Helcim vs uniCenta oPOS
Helcim
helcim.comuniCenta oPOS
unicenta.comSide by side
| Figure | Helcim | uniCenta oPOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.40/mo | £6/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 6 |
| Spec score · Point of Sale POS software | 9.3 (#1) | 7.8 (#15) |
| Spec score · Point-of-Sale Software | 9.0 (#5) | 8.4 (#26) |
| Founded | LinkedIn lists Helcim as founded in 2006. | 2010 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Helcim lists its primary headquarters at 440 2 Ave SW, Suite 400, Calgary, Alberta T2P 5E9, Canada. | London, England |
| Product | Helcim provides payment processing tools for businesses to accept payments in person, online, by invoice, or through a virtual terminal. | uniCenta oPOS is commercial-grade open-source point-of-sale software for retail and hospitality. |
| Support | Helcim offers phone support Monday through Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m. MT and Saturdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. MT, and says contact-form questions receive a reply within one business day. | Subscribers receive access to online support and a knowledge base, while community forums are described as free and unsupported. |
Plans
Helcim
- Helcim payment processingFree
- Helcim platformFree
- Recurring payments$0.40 a month
- 4G wireless data$7 a month
- Helcim Card Reader$199, paid once
- Helcim Smart Terminal$349, paid once
uniCenta oPOS
- BASE subscription£72 a year
- PLUS subscription£144 a year
- HOSTED subscription£180 a year
- BASE£72 a year
- PLUS£144 a year
- HOSTED£180 a year
In their own words
Helcim
Helcim provides businesses with payment processing tools for in-person and online sales, invoices, and virtual-terminal transactions. Its tools include point of sale, online checkout, payment links, recurring payments, invoicing, a customer vault, and an inventory catalog. In-person payments support major payment types such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Eligible merchants can also accept ACH through invoicing, recurring payments, payment requests, and the Virtual Terminal. Helcim lists integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and WooCommerce, as well as its API and HelcimPay.js for custom integrations and website payments. The Card Vault tokenizes stored payment details for future or recurring payments, while Helcim says it protects cardholder data with AES-256 encryption and TLS 1.2 or higher in transit. It identifies itself as a PCI Level 1 Service Provider. The POS app is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, with listed device requirements. The processing plan costs nothing, with no account monthly fees; transaction rates vary by volume and payment method.
uniCenta oPOS
uniCenta oPOS is open-source point-of-sale software for retail, hospitality, mixed-use venues, and specialist businesses. Version 5.0 is free to download under the GNU GPL3 license. Its listed functions include barcode scanning, customizable receipts, payment methods and terminals, restaurant and retail modes, and secure user logon. Sales tools include table management, split receipts, refunds, and discounts; inventory features include stock management, multiple warehouses, and multiple stores. WooCommerce can retrieve customer, order, and product data, while APIs support synchronization and links to other applications. The maker lists Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X installers, and browser use on Android and iOS devices. Paid subscriptions add combinations of reporting, support, API access, and hosting. BASE costs £6 per month charged yearly (£72); PLUS costs £12 per month charged yearly (£144); HOSTED costs £15 per month charged yearly (£180). Hosted service includes cloud hosting, daily backups, email support, a web firewall, and automatic upgrades. The software continues working after a subscription expires.