Helcim Fee Calculator
Calculate exact wholesale interchange-plus merchant payouts, automatic tiered volume discounts, and $6-capped ACH bank transfers.
Unlike legacy processors that force you to negotiate lower rates, Helcim automatically lowers your interchange markup percentages as your monthly sales cross $50k, $100k, and $250k thresholds.
Effective Processing Rate: 2.40%
Fee Wealth Leakage Radar & Profit Drag
Multi-Rail Arbitrage ("Switch & Save")
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Pass Fee to Client (Legal Surcharge Engine) Calculate zero-shortfall compliant markup & legal surcharge limits
• United States: Visa & Mastercard cap credit card surcharges at 3.00% (effective April 2023). Surcharging debit or prepaid cards is strictly illegal under federal operating rules.
• UK & European Union: Surcharging consumer debit and credit cards is prohibited under PSD2. B2B / corporate card surcharges remain permitted.
• Australia: Governed by RBA; surcharging is legally restricted strictly to the merchant's actual cost of card acceptance.
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Helcim vs Stripe Benchmark Matrix (2026)
See how Helcim's Interchange-Plus model delivers consistent merchant margin savings compared to flat-rate 2.90% + $0.30 processors.
| Monthly Volume | Txns | Helcim Cost (Online) | Stripe (2.9% + 30¢) | Monthly Savings | ACH Cost ($6 Cap) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | 25 | $60.00 | $80.00 | +$20.00 | $18.75 |
| $10,000 | 100 | $240.00 | $320.00 | +$80.00 | $75.00 |
| $25,000 | 250 | $600.00 | $800.00 | +$200.00 | $187.50 |
| $50,000 | 500 | $1200.00 | $1600.00 | +$400.00 | $375.00 |
| $100,000 | 1000 | $2400.00 | $3200.00 | +$800.00 | $750.00 |
| $250,000 | 2500 | $6000.00 | $8000.00 | +$2000.00 | $1875.00 |
Helcim vs Stripe: In-Depth Breakdown
Discover when your business should transition from flat-rate aggregators like Stripe to transparent Interchange-Plus acquiring with Helcim.
Read Full Helcim vs Stripe Comparison →Frequently Asked Questions: Helcim Processing & Interchange Plus
What are official Helcim merchant processing rates in 2026? ▾
Helcim operates exclusively on transparent Interchange-Plus pricing: in-person card payments cost Interchange + 0.15% + $0.08 per transaction; online and invoice card payments cost Interchange + 0.40% + $0.25. ACH/EFT bank payments cost 0.50% + $0.25 (capped at $6.00).
What is Helcim's Automatic Volume Discounting program? ▾
Helcim automatically lowers your processor margin markup as your monthly processing volume increases: tier 1 is under $25k/mo, dropping down incrementally to IC + 0.05% + $0.05 for merchants processing over $1,000,000 monthly.
Does Helcim charge monthly subscription or cancellation fees? ▾
No. Helcim has $0 monthly software fees, $0 setup charges, $0 PCI compliance fees, and zero cancellation penalties, making it an elite alternative to traditional bank merchant accounts.
How does Helcim's $6.00 ACH fee cap save money on B2B invoices? ▾
Helcim ACH costs 0.50% with an absolute maximum cap of $6.00. On a $10,000 invoice, standard credit card fees cost $290+, while Helcim ACH costs exactly $6.00, delivering a 98% reduction in fee overhead.
What hardware card readers does Helcim offer for retail POS? ▾
The Helcim Smart Terminal ($329 outright) and Helcim Card Reader ($109) support EMV chip, PIN debit, and contactless NFC (Apple Pay, Google Pay) with zero recurring monthly equipment leases.
How does Helcim compare to Stripe for US and Canadian businesses? ▾
For businesses processing over $10,000 monthly, Helcim's Interchange-Plus pricing (averaging ~2.1% effective rate) is substantially cheaper than Stripe's flat 2.9% + $0.30, saving thousands annually.
Does Helcim charge chargeback and dispute administrative fees? ▾
Helcim charges a standard $15.00 dispute administrative fee per chargeback filed by cardholders, providing full online evidence submission assistance.
What settlement timelines apply to Helcim merchant deposits? ▾
Credit card transactions settle into US and Canadian business checking accounts within 1 to 2 business days. Eligible high-volume merchants qualify for next-day deposit funding.