For most independent businesses, yes — and significantly so. Helcim uses transparent interchange-plus pricing, passing through the exact wholesale fee of every transaction plus a published margin that drops automatically as your monthly volume scales. Heartland charges a steep $89/month starter fee before you process a single dollar, then applies a flat-rate structure (such as 2.6% + 10¢) that overcharges you on low-cost debit card swipes. With Helcim, there are no monthly fees, no PCI charges, and no hidden line items — your costs are driven entirely by your actual transaction volume.
Back to Comparisons
Helcim vs. Heartland Payments.
An honest, side-by-side comparison of pricing, software tools, hardware, and business models — so you can decide which payment processor fits your business.
Comparison Overview
Helcim vs. Heartland Payments business models.
Helcim passes through true wholesale network costs and automatically slashes your processing margins as your transaction card volume scales. Heartland Payments, once renowned for its independent merchant advocacy, has fully transitioned into a corporate subsidiary of payment giant Global Payments—shifting its business model into an opaque, rep-driven environment reliant on high baseline starter flat rates and significant monthly platform commitments.
How Helcim's model works
- Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing that passes through true interchange and network fees at cost, then adds a transparent margin on top.
- Every POS software and online payment tool is included at no monthly cost — virtual terminal, invoicing, online checkout, recurring payments, customer management, and inventory tracking.
- As your monthly card volume grows, Helcim's margin automatically drops by up to 70% — no plan upgrade, no renegotiation, no phone call.
- There are no monthly fees, no PCI fees, no setup or cancellation fees, no statement fees, and no per-user or per-location charges.
How Heartland Payments's model works
- Heartland operates under the corporate umbrella of Global Payments, utilizing individual sales-rep-negotiated agreements rather than a fully public, automated tier schedule.
- To secure baseline account configuration, Heartland introduces a steep "starter" monthly platform fee of $89/month just to maintain card processing workflows.
- For entry-level merchant profiles, they deploy a fixed flat-rate structure (such as 2.6% + 10¢) rather than passing direct interchange discounts through to the customer, overcharging you significantly on low-cost debit card swipes.
- Advanced retail configurations, complex inventory frameworks, and specialized terminal deployments rely on separate hardware lease footprints or gated software plan upcharges tied directly to the broader Global Payments ecosystem.
Global Payments Subsidiary
Heartland Payments is a Global Payments subsidiary
Heartland Payments does not operate independently — it is a subsidiary of Global Payments, one of the largest payment processing conglomerates in the world. That means the infrastructure, pricing structures, and contract terms behind your account are ultimately controlled by Global Payments. For a deeper look at Global Payments' pricing, software tools, contract practices, and how it compares to Helcim, read our full side-by-side review.
Read our Global Payments Comparison
Pricing & fees
Helcim vs. Heartland Payments pricing and fees.
Helcim includes every processing and digital payment tool at $0/month with direct interchange-plus pricing that drops automatically as you grow. Heartland Payments gates its system behind a substantial $89/month starter fee and hides its true multi-year processing costs behind an unpublicized layout of sales-rep-negotiated markups.
| Helcim | Heartland Payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Interchange-plus | Fixed Flat-rate or Opaque Rep-Negotiated Markup |
| Monthly Software Fees | $0 — everything included | $89/month baseline starter fee |
| In-Person Processing | 1.79% + 8¢ Average | 2.6% + 10¢ starter rate (subject to manual sales markups) |
| Online Processing | 2.31% + 25¢ Average | Opaque — Custom sales consultation required |
| Virtual Terminal | 2.31% + 25¢ Average | Varies — Subject to monthly gateway fees and rep contracts |
| US Common PIN Debit | 1.00% + 8¢ Average | Same as credit card flat-rate — no automatic debit pass-through savings |
| ACH Processing | 0.5% + 25¢ (capped at $6) | Custom setup required via Global Payments corporate backend |
| Tap to Pay on Phone | 10¢ | Supported via mobile application packages |
| Volume Discounts | Up to 70% off Helcim margin | Manual renegotiation required with a sales representative |
| POS Software | Included free | Basic pre-loaded / Premium retail and restaurant tools priced separately |
| Invoicing | Included free | Core billing links included / Full lifecycles require tier upgrades |
| Recurring Payments | Extra 0.4% per transaction | Token system available / Advanced automation layers require platform add-ons |
| Contract Terms | Month-to-month — no setup or cancellation fees | Often multi-year auto-renewing commitments with high termination penalties |
| Hidden / Overhead Fees | $0 — no PCI, statement, or batch fees | PCI non-compliance fees (~$75/mo), batch settlement fees, statement admin charges |
| Chargeback Fee | $15 | Non-refundable corporate chargeback dispute management fee |
| Smart Terminal | $349 — owned outright | Long-term monthly equipment rentals or multi-year terminal leasing loops |
| See Helcim pricing | See Heartland pricing |
| Pricing Model | Monthly Software Fees | In-Person Processing | Online Processing | Virtual Terminal | US Common PIN Debit | ACH Processing | Tap to Pay on Phone | Volume Discounts | POS Software | Invoicing | Recurring Payments | Contract Terms | Hidden / Overhead Fees | Chargeback Fee | Smart Terminal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Interchange-plus | $0 — everything included | 1.79% + 8¢ Average | 2.31% + 25¢ Average | 2.31% + 25¢ Average | 1.00% + 8¢ Average | 0.5% + 25¢ (capped at $6) | 10¢ | Up to 70% off Helcim margin | Included free | Included free | Extra 0.4% per transaction | Month-to-month — no setup or cancellation fees | $0 — no PCI, statement, or batch fees | $15 | $349 — owned outright |
|
|
Fixed Flat-rate or Opaque Rep-Negotiated Markup | $89/month baseline starter fee | 2.6% + 10¢ starter rate (subject to manual sales markups) | Opaque — Custom sales consultation required | Varies — Subject to monthly gateway fees and rep contracts | Same as credit card flat-rate — no automatic debit pass-through savings | Custom setup required via Global Payments corporate backend | Supported via mobile application packages | Manual renegotiation required with a sales representative | Basic pre-loaded / Premium retail and restaurant tools priced separately | Core billing links included / Full lifecycles require tier upgrades | Token system available / Advanced automation layers require platform add-ons | Often multi-year auto-renewing commitments with high termination penalties | PCI non-compliance fees (~$75/mo), batch settlement fees, statement admin charges | Non-refundable corporate chargeback dispute management fee | Long-term monthly equipment rentals or multi-year terminal leasing loops |
The bottom line
Heartland's pricing model has abandoned its historical focus on independent transparency. By applying an $89 monthly entry fee and defaulting newer accounts to high fixed flat rates, they force independent merchants to spend over $1,000 annually before processing a single dollar. Helcim requires completely zero monthly fees, zero PCI line-item charges, and pass-through interchange rates that automatically get cheaper as your sales volume climbs—ensuring every dollar stays in your business.
Helcim uses an interchange-plus pricing model that passes the true transaction fees charged by banks and payment networks to merchants. These true fees vary every transaction. Average fees are based on common credit cards, excluding American Express, and an average transaction amount of $300. Heartland Payments rates shown reflect their public 'starter' schedules, monthly account configurations, and Global Payments corporate operational trends. Actual merchant processing terms depend entirely on individual rep contracts and manual approval. Heartland Payments does not operate for Canadian small business merchant accounts.
Making your decision
When to choose Helcim vs. Heartland Payments.
Helcim is an independent, direct payment processor built for transparency, providing completely free software utilities and an automated month-to-month relationship. Heartland Payments operates as an enterprise-focused subsidiary of Global Payments, wrapping basic point-of-sale activities inside heavy monthly platform costs and opaque, long-term sales contracts.
You are a growing independent merchant who refuses to pay high fixed fees just to keep an account active. You want transparent interchange-plus pricing that automatically scales downward as your card transactions rise, prefer to own your physical processing hardware outright, and want total access to virtual terminals, invoicing, and POS applications at $0/month.
You operate a larger enterprise, nationwide franchise network, or corporate footprint with an established direct sales-rep relationship. It can also be a viable fit if your workflows require deep, specialized on-premise implementation via Global Payments' vertical corporate network and you are comfortable navigating legacy equipment lease structures alongside an ongoing $89/month subscription floor.
Frequently asked questions.
-
-
Heartland has historically relied on multi-year auto-renewing contracts with significant early termination penalties. As a subsidiary of Global Payments, their standard merchant agreements often include 36-to-60 month terms with liquidated damages clauses that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars if you try to leave early. Helcim operates on a completely month-to-month basis with no setup fees, no cancellation fees, and no long-term commitments of any kind.
-
Heartland statements can include a variety of non-obvious charges: PCI non-compliance fees (approximately $75/month if you haven't completed their compliance questionnaire), batch settlement fees, monthly statement administration charges, and separate gateway access fees. Combined with their $89/month starter platform fee, these overhead costs can easily exceed $150/month before you factor in actual processing fees. Helcim charges $0/month — no PCI fees, no statement fees, no batch fees, and no per-device charges.
-
Heartland has historically favored long-term equipment rental and multi-year terminal leasing arrangements rather than straightforward upfront purchases. These lease structures add continuous monthly costs to your processing overhead and can be difficult to exit early. Helcim sells its Smart Terminal outright at a publicly listed price — you own the device, there are no rental fees, no leasing commitments, and no hidden monthly equipment charges.
-
No. Heartland Payments operates exclusively within the United States market. Helcim provides comprehensive payment processing, invoicing tools, and smart hardware support to independent businesses across both the United States and Canada — with dedicated interchange-plus pricing and volume discount schedules for each country.
-
If you are currently locked into a Heartland contract with early termination penalties or ongoing equipment lease obligations, Helcim's Merchant Buyout Program can help. Helcim may cover up to $500 of your transition, equipment replacement, or outstanding contract closure expenses to help you seamlessly move your processing to our contract-free, interchange-plus platform with zero monthly fees.