Getting Started with Helcim ACH Payments

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'.

Access Helcim 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.

Enable ACH Bank Payments in Helcim

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. Manage default payment method in Helcim

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Clearing House) PAD (Pre-Authorized Debit), these payments are used for accounts receivable, they allow money to be withdrawn from your customer's bank account and sent directly to your own.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. This is due to a standard holding period for ACH transactions, which helps safeguard both customers and merchants from potential errors.

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% + 25¢ 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.