What you bake
How Much Do People Charge for Fresh Sourdough: $6 to $18
The real price ranges for fresh sourdough, and how to set yours from your own costs.
On this page
- What fresh sourdough sells for right now
- How loaf size and style change the price
- Why the same loaf has three different prices
- How to price wholesale, retail, and custom orders
- How to set your own price from your costs
- A simple way to check your margin
- How to raise your price without losing customers
- Mistakes that cost you money on sourdough
- What to check before you commit to a price
- How Brevl helps you price and sell
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What to remember
- Plain sourdough loaves: $6 to $12.
- Homemade sourdough: $10 to $18.
- Focaccia: $4 to $7.
- Your costs decide your final price.
- Check your local market before you commit.
The honest answer to how much do people charge for fresh sourdough is that it varies by where you sell and what you bake. A farmer’s market in a big city will pay more than a small town. Your job is to find the range that works for your costs and your customers.
What fresh sourdough sells for right now
The same guide on homemade sourdough puts the range at $10 to $18. For a plain sourdough loaf, the range is $6 to $12. Focaccia is $4 to $7. These are starting ranges, not fixed rules.
The size of the loaf matters. A 500g loaf and a 1kg loaf are not the same product. The ingredients matter too. A plain white sourdough costs less to make than a jalapeno cheddar loaf. Your market matters most. A tourist town will pay more than a rural area.
How loaf size and style change the price
A 1kg loaf uses more flour and takes more oven space than a 500g loaf. Price by weight or by size so the bigger loaf costs more. Check your ingredient cost per gram to set the difference. If you do not, you may lose money on every large loaf.
Style matters as much as size. A plain sourdough uses flour, water, and salt. A jalapeno cheddar loaf adds ingredients and prep time. A custom shape or scoring takes more labor. Each addition should show up in your price.
Why the same loaf has three different prices
Three bakers can sell the same size loaf for three different prices. The first baker sells at a farmer’s market with high foot traffic. The second sells to neighbors through a weekly order. The third sells wholesale to a cafe. Each has different costs and different customers.
Wholesale is usually the lowest price per loaf. You bake in bulk and deliver once. Retail at a market is higher because you pay for a stall and spend the day selling. Custom orders are often the highest because the customer wants a specific size or flavor.
How to price wholesale, retail, and custom orders
Wholesale buyers expect a lower price because they buy in volume. You save time by baking one large batch and delivering once. Your price still needs to cover ingredients, labor, and overhead. A wholesale price below your cost is not a sale, it is a loss.
Retail at a market adds stall fees, travel, and a full day of selling. Those costs belong in your retail price. Custom orders add planning, messages, and special ingredients. Charge for that extra time and attention.
How to set your own price from your costs
Add up ingredients for one bake
List every ingredient you use for one batch. Include flour, water, salt, and any add-ins. Divide the total by the number of loaves.
Add your time
Track how long you spend mixing, shaping, baking, and packaging. Give your time an hourly rate. Divide that by the number of loaves.
Add overhead
Overhead is everything else: your shop fee, packaging, power, and delivery. Brevl costs $20 a month with no cut of your sales. If you sell 20 loaves a month, that is $1 per loaf.
Add your profit
Profit is what you keep after all costs. A common target is 20 to 30 percent of the price. Add that to your cost to get your price.
Check against local prices
Look at what other bakers charge in your area. If your price is far above the range, check your costs. If it is far below, you may be underpricing.
Test and adjust
Sell at your price for a few weeks. If you sell out every time, consider a small increase. If you have leftovers, check your costs or your market.
A simple way to check your margin
Margin is what is left after ingredients, labor, and overhead, so take your price and subtract all three. Suppose you sell a loaf for $10, with ingredients at $2, labor at $4, and overhead at $1. Your margin is $3 per loaf, and that $3 covers profit and future costs.
Overhead is the easiest to calculate. Brevl costs $20 a month with no cut of your sales. If you sell 20 loaves a month, that is $1 per loaf in overhead. For ingredients and labor, you need your own numbers.
Subtract those three from your price to see your margin. If your margin is zero or negative, your price is too low. Raise the price or lower your costs. Do not count a margin that leaves overhead unpaid.
How to raise your price without losing customers
If you sell out every week and still have no money left, your price is too low. Test a small increase first. Tell your customers what changed, such as better packaging or a larger loaf. Most regulars will stay if the quality stays high.
You can also shrink the loaf or simplify the recipe before you cut your own pay. A smaller loaf costs less to make. A plain sourdough costs less than a jalapeno cheddar. You can also find a different market or sell to a different group of customers.
Mistakes that cost you money on sourdough
Another mistake is copying a big bakery’s price. They buy flour by the pallet and bake in huge ovens. Your costs are different. A third mistake is not paying yourself. Your time is a real cost. If you do not count it, you are working for free.
What to check before you commit to a price
Check your state cottage food rules. Some states limit what you can sell and where. Check your local market. Visit a farmer’s market and see what other bakers charge. Check your own costs one more time. Make sure you have not missed packaging or delivery. For more on the craft of sourdough, see our craft hub.
How Brevl helps you price and sell
Brevl is a flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales. You get a 14 day free trial. It works on your phone and on a computer. You can take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. Your shop is yours to customize with your photos and your web address. Recipes with real costing help you price and plan. We set it up with you and move your old shop over. A real person answers, usually within minutes.
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Common questions
What is a fair price for a fresh sourdough loaf?
Our guides put plain sourdough loaves at $6 to $12. A larger boule or a homemade sourdough loaf runs $10 to $18. Focaccia is $4 to $7. Use these as a starting range, then adjust for your own costs and your local market.
Should I charge more for a larger loaf?
Yes. A larger loaf uses more ingredients and takes more space in your oven. Price by weight or by size. A 1kg loaf should cost more than a 500g loaf. Check your ingredient cost per gram to set the difference.
How do I know if my price is too low?
If you sell out every week and still have no money left, your price is too low. Add up your ingredients, your time, and your overhead. If your price does not cover all three plus a profit, raise it. Test a small increase first.
Do I need to include my time in the price?
Yes. Your time is a real cost. If you do not pay yourself, you are working for free. Track how long each bake takes. Give yourself an hourly rate. Divide that by the number of loaves. Add it to your ingredient and overhead costs.
What if my market will not pay my price?
Shrink the loaf or simplify the recipe before you cut your own pay. A smaller loaf costs less to make. A plain sourdough costs less than a jalapeno cheddar. You can also find a different market or sell to a different group of customers.
How do I price a 1kg loaf versus a 500g loaf?
Price by weight or by size. A 1kg loaf uses more ingredients and takes more oven space. Check your ingredient cost per gram. Set the difference so the larger loaf covers its extra cost and labor.
Should I charge extra for delivery?
Yes. Delivery is part of overhead. It takes time and fuel. Add it to your price or set a minimum order. If you do not, delivery comes out of your margin.
How do I know if my price is too high?
If you have leftovers every week, your price may be too high for your market. Check your costs first. Then check local prices. You can shrink the loaf or simplify the recipe before you cut your pay.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check your state cottage food rules before you sell.