Honest comparison
Thinking of switching from Bakesy? Here's the honest comparison.
We're not going to pretend Bakesy is bad. They have a great mobile app and custom-order forms we don't ship yet. Here's where each platform wins so you can pick the right one.
Feature-by-feature
Bakesy stats reflect publicly-listed features as of 2026-05. Verify before you switch.
| Feature | CottageOps | Bakesy |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app (native iOS/Android) | Web-first PWA (installable on phone home screen) | Native app, 5.9K iOS ratings |
| Custom-order intake forms | On the roadmap (custom-quote feature deferred to v1.1) | Built-in custom-order forms |
| State-compliance labels (per-state) | All 50 states + DC wired in (TX SB 541, CA Class A/B, etc.) | Generic label template, baker fills in disclosures |
| Revenue cap tracking (per-state law) | Live counter, alerts before you hit the cap | Not tracked |
| Multi-window pickup scheduling | Multiple pickup windows per day, per location | Single pickup window per event |
| Marketplace discovery / SEO | Direct-to-buyer storefront link only | Built-in marketplace discovery |
| Payment methods supported | Venmo / Zelle / Cash App / PayPal / cash (you get paid directly — no processing cut) | Stripe / card-only |
| Multi-baker / family-household accounts | On the roadmap (Q3 2026 — husband-wife, mom-daughter teams) | Single-operator only |
| AI assist (label suggestions, auto-categorization) | On the AI roadmap — nothing shipped today | Not advertised |
Where Bakesy wins
- Native mobile app. 5.9K iOS ratings, real app-store presence. If you live on your phone and a PWA isn't enough, that matters.
- Custom-order intake forms. Built-in. We shipped a backend for it but the buyer-facing flow is deferred to v1.1 — if a custom-cake form is your bread and butter (literally), Bakesy is the more polished pick today.
- Marketing collateral & brand recognition. They've been around longer. Existing customers know the name.
Where CottageOps wins
- Per-state compliance is the product. TX SB 541, CA Class A vs B, FL, TN, OH — label disclosures, revenue caps, and registration prompts adapt to your state automatically. You don't memorize the law.
- Revenue cap tracking. Texas caps cottage food at $150K/yr. California Class A is $88,878 (Class B $177,756, 2026 CPI-adjusted). We track it live and warn you before you cross it.
- Multi-window pickup. Saturday morning farmers' market AND Sunday afternoon porch pickup, both in one schedule. Bakesy gives you one window per event.
- Multi-baker / family accounts (Q3 2026). About 15% of cottage businesses run as family teams. Bakesy is structurally single-operator.
- $19/mo flat, zero transaction fees. Bakesy charges $9.99 (Lite) or $17.99 (Premium) per month and ours is $19 — but neither of us takes a cut of your sales. Stripe's standard fees apply on both. CottageOps is free in 2026, so you can switch with zero financial risk.
How to switch
- Export your Bakesy menu as a CSV (Settings → Export in Bakesy).
- Sign up for CottageOps — free in 2026, no credit card required.
- Upload your CSV. The Bakesy CSV importer auto-detects column names; your menu lands in one click.
- Test a fake order on yourself to confirm the label, pickup window, and payment handle look right before pointing your customers at the new link.
Note: the Bakesy CSV importer is the next backend release (Bob, Week 2-3). Until it ships, you can paste menu items manually — most bakers finish in 20-30 minutes.
Pricing at a glance
CottageOps
$19/month
Free in 2026. Cancel anytime — most-recent month refundable. Zero transaction fees, ever.
Bakesy
$9.99/mo Lite·$17.99/mo Premium
Premium tier needed for custom-order forms + advanced features.
Comparing CottageOps to something else? See the other guides:
Free in 2026 — no card required.
Sign up, import your menu, and see if per-state compliance and multi-window pickup are worth the switch. If not, cancel — we'll refund the most recent month.
Start freeBakesy comparison reflects publicly-listed pricing & features as of 2026-05. Not legal advice — verify cottage-food requirements with your state agency.