Comparison · Updated November 1, 2026
CDGcommerce vs Helcim (US)
CDGcommerce
B+
CDGcommerce is a family-owned merchant services provider founded in 1998 by Chris and Laura West and based in Port Orange, Florida, operating as a registered ISO/MSP of Pinnacle Bank (dba Synovus Bank) and Citizens Bank, N.A. It is unusual among independent sales organisations for publishing its entire rate card: a flat-rate plan at 2.90% + $0.30 in person and 3.50% + $0.30 online with a $9.95 monthly fee, an interchange-plus plan at interchange + 0.30% + $0.10 retail, + 0.35% + $0.15 online and + 0.25% + $0.10 for non-profits, and a wholesale membership at $49 to $199 a month paid annually with per-transaction cents from 15¢ down to 6¢. Its own Quantum gateway and virtual terminal are free, there are no PCI, annual, statement or gateway fees, and — in the company's words — in more than twenty years it has never required a contract length or termination fee. It holds an A+ rating and BBB accreditation since 2020 with two complaints closed in three years, and it makes no attempt to serve merchants outside the United States or in adult, cannabis or telemarketing categories. The weaknesses are the ones that come with a small shop: a thin self-service knowledge base, a Dejavoo terminal that carries a $79-a-year update charge, and third-party reports of funding holds and terminations on riskier accounts.
Helcim
A-
Helcim is a Calgary-based payment processing company that offers genuinely transparent interchange-plus pricing with no monthly fees, no hidden charges, and a comprehensive suite of free payment tools.
VS
Overview
We compare the two for a US small or mid-sized business taking card payments in person and online, using each company's own website, help centre and merchant terms as read on 1 November 2026. Both sell interchange-plus pricing, so where Helcim's figures appear we use its lowest volume tier (under $50,000 a month) and compare in-person with in-person and online with online. CDGcommerce is Consolidated Delivery Group, Inc., a family-owned ISO in Port Orange, Florida, founded in 1998 by Chris and Laura West. It is a registered ISO/MSP of Pinnacle Bank (dba Synovus Bank) and Citizens Bank, N.A., and addresses its offer to US-based businesses. Helcim is a Calgary payments company founded by Nic Beique, which dates itself from 2007 (some third-party profiles say 2006). It serves the US and Canada, operates in the US as Helcim USA, Inc. from Seattle, and is founder-led and venture-backed: it raised a C$53 million Series C in August 2026. The biggest change since our CDGcommerce review is that CDGcommerce has redesigned its website and no longer publishes any rates, monthly fees or hardware prices. Every pricing page now says rates, fees and terms 'depend on your business'. Helcim publishes its full rate table: interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ in person and interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ online at the lowest tier, falling automatically with volume, and $0 monthly, setup, PCI and statement fees. Both say there is no contract and no termination fee. Helcim publishes its payout timing: next business day for card batches of up to $25,000 paid to banks on the RTP or FedNow networks, otherwise one to two business days. CDGcommerce publishes no payout timing. CDGcommerce says its US-based customer service is available around the clock. Helcim's phones and ticket desk keep Monday-to-Saturday hours, Mountain Time.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Helcim is the one you can cost before applying. It publishes its whole interchange-plus margin table, from interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ in person and + 0.50% + 25¢ online under $50,000 a month down to + 0.15% at $1 million to $5 million, and charges no monthly, setup, PCI or statement fee. As of November 2026 CDGcommerce publishes no rates or fees and quotes each business individually.
- ✓Neither ties you in. CDGcommerce says that since 1998 it has never required a mandatory contract length or termination fee. Helcim's pricing page says no contracts, leases, termination fees or cancellation fees, and its US terms let you close the account at any time by calling support.
- ✓Helcim publishes its payout timing: card batches of up to $25,000 closed by 7pm Mountain Time reach banks on the RTP or FedNow networks the next business day, otherwise one to two business days, and ACH takes three to five. CDGcommerce does not publish its payout timing.
- ✓CDGcommerce says its US-based customer service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Helcim's phone line is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm Mountain Time, and its tickets are monitored during the same hours.
- ✓CDGcommerce says its main focus is established businesses and that it takes US startups only case by case. Helcim states no such restriction, though its terms let it end an account without notice and hold a reserve for at least six months after closure.
CDGcommerce
CDGcommerce suits an established US business that wants a quoted interchange-plus or membership plan from a family-owned ISO that says its customer service runs around the clock and requires no contract. Get the full rate, monthly fee, hardware cost and funding schedule in writing, because none of them is published any more.
Helcim
Helcim suits a US or Canadian business, including a new one, that wants to see its exact interchange-plus markup before it signs, pay no monthly fee, and have the markup fall automatically as volume grows. Check that your industry is supported before you move your processing, since account reviews and holds are the main complaint about it.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
The two now differ mainly in what they publish. Helcim posts its full interchange-plus margin table, charges no monthly fee, lowers the markup automatically as your volume grows, and states its payout timing, so you can work out your cost from your own statements before applying. CDGcommerce took every figure off its website in its 2026 redesign. Its rates, monthly fees, hardware and funding schedule are now quoted, so it can only be judged on a written proposal. Both say there is no contract and no termination fee. CDGcommerce says its customer service runs around the clock, has two BBB complaints in three years and is still family-owned. Helcim's phone and ticket support keep business hours, and its complaints centre on account reviews and held funds. Choose Helcim if you want a price you can check now, sell in Canada too, or are a new business. Choose CDGcommerce if you are an established US business that values round-the-clock customer service from a family-owned ISO, and you will get its quote and funding terms in writing and compare them against Helcim's published rates.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Pricing (US, November 2026)
| Feature | CDGcommerce | Helcim |
|---|---|---|
| In-person markup (under $50,000 a month) | Not disclosed | Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ |
| Helcim's in-person markup falls automatically with your average volume over the last three months: + 0.35% + 7¢ from $50,000, + 0.25% + 7¢ from $100,000, + 0.20% + 6¢ from $500,000 and + 0.15% + 6¢ from $1 million to $5 million a month. CDGcommerce's pricing pages now say only that rates, fees and terms depend on your business. Until at least June 2026 its retail interchange-plus page showed interchange + 0.30% + $0.10 (archived 8 June 2026), but that figure is no longer published and may not match a quote today. | ||
| Online and keyed markup (under $50,000 a month) | Not disclosed | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ |
| Helcim's online and keyed markup falls to + 0.45% + 20¢ from $50,000, + 0.35% + 20¢ from $100,000, + 0.25% + 15¢ from $500,000 and + 0.15% + 15¢ from $1 million to $5 million a month. Recurring (subscription) payments add 0.4%. CDGcommerce's archived online interchange-plus page (8 June 2026) showed interchange + 0.35% + $0.15. Its current page publishes no figure. | ||
| Monthly account fee | Not disclosed | $0 |
| Helcim lists $0 account monthly, setup, PCI compliance, statement and data-migration fees. CDGcommerce's current pricing page tells merchants to ask about 'transaction charges, monthly fees, software, equipment and optional services' but publishes none of them. Its wholesale membership plans are still listed by name (Basic, Standard, Plus and Premium) without prices, and are normally paid a year in advance, though CDGcommerce says it can arrange other payment options. | ||
| ACH bank payments | Not disclosed | 0.5% + 25¢, capped at $6 |
| Helcim's pricing page adds 0.05% on ACH amounts over $25,000, and its help centre says ACH payouts take three to five business days. CDGcommerce's Quantum Gateway accepts ACH, but CDGcommerce publishes no ACH price. | ||
| Chargeback fee | Not disclosed | $15 if lost; $0 if won |
| Helcim charges nothing for a chargeback resolved in your favour. CDGcommerce publishes no chargeback fee. | ||
In-person markup (under $50,000 a month)
CDGcommerce
Not disclosed
Helcim
Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢
Helcim's in-person markup falls automatically with your average volume over the last three months: + 0.35% + 7¢ from $50,000, + 0.25% + 7¢ from $100,000, + 0.20% + 6¢ from $500,000 and + 0.15% + 6¢ from $1 million to $5 million a month. CDGcommerce's pricing pages now say only that rates, fees and terms depend on your business. Until at least June 2026 its retail interchange-plus page showed interchange + 0.30% + $0.10 (archived 8 June 2026), but that figure is no longer published and may not match a quote today.
Online and keyed markup (under $50,000 a month)
CDGcommerce
Not disclosed
Helcim
Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢
Helcim's online and keyed markup falls to + 0.45% + 20¢ from $50,000, + 0.35% + 20¢ from $100,000, + 0.25% + 15¢ from $500,000 and + 0.15% + 15¢ from $1 million to $5 million a month. Recurring (subscription) payments add 0.4%. CDGcommerce's archived online interchange-plus page (8 June 2026) showed interchange + 0.35% + $0.15. Its current page publishes no figure.
Monthly account fee
CDGcommerce
Not disclosed
Helcim
$0
Helcim lists $0 account monthly, setup, PCI compliance, statement and data-migration fees. CDGcommerce's current pricing page tells merchants to ask about 'transaction charges, monthly fees, software, equipment and optional services' but publishes none of them. Its wholesale membership plans are still listed by name (Basic, Standard, Plus and Premium) without prices, and are normally paid a year in advance, though CDGcommerce says it can arrange other payment options.
ACH bank payments
CDGcommerce
Not disclosed
Helcim
0.5% + 25¢, capped at $6
Helcim's pricing page adds 0.05% on ACH amounts over $25,000, and its help centre says ACH payouts take three to five business days. CDGcommerce's Quantum Gateway accepts ACH, but CDGcommerce publishes no ACH price.
Chargeback fee
CDGcommerce
Not disclosed
Helcim
$15 if lost; $0 if won
Helcim charges nothing for a chargeback resolved in your favour. CDGcommerce publishes no chargeback fee.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Business that wants to model its processing cost before applying
Recommended
Helcim
Helcim publishes its markup at every volume tier for in-person and online payments, and lists $0 monthly, PCI and statement fees. CDGcommerce now publishes no rates or fees, so its cost is unknown until it quotes you.
Startup or newly opened business
Recommended
Helcim
CDGcommerce says its primary focus is established businesses and that it helps US startups only case by case. Helcim states no such restriction and charges no monthly fee, so a low-volume month costs only its per-transaction markup. Its first batches are usually held about three business days while a new account is reviewed.
Established US business that wants round-the-clock support
Recommended
CDGcommerce
CDGcommerce says its US-based customer service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Helcim's phones and ticket desk keep weekday and Saturday hours on Mountain Time. Get CDGcommerce's rates, monthly fee and funding timing in writing, since none is published.
Business selling in both the US and Canada
Recommended
Helcim
Helcim serves both countries, with Interac debit and EFT in Canada. CDGcommerce's site addresses US businesses only.
Full-service restaurant needing table-side ordering and kitchen displays
Recommended
CDGcommerce
CDGcommerce offers SkyTab configurations with table-side payments, kitchen displays and online ordering, as well as Dejavoo retail POS. Helcim's own hardware is a smart terminal and a card reader. Ask CDGcommerce for the hardware and software cost, which it does not publish.
CDGcommerce: Best for 2 use cases
Helcim: Best for 3 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
We cannot say from published figures, because as of November 2026 CDGcommerce no longer publishes its rates or fees. Helcim charges interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢ in person and interchange plus 0.50% + 25¢ online when you process under $50,000 a month, falling automatically to as low as 0.15% at $1 million to $5 million a month, with no monthly fee. Ask CDGcommerce for a written quote showing its markup, any monthly or membership fee and hardware costs, and compare it with Helcim's table at your volume.
No. Until at least June 2026 CDGcommerce published flat-rate, interchange-plus and wholesale membership prices on its website. Its redesigned pricing pages now list the plans by name only and say that rates, fees and terms depend on your business and the services selected. Older figures quoted elsewhere, including in our own review, may not match what it offers today.
Both say no. CDGcommerce says it has never required a mandatory contract length or termination fee since 1998, though its wholesale membership is normally paid annually in advance. Helcim says it has no contracts, leases, termination or cancellation fees, and its US terms let you close the account at any time by calling support during business hours. Helcim's terms also let it close an account without notice and keep a reserve for at least six months after closure.
Helcim pays card batches closed by 7pm Mountain Time the next business day if your bank is on the RTP or FedNow networks and the batch is $25,000 or less, at no charge, and otherwise within one to two business days. ACH payouts take three to five business days. CDGcommerce does not publish its funding timing, so ask for it in writing before you sign.
CDGcommerce says its US-based customer service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without saying which channels that covers. Its main number is 1-888-586-3346. Helcim's phone line, +1 877-643-5246, is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm Mountain Time, and its support tickets are monitored during the same hours.
CDGcommerce (Consolidated Delivery Group, Inc.) was founded in Florida in 1998 by Chris and Laura West and says it is still family-owned. It is a registered ISO/MSP of Pinnacle Bank (dba Synovus Bank) and Citizens Bank, N.A. Helcim was founded in Calgary by Nic Beique, who is still chief executive, and dates itself from 2007, though some third-party profiles say 2006. It is venture-backed and raised a C$53 million Series C led by BDC Capital in August 2026.
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