Piston
Piston (PistonPay) is a US-based cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions, serving mid-market and enterprise transportation operators with QR-code based fuel payments, real-time fraud monitoring, and instant rebates via a partner gas station network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersCupertino, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Piston does
Piston (operating commercially as PistonPay) is a San Francisco-based payments technology company founded in 2023 that targets the fleet fuel sector of the US logistics industry. The company's core product, PistonPay, is a cardless payment platform that replaces traditional fleet cards with an app-based QR code scan at the pump; drivers authenticate the transaction at partner gas stations, the platform applies automated fraud monitoring in real time, and rebates are credited instantly to the fleet, with advertised savings of up to 40 cents per gallon versus incumbents such as Fleetcor.
The technical architecture centers on three integrated components: a QR-code based payment rail, a real-time fraud prevention engine (classified as anomaly detection), and a fleet management dashboard that automates expense reconciliation. Piston's revenue model is transaction-based, taking a share of fuel spend processed through the partner station network; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company uses a consultative enterprise field sales motion with a "Request a Demo" call to action, supplemented by self-serve portals for fleet operators and gas station partners.
Piston serves primarily mid-market and enterprise fleet operators in the US transportation and logistics segment, with named customers including Purple Express, MRD, Apollo Transport, and Camil Express. The company is venture-backed, having raised approximately $7.5 million in seed funding in 2025 (led by Spark Capital with Pear VC and BOND) and a reported follow-on round of approximately $15 million in May 2026. Co-founders Shivam Shah and Vikram have publicly positioned the company as a long-term US analogue to India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), suggesting potential future expansion beyond the fuel vertical into broader B2B payments.
Piston firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Piston
- Legal name
- Piston
- Website
- https://usepiston.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Piston (PistonPay) is a US-based cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions, serving mid-market and enterprise transportation operators with QR-code based fuel payments, real-time fraud monitoring, and instant rebates via a partner gas station network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Piston industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fleet Fuel Payment Software
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro industry
- Fuel Card & Fleet Payment ProgramsTransportation & Logistics/Fleet Leasing, Rental & Management/Fleet Fuel, Toll & Expense Management Programs
Keywords
Where Piston is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cupertino
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Piston business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fleet Fuel Payment Processing: Transaction-based revenue model where Piston processes fuel payments between fleet operators and gas stations. Fleets save up to 40 cents per gallon through rebates at partner stations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Custom enterprise pricing based on fleet size and usage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Piston product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Piston operates PistonPay, a cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions in which drivers scan QR codes at partner gas stations to purchase fuel. The platform applies automated real-time fraud monitoring and delivers instant rebates at participating stations, replacing traditional physical fleet cards. It is sold to US transportation and logistics fleet operators as an alternative to incumbent fleet card programs such as Fleetcor.
Product overview
Piston offers PistonPay as a unified cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions. The platform consists of three integrated components: drivers fuel up by scanning a QR code at partner gas stations, the system applies automated fraud protection by monitoring transactions in real-time, and fleets receive instant rebates at participating stations. The product is designed to replace traditional card-based fleet fuel management systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PistonPay A cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions that enables drivers to purchase fuel by scanning a QR code at partner gas stations, applies real-time fraud monitoring, delivers instant rebates, and is sold to US transportation and logistics fleet operators as an alternative to traditional fleet card programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 40 cents per gallon fuel savings
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Piston
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Piston technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Piston partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Partner Gas Stationscore_networkNetwork of gas stations accepting PistonPay QR code payments. Fleets receive instant rebates at these partner stations, enabling the cardless fuel transaction model.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Piston competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fleetcor Technologies: Fleetcor is the dominant US fleet card incumbent (Fuelman, Comdata, WEX-adjacent brands). Piston's marketing explicitly calls out beating Fleetcor pricing — direct head-to-head competitor in fleet fuel payments and card programs.
- WEX Inc. WEX is a leading fleet card and corporate payments provider, operating one of the largest fleet fuel payment networks in the US. Directly comparable in product offering (fleet fuel cards, rebates, fraud controls) and target market.
- Comdata: Comdata (now part of Fleetcor) is a long-standing fleet card and fuel payment provider serving trucking and logistics. Directly comparable in transaction-based fleet fuel payment model and customer base.
Emerging players
- AtoB: AtoB is a modern fintech building a payments platform for the trucking and logistics industry, including fleet fuel cards. Same target customer (fleet operators) with a technology-forward approach that overlaps with Piston's QR-based architecture.
- Coast: Coast provides modern fleet and business fuel cards with a focus on simplicity, real-time controls, and savings. Targets the same mid-market fleet operator segment with a similar value proposition of better pricing and digital experience vs. incumbents.
- Quorum (by Authvia): Authvia's Quorum enables text-to-pay and account-to-account payment experiences for businesses. While broader than fleet fuel, it represents the modern payments infrastructure layer that could complement or compete with Piston's payment rail approach.
Broad incumbents
- Geotab: Geotab is a major fleet telematics and management platform with adjacent fuel tracking and reporting capabilities. Comparable customer base (fleet operators) with overlapping workflow in fuel expense visibility, though not a direct payments competitor.
- Samsara: Samsara is a leading fleet operations platform with telematics, fuel tracking, and asset management. Shares the same fleet operator customer base and overlaps in fuel expense reporting and driver behavior — a potential integration partner or competitor in fleet workflows.
- Motive: Motive offers fleet management, spend management, and fuel cards through its integrated platform for commercial fleets and drivers. Comparable in targeting fleet operators and offering adjacent spend/payment features.
Others
- Heartland Payment Systems: Heartland is a payment processor and merchant services provider that integrates with fuel retail and B2B payments. Adjacent infrastructure player in the payments stack that Piston must partner with or compete against for payment acceptance rails.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Piston social profiles
Digital presencePiston financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Piston leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Piston funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Piston M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Piston
What does Piston do?
Piston operates PistonPay, a cardless payments platform for fleet fuel transactions in which drivers scan QR codes at partner gas stations to purchase fuel. The platform applies automated real-time fraud monitoring and delivers instant rebates at participating stations, replacing traditional physical fleet cards. It is sold to US transportation and logistics fleet operators as an alternative to incumbent fleet card programs such as Fleetcor.
Is Piston a public or private company?
Piston is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Piston founded?
Piston was founded in 2024. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Piston based?
Piston is headquartered in Cupertino, United States, in the North America region.
How does Piston make money?
One revenue line is on record: fleet Fuel Payment Processing.
Who are Piston's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fleetcor Technologies, WEX Inc. and Comdata. Emerging players are AtoB, Coast and Quorum (by Authvia). Broad incumbents are Geotab, Samsara and Motive. Heartland Payment Systems is listed as an others.
Does Piston have an API?
No public API is recorded for Piston.
What industry is Piston in?
Piston's product category is Fleet Fuel Payment Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLABAMAA, Fuel Card & Fleet Payment Programs. Its SIC code is 7510.