# Paydude vs Helcim: Fee Calculator

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/paydude-vs-helcim-fee-calculator
Type: Free interactive calculator
Summary: Compare Helcim's published rate against Paydude tier pricing at your own volume and average transaction size.

Both sliders matter. Volume decides which Paydude tier applies; ticket size decides how much the fixed per-transaction fee costs you, which is where Helcim and Paydude differ most.

## Summary

Helcim publishes interchange + 0.4% + 8¢ for domestic cards. Paydude starts at 2.6% + 25¢ and improves automatically with volume. Helcim publishes its interchange-plus markup and charges no monthly fee, which is genuinely transparent. Compare on effective rate at your own ticket size, not on headline percentages.

## Published rates

**Standard published rates for domestic cards, September 2026**

|  | Paydude | Helcim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.6% (falling to 2.5%) | interchange + 0.4% |
| Fixed fee | 25¢ (falling to 15¢) | 8¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Subscriptions | No extra percentage | Included |
| International cards | No surcharge | Surcharged |
| Amex and premium cards | +0.3% | Passed through |
| Chargeback fee | $12 | $15–$25 typical |

> **Verify before deciding:** These are published list prices as of September 2026. Rates change, and Helcim may quote you something different. If you already process payments, your own statement is a better source than any published figure.

## Where Helcim wins

Helcim often costs less on debit-heavy volume at scale, because regulated debit interchange is far below any blended flat rate. If most of your volume is debit, price it properly.

## Where Paydude wins

Flat, predictable pricing with no card-mix variance to reconcile, and no international surcharge.

Card mix changes this comparison more than the headline rate does. The [overpayment calculator](https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/how-much-are-you-overpaying-calculator) models Amex, premium and international share, and reports the point at which Paydude stops being cheaper.

**See the full rate card** Every tier and every situational fee, published up front. — [View pricing](https://www.paydude.io/pricing)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paydude cheaper than Helcim?

On published base rates for domestic cards, Paydude starts at 2.6% + 25¢ against Helcim's interchange + 0.4% + 8¢. Whether that is cheaper for you depends on card mix: Paydude surcharges Amex and premium cards at +0.3% but does not surcharge international cards, where most providers add 1–1.5%.

### When should I choose Helcim?

Helcim often costs less on debit-heavy volume at scale, because regulated debit interchange is far below any blended flat rate. If most of your volume is debit, price it properly.

### Can I switch from Helcim to Paydude?

Switching means migrating stored payment tokens, which are specific to the provider that issued them. Most major providers will run a PCI-compliant migration of the underlying card data. Confirm that path exists before committing — it is the main technical obstacle to any processor change.

### Where do these rates come from?

Both figures are publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and Helcim may quote you something different from its list price.