# Stripe vs Helcim

Title: Stripe vs Helcim: fees

Description: Compare Helcim with Stripe. Stripe's US rate is 2.9% + $0.30. Helcim: Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25 online, at the base tier. Read November 9, 2026.

Stripe vs Helcim compares published lines. Stripe's US domestic cards are 2.9% + $0.30, read November 9, 2026. Helcim is listed at Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25 online, at the base tier. Dispute fees that day: Stripe $15 received, and Helcim $15 if lost. $0 if resolved in your favor.

# Stripe vs Helcim

A flat rate compared with a published interchange-plus margin.

[Helcim](https://www.helcim.com/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com)

Helcim does not sell a flat rate. At the base online tier its margin is interchange + 0.50% + $0.25, and the margin falls as volume rises. Whether that beats Stripe depends on your card mix. The lowest-fee page shows the arithmetic with the interchange assumption written down. Helcim is for a standard-risk US or Canadian business, not a workaround for a category Stripe prohibits.

| Feature | Stripe | Helcim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.9% + $0.30 | Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25 online, at the base tier |
| Dispute fee | $15 received | $15 if lost. $0 if resolved in your favor. |
| Pricing | Flat rate | Interchange-plus |
| Payout | Standard schedule free. Instant 1.5%, minimum $0.50. | Next-business-morning deposits for credit and debit. The pricing page lists this at $0. |
| Region | Global. Rates here are the US list prices. | United States and Canada. Margins below are the US disclosure. |
| Underwriting | Instant signup. Stripe can review, restrict, or close the account later. | Application. Not positioned as an instant high-risk signup. |
| Merchant of record | No | No |
| In the fee calculator | Yes | No |

## Pricing

- Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30
- Helcim: Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25 online, at the base tier

## With Stripe

Volume is low, the card mix is expensive, or you want Stripe's product surface more than the last bit of processing margin.

## With Helcim

Monthly card volume is high enough that a 0.50% margin, stepping down toward 0.15%, is worth giving up Stripe's extras. Get a sample statement before you migrate.

## On the pricing page

- **Online and keyed, $0 to $50,000 a month.** Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25
- **Online and keyed, $50,001 to $100,000.** Interchange + 0.45% + $0.20
- **Online and keyed, $100,001 to $500,000.** Interchange + 0.35% + $0.20
- **Online and keyed, $500,001 to $1,000,000.** Interchange + 0.25% + $0.15
- **Online and keyed, above $1,000,000.** Interchange + 0.15% + $0.15. Helcim's pricing page says merchants over $5 million a month should contact sales.
- **In person, $0 to $50,000.** Interchange + 0.40% + $0.08
- **In person, $50,001 to $100,000.** Interchange + 0.35% + $0.07
- **In person, $100,001 to $500,000.** Interchange + 0.25% + $0.07
- **In person, $500,001 to $1,000,000.** Interchange + 0.20% + $0.06
- **In person, $1,000,001 to $5,000,000.** Interchange + 0.15% + $0.06. Over $5 million a month, Helcim says to contact sales.
- **Recurring payments.** +0.4% per transaction
- **Chargeback.** $15 if the case is lost. $0 if it is resolved in your favor. The US fee disclosure describes the $15 as refunded on a win.
- **ACH.** 0.5% + $0.25, capped at $6 under $25,000, plus 0.05% on the amount over $25,000
- **ACH reject.** $5 per reject
- **Deposits.** Next-business-morning deposits on credit and debit. Listed at $0 on the pricing page.

## Questions

### Is Helcim lower than Stripe on the published line?

Helcim did not publish a standard rate this page can multiply. Stripe at $10,000 and a $50 ticket is $350.00 on 2.9% + $0.30, read November 9, 2026.

### What is Helcim's dispute fee versus Stripe's?

Helcim lists $15 if lost. $0 if resolved in your favor. Stripe lists $15 when a dispute is received. Both lines were read on November 9, 2026.

### How does Helcim underwrite compared with Stripe?

Application. Not positioned as an instant high-risk signup. Stripe signs businesses up quickly and can review them later. A listing on this page is not an approval.

### When should you keep Stripe instead of Helcim?

Volume is low, the card mix is expensive, or you want Stripe's product surface more than the last bit of processing margin.

### When should you choose Helcim?

Monthly card volume is high enough that a 0.50% margin, stepping down toward 0.15%, is worth giving up Stripe's extras. Get a sample statement before you migrate.

### Can Stripe card tokens move to Helcim?

This page does not claim that Helcim imports Stripe tokens. Ask in writing. Stripe's data export page, read on November 10, 2026, says Stripe transfers card data only to a PCI DSS Level 1 processor.

## Sources

Last verified November 9, 2026.

- Stripe: https://stripe.com/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com
- Stripe pricing: https://stripe.com/pricing?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com
- Helcim: https://www.helcim.com/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com
- Helcim pricing: https://www.helcim.com/pricing/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com
- Stripe: payment data export: https://docs.stripe.com/get-started/data-migrations/pan-export?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com
- Helcim: Online and keyed, $0 to $50,000 a month: https://legal.helcim.com/us/fee-disclosures/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com

## Related

- [Stripe pricing profile](/alternatives/stripe.md)
- [Helcim profile](/alternatives/helcim.md)
- [How to switch from Stripe](/guides/switching-from-stripe.md)
- [How Stripe's US fees add up](/guides/stripe-fees-explained.md)
- [Fee calculator](/tools/fee-calculator.md)
- [Lowest published fees](/best/lowest-fees.md)
- [All Stripe comparisons](/compare.md)
- [Stripe vs Mollie](/compare/stripe-vs-mollie.md)
- [Stripe vs Frame](/compare/stripe-vs-frame-payments.md)
- [Stripe vs PayPal](/compare/stripe-vs-paypal.md)