Payzium versus Helcim
Payzium versus Helcim: two honest interchange-plus programs.
Both Payzium and Helcim publish interchange-plus. Helcim's published margin at low volume is competitive; Payzium's four-tier structure and dual pricing program shape the tradeoff at different band edges.
Helcim: what the fees page publishes.
| Line | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In-person, $0 to $50K per month band | Interchange + 0.40% + $0.08 | [1] |
| In-person, $1M to $5M per month band | Interchange + 0.15% + $0.06 | [2] |
| Online, $0 to $50K per month band | Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25 | [3] |
| Online, $1M to $5M per month band | Interchange + 0.15% + $0.15 | [4] |
| Keyed | Same as online band applicable to volume | [5] |
- Monthly account fee: $0 [6]
- Setup fee: $0 [6]
- Cancellation fee: $0 [6]
Helcim Card Reader. Sold outright at $239 per unit plus shipping at time of verification. No monthly hardware fee. [7]
Helcim contract candor.
- Helcim is honest about interchange-plus in the same shape Payzium is; comparison lives in the margin band and the per-transaction fee, not the model.
- Helcim moves a merchant from band to band based on volume; the band change is automatic and published.
- Helcim publishes no cancellation fee. Merchant's contract is with Helcim Inc. as the merchant services provider.
Where Helcim wins.
- Excellent transparency: interchange-plus, published bands, no monthly fee.
- Strong online product and invoicing.
- Card Reader hardware is inexpensive and available direct.
Where Payzium wins.
- Payzium's Tier 1 card-present margin of 0.30 percent sits inside Helcim's $0 to $50K band at 0.40 percent, where most small US merchants live.
- Payzium runs dual pricing as a published program; Helcim does not publish an equivalent.
- Terminal included with a $5 monthly account fee; Helcim's Card Reader is sold outright at $239.
Worked example.
At $40,000 per month, 100 percent card-present, blended card mix. Helcim: interchange plus 0.40 percent plus $0.08 per transaction, no monthly fee. Payzium: interchange plus assessments (pass-through) plus a 0.30 percent margin on credit volume plus $0.05 per transaction plus the $5 monthly account fee. Payzium's per-transaction fee is $0.03 lower and its card-present margin is 10 basis points lower; the $5 monthly fee is the offsetting line.
Payzium all-in effective rate on this fixture
1.70%
This is the same rate shown across the site. See the full monthly breakdown on the calculator.
FAQ.
If we're both interchange-plus, why compare at all?
The margin band, the per-transaction fee, and the monthly are the three levers. This page lays out where each of the two providers lands and lets a merchant do the math on its own volume.
What if I'm already on Helcim and doing well?
That's a good place to be. Payzium's compare here is the honest broker version; if a merchant is netting well on Helcim at its current volume, the switch is not automatic. Program B (dual pricing) is the primary reason a Helcim merchant asks for a Payzium quote.
Sources.
- [1] In-person band 1: interchange + 0.40% + $0.08. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [2] In-person band 4: interchange + 0.15% + $0.06. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [3] Online band 1: interchange + 0.50% + $0.25. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [4] Online band 4: interchange + 0.15% + $0.15. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [5] Keyed same as online band. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [6] No monthly, setup, or cancellation fee. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/pricing/
- [7] Helcim Card Reader $239. Verified 2026-07-07. https://www.helcim.com/hardware/
Ready to see the numbers on your business?
Run your monthly volume through the calculator and see the exact all-in figure your Payzium account would carry.