Getting Started with Helcim ACH Payments
    • 10 Sep 2024
    • 2 Minutes to read

    Getting Started with Helcim ACH Payments


    Article summary

    Your Helcim account lets you accept payments in multiple ways, including by collecting funds directly from your customers' bank accounts. Helcim ACH Payments, also referred too as ACH Payments in the US and PAD Payments in Canada, are automatically available with your account.

    You can collect ACH Payments using the following tools in your account:

    • Online Invoicing
    • Recurring Invoicing
    • Subscription Management
    • Virtual Terminal
    • Payment Requests

    Helcim will automatically generate payment agreements for customers to authorize and you receive the funds directly in your bank account within 3-4 business days.

    Turning on ACH Bank Payments:

    To turn on ACH payments (if eligible), select the all tools menu and 'Settings'. 

    All tools with settings highlighted


    Next, under 'Payments and Plans' click on 'ACH Payment Settings'


    Toggle the radio button on next to 'Enable ACH Bank Payments'. You can also use this button to disable ACH payments at any point. 

    For more information about Helcim Fee Saver, click here

    You can adjust the ACH payment settings for individual tools such as Invoicing, subscriptions, payment pages and the virtual terminal. Next to each of these options, use the drop down menu to select the payment method (credit card only, ACH only or both) or use the radio button to turn ACH payments on or off for each of these tools. 

    Note that if you have enabled Helcim Fee Saver, you will not be able to alter the default payment method for Invoicing or Payment Pages. Fee Saver is not available for Subscriptions or the Virtual Terminal.


    US Merchants:
    Authorization from the customer includes an agreement (adhereing to NACHA rules- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/10/) where they have given permission to have their bank account debited. If merchants do not have an ACH mandate with a customer they can obtain one using Helcim's ACH Payment tools.

    Canadian Merchants can find further information about ACH Payments here.


    Common Question About Helcim ACH Payments

    What are Helcim ACH Payments?

    • Also referred to as ACH (Automated Clearing House) PAD (Pre-Authorized Debit), these payments are used for accounts receivable, they allow money to be withdrawn from your customer's bank account and sent directly to your own. Unlike credit cards that have Interchange Fees, bank payment transactions are much more affordable.

    How long do funds take to be deposited?

    • Deposits will typically appear in your bank account within 3-4 business days, depending on the time of day that your transactions are settled. Merchants processing their first batch may experience 4-5 day deposits for the initial batch. Your daily bank payment transactions are batched together, and deposited to your bank account net of processing fees.

    Is there an amount size limit per transaction?

    • Bank payment transactions are limited to $25,000 per transaction. If you wish to process more than $25,000 in a transaction, please contact the Helcim Support Team

    How long do I need to wait before debiting a customer's account?

    • Canadian merchants need to obtain authorization to use bank payments at least three days before requesting their first payment. This applies to the first payment for each customer.

    What if my business doesn't want to use ACH transfer payments?

    • You can turn off ACH payments in your account settings.

    How much are the fees for ACH payments?

    • Helcim's ACH payments have a rate of 0.5% + 25ยข per approved transaction below $25,000. Fees are capped at $6 for all approved transactions below $25,000. If you're a business needing to process more than $25,000, please contact the Helcim Support Team.

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