Bolt
Bolt enables eCommerce retailers to convert more shoppers with AI-powered one-click checkout.
Bolt is a cloud-based checkout and payment processing platform that uses AI and machine learning to streamline eCommerce transactions across web and mobile. The platform recognizes returning customers through its Universal Shopper Network (80M+ customers) to enable password-free checkout, while offering 100% fraud coverage through analysis of 200+ transaction variables. It charges 0% fees for first-time customers and 2% for repeat purchases, helping retailers increase checkout conversion rates by 10-20% while reducing fraud risk.
Problem solved
eCommerce retailers lose 10-20% of potential revenue due to checkout friction, fraud concerns, and inability to recognize repeat customers across sites.
Target customer
Mid-market to enterprise eCommerce retailers and DTC brands seeking to increase checkout conversion rates and reduce fraud while improving customer retention.
Founders
R
Ryan Breslow
CEO
Stanford dropout (2014) who co-founded Bolt in his dorm room; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2019); served as CEO, stepped down in 2022, and returned to helm as CEO in March 2025.
E
Eric Feldman
Co-Founder
Stanford computer science student who co-founded Bolt with Breslow; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2019); researched financial regulations and compliance before pivoting to one-click checkout technology.
Funding history
Series B
$68M
July 2019
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series C
$125M
July 2020
Led by General Atlantic, WestCap
· Unknown
Series D
$393M
December 2021
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series E
$714M
August 2021
Led by BlackRock
· Unknown
Series E (Additional)
$355M
January 2022
Led by BlackRock
· Unknown
Total raised:
$1.98B
Pricing
0% processing fees for first-time customer transactions; 2% fee for repeat customer transactions. New businesses charged 2.1% + $0.30 per transaction with no fees on refunds and industry-low chargeback rates.
Notable customers
Saks OFF 5TH, Revolve, Benefit Cosmetics, Casper, Restaurant Supply
Integrations
Existing eCommerce tech stacks and payment gateways; integrates with major retail platforms
Website
Competitors
Klarna
Focused on buy-now-pay-later financing; Bolt emphasizes one-click checkout and fraud detection for conversion optimization.
Sunday
Emerging checkout competitor with different feature positioning; Bolt offers larger merchant network and fraud coverage.
Fast
One-click checkout solution; Bolt differentiates through Universal Shopper Network recognition and AI-driven fraud detection.
Stripe
Full payment processing platform with broader capabilities; Bolt is specialized checkout optimization and conversion-focused.
Why this matters: Bolt raised $1.98B at peak valuations but faced a significant down-round to $300M in 2024, reflecting broader fintech market realities. The company's return of founder Ryan Breslow as CEO in 2025 signals renewed focus on core checkout optimization rather than broader finance ambitions, making it an important case study in fintech pivoting toward sustainable unit economics.
Best for: Mid-to-large eCommerce retailers and DTC brands prioritizing checkout conversion optimization, repeat customer recognition, and fraud reduction.
Use cases
Increasing Mobile Checkout Conversion
Revolve saw a 30% lift in mobile conversion for Bolt account holders versus guest shoppers, translating to a 3.2% overall checkout conversion lift and 4% higher revenue. The one-click experience reduces mobile friction where abandonment rates are typically highest.
Reducing Fraud Review Overhead
Restaurant Supply saved 20 hours per week in manual fraud review by deploying Bolt's ML-driven fraud detection across 200+ transaction variables. The company achieved a 16% increase in checkout conversion rate and 7.4% increase in order approval rate with zero chargebacks.
Building Customer Loyalty Through Recognition
Retailers access Bolt's Universal Shopper Network to identify and recognize 80M+ returning customers across sites, enabling password-free checkout that increases repeat purchase likelihood by 15% and conversion rates by 50% versus guest checkout.
Alternatives
Klarna
Choose Klarna if you want to offer buy-now-pay-later financing options; Bolt focuses purely on checkout optimization and fraud detection.
Stripe Checkout
Choose Stripe if you need a full-featured payment processing platform; Bolt specializes in conversion optimization through customer recognition and AI fraud detection.
Fast
Choose Fast for a simpler one-click checkout solution; Bolt offers deeper fraud detection, larger merchant network, and more advanced customer recognition.
FAQ
What does Bolt do? +
Bolt is a cloud-based checkout and payment processing platform that uses AI to enable one-click, password-free checkout for returning customers while providing 100% fraud coverage. It recognizes customers across its network of 80M+ shoppers to increase conversion rates by 10-20%, reduce fraud, and improve customer retention.
How much does Bolt cost? +
Bolt charges 0% processing fees for first-time customer transactions and 2% for repeat customers. For new businesses, pricing is 2.1% + $0.30 per transaction with no fees on refunds and low chargeback rates.
What are alternatives to Bolt? +
Top alternatives include Klarna (focused on buy-now-pay-later), Stripe Checkout (broader payment processing), and Fast (simpler one-click checkout). Shopify and Square also offer native checkout solutions for their platforms.
Who uses Bolt? +
Mid-to-large eCommerce retailers and direct-to-consumer brands. Notable customers include Saks OFF 5TH, Revolve, Benefit Cosmetics, and Casper.
How does Bolt compare to Stripe? +
Stripe is a comprehensive payment processing platform handling authorization, settlement, and many other functions. Bolt specializes in checkout optimization and conversion, using AI to recognize repeat customers and detect fraud, making it more focused on improving conversion metrics than general payment infrastructure.
Tags
one-click checkout
fraud detection
ecommerce conversion
payment processing
customer recognition
AI-powered fraud
checkout optimization