Helcim vs Shopify

Helcim scores higher overall (85 vs 79), but the right choice depends on your size and card mix. The transparency benchmark — published interchange-plus that gets cheaper as you grow, from a company that answers its phone.

Updated 2026-08-06

Helcim

Transparent interchange-plus with volume discounts

85/ 100
ExceptionalParity Score
4.6Merchant Score
Pricing
4.7
Features
3.8
Ease of use
4.0
Customer support
4.0
User reviews
4.3
Pricing model
Interchange-plus (published)
Headline rate
2.15% + $0.15
Monthly fee
None
Contract
None — month to month
Payouts
1-2 business days
Hardware
Smart terminal $329

Strong fit for

  • Merchants above ~$10k/month who want interchange-plus without negotiating
  • Businesses burned by opaque processors
  • US and Canadian omnichannel sellers
Full Helcim review

Shopify

The ecommerce platform with payments built in

79/ 100
GreatParity Score
4.3Merchant Score
Pricing
3.2
Features
4.7
Ease of use
4.4
Customer support
3.5
User reviews
4.1
Pricing model
Flat rate, tiered by plan
Headline rate
2.9% + $0.30 online · 2.6% + $0.10 in person
Monthly fee
$39/mo
Contract
None — monthly or annual plans
Payouts
2-3 business days
Hardware
POS Go $299, reader $49

Strong fit for

  • Online-first brands of any size
  • Merchants selling internationally
  • Stores that want checkout conversion above all
Full Shopify review

Which one is cheaper for your business?

Averages hide your card mix. Upload one statement and we project your exact costs on Helcim, Shopify, and every other provider we track.

Get your free rate report