break-even analysis
Interchange-Plus vs Flat-Rate: Where the Break-Even Lives
At what GMV and average ticket does interchange-plus actually beat the flat-rate headline?
$300K/yr
Where IC+ Helcim catches Stripe flat
$45+
Average ticket for break-even
0.15%
Helcim's cheapest published markup
2.9% + 30c
Stripe flat-rate baseline
Headline answer
Below roughly $300K/yr GMV, flat-rate (Stripe, PayPal, Square) is cheaper and far simpler. Between $300K and $800K, Helcim's interchange-plus pulls ahead by 30-60 basis points. Above $800K, Stax's subscription model (0% markup over interchange) beats both. Above $5M, you should be negotiating a custom interchange-plus rate from any of Stripe, Braintree, Adyen, or Worldpay.
How to find your own break-even
01Pull last 12 months of GMV
→02Compute average ticket
→03Estimate qualified-card mix
→04Apply flat-rate baseline
→05Apply IC + markup model
→06Compare effective bps
Three illustrative break-even scenarios
(illustrative examples, not real companies)
$200K/yr, $30 ticket
Stripe 2.9% + 30c
Effective ~3.9%
$7,800
Helcim IC + 0.40% + 8c
Effective ~3.0%
~$5,950
Stax $99/mo + IC + 8c
Subscription drag
~$6,520
Winner
Helcim
$1M/yr, $75 ticket
Stripe 2.9% + 30c
$33,000
Helcim IC + 0.15% + 6c
~$20,300
Stax $99/mo + IC + 8c
~$20,250
Winner
Stax (just)
$10M/yr, $200 ticket
Stripe flat
$305K
Stripe custom IC+ (typ.)
Negotiated above $80K/mo
~$215K
Stax $199+/mo + IC + 8c
~$184K
Winner
Stax / custom IC+
Why the break-even shifts with ticket size
- Flat-rate's per-transaction fixed fee (30c) is a tax on low tickets. A $5 sale on Stripe loses 6% to fixed fees alone.
- Interchange-plus per-transaction fees are lower (6c-15c) and exist to recover gateway costs, not pad margin.
- Above $50 average ticket, the per-transaction fee becomes immaterial and the percentage markup dominates the comparison.
What can change the break-even
- High share of rewards or international cards pushes interchange up, which makes the IC+ vendor look worse than the model suggests.
- Heavy dispute rate matters more on Stripe ($15 + $15 since 17 Jun 2025) than on Helcim where dispute fees are not separately published.
- Cross-border surcharge stacks on both models, so does not move the break-even meaningfully.
Related
verified Last verified June 2026