What is Helcim?

Helcim is a Canada-based merchant services provider that offers contactless payment processing and other solutions to the payment problems encountered by merchants in the United States and Canada.

Merchant services providers equip businesses, whether small, medium, or large scale, with tools and facilities to process payments for their business transactions. Primarily, they offer credit and debit card processing, but these companies use several other tools to resolve payment-processing-related issues for businesses. For instance, Helcim provides facilities like inventory management and customer management portals. In the same way that your business is tailored to meet the demand of certain consumers, Helcim’s sole business is to provide payment solutions for North American businesses.

With their low processing rates and interchange-plus pricing, accepting credit and debit cards have become stress-free for businesses. The payment processing services offered by this company include in-person payments through an EMU and NC-enabled card reader, international payments, online payments, invoicing and virtual terminals, EFT Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) payments for Canadian merchants, ACH bank transfers for American merchants, and Debit and Credit card payment processing. Helcim is the ideal POS merchant, offering POS software compatible with all devices.

The goal of this company is to create efficient systems for small businesses to process their payments. As a business owner, tools for seamless transactions have been made available. This provides an excellent avenue for moving your business into the benefits of electronic payment processing. Not only does your business become more profitable, but you can also rest easy knowing that a personalized payment support system is yours to work with. Helcim also believes firmly in transparency and honesty between merchants and the businesses they cater to. So, you can anticipate a friendly customer service experience.


What popular features do you get with Helcim?

  • True month-to-month billing
  • Interchange plus pricing
  • Discounts per volume
  • Online food ordering
  • Easy-to-use customer portal

  • Online store and invoicing
  • Specialized card reader
  • 1-2 days of processing
  • No PCI fee
  • Hosted payment pages

  • No cancelation fees
  • Backup virtual terminal
  • No extra fees
  • Product and inventory manager

Customer Support is available at Helcim

Helcim’s in-house team of Merchant Experience Specialists are available for any questions 24/7. You have multiple options available to reach them that include being able to call, email, or submit a ticket directly from your account. Their Toll-Free number is +1 (877) 643-5246 and email is help@helcim.com. They also have a knowledge base available in their system that can help you with some of the more common queries and diagnosis.

 

What kind of business is Helcim ideal for?

Helcim is a good option for small to medium-sized businesses looking for predictable pricing and a range of features like POS, mobile and online eCommerce solutions. If you want a simple and easy way to accept credit and debit cards online or in-person, then Helcim should work for you. Helcim offers a wide range of payment tools and software solutions to make it faster and easier for you to get paid. They offer processing hardware for retail businesses to software to make your online transactions seamless. They also offer reporting services to help run your business efficiently.

Pros and Cons

  • Helcim accepts international payments worldwide, and currency conversion is done by the customer’s bank so that your payment comes in local currency.
  • Helcim operates a transparent month-to-month billing, so businesses are not required to sign long-term agreements or pay cancelation fees if they choose to terminate their business relationship with Helcim.
  • Customers enjoy automatic volume discounts, which translate to lower processing costs as the business processes large volumes of payments.
  • Customers also enjoy full disclosure on all costs and fees.
  • There are no PCI fees, setup fees, deposit fees, or user fees.
  • The company is known for its excellent customer service support system, handy for smooth payments and problem-solving.
  • It offers access to the lowest Interchange plus processing rates.
  • Helcim accepts both credit card and debit card payments.


  • Helcim is better suited to small businesses and cannot cater to larger enterprises.
  • The company does not offer merchant services to high-risk businesses.
  • Businesses that process lower volumes incur higher costs and can only enjoy discounts when payment volumes increase.

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How much does Helcim cost?

*based on information provided by the vendor. Actual cost may vary.

Helcim stands firmly on its no-hidden fees policy. So what you see is what you get from the Interchange plus pricing system. This pricing structure places the Interchange and card-network costs directly on each business transaction, then Helcim charges a pre-determined margin (a percentage plus some cents). As payment volumes increase, rates are automatically lowered.

For example, say the Interchange and card network cost on a transaction is 1%, you will be charged directly, alongside Helcim’s processing rate. In short, all you are required to pay to process credit card payments is the Interchange and card network fee + Helcim’s processing fee. Interchange rates depend on the card’s brand; therefore, the costs may vary or change over time.

Now, Helcim costs can be grouped into three categories: In-person payments, Keyed and online payments, and ACH or EFT payments.

  • The average cost for in-person payments is 1.92% + 8 cents.
  • The average rate for keyed and online payments is 2.38% + 25 cents.
  • Helcim Card Reader costs around $109 per unit (includes free countertop stand)
  • Lightweight Thermal Printer costs around $79 per unit
  • ACH and EFT payments are charged at 0.5% + 25 cents per transaction.
  • No account setup or application fees
  • No monthly account fees
  • No PCI compliance fees
  • No statement fees
  • No monthly minimums
  • No early termination fees

Final thoughts...

Helcim caters exclusively to small and medium-scale businesses. Thus, their services and tools are tailored to meet the peculiar needs of businesses in the hospitality, trade and retail industries. What’s more? You enjoy competitive pricing and an assurance that your payment company is set on staying transparent with you.