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Read More Mar 8, 2023 Filed under: Accounting, Bookkeeping, Invoicing, Small Business
Helcim Review: Does Helcim Credit Card Processing Offer The Best Of All Worlds?
Helcim is one of the best merchant services providers out there for both Canadian merchants and US-based businesses.
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Expert Analyst & Reviewer
UPDATED
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Helcim
| Total Rating | 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Features | Excellent |
| Fees & Rates | Excellent |
| Sales & Advertising Transparency | Excellent |
| Contract Length & Early Termination Fee | Excellent |
| Customer Service | Excellent |
| Show More Ratings | |
| User Reviews | Excellent |
| Show Fewer Ratings |
Helcim At A Glance
- Month-to-month billing with no early termination fee for all users
- Interchange-plus pricing for all users
- No monthly account fee
Pros
- Uses interchange-plus pricing exclusively
- No long-term contracts or early termination fees
- Extensive account fee disclosures
- Accepts international payments
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Does not accept high-risk merchants
- May be expensive for some very low-volume businesses
Table of Contents
What Is Helcim?
Helcim is a full-service merchant account provider that works with small businesses in Canada and the United States. The company offers very flexible contract terms, transparent interchange-plus pricing, and a minimum of additional fees. Helcim provides all of the basic merchant services a business would need.
In addition to basic credit and debit card processing, Helcim features a variety of proprietary services, including two credit card readers and an integrated payments platform that can process both in-person and online transactions. Helcim also supports most of the common alternative payment methods in use today, including ACH transfers, payment links, QR code payments, and online invoicing.
Helcim Credit Card Processing Services & Features
Helcim provides a full range of merchant services to enable mobile, in-person, and eCommerce payments with its robust and comprehensive features, including:
- Merchant Accounts: Helcim is not a direct processor and instead partners with Elavon for processing services.
- International Payments: You can accept payments from anywhere in the world with built-in payment options, and you won’t have to deal with currency conversion. But be aware that international transactions come with cross-border fees, as set by the card payment brands.
Processing Hardware For Retail Businesses
- Credit Card Reader: Helcim’s primary credit card reader is its proprietary Helcim Card Reader. This small, multifunctional device can handle all of your in-person credit card processing needs. In addition to its support for magstripe, EMV, and NFC-based payment methods (including Apple Pay and Google Pay), it can sync up with your smartphone, tablet, or laptop/desktop computer. It’s compatible with most of the recent versions of iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows, and macOS and can connect via a USB cable, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi. This interoperability allows it to function as a fully-featured point of sale (POS) system, countertop terminal, or mobile card reader. It can also work with a virtual terminal to accept card-present transactions. For a reasonable price, you can buy the Helcim Card Reader outright, with the option to add a stand and a receipt printer. Rental options are also available in Canada. Our one caution is that the Helcim Card Reader is powered by a rechargeable battery only, so we recommend keeping a charger handy for all-day in-store use.
- Smart Credit Card Terminal: In Spring 2023, Helcim is launching its newest terminal, the Helcim Smart Terminal. This device features a color touchscreen and has the Helcim POS app pre-installed. It has a built-in receipt printer and can accept magstripe, EMV, or contactless payments. The Helcim Smart Terminal connects via Wi-Fi and can run off of a battery for fully mobile use. While it’s very similar to the Clover Go in terms of form factor and capabilities, there are no monthly subscription fees to pay.
- Point Of Sale (POS) System: Rather than selling you a clunky, full-sized point-of-sale (POS) system, Helcim lets you install its Helcim POS software on just about any device you’d like to use. Paired with the Helcim Card Reader for accepting card-present transactions, your business can enjoy full POS functionality without the expensive hardware and costly software subscription fees that come with most traditional POS systems. Software features include the following capabilities:
- Product/service catalog
- Accessing invoices
- Inventory tracking
- Built-in credit and debit card payments
- Unlimited invoice creation
- Custom fields, including drop-down menus
- Discount codes
- Automatic tax calculations
- Automatic email reminders for invoices due
- Virtual terminal for card-not-present sales
Of course, you’ll need to provide the hardware for this setup to work. You may or may not also need to invest in the optional cash drawer or barcode scanner.
- Mobile Payments: The Helcim Card Reader can also provide full mPOS capabilities. Simply install the Helcim Payments app on your iOS or Android device, sync it with the reader, and you’re ready to start taking payments. The Helcim Smart Terminal will provide similar functionality in a dedicated device when it becomes available.
Helcim Fees & Rates
| Monthly Card Processing Volume | In-Person Payments | Keyed & Online |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than $25,000 | INT + 0.30% + $0.08 | INT + 0.50% + $0.25 |
| $25,001-$50,000 | INT + 0.25% + $0.07 | INT + 0.45% + $0.20 |
| $50,001-$100,000 | INT + 0.20% + $0.07 | INT + 0.40% + $0.20 |
| $100,001-$250,000 | INT + 0.18% + $0.06 | INT + 0.35% + $0.15 |
| $250,001-$1,000,000 | INT + 0.15% + $0.06 | INT + 0.30% + $0.15 |
| $1,000,001-$5,000,000 | INT + 0.12% + $0.05 | INT + 0.25% + $0.10 |
| $5,000,001+ | INT + 0.10% + $0.05 | INT + 0.20% + $0.10 |
One of the best things about Helcim’s rates for credit card processing is that every merchant — regardless of processing volume or history — is set up with an interchange-plus pricing plan. Many providers don’t offer interchange-plus at all, while others simply don’t advertise it. Discounted rates are also available for high-volume businesses.
Keep in mind that while interchange-plus pricing clearly separates the interchange rate that you’ll pay to the credit card associations and issuing banks from the markup you’ll pay to your provider, you’ll usually see a lot of variability in the interchange rates themselves, depending on the transaction type and card brand.
As with most providers, Helcim offers lower rates to businesses with a higher monthly processing volume. This feature can save you a significant amount of money on your processing costs as your business grows.
Check out our merchant account and credit card processing fees guide to understand payment processing costs.
Sales & Advertising Transparency
Before you even sign up for Helcim credit card processing, the company website gives full disclosures about pricing and contract terms, as well as what features your merchant account includes. The information on Helcim’s website is perhaps the most thorough and transparent explanation of merchant account pricing we’ve ever seen from a provider. For example, while a few other providers might disclose their interchange-plus processing rates for an entry-level plan, Helcim provides a detailed table of exactly what you’ll pay as your volume increases.
We also think Helcim’s sales team is a good example of how businesses should set up this part of a company. It has a dedicated, full-time sales staff and doesn’t use independent agents. For merchants, this translates to a much more pleasant sales experience. You won’t have to worry about the high-pressure sales tactics and misleading claims that independent agents frequently resort to. We haven’t seen any criticism of the company’s sales practices, but we have seen many positive comments from satisfied merchants.
Helcim also has a thriving social media presence, with regularly updated accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These accounts mainly distribute material from the company’s blog and feature numerous educational articles that will help you gain a more in-depth understanding of how credit card processing works. The company also has a YouTube channel, which currently features over 200 tutorials and educational videos.
Contract Length & Early Termination Fee
All Helcim merchant accounts feature true month-to-month billing, with no early termination fees or other penalties for closing your account. All you need to do is provide 30 days’ notice, and your account will be closed. This is a much better and more flexible arrangement than the industry standard. Most providers will lock you into a three-year contract with an automatic renewal clause and an early termination fee (typically several hundred dollars) if you close your account before your contract expires.
Because these long-term contracts and cancellation penalties are so unpopular, there is a growing trend within the processing industry to do away with them. While some of the more honest providers (such as Helcim) will eliminate both the multi-year contract term and the early termination fee, most providers will agree to waive the cancellation fee — if you negotiate this waiver when you set up your account.
However, this arrangement is not a true month-to-month contract, as you’re still on the hook for the full three years. While you won’t be penalized if you close your account early, we’ve seen plenty of complaints from merchants who continued to be billed for monthly account fees long after they thought they had closed their accounts.
You won’t have these kinds of problems with Helcim, and it’s good to see that the company is leading the trend toward true month-to-month billing within the industry. Nonetheless, we encourage you to read your contract very carefully before signing up. Pay close attention to the account closure instructions, which you’ll want to follow to the letter to close your account without any problems.
Helcim Customer Service & Technical Support
| Helcim Support | Availability |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | |
| Email Support | |
| Support Tickets | |
| Live Chat | |
| Dedicated Support Representative | |
| Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
| Videos & Tutorials | |
| Company Blog | |
| Social Media |
Helcim offers 24/7 telephone and email support, and merchants’ feedback indicates that the quality of that support is generally excellent. One word of caution: While you’re likely to talk to an in-house customer service representative during business hours, off-hours support is usually outsourced. Consequently, you can expect better help with technical issues if you call during regular business hours. Email support is excellent and also fast. You should expect to receive a response in less than 24 hours.
The company also provides an extensive online knowledgebase that’s very easy to search. If you have questions about Helcim merchant services, you can click on a category and find what you need or do a general search by topic. We love that this part of the site is full of documentation and tutorials for setting up your countertop terminals, using the Helcim Virtual Terminal, running the mobile processing app, and other services. If you’re new to Helcim credit card processing and are having trouble getting everything up and running, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to solve your problem using the knowledgebase.
Helcim User Reviews
Final Verdict On Helcim Credit Card Processing
Finding a good merchant account provider can be a huge challenge for a small business owner due to the many variables to consider when estimating your costs. Helcim simplifies this process by offering transparent pricing disclosures on its website, and its online calculator can give you a reasonable idea of what your costs will be.
With a 400% growth in sales in just the past year, Helcim is proof that honesty and transparency can lead to success, even in the highly competitive payments processing industry. Overall, the company earns an excellent score of 5 out of 5 stars.
While Helcim won’t be an option for those in high-risk industries, it stands out as the best overall Canadian merchant services provider — and one of the best options for US-based businesses as well.
Frank Kehl
Expert Analyst & Reviewer at Merchant Maverick
Frank Kehl has been researching and analyzing merchant services, payment gateways, and international money transfer services since 2015. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State and a Juris Doctorate from the Ventura College of Law.
View Frank Kehl's professional experience on LinkedIn.
Latest posts by Frank Kehl (see all)
- How To Offset Or Lower Your Credit Card Processing Fees - March 14, 2023
- Clearly Payments Review - February 6, 2023
- Stripe VS Shopify - November 28, 2022
- Helcim VS Square - September 20, 2022
- Merchant Account Fees Explained: Everything You Need To Know About Credit Card Merchant Fees - August 25, 2022
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Helcim |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Helcim for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
Helcim |
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Helcim for yourself.
Hello,
I was wondering if you could provide some insight. I’m an online Canadian service vendor that uses monthly recurring subscription billing. I signed up with Helcim, however their in-house system seems to be awful for subscriptions. Their API is pretty incomplete for this part, and they don’t have a very good management for subscriptions out of the box.
I also looked at KIS as merchant maverick recommends, however, they’re a reseller rather than the actual processor, and none of their choices seems to have anything out of the box for subscriptions either.
Do you have any suggestions for a well priced processor in Canada that does a good job at handling subscription management and recurring billing?
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Scarlet!
Neither Helcim nor KIS Payments are direct processors, although this won’t affect the quality of service you receive. In fact, these companies typically offer lower prices and much better service than the large direct processors. For a better alternative for recurring billing, Stripe and Authorize.Net are both good options and are available in Canada. You can compare them here. Best of luck to you!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Went with Helcim after this glowing review back in 2019… wish I hadn’t. When they were using their ‘legacy’ system it was good. Their in-house system is terrible. In-person transactions are very slow to process, and time-out frequently, usually during busy times. The merchant hardware is awful – screen is too small (very difficult for customers to read, get at least one complaint a day!), the F-buttons that were required for making selections (they have updated so the actual number buttons can be used in their place) are next to impossible to press (have to use a fingernail or the edge of your credit/debit card). Had to put tape over the bottom front of the unit, as customers would try to insert their card and it would go between the bottom of the unit and stand (that’s a Incognito design flaw). They take their fees out of each batch, not a one time monthly bill, so my bookkeeper *loves* the extra work! And support is lackluster at best, I have never received a response to an online or email support request within 24 hours, ever! My latest follow up today Feb 2 is for a request submitted Jan 13! If you like good pricing, terrible hardware, lackluster performance and lacking support, Helcim is for you!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Helcim
Hello Kevin,
Providing a better payment experience is very important to us – we take feedback seriously and work hard to continually update and improve our merchant’s experience. We apologize for the delay in responding to your January 13th feature request, that is not the experience we strive to provide.
We have many merchants using our service and hardware successfully, and we have been working hard to continually improve the experience. However, we can understand how these updates can be frustrating at times. We appreciate your feedback regarding your customer’s user experience and are incorporating it into our future hardware decisions. We are reviewing the activity on your account, seeing what we can do to help.
Kind regards,
The Helcim Team
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Landsvest
The pricing you show for Helcim is stated as Helcim margins. What is the actual credit card fee charged to a User for volume in excess of $5 Million per month with an average transaction of $1,500 ?
Also for debit cards.
Thanks
BP
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Barry,
There is going to be variability and we can’t calculate the final cost. Unlike a flat-rate system, where the processor’s profits may change and your final cost is consistent, the interchange-plus system is different. In this case, Helcim’s profit is consistent, while the merchant’s cost depends on what the interchange rate is for the transaction. The interchange rate is set by the card brands across the board and varies. We have written a post that helps make sense of interchange rates. I hope that helps!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Metareal Inc.
As a Canadian company, we initially chose Helcim because they’re Canadian, because of the transparent cost structure, and because the platform offers fairly comprehensive subscription management. Unfortunately, although the visual design is clean and elegant, the actual UX of the Helcim portal has turned out to be quite idiosyncratic and rife with bugs, a situation further compounded by the slow, lackadaisical attitude of the support team, who sometimes take several days to respond, and when they do, are often unable to offer any concrete advice or firm ETAs for resolutions to urgent problems.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Helcim
Hello Gareth,
Providing a better payment experience is very important to us – we take feedback seriously and work hard to continually update and improve our merchant’s experience. We understand your frustration that recent updates have disrupted your payments. However, we do have many merchants using our software and subscription payments successfully. It looks like you have been working closely with several members of our support team and our CEO Nicolas to resolve your concerns. We continue to work on addressing the feedback you have submitted to our team and we will work directly with you to improve your payment experience.
Kind regards,
The Helcim Team
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Just signed up a merchant account with Helcim. The application process was user friendly and seamless. I was amazed how quickly I was approved. The rates are great, and the people are very friendly and easy to work with.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Online Navigation Service
We are a small business setup in India offering website navigation services, we are not very familiar with the merchant account and debit/credit card processing mechanism. Nevertheless, payments from some of our overseas customers decline at checkout of our payment gateway. Can Helcim help?
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Dipjoy,
I’d actually suggest taking a look at Durango for international/offshore processing.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Pulp Fiction Coffee House
May we have your general assessment of Digitech verses Helcim
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Max,
Unfortunately, we haven’t yet reviewed Digitech, so we can’t give our assessment one way or the other.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: PureLocal Australia
I would recommend avoiding Helcim and using a trusted merchant like Paypal or Stripe. We currently use Paypal and the onboarding process was simple. We joined Helcim because of the customizable forms however since the outset their staff send contradictory emails. One email states the account is active , the other staffmember emails that the account is closed. They have our business documents which were uploaded and I hope they’re deleted. Before trying Helcim , try Paypal or Stripe as they do not waste your time.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Pablo, Stripe and Paypal are much more expensive than Helcim or any other interchange + plus provider. If I had a problem with Helcim, I would just choose another highly rated interchange + plus provider like National Processing or a flat fee option like Payment Depot. Why pay 2.9% when you can pay much less.
Debit cards really expose the difference. Interchange for most debit cards is 0.05%. Paypal and Stripe are making a killing off of their customers by charging 2.9% on those transactions.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.