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11 providers compared · checked Oct 19

Compare payment processors in Canada by what you'll actually pay

Every provider's real rates and fees, taken from their own websites and put side by side, so you can see which one costs least for a business like yours.

Find your best fit See your real rate

The short answer

  • Selling in person, under about $5,000 a month? Square charges a flat 2.5% with no monthly fee. Nothing to pay in a slow month. Watch the debit price, though (more below).
  • Bigger and steady? Look at interchange-plus. You pay the card networks’ actual fee plus a small published markup, instead of a flat rate set high enough to cover the most expensive cards. Helcim’s markup is 0.40% + 8¢ in person, with no monthly fee.
  • Selling mostly online? Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ with no monthly fee and works with most online checkouts.

Not sure which camp you’re in? Answer three questions.

Find your best fit

3 questions

1What kind of business?
2Card sales per month?
3Do you need POS software (menus, inventory, staff)?

Every major processor, side by side

In-person and online card rates from each provider's own pricing page. Interchange-plus rows show the provider's markup only.
  • Square

    Flat rate

    Visit Square
    In person
    2.5%
    Online
    2.8% + 30¢
    Monthly
    $0 · Free plan
    Contract
    Month to month
  • Helcim

    Interchange-plus

    Visit Helcim
    In person
    Interchange + 0.4% + 8¢
    Online
    Interchange + 0.5% + 25¢
    Monthly
    $0 · No monthly fee
    Contract
    Month to month, no cancellation fee
  • Stripe

    Flat rate

    Visit Stripe
    In person
    2.7% + 5¢
    Online
    2.9% + 30¢
    Monthly
    $0 · Reader bought separately
    Contract
    Not published
  • Moneris

    Flat or custom

    Visit Moneris
    In person
    2.65% + 10¢
    Online
    2.85% + 30¢
    Monthly
    $39.95 · Terminal rental + software fee
    Contract
    Not published
  • Shopify POS

    Flat, by plan

    Visit Shopify POS
    In person
    2.6%
    Online
    2.8% + 30¢
    Monthly
    $49 · Basic plan
    Contract
    Monthly or yearly billing
  • Lightspeed

    Flat rate

    Visit Lightspeed
    In person
    2.6% + 10¢
    Online
    By quote
    Monthly
    $139 · Retail Basic plan
    Contract
    Not published
  • Clearly Payments

    Interchange-plus

    Visit Clearly Payments
    In person
    Interchange + 0.38% + 8¢
    Online
    Interchange + 0.48% + 23¢
    Monthly
    Not published
    Contract
    Month to month, no cancellation fee

Prices checked Oct 19, 2026 on each provider's own pricing page (how we check). "Interchange +" means the provider publishes only its markup. You also pay the card networks' interchange fee on top.

For Helcim and Clearly Payments, the number shown is their markup on top of interchange, so your total will be higher than it looks. That’s not a trick, it’s how interchange-plus works. Helcim says most of its merchants end up with a total in-person rate near or below 2% (their claim, not ours). Run your own numbers in the fee calculator before you decide.

Three things that change what you really pay

1. Debit. If a lot of your customers tap their debit card, check the debit price first. Most providers charge a flat fee per Interac payment: 9¢ at Helcim, 12¢ at Moneris, 15¢ at Stripe and Shopify. Square charges 0.75% + 7¢ instead. On a $20 sale that’s 22¢. On a $200 sale it’s $1.57.

2. Monthly fees. A low rate with a high monthly fee can cost more than a higher rate with none. Square and Stripe charge no monthly fee to take payments. Moneris lists $34.95 a month to rent its Moneris Go terminal, plus $5 for the software. Shopify’s Basic plan is $49 a month.

3. The fine print.

  • Square adds 1.5% on cards issued outside Canada. Expect more of those if you get tourists.
  • Chargebacks (when a customer disputes a payment) cost $15 at Helcim (only if you lose), Shopify and Lightspeed, and $25 at Moneris. Stripe charges CA$15, plus another CA$15 if you contest it.
  • Clover devices can’t be used with other processors, so leaving means new hardware.

Quote-only providers

Clover, Global Payments, Chase and TouchBistro don’t publish their processing rates. That doesn’t make them bad, but it does make them impossible to compare until you ask. If you get a quote, get it in writing and check it against your real rate from the calculator.

Want the full breakdown?

Common questions

What is the cheapest payment processor in Canada?

It depends on your size. For a small business taking payments in person, Square's flat 2.5% with no monthly fee is the simplest low-cost option. Once your sales are steady and larger, interchange-plus providers such as Helcim (interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ in person) usually cost less. Our fee calculator shows the numbers for your business.

How much are credit card processing fees in Canada?

Published in-person rates from the flat-rate providers we compare run from 2.5% (Square) to 2.7% + 5¢ (Stripe). Moneris lists 2.65% + 10¢. Interac debit is usually a flat 9 to 15 cents per payment, except Square, which charges 0.75% + 7¢.

What is the difference between a payment processor and a merchant account?

The processor moves the money from your customer's card to you. The merchant account is where those card sales sit before they land in your bank. Traditional processors like Moneris set one up in your business's name. Square and Stripe bundle it in, which is why signing up with them is usually quicker.

Do I have to sign a contract?

Not always. Square, Helcim and Clearly Payments are month to month, and Helcim and Clearly Payments state there is no cancellation fee. Moneris does not publish its contract terms, and Clover says termination fees vary by the company that sells it to you. Always ask for the cancellation fee in writing before you sign.