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There's a free plan; paid tiers are quoted.
Helcim has no monthly or annual subscription and no account monthly fee. The starting account cost is $0, but payments are not free: card processing adds Helcim’s per-transaction margin to interchange, with different rates for in-person and keyed or online payments. The listed margins step down as volume rises; ACH has its own fee. Budget separately for equipment, recurring payments, rejected ACH transactions, and chargebacks. Your processing cost depends on payment type and volume.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interchange-plus processing | — | Quote | Businesses wanting usage-based payment processing |
Add-ons and overages
- Recurring payments: +0.4% per transaction
- Chargebacks: $0 if resolved in Helcim’s favor; $15 if lost
- Rejected ACH transactions: $5 each
- Smart Terminal: $349 per unit plus shipping, or $32/month for 1 year
- Card Reader: $199 per unit plus shipping
- Tap to Pay on iPhone: +10¢ per transaction
- Optional 4G wireless data: $7/month
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Interchange is extra
The listed card percentages and cents are Helcim’s margin. Interchange is added, so these are not all-in card rates.
Recurring payment fee
Recurring payments add 0.4% per transaction.
Hardware and connectivity
A Smart Terminal is $349 plus shipping or $32/month for one year. A Card Reader is $199 plus shipping; optional 4G data is $7/month.
Transaction exceptions
Rejected ACH transactions cost $5. Chargebacks cost $15 if lost and $0 if resolved in Helcim’s favor. Tap to Pay on iPhone adds 10¢ per transaction.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-volume in-person payments | Interchange-plus processing | At $0–$50K in volume, the listed margin is 0.40% + 8¢ per transaction, plus interchange. |
| Lower-volume online or keyed payments | Interchange-plus processing | At $0–$50K in volume, the listed margin is 0.50% + 25¢ per transaction, plus interchange. |
| Businesses processing over $5M monthly | Interchange-plus processing | Helcim says to contact sales for custom pricing above $5M/month. |
04Is Helcim worth the money?
Helcim is a good fit for businesses that want interchange-plus processing without a monthly account fee. The pricing page also lists automatic volume discounts, so the published margin can fall as volume grows. The trade-off is that the card rates are not all-in: interchange is added, and equipment or transaction add-ons can raise the bill. We’d compare the margin schedule against your payment mix and volume, rather than treating $0 in monthly fees as the total cost.
Helcim pricing FAQ
Does Helcim charge a monthly fee?
The pricing page lists no monthly or annual subscription and no account monthly fee. Card processing is charged per transaction: Helcim’s margin plus interchange. Listed rates depend on payment type and volume, so $0 in monthly account fees does not mean payment processing is free.
What are Helcim’s in-person processing rates?
The listed in-person margin is 0.40% + 8¢ at $0–$50K volume, 0.35% + 7¢ at $50K–$100K, 0.25% + 7¢ at $100K–$500K, 0.20% + 6¢ at $500K–$1M, and 0.15% + 6¢ at $1M–$5M, plus interchange. Over $5M/month, contact sales.
What are Helcim’s online and keyed rates?
The listed keyed/online margin is 0.50% + 25¢ at $0–$50K volume, 0.45% + 20¢ at $50K–$100K, 0.35% + 20¢ at $100K–$500K, 0.25% + 15¢ at $500K–$1M, and 0.15% + 15¢ at $1M–$5M, plus interchange. Over $5M/month, contact sales.
How much does Helcim charge for ACH?
ACH/EFT-PAD is listed at 0.5% + 25¢ per transaction, capped at $6, with an additional 0.05% over $25,000. Rejected ACH transactions cost $5. Recurring payments add 0.4% per transaction; chargebacks cost $15 if lost and $0 if resolved in Helcim’s favor.