Accept credit and debit cards at the lowest possible rates with our transparent, wholesale pricing model. No hidden markups. No bundled fees.
Every processor pays the same interchange fee for a given card. The difference? How much they mark up on top. With Interchange Plus, Helcim's margin is small, transparent, and automatically decreases as you grow.
Key insight
Flat-rate processors charge the same high rate for every card — even low-cost debit cards. Interchange Plus means you only pay the true cost + our margin, so debit-heavy businesses save the most.
Every transaction you process has two components: the interchange rate (set by the card network) and the processor's margin. Here's how they come together.
Interchange Plus pricing means you get the lowest possible rate for each transaction. Helcim passes on the true wholesale cost and adds a small, transparent margin for our service. No surprises — you only pay for what you process.
The interchange rate is the wholesale cost of processing a transaction — a variable fee made up of the interchange fees (paid to the card-issuing bank) and card-network fees. This rate is set by the card brands, not by Helcim.
Most processors won't reveal their margin. At Helcim, we break down exactly what your processing fees are made of — including our margin. And with automatic volume-based discounts, our margin decreases the more you process.
Low processing rates and complete transparency add up. Interchange Plus pricing delivers honest savings with no monthly fees or long-term contracts.
Calculate your custom rateWith Helcim, you never need to call and negotiate lower rates. We calculate your average monthly credit card volume over your latest 3 months of processing and automatically apply the corresponding tier — so as your business grows, your Interchange Plus margin shrinks.
| Monthly Volume | In-Person Rate | Keyed & Online Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $50K | Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ |
| $50K – $100K | Interchange + 0.35% + 7¢ | Interchange + 0.45% + 20¢ |
| $100K – $500K | Interchange + 0.25% + 7¢ | Interchange + 0.35% + 20¢ |
| $500K – $1M | Interchange + 0.20% + 6¢ | Interchange + 0.25% + 15¢ |
| $1M – $5M | Interchange + 0.15% + 6¢ | Interchange + 0.15% + 15¢ |
We average your volume over the most recent 3 months to determine your tier — so a single slow month won't bump you up.
No calls. No negotiations. No paperwork. Your rate adjusts automatically at the start of each month based on your volume.
As your business scales, your margin drops. The more you process, the less you pay per transaction.
The rates above are Helcim's margin — added on top of the wholesale interchange cost. You see both on every statement, every time.
All interchange rates are public. We publish them on our site so you can see exactly what you're paying — no guesswork, no hidden schedules.
Interchange Plus pricing takes the wholesale cost of a transaction — the interchange rate — and adds a set margin on top, passing the savings directly to you. Other payment processors use flat-rate pricing, which charges the same fee regardless of the actual cost, often padding their margins at your expense. With Interchange Plus, you always pay the true cost plus a small, transparent markup.
Interchange rates are set by the card brand networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and are updated twice a year — typically in April and October. Every processor pays the same interchange rate for a given transaction type; the difference is in the margin they add on top.
Factors include the type of payment card (consumer, rewards, corporate), the card brand, how the card is processed (chip, keyed, online), the merchant category, and risk factors like fraud probability. For example, online (card-not-present) transactions carry higher rates than in-person (card-present) transactions because fraud risk is higher.
Helcim publishes all current interchange rates directly on our website. You can also find them on the card brand websites — they are public information. See the rate table links further up this page to browse rates by card brand and country.
No. If you process a refund, Helcim does not charge interchange fees on it. However, the processing fees from the original transaction are not returned. To avoid paying processing fees entirely, you can void the transaction on the same day instead of issuing a refund.
Your processing fee depends on several factors:
With Interchange Plus pricing, your rate is the interchange cost (set by the card brand) plus Helcim's transparent margin. Because rates vary by card type and transaction method, the best way to see your exact costs is to visit our pricing page and use the rate calculator.
Yes — and you never need to call to negotiate. Helcim's Interchange Plus margin automatically decreases as you process more volume, saving you even more. View the complete volume discount tiers on our pricing page.
No. You can use your existing bank account from any financial institution or credit union. Sole proprietors can use a personal account; incorporated businesses and partnerships need a business account. If your business requires separate trust and operating accounts (e.g. law firms), Helcim can customize your deposit flow.
Sign up directly on our website in about 5 minutes — no paperwork or signatures required. Just enter basic information about your business, address, and contacts. Once your Helcim account is created, you can start accepting payments right away. Get started here.
With Interchange Plus pricing, you see exactly what goes to the card network and what goes to Helcim. No hidden markups, no bundled rates, no surprises on your statement.
