Helcim review

Helcim is a payment processor first, and its main appeal for small businesses is cost. There are no monthly fees, software fees, minimums, statement fees or contracts, and card payments are billed at interchange plus a published margin with volume discounts, so a business with steady card sales often pays less than on a flat rate. The toolset includes a point of sale, a virtual terminal, invoicing, payment links, an online checkout, an inventory catalog and accounting integrations at no monthly cost, while recurring billing adds 0.4% per transaction. Hardware is bought outright: the card reader works with iOS, Android, macOS and Windows for $199, and the Smart Terminal with a built-in printer and 4G costs $349 or $32 a month for a year. The trade-off is depth. Helcim has fewer restaurant, staff and loyalty features than Square or Loyverse, and interchange-based bills vary month to month with the mix of cards your customers use.

Who it is for

Small businesses with steady card volume that want lower processing costs.

Price

No monthly, software or statement fees; interchange-plus card pricing with volume discounts; card reader $199 and Smart Terminal $349.

No account monthly fees No minimums, software fees, or statement fees.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.

Key features

• Free point of sale, virtual terminal and online invoicing
• Interchange-plus pricing with volume discounts
• Smart Terminal with built-in POS, printer and 4G
• Inventory catalog, payment pages and a card vault
• Accounting integrations that sync sales and deposits

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No monthly fees, contracts or cancellation fees
• Strength: Interchange-plus rates can cost less than flat rates at higher volumes
• Strength: Next-business-morning deposits at no charge
• Weakness: Card costs vary by card type, which makes bills harder to predict
• Weakness: Fewer staff, table and loyalty tools than dedicated POS systems
• Weakness: Hardware is bought outright, at $199 for the reader

Key facts

• Monthly fee: $0
• Card reader: $199 per unit plus shipping
• Smart Terminal: $349 per unit or $32 a month for 1 year
• Tap to Pay on iPhone: +10¢ per transaction

Where it ranks

Helcim is No. 5 in our Best POS Systems for Small Business verdict.