Payment processor
Helcim is a Calgary-based payment processor for US and Canadian businesses, with published interchange-plus pricing, automatic volume discounts and no monthly fees.
Strengths
Watch out for
Best for
US and Canadian merchants with low-risk products who want transparent interchange-plus pricing without monthly fees.
| Type | Payment processor |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | interchange-plus |
| Card rate | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ (keyed and online, $0-$50K monthly volume) |
| International | International interchange (often 1.10% to 2.25%) plus a card-brand cross-border fee of around 1%, on top of Helcim's margin |
| Monthly fee | $0 |
| Setup fee | $0 |
| Chargeback fee | $15 if lost, $0 if resolved in your favor |
| High-risk businesses | Case by case |
|---|---|
| Dropshipping | No |
| Reserves | Not published |
| Payout speed | 1-2 business days after the batch settles; next business day with free Faster Deposits at eligible banks |
|---|---|
| Merchant countries | United States and Canada |
| Currencies | USD, CAD |
| Shopify | Not published |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Yes |
| Subscriptions | Yes |
| One-click upsells | Not published |
| Apple Pay | Not published |
| Multiple MIDs | Not published |
| Token portability | Yes |
The online margin falls with volume, down to Interchange + 0.15% + 15¢ at $1M-$5M per month, based on your last three months of volume; over $5M per month is quoted by sales. Recurring payments add 0.4% per transaction. ACH costs 0.5% + 25¢, capped at $6 (plus 0.05% on amounts over $25,000). No PCI, statement or cancellation fees.
Helcim's Acceptable Use Policy (updated Sept 30, 2026) prohibits drop shipping, nutraceuticals focused on significant weight loss or sexual performance, diet and weight loss marketing, and billing without clear customer consent. Supplement retailers and recurring-billing subscription businesses are restricted and get extra review.
Faster Deposits use RTP or FedNow in the US and Interac in Canada (batches up to $25,000 in Canada), with a 7:00 PM MT batch cutoff. A new merchant's first few batches are reviewed, which usually takes about 3 business days.
Helcim's integrations page lists WooCommerce, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave, Zoho Invoice and several practice-management tools; Shopify is not listed there.