This is a plain comparison of the main fuel jobber back office systems: PDI, DTN, Red River, ADD Systems, AIMS, and FastDragon. We build FastDragon, so we say that up front and keep the rest fair. No single system wins for every operation. Below is how the field sorts out for jobbers and petroleum marketers.
How to read this comparison
One system fits one operation better than another. Match the tool to your business:
- Your size. A few trucks, or hundreds of sites.
- Your mix. Pure wholesale, commissioned-agent stations, company stores, or a blend.
- Your budget. What you can spend up front and per month.
Use the groups below as a starting map, then run demos with the same questions for each. Our buyer's guide lists those questions.
The enterprise platforms: PDI and DTN
PDI and DTN are the large players, built for big multi-site operators.
- PDI offers a deep wholesale and convenience suite, with ERP, logistics, and fuel pricing. It acquired FireStream WorldWide in 2017, a jobber platform then serving over 170 wholesale petroleum companies, so several systems jobbers ran for years now live under PDI's roof.
- DTN's center of gravity is fuel supply data: rack price feeds and market content that many jobbers consume even when their back office runs on a competitor's software.
Both bring deep features and enterprise pricing, often six figures a year plus setup, on multi-year contracts. They fit large operators with the staff and budget to match.
The established mid-market: Red River, ADD Systems, AIMS
These three have long track records with jobbers and fuel dealers.
- Red River Software has spent 30-plus years on back office and accounting for fuel and propane delivery, with over 1,200 customers across 35 states and Canada and a strong base among co-ops.
- ADD Systems has served petroleum marketers since 1973. Its flagship ADD Energy E3 covers receivables, delivery, service, and inventory, with the Raven handheld for drivers.
- AIMS builds COMPAS Commander, jobber accounting with tank-level fuel inventory, fuel excise tax reporting, and single-entry BOL-to-invoice posting.
This group fits small and mid-size jobbers who want a proven system. Pricing is quote-based and usually lands in the four to low-five figures a year, depending on modules.
The modern, transparent option: FastDragon
FastDragon is built for small and mid-size jobbers, petroleum marketers, and station owners, with the pieces a modern operator needs:
- Single-entry BOL to invoice.
- Federal, state, and IFTA fuel tax, filing-ready.
- Allocation tools, settlements, and tank inventory.
- Books, compliance, loyalty, and security built in.
- Modular pricing you can see online, from $450 a month, with no sales call.
We built FastDragon for the operators who feel over-served and over-charged by the big suites. We also publish our prices, which is rare in this market.
Side by side
| System | Best fit | Known for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDI | Large multi-site operators | Enterprise ERP, logistics, acquisitions | Enterprise, quote |
| DTN | Large marketers and suppliers | Rack price and supply data | Enterprise, quote |
| Red River | Small to mid jobbers and dealers | Fuel and propane accounting, co-ops | Quote |
| ADD Systems | Small to mid petroleum marketers | ADD Energy E3 back office | Quote |
| AIMS | Small to mid jobbers | COMPAS Commander accounting | Quote |
| FastDragon | Small to mid jobbers and station owners | Modular platform, published pricing | Published, from $450/mo |
How to choose
A simple way to narrow it down:
- Run hundreds of sites with a full back office team? Look at PDI or DTN.
- Want a proven mid-market system and fine with a quote process? Look at Red River, ADD Systems, or AIMS.
- More convenience-retail than wholesale? Series2K is a well-regarded c-store back office that also reaches into jobber work.
- Want modern software with prices on the page and modular pieces? Look at FastDragon.
Whatever you shortlist, bring the same demo questions to each vendor and ask them to show you on your own numbers. For a full decision walk-through, read jobber software vs QuickBooks and spreadsheets.
Features and pricing change, so treat the snapshots above as a starting point and confirm current details in a demo with each vendor on your shortlist.
Answers to common questions
How does FastDragon compare to PDI?
They rarely compete for the same buyer. PDI suits operators running dozens or hundreds of sites with dedicated IT and accounting staff, and its sales cycle and contracts are scaled to match. FastDragon targets the smaller jobber that enterprise suites over-serve: pick modules, see the price online, and start without a procurement project.
Can I run a fuel jobber business on QuickBooks instead?
Plenty of small jobbers start that way. The pain arrives with fuel-specific work generic accounting cannot do: excise tax returns by jurisdiction, rack price imports, BOL matching, and terminal reconciliation, all of which end up in spreadsheets beside the books. The switch usually happens when tax filings or re-keying errors get expensive.
How long does it take to switch fuel jobber software?
Plan on weeks to a few months, driven mostly by data conversion: customers, open receivables, tax setup, and price contracts. Schedule the cutover at a month boundary so one system owns each closing period, and keep the old system readable for a few quarters in case you need history.
Which fuel jobber software is cheapest?
Hard to verify, because most vendors quote deal by deal. Compare the all-in three-year number instead: software, implementation, training, ongoing support, and any per-site or per-module fees. A low monthly price with a heavy implementation charge can cost more over three years than the reverse.