What Helcim does

Helcim is a Calgary-based payment processing company that provides small and medium-sized businesses with an integrated suite of tools to accept card-present, card-not-present, ACH, EFT/PAD, international, and HSA/FSA payments across the United States and Canada. The platform is built on a PCI Level 1 compliant infrastructure with an interchange-plus pricing model that passes exact card-network costs to merchants plus a small transparent markup, with margins automatically decreasing as processing volume grows. Core products include a free point-of-sale application, virtual terminal, online invoicing, online checkout, hosted payment links, recurring billing, a customer vault for stored payment credentials, inventory management, and hardware (Smart Terminal, Card Reader, Tap to Pay on iPhone). Developer-facing tools include Helcim APIs, HelcimPay.js for embedded PCI-compliant payment forms, and the January 2026-launched Helcim Payment Extension, a browser-based integration tool that supports 20+ software platforms at launch with a stated target of 100+ integrations by year-end. Acquiring and settlement infrastructure is provided through a partnership with Elavon, and Helcim operates a dual-entity corporate structure (Helcim Inc. in Alberta and Helcim USA Inc. in Delaware).

Helcim generates revenue primarily through per-transaction fees under its interchange-plus model, with rates of 1.83% + 8 cents for in-person Visa/Mastercard/Discover, 2.61% + 8 cents for online/keyed, 0.5% + 25 cents (capped at $6) for ACH, and 2.31% + 25 cents for American Express in-person. The company charges no monthly fees, no PCI compliance fees, and no subscription taxes, and supplementary monetization comes from Level 2/3 interchange optimization for B2B/government transactions and optional surcharging/convenience fee programs. Go-to-market is primarily product-led through a self-serve online signup flow, supplemented by an integration partner ecosystem (40+ platforms across accounting, CRM, field service, and e-commerce), third-party comparison-site coverage (NerdWallet, Forbes, CNN, USA Today, CNBC, Shopify, Business.com), and an enterprise sales overlay for high-volume merchants.

The customer base is distributed across verticals including healthcare (dental, physiotherapy, mental health, optometry, massage therapy), professional services (accountants, law offices, consultants), home and field services, retail and wholesale, e-commerce, and nonprofits. Helcim has raised approximately $32.7 million across a $16 million Series A in March 2022 co-led by Information Venture Partners and Aquiline Technology Growth, and a ~$20 million Series B in February 2024 led by Headline. The company is led by CEO Nicolas Beique, CFO Marjorie Junio-Read, and CTO Brett Popkey, and currently operates from offices in Calgary and Seattle with a headcount of 101-250 employees.

Name

Helcim

Legal name

Helcim Inc.

Website

https://www.helcim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Helcim is a Calgary-based payment processor serving US and Canadian small and medium-sized businesses with interchange-plus pricing, no monthly fees, and an integrated suite of POS, invoicing, online checkout, and recurring billing tools across 40+ software integrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Processing

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), A2A Checkout & Merchant Acceptance Solutions (FSAMAFAF)

Keywords

• Payment processing
• Merchant services
• Point of sale
• Credit card processing
• Online invoicing

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Payment Processing Fees: Helcim charges transaction fees based on an interchange-plus pricing model. Merchants pay the direct cost from card brands and banks plus a transparent markup. In-person Visa/Mastercard transactions are 1.83% + 8 cents, keyed/online are 2.61% + 8 cents, American Express online is 2.99% + 25 cents, PIN-debit is 1.00% + 8 cents, and ACH bank payments are 0.5% + 25 cents (capped at $6). No monthly fees, no PCI compliance fees, no subscription taxes.
2. Volume-Based Margin Decreases: As merchants process more transactions and grow their volume, the company's markup margin automatically decreases without negotiation. This creates a land-and-expand dynamic where successful customers save more and are incentivized to consolidate more payment volume with Helcim.
3. Level 2/3 Interchange Optimization: Additional fee optimization services for B2B and government transactions that qualify for lower interchange rates when proper tax and reference data is provided.
4. Surcharging and Convenience Fees: Merchants can optionally pass credit card processing fees to customers through surcharging or convenience fee programs, generating additional revenue opportunity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Helcim provides cloud-based payment processing for small and medium businesses, operating on a transparent interchange-plus pricing model with no monthly fees. The platform includes point-of-sale software, virtual terminal, online invoicing, payment links, recurring billing, customer vault, inventory catalog, and hardware (smart terminal, card reader, Tap to Pay on iPhone), supported by 40+ software integrations. Revenue is generated through transaction-based fees on credit/debit card, ACH, EFT/PAD, international, and HSA/FSA payments.

Product overview

Helcim is a payment processing platform providing an integrated suite of tools for small and medium businesses to accept payments in-person, online, and via mobile devices. The platform operates on an interchange-plus pricing model with no monthly fees, offering transparent rates that decrease automatically with volume growth. Core products include Point-of-Sale, Virtual Terminal, Online Invoicing, Online Checkout, Payment Links, Recurring Payments, and Customer Vault for card storage. Hardware offerings include the Helcim Smart Terminal, Card Reader, and Tap to Pay on iPhone. Payment methods supported include credit/debit cards, ACH bank transfers, EFT/PAD for Canadian businesses, international payments, and HSA/FSA cards. Developer tools include HelcimPay.js for embedding payment forms and the Payment Extension for integrating with existing software. The platform integrates with accounting tools (QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave), CRM/business software (GoHighLevel, Jobber, Housecall Pro), and e-commerce platforms (WooCommerce). Additional features include a free invoice generator, Level 2/3 interchange optimization, surcharging options, and switching assistance programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Helcim Payment Extension: A browser-based tool that allows merchants to integrate Helcim's payment processing into their existing web-based business software without changing workflows, supporting over 20 software platforms at launch.

Products and services

• Helcim Smart Terminal A smart point-of-sale terminal hardware product for accepting in-person credit and debit card payments with advanced features and secure processing, targeted at SMB merchants.
• Helcim Card Reader A card reader hardware device for accepting credit and debit card payments in-person, targeted at SMB merchants seeking mobile payment acceptance.
• Tap to Pay on iPhone A contactless payment solution enabling merchants to accept tap payments directly on iPhone without additional hardware, targeted at SMB merchants seeking low-friction mobile payment acceptance.
• Point-of-Sale (POS) A free point-of-sale software application for accepting in-person payments with a comprehensive merchant platform, targeted at SMB merchants across retail, services, and food/hospitality verticals.
• Virtual Terminal A web-based terminal for accepting credit card and ACH payments from a computer or mobile device, available 24/7 for keyed or over-the-phone transactions, targeted at merchants who need to take payments without a physical card reader.
• Online Invoicing A digital invoice creation and delivery tool enabling businesses to send custom invoices via email or text with payment links for customers, targeted at SMB merchants needing flexible billing.
• Online Checkout An e-commerce solution for building a fully hosted online store or adding payments to existing websites, targeted at online SMB merchants.
• Payment Links (Hosted Payment Pages) Shareable hosted payment pages and links for collecting payments online without a website, accessible via QR codes, email, or SMS, targeted at SMB merchants needing quick payment collection.
• Recurring Payments (Recurring Billing)

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% savings on average compared to flat-rate processors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ElavoncoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processor and acquiring bank partner. Elavon Inc. and Elavon Canada Company are contracted by Helcim to submit sales drafts and transaction information to card associations (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and to receive and pay settlement funds. This is a critical banking/processing infrastructure relationship.
• WooCommercemajorTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform integration partner. Helcim offers a payment extension/plugin for WooCommerce merchants to process payments within their online stores.
• QuickBooksmajorTechnology or IntegrationAccounting software integration partner. Helcim transactions, fees, and deposits automatically sync with QuickBooks Online in real-time, enabling seamless bookkeeping.
• XeromajorTechnology or IntegrationAccounting software integration partner. Helcim transactions, fees, and deposits automatically sync with Xero in real-time for accounting reconciliation.
• GoHighLevelmajorTechnology or IntegrationCRM and marketing automation platform integration partner. Helcim payment processing integrates with GoHighLevel workflows.
• JobbermajorTechnology or IntegrationField service management software integration partner. Helcim payments integrate with Jobber for home and field service businesses.
• Housecall PromajorTechnology or IntegrationHome services software platform integration partner. Enables payment processing for field service businesses using Housecall Pro.
• Jane AppmajorTechnology or IntegrationPractice management software for health and wellness practitioners (massage therapists, physiotherapists, etc.) integration partner.
• WavemajorTechnology or IntegrationFree accounting software integration partner. Helcim syncs with Wave for bookkeeping and financial tracking.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stripe: Stripe is a leading online payment processing platform serving businesses of all sizes, including SMBs, with developer-friendly APIs and an integrated payments stack. It competes directly with Helcim in online checkout, invoicing, and developer-facing payment integration.
• Square (Block): Square is a dominant SMB-focused payment processor offering POS, online checkout, invoicing, and integrated software. It directly competes with Helcim's SMB value proposition with strong brand recognition and a bundled hardware-plus-software ecosystem.
• Clover (Fiserv): Clover is a POS-focused SMB payment platform owned by Fiserv. Helcim explicitly markets against Clover as a comparison alternative, making them direct competitors for in-person retail and restaurant payment processing.
• Stax (Stax by Fattmerchant): Stax is a subscription-based payment processor targeting SMBs with transparent pricing and interchange-plus models. Its business model and target customer closely mirror Helcim's positioning in the cost-conscious SMB segment.
• Payment Depot: Payment Depot offers interchange-plus pricing to SMBs with a member-based subscription model. It is one of Helcim's closest direct competitors on pricing transparency and SMB cost savings positioning.
• Fattmerchant: Fattmerchant pioneered the interchange-plus subscription model for SMB payment processing. It shares Helcim's transparent pricing philosophy and SMB target customer, making it a close comparable.
• QuickBooks Payments (Intuit): QuickBooks Payments integrates payment processing into Intuit's dominant SMB accounting software. Helcim also integrates with QuickBooks but competes for the same end SMB customer, particularly bookkeepers and small businesses already using Intuit's stack.

Broad incumbents

• PayPal: PayPal is a broad incumbent offering consumer and merchant payment processing worldwide. While much larger and more diversified than Helcim, it competes for SMB online payment volume with a deeper feature set and stronger brand.
• Global Payments: Global Payments is a large diversified payment processor serving merchants of all sizes. Helcim directly compares itself against Global Payments in its marketing materials as part of its transparent-pricing positioning.

Regional players

• Moneris: Moneris is a Canadian-headquartered payment processor focused on the Canadian market. It is Helcim's primary domestic Canadian competitor and serves many of the same SMB segments in Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Helcim
• Facebookfacebook.com/helcim
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helcim

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helcim