Helcim POS review

Helcim is a payment processor that gives its POS software away and earns on transactions, and its pricing page is plain about it: no account monthly fees, no minimums, no software or statement fees, and no contracts or cancellation fees. The POS app runs on a laptop, tablet or smartphone and handles card and mobile wallet payments, partial refunds, split payments and tipping. Inventory covers product details, SKUs, prices, stock levels, images, variants and brands, with low-stock alerts in the app, and Helcim says inventory data syncs across all sales channels. Customer records keep purchase history and saved payment details. Hardware is priced openly: the card reader is $199 and the Smart Terminal, with a built-in printer and 4G, is $349 or $32 per month for a year. Tap to Pay on iPhone needs no hardware. For a specialty store, the gap is depth: there are no supplier purchase orders or label tools comparable to retail-first systems.

Who it is for

Low-volume shops that want free POS software, transparent card pricing and no contract.

Price

Free POS software with no monthly fees; card reader $199, Smart Terminal $349.

Get transparent pricing and lower rates, with no contracts or monthly fees.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• POS app for laptop, tablet and smartphone
• Inventory with SKU, variants, images, brand and low-stock alerts
• Inventory data synced across sales channels
• Customer profiles with purchase history and saved payment details
• No-code online checkout store

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No monthly, minimum, software or statement fees
• Strength: No contracts, leases or cancellation fees
• Strength: Free next business day deposits on card payments
• Weakness: Fewer retail tools such as purchase orders than dedicated retail systems
• Weakness: Hardware is bought up front unless you finance the Smart Terminal
• Weakness: Online selling is a basic checkout store rather than a full ecommerce platform

Key facts

• Monthly fee: $0
• Helcim Card Reader: $199 per unit plus shipping
• Helcim Smart Terminal: $349 per unit, or $32 per month for 1 year
• Tap to Pay on iPhone: No hardware cost, plus 10¢ per transaction
• Deposits: Next business day, free

Where it ranks

Helcim POS is No. 6 in our Best POS Systems for Retail verdict.