity calendars, and invoicing apps with one integrated system. Knead is specifically designed for custom order workflows — order intake, capacity planning, production checklists, and client communication.How do I track ingredients and costs for my baking business?
Use The Pantry to log all your ingredients with costs, suppliers, and quantities on hand. Link ingredients to recipes and Knead calculates your cost per item automatically. When ingredient prices change, update the cost and it flows through to all recipes. Set low-stock alerts to get notified before you run out.Related Articles
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