Helcim
payment-gateway · US, CAHelcim is a payment processor that differentiates through transparent interchange-plus pricing — meaning you pay the actual interchange fee set by the card networks plus a small Helcim markup, rather than a flat-rate percentage on every transaction. This model makes Helcim significantly cheaper than Stripe, Square, or PayPal for businesses processing $10,000+/month, where volume-driven savings compound. Helcim charges no monthly fee, no setup fee, no early termination fee, and no PCI compliance fee. Its subscription billing add-on costs 0.4% (vs Stripe Billing at 0.7%). Helcim's standard interchange-plus markup varies by card type and volume tier — typical effective rates for a business processing $10K-$50K/month are 0.2-0.5% + $0.07-0.12 per transaction above interchange. The trade-off is Helcim's limited scope: it operates in the US and Canada only, with fewer integrations and a smaller ecosystem compared to Stripe or Square. For businesses processing under $5,000/month, the flat-rate simplicity of Stripe or Square often makes more sense than the comparative complexity of interchange-plus tracking.
What does Helcim cost and how does payment processing work?
Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing — you pay the actual interchange cost plus a small Helcim markup, with no monthly fees. A free tier is available. Available in 2 country/regions. Interchange-plus payment processor with transparent pricing, no monthly fees, and significant savings for businesses processing $10K+/month.
Pricing
// verify pricing before launch — prices shown may not reflect current vendor rates
Key Features
- •Interchange-plus pricing model — pay actual interchange cost + small Helcim markup, not a flat percentage
- •No monthly fees, no setup fees, no early termination fees, no PCI compliance fees
- •Subscription billing at 0.4% (vs 0.7% for Stripe Billing)
- •In-person payments via Helcim POS with card reader hardware
- •Virtual terminal for phone and mail-order payments
- •Customer information vault for recurring or saved-card billing
- •Multi-user access with role-based permissions
- •Integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and major e-commerce platforms
Pros
- +Most transparent pricing model in the industry — interchange-plus means your effective rate drops as your volume grows, unlike flat-rate processors where cost increases linearly with volume
- +Significantly cheaper than Stripe, Square, or PayPal for businesses processing $10,000+/month — savings of 30-50% on processing fees are common at scale
- +No contracts or early termination fees — you can leave anytime without penalty, which is rare in the payment processing industry
- +Subscription billing add-on at 0.4% is nearly half Stripe Billing's 0.7%, saving meaningful money for businesses with recurring revenue models
- +No monthly minimums or PCI compliance fees — truly pay-for-what-you-use pricing
Cons
- −US and Canada only — no global reach for businesses selling internationally or with cross-border payment needs
- −Less name recognition than Stripe, Square, or PayPal — may be less familiar to customers and business partners
- −Smaller integration ecosystem — fewer native connections to CRMs, accounting platforms, and e-commerce tools compared to the major processors
- −Interchange-plus pricing requires more attention to monthly statements than flat-rate pricing — not ideal for business owners who prefer simplicity
- −Less suitable for businesses processing under $5,000/month where flat-rate simplicity from Square or PayPal makes more sense than tracking interchange categories
Platforms
Integrations
Compare Helcim with other tools
See how Helcim stacks up against Square side by side.
Related Resources
Financial Glossary
Reviewed by Finatune · Last updated 2026-07-03