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Helcim review
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Whether you accept payments in-person or online, this processor has you covered.
Helcim’s payment processing service is conveniently packaged into three service tiers for in-person and online sales. With point-of-sale (POS) solutions, payment gateways, card readers and a virtual terminal, this provider has about all you need to start accepting payments. But its tiered rates may not be advantageous for small businesses.
- Choose this provider if you’re a medium to large business seeking an all-in-one processing solution.
- Consider something else if you’re a small or high-risk business processing less than $25,000 monthly.
What's in this review?
Helcim services
Whether you're looking for straightforward processing or an all-in-one POS solution, Helcim can accommodate:
- Payment processing. With Helcim, you can accept payments through card terminals, virtual terminals and mobile apps.
- Merchant accounts. Helcim merchant accounts come with interchange-plus pricing and are available month-to-month with no cancellation fees.
- POS solutions. Helcim Commerce offers an all-in-one POS system accompanied by payment processing, POS hardware, a virtual terminal and a hosted e-commerce platform.
- Payment gateways. Use Helcim’s payment gateway APIs to accept payments via app or website.
Features
Helcim has a comprehensive range of helpful features:
- Virtual terminal. Helcim offers a mobile app that can turn iPads, iPhones, Android smartphones and tablets into a virtual terminal with a built-in merchant account.
- Terminal exchange program. Once your HelcimPOS hardware arrives, you can return your old hardware to Helcim using the same package your Helcim order came in.
- Software integrations. Helcim’s processing service seamlessly integrates with a variety of third-party software and shopping carts, including Drupal Commerce, Magento, QuickBooks and WooCommerce.
- Developer APIs. The Helcim Commerce Developer API opens the door for direct website, shopping cart and billing system integration.
- International processing. Got customers abroad? Helcim’s processing platform allows you to accept credit card payments from almost anywhere in the world.
- B2B processing. Helcim offers Level 1, 2 and 3 payment processing.
What hardware is available?
Helcim sells a variety of terminals and card readers on its website, including:
- Helcim Mobile Card-Reader
- Ingenico DESK3500
- Ingenico MOVE5000 BT
- Ingenico MOVE5000 4G
Helcim will replace your Ingenico terminal for free within the first year of service. After this period, it will cost you $75 to exchange the terminal.
Helcim Commerce
Helcim offers a fully hosted e-commerce platform with the following features:
- Payment processing. With the help of a virtual terminal, accept and process payments through your online store or mobile device.
- Online store builder. You don't need developer tools or coding skills to build a website with Helcim Commerce. You can upload your logo, set up a checkout, select from different site themes and adjust colors to customize the user experience.
- Unlimited users. Add an unlimited number of users and stay safe with two-factor authentication.
- Customer management. Keep track of customers by storing their billing, shipping and payment information.
- Invoicing. Create custom invoices and follow up on outstanding payments.
- Inventory. Manage your merchandise by adding items, categories and brands to your product line.
Helcim pricing and fees
Helcim’s processing rates are tiered, so the higher your processing volume, the less you pay in processing fees.
All prices are expressed in US Dollars on Helcim's website
The most expensive rates fall to businesses processing less than $25,000 monthly, while the most competitive rates are given to businesses that process over $5 million monthly.
| What is it? | Monthly fee | Processing rates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | This tier offers in-person card processing, mobile POS, invoicing, product cataloging, inventory management and a customer relationship manager. | $15 per month | 0.25% + $0.08 to 0.10% + $0.05 |
| Online | This option comes with online and e-commerce card processing, hosted payment pages, payment APIs, invoicing, inventory management, a hosted online store and self-service customer portal. | $35 per month | 0.45% + $0.25 to 0.10% + $0.10 |
| Omni | This tier combines all the services and features of the Retail and Online tiers. | $50 per month | 0.25% + $0.08 to 0.10% + $0.05 |
| Charity | Charities registered with the US federal government may qualify for special rates. | - | 0.10% + $0.10 |
Additional fees
After monthly fees and processing rates, expect to pay the following service and per-occurrence fees:
- ACH processing. $25 monthly per merchant ID.
- ACH per transaction. $0.25.
- ACH per reject. $5.00.
- Additional merchant ID. $15 monthly per merchant ID.
- Multicurrency processing. $25 monthly per merchant ID.
- Level 3 processing. $25 monthly per merchant ID.
- Dial authorization. $0.02.
- Bank account change/business name change. $25.
- Non-sufficient funds (NSF). $25.
- PCI non-compliance fee. $75.
- Chargeback fee. $15.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Transparent pricing. Helcim doesn't hide what it charges merchants — you'll find a comprehensive list of processing rates and fees on its website.
- 24/7 support. Helcim's tech support is available by phone 24 hours a day.
- 30-day free trial. Not sure Helcim's processing service is a good fit? Try the service free for 30 days.
- No cancellation fees. Helcim's processing services are available month-to-month so you can cancel at any time without fee or penalty.
Cons
- No live chat feature. With no live chat feature on its website, Helcim's tech support is limited to email and phone inquiries.
- Expensive for small businesses. Helcim's processing rates are tiered, which means the less you process, the more you pay.
How do I open an account with Helcim?
To get started with Helcim, head to its website and click Get Started:
- Enter your full name, business name, email address and country of residence.
- Review Helcim’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
- Click Create Account.
- Select the service tier you're interested in applying for.
- Choose any POS hardware you'd like to add.
- Enter the name of your business, business type, business tax ID and business email address.
- Tell Helcim more about the types of products you offer, annual revenue, monthly credit card processing volume and average amount per transaction.
- Enter your business bank account details as requested.
- Enter the phone number, residential address, personal details and ownership percentage of all business owners.
- Enter your business address.
- Submit your application.
A Helcim representative will review your application and respond within one to two business days.
What other products will I need?
Helcim’s all-in-one Omni service tier offers just about everything you need to start accepting payments — with the exception of an important account:
- Checking account. You'll need to connect your Helcim account to an externally linked business checking account before you can process payments.
What is Helcim?
Helcim is a Canadian processing service founded in 2006 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. It also has a US office is located in Seattle, Washington.
Today, over 6,000 merchants use Helcim’s processing service with over $2.5 billion in annual processing to its name.
Bottom line
Canada-based Helcim has much to offer brick-and-mortar and online merchants alike. With its comprehensive suite of processing services available month-to-month along with transparent rates and fees, there’s plenty to celebrate. But smaller businesses will have to deal with higher processing rates and high-risk merchants may not be accepted.
It's a good idea to review your payment processing options with additional providers to make sure you receive the optimal service for your business.
