Comparison

BakeSide vs The Dough Lab

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BakeSide

This smart baking companion helps you check your sourdough starter, plan perfect baking timelines, and fix common issues. Learn new techniques and refine recipes through conversation, with personalized suggestions that adapt to your kitchen and skill level.

Highlights
  • Sourdough starter checks
  • Personalized baking timelines
  • Troubleshooting baking issues
  • Recipe refinement via chat
  • Adaptable to kitchen environment
  • Suitable for all skill levels
Features
Read full description

What you can do with BakeSide • Check your sourdough starter on demand Snap a photo, share details like temperature, smell, or fridge time, and get clear guidance on what to do next based on your goals. • Plan perfect baking timelines Create bake schedules that target the exact time you want your loaf to be ready and fit your availability and routine. • Fix issues early Get help with weak starters, sticky dough, slow fermentation, and more. • Learn through conversation Ask questions, refine recipes, and discover techniques through simple chat. Adapts to your baking style BakeSide adjusts to your tools, flour, environment, and preferences, offering suggestions that match your kitchen. Works for every skill level Whether you are just starting or already baking weekly, BakeSide helps you: • Understand timing and fermentation • Improve dough consistency • Build a baking routine • Experiment with confidence This version focuses on the essentials: • Starter checks and instant feedback • Personalized bake timelines • Guided baking support through chat • Bake plan notifications • Recipe intelligence • Timeline visualization • Personalized improvement insights BakeSide is free to use. An account is required. Additional usage and plans require subscription. Start baking with confidence today Download BakeSide and enjoy better bread, one bake at a time. Terms of Use: https://www.bakeside.app/app-terms-of-service/ Privacy Policy: https://www.bakeside.app/app-privacy-policy/

About

The Dough Lab

This app simplifies bread baking by helping you plan fermentation schedules for sourdough, pizza, and artisan loaves. It tracks starters, provides readiness indicators, and generates shopping lists. Organize your bakes, save recipes, and log your progress for better results.

Highlights
  • Sourdough starter tracking
  • Fermentation schedule planning
  • Automated shopping lists
  • Recipe saving and scaling
  • Hands-free bake sessions
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

The Dough Lab is a complete baking workspace for sourdough, pizza, artisan bread, and production baking. Plan your bake day, manage precise formulas, follow every step, and learn from each result. BAKE DAY Coordinate multiple batches without losing track of timers or next actions. • Plan several recipes and batches on one timeline • Work backward from your target baking time • Monitor active bakes and upcoming steps together • Keep independent timers, folds, notes, and progress for every batch • Continue interrupted or paused bakes • Generate a combined shopping list for planned batches RECIPES & BAKER’S MATH Create accurate formulas for everything from a single loaf to a full production run. • Use multiple named flours and flour blends • View precise baker’s percentages for every ingredient • Set starter or preferment hydration • Track total dough weight and per-piece yield • Scale by percentage, flour weight, or target portion weight • Create custom recipe types and workflows • Mark ingredients and recipe steps as optional HANDS-FREE BAKING Follow recipes comfortably while your hands are busy. • Large, kitchen-friendly controls • Step timers with quick adjustments • Configurable stretch-and-fold schedules • Read instructions aloud • Use Siri to control an active bake • Add step-specific notes, observations, and photos PREFERMENT TRACKER Track sourdough starter, levain, poolish, and biga from feeding to readiness. • Log feeds and builds • See rising, peak, ready, and past-prime states • Use temperature-aware timing windows • Plan backward from the time you need your preferment • Track counter and refrigerated maintenance routines PANTRY & SHOPPING Prepare for every batch in one place. • Combine ingredients from planned bakes • Keep named flours separate • Mark ingredients you already have • Track purchased items for each Bake Day • Add manual shopping-list items • Share your list BAKE LOG & PROGRESS Keep a useful record of what happened and improve over time. • Log ratings, photos, notes, conditions, and observations • Record room and dough temperatures • Compare timing, hydration, fermentation, and results • Review recipe-specific learning across repeated bakes • See trends across your baking history BUILT FOR REAL BAKING • Works offline • Syncs supported data through iCloud • Backup and restore your recipes and bake history • Supports Celsius and Fahrenheit • Available in English, Spanish, German, and Turkish • Designed for iPhone, iPad, and Apple silicon Mac Whether you are preparing tomorrow’s first loaf or coordinating a full production day, The Dough Lab helps you bake with better organization, clearer timing, and less guesswork.

Screenshots

BakeSide4 screens
The Dough Lab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Dough Lab at 100% against BakeSide's 29%. The Dough Lab also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). BakeSide's advantage is iOS requirement (16.2 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Dough Lab holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of BakeSide's written reviews are positive against 100% of The Dough Lab's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BakeSide ships an update fortnightly, The Dough Lab every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 6, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BakeSide versus The Dough Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBakeSideThe Dough Lab
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (9 ratings)4.9 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings99
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.2 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB40 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperWhite SandSabri Sonmez

Customer experience

BakeSide

All ratings9 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral11.1%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%

The Dough Lab

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

BakeSide

No in-app purchases

None

The Dough Lab

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BakeSide free?
BakeSide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Dough Lab free?
The Dough Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BakeSide or The Dough Lab?
The Dough Lab is rated higher. BakeSide averages 3.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while The Dough Lab averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.
Do BakeSide or The Dough Lab have ads?
Neither BakeSide nor The Dough Lab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BakeSide or The Dough Lab?
BakeSide ships an update fortnightly, and The Dough Lab every 6 days. Most recently, BakeSide was updated on October 6, 2026 and The Dough Lab on October 6, 2026.

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