Collections, commissions and routes for machines without telemetry
Meter Snap is a phone app for small operators: photograph the coin or credit meter at each stop, the app reads the digits and you confirm, record the cash counted, and produce a commission statement the location owner can trust. It plans your route by when machines are due and tracks the prizes and products you stock. In English and Spanish.
- Meter reading from a photo in about two seconds, always shown for your confirmation before saving; manual entry is one tap away.
- Commission statements as PDF with the meter photos attached, showing gross, your split and the location's share, sent by email or text from the parking lot.
- Works offline in basements and back rooms; syncs when you are back in signal.
VendSoft, an established route-management product, lists plans from $19 to $199 per month and includes commission features.
Source: vendsoft.comVendSoft states that it serves more than 2,000 operators and 48,000 machines, which shows operators already pay for software in this category.
Source: vendsoft.comSmall operators run routes on notebooks because route software assumes telemetry and a fleet
A claw machine in a pizza place, a few candy machines, two arcade cabinets in a laundromat. The operator drives the route every week or two, opens each machine, counts cash, writes the meter number in a notebook, and later tries to work out what the location is owed. Statements go out late, meter photos live in the camera roll, and a location owner who does not trust the numbers finds another operator.
Vending route software exists and operators pay for it, but it is designed around telemetry devices and routes with hundreds of machines. For a claw or mechanical vending machine with a simple counter and no network connection, the software is overkill, and the cheap tier still assumes you will key everything in by hand.
Meter Snap starts from the phone the operator already carries. A photo of the meter is the data entry. Everything else, statements, routes and prize inventory, follows from that.
Without it
- VendSoft and full route-management suites: VendSoft lists $19–199 per month and is built for larger routes, with telemetry integrations, warehouse pick lists and…
- Telemetry devices: Cellular monitors report sales in real time, but they cost hardware plus a monthly fee per machine and do not fit many…
- Notebook and spreadsheet: Free, and how everyone starts. It fails on the statement a location owner questions, the prize stock you forgot, and…
With Meter Snap
- Meter reading from a photo in about two seconds, always shown for your confirmation before saving; manual entry is one tap away.
- Commission statements as PDF with the meter photos attached, showing gross, your split and the location's share, sent by email or text from the parking lot.
- Works offline in basements and back rooms; syncs when you are back in signal.
- Meter photo reading
- Collection log
How it works
- 1
Add machines and locations
Create each location with its commission split and contact, and each machine with its type, meter type (coin counter, credit counter or none) and service cadence. About ten minutes for a small route.
- 2
Collect with your camera
At each stop, open the machine and photograph the meter. The app reads the digits and shows them next to the photo; you confirm or correct, enter the cash counted and any restocked prizes, and move on.
- 3
Send the statement
The app computes the period's gross from the meter difference and cash, applies the split, and produces a PDF statement with photos. Email or text it to the location owner before you leave.
- 4
Plan the next trip
Machines come due based on cadence and recent takings; the app orders the day's stops and opens Google Maps for navigation. Low-stock prizes appear on your pick list.
Features
Meter photo reading
Point the camera at a mechanical or digital counter; the app proposes the reading and highlights it on the photo. You confirm every reading before it saves, and the photo is kept as evidence.
Collection log
Cash counted, meter delta, the variance between them, restocks and notes for every visit. Variance alerts flag a machine that is being shorted or malfunctioning.
Commission statements
Per-location PDF statements with gross, split percentage, location share, period and meter photos. Send by email or text from the app; the owner gets a link to past statements.
Route planning
Due dates from each machine's cadence and takings; a day plan orders stops and estimates time. Skip, reschedule or add stops from the app.
Prize and product inventory
Track plush, capsules, candy and snacks by SKU: stock in your vehicle and storage, what went into each machine, and low-stock alerts with a reorder list.
Machine profitability
Takings per week, commission paid and prize cost per machine and per location, so you know which spots to grow and which to pull.
Spanish interface
The whole app, statements and notifications in English or Spanish, switchable per user; each location can receive statements in the language its owner prefers.
Offline mode and exports
Collect without signal and sync later. Export visits, statements and inventory as CSV for your accountant.
A look inside
What you see day to day: the working view and the monthly summary.
Who it's for
Claw and crane machine operators
Prize cost makes or breaks a claw route. Meter Snap tracks the plush going into each machine against takings, and statements with photos keep location owners confident.
Bulk candy and snack vending operators
Dozens of mechanical machines with simple counters and no telemetry. Photo readings replace the notebook and the Sunday-night spreadsheet.
Small arcade and amusement routes
Cabinets in laundromats, bars and restaurants on commission deals. Statements, route planning and per-machine earnings in one place.
Machine distributors
You sell machines to new operators who then need to run a route. Point them to an app priced for a first route, or ask us about bundling.
Works with
- iPhone and Android via a browser-installed app (PWA)
- Google Maps and Apple Maps navigation links
- Email and SMS delivery of statements
- PDF statements with embedded photos
- CSV export for QuickBooks and spreadsheets
- Shareable statement links for location owners
Pricing
Per operator, billed monthly, cancel any time. Founding customer pricing is locked for 24 months for accounts opened in early access. All plans include meter photo reading, collection logs, statements and the English and Spanish interface.
Solo
$9 per month
A first route of up to 10 machines
- Up to 10 machines
- Meter photo reading and collection log
- Commission statements by email
- Route list by due date
- Photo evidence kept for 12 months
- 1 user
- Email support
Route
$19 per month
Operators with up to 30 machines
- Up to 30 machines
- Everything in Solo
- Statements by text and shareable link
- Route planning with map ordering
- Prize and product inventory with low-stock alerts
- Machine profitability reports
- 2 users and CSV exports
Fleet
$29 per month
Routes of up to 75 machines or with several drivers
- Up to 75 machines (more on request)
- Everything in Route
- Up to 5 users with per-route assignment
- Variance alerts and shortage reports
- Location owner portal for past statements
- Photo evidence kept for 3 years
- Priority support
Compared with the alternatives
- VendSoft and full route-management suites
- VendSoft lists $19–199 per month and is built for larger routes, with telemetry integrations, warehouse pick lists and planograms. Running a hundred snack machines with card readers, that depth matters. Meter Snap is for the operator whose machines have a counter and a coin box.
- Telemetry devices
- Cellular monitors report sales in real time, but they cost hardware plus a monthly fee per machine and do not fit many claw and mechanical machines. A meter photo costs nothing per machine.
- Notebook and spreadsheet
- Free, and how everyone starts. It fails on the statement a location owner questions, the prize stock you forgot, and the Sunday evening of data entry.
What changed
- VendSoft, an established route-management product, lists plans from $19 to $199 per month and includes commission features. Source: vendsoft.com
- VendSoft states that it serves more than 2,000 operators and 48,000 machines, which shows operators already pay for software in this category. Source: vendsoft.com
Your first week
Set up from your phone in minutes; we load your existing records within 2 business days.
- Day 1: Install the app, add locations with their splits, add machines. Send us your spreadsheet if you have one.
- Day 2–3: Your records are loaded with starting meter readings; run your first collection with photos.
- Day 4–5: Send your first statements with photos attached; we review one with you.
- Day 7: Route due dates and the prize pick list are populated for your next trip.
Security and data
- Visit data, photos and statements are stored on servers in the United States, encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Location owner contact details are used only to deliver the statements you send; we do not share or sell them.
- Only you and the users you add can see your route; location owners see only their own statements through their link.
- Photos are kept for the period stated in your plan; other data for the life of the account and 90 days after, then deleted, or sooner on request.
Questions
How accurate is the meter reading?
Clear photos of standard counters read reliably; glare, dirty lenses and worn digits cause misreads, which is why the app shows the reading next to the photo and never saves without your confirmation. The photo stays attached to the visit so any dispute can be checked.
I only have three machines. Is it worth $9?
Only if your time or your location relationships are worth more than the notebook. The Solo plan exists for first routes. There is no contract; if the route does not work out, cancel and export your records.
Will location owners accept the statements?
That is the goal: each statement shows the meter photos, the readings, the cash counted and the split, with a link to past statements. We cannot promise how an owner reacts, but disputes get much shorter when the photo is attached.
Does it work without signal?
Yes. Photos, readings and cash entries are stored on the phone and sync when you have a connection. Statements are generated once synced.
Is it available in Spanish?
Yes. The whole app, statements and notifications are available in Spanish and English, switchable per user, and each location can receive statements in the language its owner prefers.
Does it handle taxes or accounting?
It records takings, commissions paid and inventory costs and exports them as CSV. It is record-keeping software, not tax or accounting advice; confirm the sales-tax treatment of vending revenue and commission payments with your accountant.
Can I bring in my existing records?
Yes. Send a spreadsheet of locations, machines and last meter readings during onboarding and we load them, so your first statements start from the right numbers.
How soon can I start?
Sign up from your phone and add machines right away. We onboard new accounts within 2 business days, including loading your existing records and reviewing your first statement with you.
Ready when you are
Tell us about your setup. We confirm by email and get you running within 2 business days.
Request service