Helcim is a payment service provider based in Canada operating since 2006 and offers cheap and easy-to-understand service. It conducts comprehensive online solutions in payment processing: Credit cards, mobile cash payment, and cloud-based procurement of the point of sale. Helcim targets mainly SMBs with operations in the US and Canada. Some of these include custom invoicing, online store builders, and the improved security feature that makes Helcim construct a platform through which any kind of business, including the small ones, can have affordable solutions for payment processing.
Helcim is a strong contender in payment processing because this service is transparent, simple, and highly secure. There is no hidden fee on Helcim Payments, and the trading platform is very easy to understand; therefore, it mainly helps businesses by providing them with ways to manage payment systems and, mostly, how to perform a business.
Company Background
Helcim was founded in 2006 by Nic Beique to make a payment processing company more comprehensible and convenient. Its offices are located in Calgary, Alberta, and it has expanded to participate in payment processing among the most active companies in the United States and Canada.
Its goal is to become the world’s favourite payments company—for good—by putting people at the core of its actions. This vision is reflected in the company’s commitment to no hidden fees, efficient customer relations, and very convenient payment structures for businesses.
To date, Helcim has achieved certain fetishes: In 2013, launching their cloud-based platform put the company in the right place to unveil an integrated suite of payment products that include online store functionalities and payment and invoicing processing. In 2020, due to the outbreak of the pandemic, Helcim rapidly developed digital aids that are necessary for transforming business practices, such as food delivery applications and the use of QR code payments.
Helcim Payments has developed a reputation in the payment industry for its hunger for innovation and customer-oriented products. The availability of Internet payment processing and the drive to make it cheaper fuel further advancement and achievement.
Features and Services of Helcim Payments
Helcim Conflict offers a compelling set of features and services that can make any business more effective in processing payments and managing general operations.
Payment Processing
Helcim Payments offers credit and debit card processing with openly disclosed interchange-plus pricing. The platform processes ACH and eCheck to help companies accept various payments. Regarding global businesses, Helcim has international payment solutions in place to support multi-currency transactions. Moreover, Helcim is integrated with the likes of Apple Pay and Google Pay digital wallets to provide customers with the most modern and convenient payment method.
Point of Sale (POS) System
Helcim offers its versatile POS system in both software and hardware options. For example, it is free of charge and thus provides free downloads to all devices, which turns them into fully-fledged POS systems. Hardware comes with the Helcim Card Reader at $99, accommodating swipe, chip, tap, or keyed-in payments. The $329 Helcim Smart Terminal includes a touchscreen, thermal receipt printer, and inventory management tools for a more tech-enhanced solution. These new options further guarantee that companies can combine current hardware without headache—maintaining existing arrangements but looking to upgrade their payment handling.
E-commerce Solutions
Helcim is a one-stop e-commerce wholesaler with online store builders, subscription management tools, and payment gateways. With Helcim, any business can easily manage a web store equipped with shopping carts, discount codes, and shipping integration. Helcim Dev is an API through which developers can create tailor-made integrations to achieve unique e-commerce solutions to suit particular business requirements.
Invoicing
Helcim’s invoicing tools are explicitly designed to streamline all billing processes in one place. They allow users to create templates, send online payment links, send reminders, and track payments automatically. This functionality assists businesses in managing accounts receivable efficiently, assuring timely customer payments.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Helcim’s platform supports CRM capabilities covering detailed customer profiling, purchase history tracking, and securely storing methodologies via its Card Vault. This means that clients can log in to update information, view order histories, and make payments through the xxx self-service portals, further enhancing the whole customer experience.
Reporting and Analytics
Helcim Payments provides real-time data on transactions, enhanced financial reporting, and important insights into how your business is moving. These custom dashboards let you keep up with key metrics and make decisions on the data at the front of your mind.
Security and Compliance
Helcim Payments is a Level 1 PCI-DSS-compliant service provider, assuring companies of the best payment safety. It provides some of the most potent fraud detection and prevention tools, using transaction scoring and threshold settings to judge the riskiness of any fraudulent activity.
Helcim’s system and services are an integrated, secure, and easy-to-use payment processing solution for small—and medium-sized businesses.
Pricing and Fees
Helcim Payments operates under an interchange-plus pricing model, with Visa and Mastercard wholesale processing rates set out in its variability. This gives it much transparency and adds a fixed markup. Businesses can clearly see exactly how much different transactions cost them, avoiding annoying hidden fees.
Processing Fees:
- In-Person Transactions: The pricing plan includes 0.30% + $0.08 higher than the interchange rate; the average processing fee is about 1.56%.
- Online Transactions: Fees for online and keyed-in transactions are 0.50% + $0.25 over interchange. The average fees are 1.93% + $0.08 for card-present and 2.49% + $0.25 for card-not-present.
- International Payments: Its fees for international transactions are 0.50% + $0.25. Thus, it also supports different currencies for international transactions.
Additional Costs:
- Hardware: Helcim has a Card Reader for $99, supporting swipe, chip, tap, and keyed-in payments. On the higher end is the Helcim Smart Terminal, billed at $32, with a touchscreen and thermal receipt printer.
- Chargebacks: The chargeback fee is $15, although Helcim does not charge for this if the dispute is won.
Volume-Based Discounts
Helcim Payments further provides automatic volume-based savings on their processing fees, which are incurred as the volume of business transactions increases. The discount tiers include:
- For $0–$50,000 in monthly sales, this is 0.40% + $0.08 for swipe and 0.50% + $0.25 for online/keyed transactions.
- The $50,001–$100,000 fee is 0.35% + $0.07 in person and 0.45% + $0.20 online.
- For $100,001–$500,000, it becomes 0.25% plus $0.07 in person and 0.35% plus $0.20 when done online.
- For $500,001–$1,000,000, the fee is 0.20% + $0.06 for in-person and 0.25% + $0.15 for online transactions.
- The rate is 0.15% plus $0.06 for in-person and online transactions on sales over $1,000,001.
Helcim structures its pricing to help growing businesses be competitive and open. Its lean process, driven by reducing fees at higher transaction volumes, allows companies to scale at a more controlled cost basis.
Contract Length and Terms
As a major advantage, the company does not lock its customers into long-term contracts, offering relatively more flexible packages based on the clients’ needs. Many business people can manage Helcim solutions flexibly because they do not require signing contracts for a long period. Such flexibility is useful, especially for SMBs, and usually, the need to be served may change with time; hence, the flexibility is beneficial.
One of the pros of using Helcim is that it does not charge its clients for terminating the contract before a certain period is over. This entitles the businesses to the ability to unsubscribe from this service at will without being charged. It is, therefore, easy to deduce that Helcim’s decision not to charge customers early termination fees depicts a company that is fully prepared to satisfy its customers and back its service offerings.
Like other providers, Helcim also has plans for scalability for businesses on the rise. The higher the transactions per time, the higher Helcim’s volume-based discounts to decrease the processing fee. This scalability guarantees that business people can enjoy the competitiveness of the rates whenever the usage increases. In addition, payment processing, invoicing, and e-commerce-based services offered by Helcim can be upgraded to accommodate large operations.
To sum up, Helcim Payments boasts quite favorable and very convenient contractual conditions, which positively differentiates it from many of its competitors. Businesses that would like to have a very functional and efficient payment processing provider without having to worry about long-term contracts or early termination fees would do very well to consider what Helcim has to offer.
Customer Support
Helcim offers a robust customer support system that is available through multiple channels: phone, email, and live talk. Their support is accessible Monday through Friday from 12:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST and on weekends from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST. This also allows businesses to access timely help if needed.
Policing the quality of customer support offered by Helcim happens to be rather common, and this is mostly because of the service’s responsiveness. People have also averagely shared their experiences, where they have stated that the support team is fully equipped and efficient.
Such a level of service is most helpful for companies where payment issues are critical to the enterprise and require fast problem-solving.
Besides direct assistance, there is a generous knowledge center filled with articles on how to solve a particular issue, frequently asked questions and how-to articles. This resource is beneficial to users who want to solve issues on their own or at a time when the business is closed. It is important for users to gain as much knowledge as possible to use the Helcim services offered, hence the wide topics covered by the knowledge base.
Helcim’s customer support system is well-set, with a broad availability of routes and a directory of tools to help customers succeed.
User Experience
Helcim is one of the best e-commerce solutions for business owners because the website revolves around user-friendliness. The software layout is described as easy to navigate and use, as well as in terms of the day-to-day tasks and payment processing. Their mobile app version, as well as the desktop version, do not deviate much from the main theme; simple and easy to navigate, factors that are essential for smooth business running.
Ease of Use for Business Owners: Helcim’s software is easy to navigate; hence, business owners can easily regulate their transactions. The system itself is relatively simple regarding its user interface and navigation, making the transition simple for most users and allowing them to be fairly effective with the system from the beginning. This issue benefits organizations, especially small and middle-sized ones because they can devote their time to significant business processes without being boggled by the software.
Setup Process and Onboarding: The setup process for Helcim is streamlined and straightforward. Creating an account involves a few simple steps on their website, and businesses can typically get started within a business day. The Helcim Smart Terminal and other hardware have pre-installed software, requiring minimal setup. Most users can get up and running quickly, often without the need for technical support. This efficient onboarding process ensures that businesses can start processing payments almost immediately.
Mobile App and Desktop Interface: Helcim’s mobile app is available on iOS and Android platforms and supports a range of devices, including smartphones and tablets. The app allows business owners to manage payments, track sales, and access customer information on the go. The desktop interface is equally robust, providing comprehensive tools for inventory management, invoicing, and reporting. Both interfaces are designed to sync seamlessly, ensuring that business operations run smoothly, whether from a desktop or a mobile device.
Overall, Helcim offers a user experience that balances functionality with simplicity, making it a reliable choice for businesses looking to streamline their payment processes and manage their operations effectively.
Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Helcim has garnered substantial positive feedback from its users, highlighting several key strengths that make it a popular choice among small—to medium-sized businesses.
Users frequently praise Helcim for its exceptional customer service. Many reviews emphasize the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team, noting that issues are resolved quickly and effectively through phone and email support. This high level of customer care helps businesses feel confident and supported in their payment processing needs.
Another aspect often highlighted in reviews is the transparency of Helcim’s pricing model. Customers appreciate the interchange-plus pricing structure, which is clear and free from hidden fees. This transparency allows businesses to manage their costs better and avoid unexpected charges, contributing to overall satisfaction with the service.
Helcim’s ease of use is also a common point of praise. Business owners find the platform intuitive and straightforward, making it easy to set up and navigate. The seamless integration with various hardware and software tools further enhances user experience, allowing businesses to operate smoothly without technical difficulties.
Users also value Helcim’s solutions’ flexibility and scalability. The platform’s ability to grow with a business, offering features like customizable invoicing, e-commerce solutions, and comprehensive reporting, ensures that it can meet its users’ evolving needs.
Overall, the positive reviews and testimonials reflect Helcim’s commitment to providing a reliable, user-friendly, and transparent payment processing service that effectively supports business operations.
Customer Complaints and Issues
Helcim has received some complaints and issues from users, though the company generally maintains a positive reputation. Common complaints include technical issues, such as occasional software bugs and crashes, which can disrupt workflows. Some users have also mentioned a steep learning curve for new users unfamiliar with POS systems, and a few have reported dissatisfaction with the mobile app’s functionality compared to the desktop version.
In response to negative feedback, Helcim takes a proactive approach. The company is known for its responsive customer support, often addressing issues swiftly through phone and email channels. Helcim’s support team is praised for being helpful and efficient, which helps mitigate the impact of any technical problems users may encounter.
Helcim also demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement based on user feedback. For instance, they frequently update their software to fix bugs and enhance features. The company provides a comprehensive knowledge base and self-guided online training resources to help users troubleshoot and learn the system independently. Helcim offers live training and one-on-one support to ensure that users can resolve their issues effectively and better understand the platform.
Overall, while Helcim has its issues, the company’s responsive support and dedication to improvement help maintain user satisfaction.
Conclusion
Helcim excels with its transparent pricing, user-friendly design, and robust customer support, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. While it may not suit very large enterprises due to limited multi-location management features, its strengths in ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and excellent support make it highly recommended for growing businesses.
