More than quoting. Proton is the whole sales picture.
Distro extracts line items for fast quotes. Proton goes further: apply your sourcing logic, contract pricing, and cross-references, then feed every order back into your CRM and product intelligence so the system gets smarter with every transaction.

How Distro and Proton compare on quote and order automation
Distro extracts line items for fast quotes. Proton goes further: apply your sourcing logic, contract pricing, and cross-references, then feed every order back into your CRM and product intelligence so the system gets smarter with every transaction.
Why Q&O teams switch from Distro to Proton
Distro processes the order in front of it. Proton knows what it should have been.
When a customer sends a PO with Eaton part numbers and you carry Siemens, Distro processes what's on the order and can't bridge that gap. Proton's cross-reference engine maps competitor and customer part numbers to your catalog — and learns from every order, so your reps spend less time on manual lookups every month. After 12 months, the difference in cross-reference coverage is substantial.
Distro extracts what your customer sent. Proton drafts what you'd actually send back.
Distro’s AutoBid is fast at reading inbound documents, but it doesn’t apply your sourcing rules, contract pricing, or warehouse routing. Those still require your rep after extraction. Proton applies your business logic to every draft automatically, so what your rep receives is a ready-to-send quote, not a line list to configure. Every order also feeds Proton's cross-reference engine, CRM, and eCommerce, so the system gets more automated and more complete every month.
Distro is a YC-backed startup. Proton has been building distribution intelligence since 2018.
Distro launched in 2022 with a YC seed round and is still an early-stage company. Proton has been live in production with distributors since 2018 — 100+ customers, integrations with every major distribution ERP, and a platform spanning CRM, PIM, eCommerce, and order automation. The compounding value of years of distribution-specific AI training data isn't something a newer platform can replicate overnight.
Questions to ask Distro before you commit
Distro’s AutoBid looks fast and accurate in a demo. Before you commit, ask these questions to understand what your reps are still doing manually — and what happens after the document is read.
See what our customers have to say
Find out what makes Proton the top quote and order automation choice for distributors
In 30 minutes, you'll see exactly how Proton will improve your current operation and what it'd look like for your reps.
- See how Proton turns an inbound RFQ into a ready-to-send quote in seconds
- Walk through how Proton handles the part numbers your reps currently look up manually
- A live look at where automation reduces the manual steps





