Mobile Dessert and Ice Cream Truck Booking App (2026)
An ice cream truck's private-event money comes from buyouts booked weeks ahead, not from neighborhood routes. ShowTheReceipts ($15/mo) takes a deposit that holds the date, saves buyout and per-guest packages with travel and overtime lines, and sends a net-terms invoice with a PO number when the customer is a school or an office.
How we picked
Entry-plan prices as published in 2026, taken from each vendor's own pricing page or a recent third-party summary. Judged on the mobile dessert operator's booking and money workflow — date-holding deposits, buyout and per-guest packages, and institutional invoicing — not on route POS, freezer inventory, or neighborhood vending.
| Software | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ShowTheReceipts That's us | $15/mo | Dessert truck operators: date-holding deposits, buyout packages, school and corporate invoicing |
| Square | Free + 2.6% + 10¢ | Card payments at the window on public routes |
| Invoice2go | $9.99/mo+ | Simple mobile invoicing |
| Acuity Scheduling | $20/mo+ | Self-serve date booking with basic deposits |
| HoneyBook | $29/mo+ | Proposal-and-contract flows for event vendors |
The route is marketing. The buyout is the business.
Neighborhood vending builds the brand and fills slow afternoons. Private buyouts are where the profitable, predictable money actually is — a birthday party, a school field day, or a company picnic that pays a flat fee for a service window.
The difference between the two is entirely a booking and billing problem.
1. ShowTheReceipts — $15/mo
Deposits that hold the date, buyout and per-guest packages saved, travel and overtime lines, and PO-ready net-terms invoices for institutional clients.
2. Square — free + processing
The right tool at the window; not a booking or deposit system.
3. Invoice2go — $9.99/mo+
Basic invoicing without a calendar.
4. Acuity Scheduling — $20/mo+
Self-serve date booking with simple deposits.
5. HoneyBook — $29/mo+
Proposals and contracts for event vendors, priced for that whole workflow.
What a buyout quote should contain
- Service window — with an overtime rate per half hour
- Guest count or flat buyout — one or the other, never both
- Menu tier — novelties versus premium or soft-serve
- Travel — mileage or zone past your radius
- Power — generator line when the venue can’t supply it
Schools rebook forever
A field day that goes well becomes an annual booking, and the PTA tells the next school. Have the W-9, the certificate of insurance, and a PO field ready — the paperwork is the barrier most trucks never clear, which is exactly why the calendar is still available.
Frequently asked questions
Why push buyouts instead of vending at events?
Because a buyout is a known number agreed before you leave the freezer, and vending is a bet on weather and turnout. The events worth building a business on are the ones where the host pays and the guests just enjoy themselves.
How much deposit should hold a Saturday?
25–50%, non-refundable inside a stated window. Peak party Saturdays get shopped by multiple families, and a date held on a verbal yes is a date you may end up giving away twice.
How do I bill a school or corporate event?
Itemized invoice, PO number, W-9 on file, net terms. Institutions are excellent customers — they rebook annually and don't haggle — but they cannot pay a card link on the day, and an invoice missing their paperwork just waits.
Should I charge for travel to a party?
Beyond a base radius, yes, by mileage or zone. A truck that drives 40 minutes for a 60-minute event is really a three-hour booking, and a travel line is the honest way to say so.