Honestly: what comes across, what doesn’t.
Get your data out of Gemini.
- 01
Google Takeout → Gemini Apps Activity
Go to takeout.google.com. Deselect all, then re-select 'Gemini Apps Activity'. Request the export — typically arrives within 24 hours via email link.
- 02
Save the .zip locally
Contains JSON files of your chat history and any files you uploaded to Gemini. Keep this as your permanent record.
- 03
List your Custom Gems
In Gemini, click Gems Manager. Note each Gem's name, instructions, and attached files. You'll rebuild these as LADLE Projects.
- 04
Extract your custom instructions
Gemini Advanced Settings → Personalization. Copy your saved info. This becomes your LADLE Voice Guide seed.
Set LADLE up the way Gemini was working for you.
- 01
Sign up for LADLE
New account, not linked to Google. This is deliberate — LADLE is provider-independent. If you rely on Google SSO for everything, that's an adoption consideration.
- 02
Create a default Project with Voice Guide
Paste your Gemini custom instructions, expand with 2-3 writing samples, save. 20 minutes.
- 03
Rebuild top Custom Gems as Projects
For each Gem you actually use: new Project → same name → attach knowledge files → paste instructions into Voice Guide. Test with one chat.
- 04
Adjust for missing Workspace integration
Gemini's biggest value for many users is being inside Docs and Gmail. LADLE is a separate tab. Habit change: keep LADLE open in a tab; copy drafts back to Google. If this friction is a dealbreaker, staying on Gemini for Docs/Gmail while using LADLE for chat is legitimate.
Their feature → our equivalent (or an honest “we don’t”).
Nothing hidden, no lock-in.
Seven days to feel at home.
- DAY 1
Sign up, set up default Project + Voice Guide
Straightforward. Google SSO users will notice the manual signup — that's real, LADLE is provider-independent.
- DAY 2
Rebuild your most-used Gem as a Project
The one you asked most yesterday in Gemini. Test with one real task.
- DAY 3
Do work outside Google apps
Pick a task that would live in Gemini but doesn't need Docs/Gmail integration — a research question, a code review, a draft to send later. This shows LADLE at its strongest.
- DAY 4
Try work that would use Google integration
Draft a Docs paragraph in LADLE, paste to Docs. Draft a Gmail reply in LADLE, paste to Gmail. Notice the friction — this is what you're trading.
- DAY 5
Decide integration strategy
Option A: LADLE only, all drafts via copy-paste. Option B: keep Gemini for Docs/Gmail, LADLE for standalone chat and research. Both are legitimate; depends on your workflow.
- DAY 6
Cancel or reduce Google AI Pro if switching
one.google.com → Google AI Pro. If you're going Option B, keep it. If Option A, cancel.
- DAY 7
First LADLE meals reserved at month-end
First monthly impact statement lands the last day of this calendar month — with a reference to the LADLE meal-fund report.
- 10 meals/mo reserved in the LADLE meal fund per subscription (pegged at the partner's $0.80/meal; ships as real partner donations once the $50k/year threshold clears).
- Claude Sonnet quality on writing and long-context reasoning.
- No Google account tied to your AI tool (some users want this separation).
- Published open metrics and monthly fund reports.
- Deep Voice Guide behavior across per-Project scoping.
- No Google Workspace integration — no in-Docs, no in-Gmail, no in-Calendar.
- No image or video generation (Imagen/Veo).
- No model choice beyond Sonnet.
- Google SSO not available for consumer plans (private beta for teams).
- If your workflow lives inside Google apps, LADLE is meaningfully less convenient.
Migration questions.
For many Google-first users, yes — Gemini in Docs is a substantial time-saver that LADLE can't replicate. Honest assessment: how much of your Gemini use is inside Docs/Gmail vs standalone? If ≥50% is inside Google apps, staying on Gemini for that and using LADLE alongside is more realistic than a full switch.
Try LADLE for a week alongside Gemini. Then decide.
7-day full refund if you don't switch. Meals fund from your first month either way.