Helcim
Helcim is an interchange-plus processor that shows you exactly what you're paying. No flat rates hiding margins. As your volume grows, your effective rate drops automatically. Best for merchants who care about transparency and long-term cost optimization.
On this page
When to Use Helcim
You should use Helcim if:
- You're doing over $100K/month and want lower costs
- You understand interchange and want transparency
- You want automatic volume discounts as you grow
- You're tired of guessing what you actually pay
- You're willing to learn interchange-plus pricing
Skip Helcim if:
- You're under $50K/month (flat-rate is simpler, costs are similar)
- You want the simplest possible pricing (interchange-plus has learning curve)
- You need best-in-class developer tools (Stripe's API is better)
- You're primarily card-present retail (Square's POS is better)
Pricing Breakdown
How Interchange-Plus Works
You pay: Interchange + Network Fees + Helcim's Markup
Example $100 transaction (Visa consumer credit card):
- Interchange: 1.80% + $0.10 = $1.90
- Network fees: 0.14% = $0.14
- Helcim markup: 0.40% + $0.08 = $0.48
- Total: $2.52 (2.52% effective)
Compare to flat-rate:
- Stripe/Square: 2.9% + $0.30 = $3.20
- Helcim saves: $0.68 per transaction
At $100K/month: That's ~$680/month savings ($8,160/year).
Helcim's Markup Tiers (Volume-Based)
Helcim's markup decreases as your volume grows:
| Monthly Volume | Card-Present Markup | Card-Not-Present Markup | Per-Transaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0-$50K | 0.40% | 0.50% | $0.08 / $0.25 |
| $50K-$250K | 0.30% | 0.40% | $0.08 / $0.25 |
| $250K-$1M | 0.25% | 0.30% | $0.08 / $0.25 |
| Over $1M | Negotiated | Negotiated | Negotiated |
Key advantage: Your rate automatically improves as you grow. No renegotiation needed.
What You Actually Pay
$100 transaction, different card types:
| Card Type | Interchange | Network | Helcim | Total | vs Stripe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic debit | 0.80% + $0.15 | 0.14% | 0.40% + $0.08 | 1.34% ($1.47) | Stripe: $3.20 |
| Rewards credit | 1.95% + $0.10 | 0.14% | 0.40% + $0.08 | 2.49% ($2.67) | Stripe: $3.20 |
| Premium card | 2.40% + $0.10 | 0.14% | 0.40% + $0.08 | 2.94% ($3.12) | Stripe: $3.20 |
Average across card mix: 2.1-2.4% effective (vs 3.2% flat-rate).
Hidden Costs
| Fee | Amount | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly minimum | $0 | No minimum fee |
| Batch fee | $0 | No batch fee |
| PCI compliance | $0 | Included |
| Chargebacks | $15 | Win or lose |
| Instant deposit | 1% (min $1) | Same-day payout |
No junk fees: Helcim doesn't charge statement fees, annual fees, or setup fees.
What Helcim Does Well
1. Pricing Transparency
Helcim shows you exactly what you're paying:
- Interchange cost (what goes to issuer)
- Network fees (what goes to Visa/Mastercard)
- Helcim markup (what they keep)
Every transaction is broken down in reporting.
Reality: You can see when premium cards cost you more. This helps you optimize.
2. Automatic Volume Discounts
As your volume grows, your rate automatically drops:
- No renegotiation needed
- No contract amendments
- Transparent tier structure
Example: Go from $100K to $300K/month
- Old markup: 0.50%
- New markup: 0.30%
- Automatic savings: ~$600/month
3. No Junk Fees
Helcim eliminated common junk fees:
- No PCI compliance fee
- No statement fee
- No batch fee
- No annual fee
- No minimum monthly fee
What you see is what you pay.
4. Month-to-Month Contracts
No long-term commitment:
- Cancel anytime
- No early termination fees
- No volume commitments
Contrast: Traditional processors lock you in for 1-3 years.
What Helcim Does Poorly
1. Interchange-Plus Complexity
You need to understand how interchange works:
- Different rates for different card types
- Your effective rate varies month-to-month
- Harder to predict costs than flat-rate
Learning curve: 2-4 weeks to understand your statements.
2. Not True Plug-and-Play
Helcim requires some technical setup:
- API integration for e-commerce (easier than Stripe, harder than Square)
- Terminal configuration for card-present
- Not as instant as Square
Setup time: 1-3 days (vs 15 minutes for Square).
3. Smaller Ecosystem
Helcim doesn't have:
- Extensive marketplace of integrations (Stripe has more)
- Best-in-class hardware (Square's readers are better)
- Full POS suite (Square POS is more feature-rich)
Reality: Helcim is a payments processor, not a full ecosystem.
4. Less Name Recognition
Customers don't know Helcim:
- No "Powered by Helcim" trust badge value
- Smaller company (vs Stripe/Square/PayPal)
- Newer (founded 2007 vs Stripe 2010, PayPal 1998)
This matters less as Helcim is backend infrastructure, not customer-facing.
Pricing Comparison (Helcim vs Competitors)
$100K/Month, Mixed Card Types
| Processor | Pricing Model | Estimated Monthly Fees | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helcim | IC+ (0.50% + $0.25) | $2,400 | 2.4% |
| Stripe | Flat (2.9% + $0.30) | $3,200 | 3.2% |
| Square | Flat (2.9% + $0.30) | $3,200 | 3.2% |
| PayPal | Flat (3.49% + $0.49) | $3,980 | 4.0% |
Savings vs Stripe: $800/month ($9,600/year)
$500K/Month, Mixed Card Types
| Processor | Pricing Model | Estimated Monthly Fees | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helcim | IC+ (0.30% + $0.25) | $11,500 | 2.3% |
| Stripe | Flat (2.9% + $0.30) | $16,000 | 3.2% |
| Square | Flat (2.9% + $0.30) | $16,000 | 3.2% |
Savings vs Stripe: $4,500/month ($54,000/year)
Helcim's advantage grows with volume.
Who Helcim Is Best For
Perfect Fit
| Business Type | Why Helcim Wins |
|---|---|
| Growing e-commerce | Automatic discounts as you scale |
| $100K-$1M/month | Sweet spot for savings vs complexity |
| Cost-conscious | Want to see exactly what you're paying |
| B2B merchants | Level 2/3 data for lower interchange |
| Transparent operations | Appreciate detailed reporting |
Poor Fit
| Business Type | Better Alternative |
|---|---|
| Under $50K/month | Stripe or Square (simplicity worth it) |
| Non-technical | Square (easier to understand) |
| Want simple pricing | Stripe (flat-rate is predictable) |
| Need best developer tools | Stripe (superior API) |
| Primarily card-present retail | Square (better POS ecosystem) |
Common Gotchas
1. Premium Card Shock
With interchange-plus, you see the true cost of premium cards:
- Basic debit: 1.2-1.5% effective
- Standard credit: 2.0-2.3% effective
- Premium rewards: 2.5-3.0% effective
Some months are more expensive if customers use more rewards cards.
This isn't Helcim's fault - you were always paying this on flat-rate, you just couldn't see it.
2. Statement Complexity
Helcim statements show every interchange category:
- 50+ line items possible
- Harder to read than "2.9% + $0.30"
- Learning curve to understand
Workaround: Focus on "effective rate" summary line, not individual categories.
3. Not Always Cheaper
Helcim is cheaper on average but not on every transaction:
- Low-cost debit: Helcim wins
- High-cost premium cards: Similar to flat-rate
- Blended: Helcim wins by 0.5-1%
If 90%+ of your customers use premium rewards cards, savings may be smaller than expected.
4. Integration Effort
Helcim's API requires development:
- Easier than building on Stripe
- Harder than plug-and-play Square
- Budget 10-40 hours for integration
Only worth it if you're saving $500+/month.
Test to Run
Interchange-plus savings calculator:
Week 1: Understand your card mix
- Ask your current processor for interchange breakdown
- If they won't provide it, estimate:
- Debit cards: 30-40% of volume
- Standard credit: 40-50% of volume
- Premium cards: 10-30% of volume
Week 2: Calculate Helcim cost 3. Use Helcim's calculator with your volume and card mix 4. Compare to your current effective rate 5. Calculate monthly savings
Week 3: Factor in switching costs 6. Integration time: 10-40 hours × your dev hourly rate 7. Testing and validation: 1-2 weeks 8. Payback period: switching cost / monthly savings
Success criteria: If payback period < 6 months and you're saving $500+/month, Helcim is worth considering.
Scale Callouts
Under $50K/month:
- Savings are minimal (~$200/month)
- Stick with Stripe or Square
- Simplicity > savings
$50K-$250K/month:
- Helcim starts making sense
- Savings: $400-$1,200/month
- Worth learning interchange-plus
$250K-$1M/month:
- Strong Helcim candidate
- Savings: $1,200-$5,000/month
- Automatic tier upgrades as you grow
Over $1M/month:
- Helcim is competitive but negotiate
- Also compare to traditional processors
- Consider multi-processor strategy
Where This Breaks
-
Card mix matters: If your customers overwhelmingly use premium rewards cards, your savings shrink. Helcim is best when you have diverse card mix.
-
Variable costs are harder to budget: Your rate changes monthly based on card mix. Flat-rate is more predictable for financial planning.
-
Requires engagement: You need to read and understand statements. If you want "set and forget," flat-rate is easier.
-
Smaller company: Helcim is smaller than Stripe/Square. If they're acquired or shut down, you're migrating again.
Next Steps
Considering Helcim?
- Use Helcim's savings calculator with your actual volume
- Request a sample statement to see reporting format
- Compare to Stripe and your current processor
Currently on flat-rate?
- Calculate your current effective rate
- Estimate Helcim cost with card mix assumptions
- If saving $500+/month, request Helcim quote
Already on interchange-plus?
- Compare Helcim's markup to your current processor
- Check if you can negotiate lower with current provider
- Switching has costs - only worth it for significant savings
See Also
- Stripe - Flat-rate alternative
- Square - Flat-rate alternative
- Processor Comparison - Full comparison
- Buying Payments - Interchange-plus vs flat-rate
- Interchange Reference - Understanding interchange
- Reading Statements - Decoding interchange-plus statements