Comparison · Updated September 16, 2026
Helcim vs Moneris for Canadian businesses
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.
Moneris
B-
Moneris is Canada’s largest payment processor, providing point-of-sale systems, ecommerce payment gateways, and mobile payment solutions for businesses across Canada through a joint venture owned by Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal.
VS
Overview
Helcim and Moneris are both Canadian processors, but they sell opposite deals. Helcim, graded A-, publishes an interchange-plus margin — 0.40% + 8¢ in person and 0.50% + 25¢ online at the entry tier — with no monthly fee, no contract and hardware you buy outright. Moneris, graded B-, is the RBC–BMO joint venture and Canada's largest acquirer: its published flat rate is 2.65% + 10¢ in person and 2.85% + 30¢ online, its terminals rent at $34.95 a month, and its merchant agreement runs three years with a $300 deactivation fee per location. Moneris answers with 24/7 phone support, next-day deposits including non-business days, and the deepest terminal and integration catalogue in the country. For most small and mid-sized Canadian businesses Helcim is cheaper and easier to leave; Moneris earns its place where a business wants a bank-backed acquirer with round-the-clock support and a full countertop POS estate.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Helcim prices at interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢ in person and 0.50% + 25¢ keyed or online, with automatic volume tiers; Moneris's flat rate is 2.65% + 10¢ in person and 2.85% + 30¢ card-not-present, or an interchange-plus plan quoted by sales.
- ✓Helcim has no monthly fee, no contract and no cancellation fee; Moneris's merchant agreement has a three-year initial term, six-month renewals on 45 days' notice and a $300 deactivation fee per location.
- ✓Helcim's Smart Terminal costs $429 to buy or $39 a month for a year; Moneris Go terminals rent at $34.95 a month for as long as you have them.
- ✓Interac debit is 9¢ per transaction at Helcim (12¢ for tap) against 12¢ at Moneris in person; Moneris charges $1.00 per online Interac transaction.
- ✓Moneris offers 24/7 phone support and next-day deposits even on non-business days; Helcim's phone line runs weekdays 7am–5pm and Saturdays 9am–5pm Mountain time, with next-business-morning deposits.
Helcim
Helcim is for Canadian businesses that want published interchange-plus pricing, no monthly or cancellation fees, hardware they own, and the freedom to leave — which covers most small and mid-sized shops, service businesses and online sellers, including those that also sell into the United States.
Moneris
Moneris is for businesses that value a bank-owned acquirer, 24/7 live phone support, a broad rental terminal and integrated-POS catalogue and next-day deposits, and that are prepared to sign a three-year agreement and pay a rental fee for every device.
Overall Winner
🏆 Winner
Helcim
A-expert grade
Runner-up
Moneris
Why?
Helcim wins for most Canadian businesses, and the site's grades — A- against B- — say the same. Its interchange-plus margin is published and low, an eligible small business pays interchange capped at an average 0.95% underneath it, there is no monthly fee, no three-year term and no $300 deactivation fee, and the terminal is bought once rather than rented at $34.95 a month indefinitely. Moneris is the better choice in two situations: a business that wants a bank-owned acquirer with 24/7 live phone support and deposits that land on weekends, and a retailer or restaurant that needs a full countertop register, many rented terminals under central management, or a specific integrated POS partner Helcim does not support. Everyone else pays more at Moneris for a contract that is harder to leave.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Card processing rates (Canadian rate cards, CAD)
| Feature | Helcim | Moneris |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Interchange-plus, margin published Winner | Flat rate published; interchange-plus quoted by sales |
| Both figures below are from the providers' Canadian pricing pages as of September 2026. The site's reviews rate pricing transparency 5 out of 5 at Helcim and 2 at Moneris. | ||
| In-person credit card rate | Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ (under $50k a month) | 2.65% + 10¢ flat |
| These are not the same basis: Helcim adds its margin to whatever interchange and network fees the card carries, while Moneris's flat rate absorbs them. Since October 2024 Visa and Mastercard have capped interchange for Canadian small businesses (under $300,000 a year in Visa sales and $175,000 in Mastercard) at an average 0.95% on in-store sales, so an eligible merchant's all-in cost at Helcim is typically well under Moneris's 2.65%. Helcim's own claim is an in-person effective rate near or below 2%. | ||
| Online and keyed credit card rate | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ (under $50k a month) | 2.85% + 30¢ flat |
| Same caveat: interchange-plus against flat rate. Helcim states most merchants' keyed and online effective rate is below 2.5%. | ||
| Volume discounts | Automatic tiers down to interchange + 0.15% + 6¢ in person above $1M a month Winner | Interchange-plus plan priced on volume by sales |
| Helcim's published tiers: 0.35% + 7¢ at $50k–100k, 0.25% + 7¢ at $100k–500k, 0.20% + 6¢ at $500k–1M, and 0.15% + 6¢ from $1M to $5M in person, with online margins stepping down alongside. | ||
| Foreign-issued cards | Interchange-plus at cost; no published surcharge | +0.80% on flat rate; up to +1.00% on interchange-plus |
| Moneris's pricing page lists a 0.80% foreign card payment fee on flat-rate pricing and an incremental fee up to 1.00% on Simplified Pricing. Helcim passes the higher interchange on foreign cards through without a separate line. | ||
| Interac debit, in person | 9¢ per transaction; 12¢ for tap Winner | 12¢ per transaction |
| Bank payments (EFT / pre-authorised debit) | 0.5% + 25¢, capped at $6 | Not disclosed |
| Helcim's cap adds 0.05% on amounts over $25,000. Moneris's public pricing page does not list an EFT rate; its online Interac Debit rate is $1.00 per transaction. | ||
Pricing model
Helcim
Interchange-plus, margin published
Winner
Moneris
Flat rate published; interchange-plus quoted by sales
Both figures below are from the providers' Canadian pricing pages as of September 2026. The site's reviews rate pricing transparency 5 out of 5 at Helcim and 2 at Moneris.
In-person credit card rate
Helcim
Interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ (under $50k a month)
Moneris
2.65% + 10¢ flat
These are not the same basis: Helcim adds its margin to whatever interchange and network fees the card carries, while Moneris's flat rate absorbs them. Since October 2024 Visa and Mastercard have capped interchange for Canadian small businesses (under $300,000 a year in Visa sales and $175,000 in Mastercard) at an average 0.95% on in-store sales, so an eligible merchant's all-in cost at Helcim is typically well under Moneris's 2.65%. Helcim's own claim is an in-person effective rate near or below 2%.
Online and keyed credit card rate
Helcim
Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ (under $50k a month)
Moneris
2.85% + 30¢ flat
Same caveat: interchange-plus against flat rate. Helcim states most merchants' keyed and online effective rate is below 2.5%.
Volume discounts
Helcim
Automatic tiers down to interchange + 0.15% + 6¢ in person above $1M a month
Winner
Moneris
Interchange-plus plan priced on volume by sales
Helcim's published tiers: 0.35% + 7¢ at $50k–100k, 0.25% + 7¢ at $100k–500k, 0.20% + 6¢ at $500k–1M, and 0.15% + 6¢ from $1M to $5M in person, with online margins stepping down alongside.
Foreign-issued cards
Helcim
Interchange-plus at cost; no published surcharge
Moneris
+0.80% on flat rate; up to +1.00% on interchange-plus
Moneris's pricing page lists a 0.80% foreign card payment fee on flat-rate pricing and an incremental fee up to 1.00% on Simplified Pricing. Helcim passes the higher interchange on foreign cards through without a separate line.
Interac debit, in person
Helcim
9¢ per transaction; 12¢ for tap
Winner
Moneris
12¢ per transaction
Bank payments (EFT / pre-authorised debit)
Helcim
0.5% + 25¢, capped at $6
Moneris
Not disclosed
Helcim's cap adds 0.05% on amounts over $25,000. Moneris's public pricing page does not list an EFT rate; its online Interac Debit rate is $1.00 per transaction.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Small shop or café under $300,000 a year in card sales
Recommended
Helcim
Interchange for eligible small businesses is capped at an average 0.95% in store, so Helcim's 0.40% + 8¢ margin lands well under Moneris's 2.65% + 10¢, and there is no rental or software fee on top.
Service business invoicing clients and collecting by card or EFT
Recommended
Helcim
Helcim includes invoicing, a card vault and recurring billing at no monthly cost, and EFT at 0.5% + 25¢ capped at $6; Moneris publishes no EFT rate and charges $2.85 + 30¢ on online cards.
Multi-location retailer or restaurant group with a full POS estate
Recommended
Moneris
Moneris's rental terminals, integrated POS partners and 24/7 phone support suit a business running many devices under one agreement; Helcim has no full countertop register with a customer-facing display.
Business selling into both Canada and the United States
Recommended
Helcim
Helcim processes in both countries under one account; Moneris's agreement limits processing to Canadian locations.
Business that wants weekend deposits and someone to call at 2am
Recommended
Moneris
Moneris deposits the next day even on non-business days through BMO and RBC and staffs phone support 24/7; Helcim deposits the next business morning and its phone line closes at 5pm Mountain time.
Business that expects to switch processors or close within three years
Recommended
Helcim
Helcim has no term and no cancellation fee. Leaving Moneris before the end of a term still triggers the $300 per-location deactivation fee, and rental equipment must go back at your cost.
Helcim: Best for 4 use cases
Moneris: Best for 2 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
For most small and mid-sized Canadian businesses, yes. Helcim charges interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢ in person and 0.50% + 25¢ online, with no monthly fee. Moneris's published flat rate is 2.65% + 10¢ in person and 2.85% + 30¢ online, plus a $5 software fee, a $5 minimum monthly discount and $34.95 a month per rented terminal. Because Visa and Mastercard cap interchange for eligible Canadian small businesses at an average 0.95% in store, Helcim's all-in rate typically comes out well below Moneris's flat rate. Moneris also offers interchange-plus, but only on a quote from sales.
Yes. The Moneris Merchant Agreement has a three-year initial term that renews automatically for six-month terms unless either side gives 45 days' notice, and on termination the merchant pays a $300 deactivation fee for each location and returns rented equipment at their own cost. Under the Canadian Code of Conduct you can cancel without penalty within 70 days of a fee increase or a new fee. Helcim has no contract and no cancellation fee.
Both accept Interac in person. Helcim charges 9¢ per transaction, or 12¢ for a tap; Moneris charges 12¢ per in-person debit transaction and $1.00 per online Interac Debit transaction on its flat-rate plan.
Moneris, on paper: it says deposits arrive the very next day even when that is not a business day, through its owners BMO and RBC. Helcim deposits the next business morning at no charge, subject to the merchant's bank supporting it, so a Friday batch at Helcim lands Monday morning.
Helcim serves both Canada and the United States from one account. Moneris is Canada-only, and its merchant agreement prohibits processing at physical locations outside Canada without written consent.
Moneris's public pricing is for rental — the Moneris Go terminal is $34.95 a month — and the agreement requires rented equipment to be returned on termination. Helcim sells its Smart Terminal for $429, or $39 a month over a year after which you own it, and a card reader for $239.
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