Transparent interchange-plus processing with no monthly fee and automatic volume discounts.
Best for
Growing US small businesses that want fair, transparent interchange-plus pricing with no monthly fee.
Every fee we track, grouped by where it applies.
In-person terminal and tap-to-pay transactions.
Entry tier ($0-50K/mo) markup above interchange. Steps down to IC + 0.15% + 6c at $1-5M. Numeric is the Helcim markup only (interchange passes at cost), so the computed estimate is the Helcim margin, not the all-in rate.
No monthly, statement, or minimum fees. Confirmed.
Online checkout and keyed-in card transactions.
Entry tier online/keyed markup. Steps down to IC + 0.15% + 15c at $1-5M.
No monthly, statement, or minimum fees. Confirmed.
Confirmed on helcim.com.
Interchange-plus pricing: Amex carries a higher effective rate than Visa/Mastercard/Discover on Helcim's own pricing calculator at the $40K/mo, $300 avg-ticket default. Helcim's margin over interchange is a flat "Interchange+ 0.40% + 8c" in person, stepping down at higher volume tiers. Source: helcim.com/pricing, read 2026-07-16.
No merchant-facing international-card surcharge found; the only related text describes currency conversion happening at the customer's own issuing bank, not a Helcim-side fee. Source: devdocs.helcim.com, read 2026-07-16.
No lock-in. Confirmed.
"Most providers charge up to 2% per transaction for this service, Helcim offers it for free...you'll receive your money the next business day, at no extra cost." No paid same-day/instant tier was found. Source: helcim.com/faster-deposits, read 2026-07-16.
Original processing fee not returned.
No PCI fee. Confirmed.
Recurring Payments product (+0.4%/tx).
Cards, wallets, and other methods supported by Helcim for US merchants.
Helcim is built around transparent interchange-plus pricing: you pay the card networks’ interchange at cost plus a published Helcim markup, with no monthly fee, no statement fee, and no minimums. As your volume grows the markup automatically steps down, so larger merchants pay less without renegotiating.
That model usually undercuts flat-rate processors once you are past low volume, and the pricing is published in full rather than quote-gated. The interface is straightforward, the developer API is open, and recurring payments are supported. It is a strong pick for growing US small businesses that want fair, transparent pricing.
Helcim was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Side-by-side with the closest alternatives by estimated cost.
Assumes $15,000/mo volume, $50 average transaction, 70% in-person and 30% online.
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The same questions US merchants ask before signing up.
Helcim uses transparent interchange-plus pricing rather than a flat rate. You pay the card networks' interchange at cost plus a published Helcim markup, which is around IC + 0.40% + 8c in person and IC + 0.50% + 25c online at the entry volume tier. The markup steps down automatically as your volume grows, and the monthly fee is Free.
No. Helcim charges Free a month, with no statement fee and no monthly minimum. You pay only the interchange-plus rate per transaction, which is one of the reasons it often works out cheaper than flat-rate processors once you are past low volume.
For many businesses past low volume, yes. Helcim's interchange-plus markup is small and shrinks automatically as you process more, whereas flat-rate processors charge the same percentage regardless of volume. At very low volume a flat rate can be simpler and comparable, so use the calculator on this page to compare them on your own numbers.
Helcim does not charge a PCI compliance fee, and chargebacks cost nothing if you win the dispute (with a small fee only if you lose). There is also no setup fee and no contract, which keeps the running cost down beyond the headline processing rate.
Helcim settles funds on a Next business day schedule at no extra cost. Combined with no monthly fee and no contract, that makes it a straightforward, transparent option for growing US small businesses that want fair pricing without quote-gating.
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