Helcim Reviews

“Good service if help not needed

Pros

I really like it when it works well. The idea behind it is solid and the fees are pretty reasonable.

Cons

The onboarding process could have been better. When problems came up, getting good help was tough.

“Frustrated by invoicing timing out

Pros

Invoice options and the ability to customize them is really amazing. Payments show up quickly in my bank and I like that non-admin staff can log in too.

Cons

I would give them five stars if it were not for the website timing out after about 30 seconds. I'm constantly adding new customers and pulling up past invoices but the site times out quickly, sometimes in just 20 seconds. I have to refresh by going back to the homepage then back to invoicing. It's super frustrating! Also I wish the estimate feature said EST instead of INV and didn't show a due date. Plus, I would like my address to appear at the top of the invoice instead of the bottom.

“Customer support needs improvement

Pros

I chose Helcim as an alternative payment processor because I wanted to add a credit card surcharge unlike ACH or debit. At first the fees seemed fair but then I found out the percentage actually varies depending on the payment method, card type, product and billing.

Cons

I could not get past the approval stage. I read about others having their accounts shut down arbitrarily. Customer service was not helpful and felt rude like they were doing me a favor by letting me become a client. I had dissolved an LLC and wanted to update the business name, but they wouldn't allow it. When I created a new account with legal proof, they blocked me again.

“Frauds

Pros

Compared to Stripe and other platforms, It's pricing is definitely more affordable.

Cons

After giving them all my personal info, including my SIN, they rejected my application without explanation. We have a legitimate business with proper docs but they didn't ask for anything else and just declined me outright. Now I don't feel safe sharing personal info. They should have disclosed their application criteria before taking it. Feels like a way to collect personal data.

“It has been good

Pros

It's really easy to use and the fact that it's a Canadian company made me trust it more.

Cons

I have been with Helcim since 2017 because they support small businesses and are Canadian, which I really liked. I never thought there was any issue until recently when I tried to close my account. I was paying $20 a month, assuming it was for the Helcim account we asked to close earlier. I talked to someone in August who assured me the account would be closed. But then, months later I noticed I was still getting charged every month. When I called back, they admitted it was their mistake and promised to refund me quickly and finally closed the account. On top of that, I found out I also been charged monthly for another account that should have been closed back in 2018 after we stopped using physical debit card terminals and switched to a virtual account. When I asked about a refund for that, the agent said he'd follow up but never did. So I have been paying monthly for an account that does not even exist since 2018! And now, I'm still being charged again this month for the account I asked to close earlier. Honestly I'm pretty disappointed.

“Everything in one place

Pros

The card terminals they provide are reliable and payment issues are quite rare. Plus Helcim supports subscriptions and setting up pre paid card acceptance is simple.

Cons

I understand the processing fees might deter some people. Helcim is a great product, but I feel it's too expensive at current prices.

“Total disaster

Pros

I liked that their fees are lower than Stripe, Square and the others.

Cons

There were many issues with implementation, and they canceled thousands of dollars in transactions without clear explanation or solutions.

“Easy payment processing

Pros

The application and approval process was quick and simple and I got approved within 24 hours.

Cons

It took some getting used to navigating the platform. It doesn't offer same-day funding like many other mobile processors.

“Smooth working

Pros

What we value most is how smoothly the system runs honestly, we probably aren't even using all its features beyond just accepting credit card payments.

Cons

The credit card processing integrated smoothly with our operations and I have not received any negative feedback.

“Outstanding customer support

Pros

For the most part, it offers the features we need but what really stands out is their support. Their tech team has always been quick to help with any technical questions.

Cons

Our environment is pretty complex, so it doesn't meet every need but we have managed by using additional software.

“Card terminal is bad but a good company overall

Pros

I've looked around quite a bit and haven't found any card processing company with better or more all-inclusive rates. When either I or my team needed to contact customer service which hasn't been often and the wait time to speak with a live person was really short and they always fixed our issues quickly. I also really value how Helcim's support team made sure not to share my personal info with my staff.

Cons

The worst part of using it has been the card terminal itself. I have used a couple different models and they are clunky and confusing for clients. Even when walking them through each step, clients often make mistakes and have to start over because they press the wrong button.