The assumptions (all of them)
| Assumption | Value | Why it's an assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly card volume | $30,000 | A round mid-size retail number. Your volume sets the scale of everything below. |
| Average ticket | $45 | $30,000 ÷ $45 ≈ 667 transactions/month. Higher tickets favour flat rates; lower tickets punish the per-transaction fee. |
| Card mix | 75% credit ($22,500 / 500 txns) · 25% Interac debit ($7,500 / 167 txns) | A common in-store split. Online-heavy businesses look very different. |
| Average credit interchange | 1.60% | Illustrative only. Real interchange varies by card type (standard, premium, corporate) — your statements show your real mix. |
| Interac network cost | $0.01/transaction | Illustrative pass-through figure. Moneris prices Interac at a flat $0.12/transaction; Helcim passes the network cost through at cost. |
Rates used are published figures from the processor rate guide (checked 2026-09-30): Moneris in-store credit 2.65% + $0.10 with in-person Interac at $0.12/transaction; Helcim in-person interchange + 0.30% + 8¢.
Step 1 — Moneris flat rate
Credit (500 transactions, $22,500):
2.65% × $22,500 = $596.25 · 500 × $0.10 = $50.00 → $646.25
Interac debit (167 transactions, $7,500):
167 × $0.12 = $20.04
Total: $646.25 + $20.04 = $666.29/month
Effective rate: $666.29 ÷ $30,000 = 2.22%
2.65% × $22,500 = $596.25 · 500 × $0.10 = $50.00 → $646.25
Interac debit (167 transactions, $7,500):
167 × $0.12 = $20.04
Total: $646.25 + $20.04 = $666.29/month
Effective rate: $666.29 ÷ $30,000 = 2.22%
Step 2 — Helcim interchange-plus
Credit interchange (pass-through):
1.60% × $22,500 = $360.00 (goes to the card issuers, not Helcim)
Helcim markup on credit:
0.30% × $22,500 = $67.50 · 500 × $0.08 = $40.00 → $107.50
Interac debit:
network cost 167 × $0.01 = $1.67 · markup 0.30% × $7,500 = $22.50 · 167 × $0.08 = $13.36 → $37.53
Total: $360.00 + $107.50 + $37.53 = $505.03/month
Effective rate: $505.03 ÷ $30,000 = 1.68%
1.60% × $22,500 = $360.00 (goes to the card issuers, not Helcim)
Helcim markup on credit:
0.30% × $22,500 = $67.50 · 500 × $0.08 = $40.00 → $107.50
Interac debit:
network cost 167 × $0.01 = $1.67 · markup 0.30% × $7,500 = $22.50 · 167 × $0.08 = $13.36 → $37.53
Total: $360.00 + $107.50 + $37.53 = $505.03/month
Effective rate: $505.03 ÷ $30,000 = 1.68%
The gap: $666.29 − $505.03 = $161.26/month, or about $1,935/year — on identical volume, from the pricing model alone.
Notice what did not change: the $360 of interchange. Both processors pay it to the card issuers. The entire gap is markup — which is exactly why the statement guide focuses on the markup line.
Notice what did not change: the $360 of interchange. Both processors pay it to the card issuers. The entire gap is markup — which is exactly why the statement guide focuses on the markup line.
What changes the answer
- Lower average ticket: the per-transaction fee ($0.10 vs $0.08) bites harder — the gap widens in interchange-plus's favour.
- More premium cards: higher real interchange raises both totals equally; the markup gap stays, but the percentage gap shrinks.
- Keyed-in / online sales: both processors price these higher (Moneris 2.85% + $0.30 online; Helcim interchange + 0.50% + 25¢) — rerun the math with your real mix.
- Monthly fees: left out of this example for clarity. Add each plan's monthly fees to both sides before comparing.
This was a hypothetical. Yours isn't.
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