Mealie Hosting

1. Open your new pod and sign in with changeme@example.com and MyPassword.
2. Open your user profile and immediately replace the default admin email address and password with your own credentials.
3. Review ALLOW_SIGNUP in your pod’s environment settings. Keep it false unless you want users to be able to sign up without an invitation.
4. Add a recipe by URL or with the manual editor, or use the group migration tool to import an existing collection.

The Mealie setup guide confirms the default login, and the recipe feature guide covers creation and migration.

No. PikaPods sets up and runs Mealie for you, including OS and app updates and HTTPS. You won't touch Docker or a server. Your files and database stay accessible if you ever want to move them elsewhere.

Yes. Open your pod URL in a phone, tablet or desktop browser. Mealie also supports installation as a progressive web app where your browser offers that option, so a separate native client is not required.

For third-party apps and automations, Mealie provides a REST API with user-generated tokens. Compatibility and any separate cost depend on the third-party app; see the API guide.

No external account is needed for recipes, meal plans or shopping lists. Optional AI import and ingredient parsing require an OpenAI-compatible provider and API key. Provider charges are separate, and image or video imports need suitable image or transcription models; see the AI provider guide.

Email invitations and password resets also need an SMTP service if you want Mealie to send email. SMTP account and service costs are separate; see the email configuration reference.

Set up incremental backups to S3 in your pod settings for automatic nightly snapshots, or download your files and database yourself. We keep whole-server backups for server failures, but they aren't a per-pod restore service, so your own backup is what protects your data.

You can use Mealie instead of Paprika and AnyList. PikaPods runs it for you, and you can move your files and database elsewhere.

Mealie supports migrations from Tandoor, Nextcloud Cookbooks, Paprika, Chowdown, Plan to Eat, Recipe Keeper, Copy Me That, My Recipe Box and DVO Cook'n X3. See the import documentation for the current list and where to find the migration tool.

No. You add prepaid credit and your pods are billed by the hour from that balance, rounded up to full hours. There are no contracts or minimum terms: delete a pod anytime and billing stops. Optional automatic top-ups keep your pods running without manual payments.

You do. And you're in full control. If you ever want to download, migrate, edit or delete your data, just enable file and database access for your pod and it will be right there.

Yes. Mealie is part of our Green Heart program, so part of the revenue from every deployed pod goes to the project.