warebyhow much to charge for a loaf of sourdough
a price that pays for the ingredients, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
in this post
1what it costs to make2cost per item3what to charge4a fair range5tips6the rules7questions8sourcesabout $10.95 a loaf, if you pay yourself $20 an hour and keep a 25% profit after wareby’s free-plan fees. a fair range is $6.55 to $14.15 a loaf, depending on your pay, your profit and where you sell. the math: a batch of 4 sourdough loaves costs about $2.55 in ingredients, and with packaging, your time and overhead, one comes to $6.49. change any number in the pricing calculator to get your own price.
what does a batch of 4 sourdough loaves cost to make?
ingredient prices are u.s. averages from the bureau of labor statistics (september 2026) where it tracks them. the rest are examples: swap in what you pay.
| ingredient | amount | cost | price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| bread flour or all purpose flour, starter feedings included | 4.4 lb | $2.40 | bls, september 2026 |
| salt | $0.15 | example: use yours | |
| a batch of 4 sourdough loaves, total | $2.55 |
what does one cost you, all in?
| cost | for one item |
|---|---|
| materials ($2.55 ÷ 4) | $0.64 |
| packaging | $0.35 |
| your time (60 minutes a batch at $20 an hour ÷ 4) | $5.00 |
| overhead | $0.50 |
| your cost | $6.49 |
sourdough is cheap to make and slow to make. the dough takes two days, but the hands-on time (mixing, folds, shaping, baking, cleanup) is about an hour for four loaves. overhead is higher than most baking because the oven runs hot for a long time.
what should you charge for a loaf of sourdough?
here’s the price that pays for all of that and leaves a 25% profit, depending on where you sell (fees from each company’s own pages):
| where you sell | price a loaf | fees | profit on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| cash, no fees | $8.65 | $0.00 | $2.16 |
| a card reader at a market (2.6% + 15¢) | $9.20 | $0.39 | $2.32 |
| wareby, free plan | $10.95 | $1.72 | $2.74 |
| hotplate | $9.45 | $0.57 | $2.39 |
| etsy | $10.60 | $1.46 | $2.65 |
the more a platform takes, the higher the price has to be for the same profit. cash at a market costs nothing, but it only reaches the people walking by.
what’s a fair price range?
the same a loaf of sourdough at different pay and profit, sold on wareby’s free plan:
| your hourly pay | 20% profit | 30% profit |
|---|---|---|
| $15 an hour | $8.30 | $9.75 |
| $20 an hour | $10.15 | $11.95 |
| $25 an hour | $12.00 | $14.15 |
how do you make more on a loaf of sourdough?
- bake more loaves at once: four loaves take barely more hands-on time than two.
- sell a weekly bread subscription. regulars who order every week are worth more than a busy market day.
- add inclusions (cheese, jalapeño, olives, seeds) as a pricier second loaf.
- sell your extra starter or a starter kit: it costs you almost nothing.
can you sell a loaf of sourdough from home?
in most states, yes, under the cottage food law, as long as you follow its rules on registration, labels and where you sell. check your state’s cottage food law.
questions people ask
how much should i charge for a loaf of sourdough?
about $10.95 a loaf at $20 an hour and a 25% profit on wareby’s free plan. a fair range is $6.55 to $14.15 a loaf.
how much does it cost to make a loaf of sourdough?
about $2.55 in ingredients for a batch of 4 sourdough loaves, or $6.49 an item with packaging, your time and overhead.
why is sourdough so expensive?
not because of the flour, which is under a dollar a loaf. it’s the time, the oven and a two-day process.
sources
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
