Dharma Merchant Services

Who Dharma Merchant Services is for

Dharma is built for small to mid-sized businesses that process $10,000 or more per month and want genuinely transparent pricing. If you have outgrown Square’s flat-rate model and want interchange-plus pricing without the contract games, Dharma is one of the strongest options available.

The company is a certified B-Corp, which means it meets verified standards for social and environmental responsibility. That is unusual in payment processing. Dharma also offers a discounted $15/month rate for nonprofits, making it one of the few processors that actively serves the nonprofit space.

Dharma supports retail, restaurants, ecommerce, and B2B businesses through the MX Merchant platform. You get a virtual terminal, mobile app, invoicing, ACH processing, and Clover hardware options. The feature set is solid, not flashy. If you need a developer API or cutting-edge checkout experience, Stripe or Helcim will serve you better. If you want the lowest possible transaction costs with real human support, Dharma is hard to beat.

The lowest markups we have seen

Dharma’s interchange-plus markup for in-person transactions is 0.15% + $0.08 per transaction for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. That is the lowest markup of any processor in our catalog. For context, Helcim charges 0.40% + $0.08 at Tier 1 (nearly triple the percentage markup), and National Processing charges roughly 0.30% + $0.10.

Online transactions are priced at interchange + 0.20% + $0.11, which is also competitive. American Express cards carry slightly higher markups (0.25% + $0.08 in-person, 0.30% + $0.11 online), but Dharma is transparent about this rather than bundling it into a single rate.

The catch is a $20/month fee ($15 for nonprofits). This is modest compared to Stax ($99-$199/month) or National Processing ($9.95-$14.95 plus higher per-transaction costs), but it means Dharma is not the cheapest option for every business. Below roughly $8,000-$9,000/month in processing volume, Helcim’s $0 monthly fee makes up for its higher per-transaction markup. Above that threshold, Dharma’s lower markup saves more than $20/month, and the gap widens as volume grows.

Businesses processing over $100,000/month or 5,000+ transactions/month qualify for high-volume pricing at interchange + 0.10% + $0.08, which is exceptional.

The pricing math

Here is how Dharma compares to Helcim for in-person payments (assumes 1.8% average interchange, $40 average ticket):

Monthly volume	Dharma (IC + 0.15% + $0.08, $20/mo)	Helcim (IC + 0.40% + $0.08, $0/mo)	Annual difference
$5,000	~$128	~$120	~$96/yr (Helcim wins)
$10,000	~$235	~$240	~$60/yr (Dharma wins)
$15,000	~$343	~$360	~$204/yr (Dharma wins)
$25,000	~$558	~$600	~$504/yr (Dharma wins)
$50,000	~$1,095	~$1,200	~$1,260/yr (Dharma wins)

The crossover point is around $8,000-$9,000/month. Below that, Helcim is cheaper because you avoid the $20 monthly fee. Above that, Dharma’s lower per-transaction markup pulls ahead. At $25,000/month, Dharma saves you $42/month ($504/year) compared to Helcim. At $50,000/month, the gap is $105/month ($1,260/year).

Both processors are dramatically cheaper than flat-rate options. At $25,000/month, Square’s Free plan costs roughly $744 and Stripe costs roughly $755. Dharma and Helcim are in the $558-$575 range. That is $170-$190/month in savings ($2,000-$2,300/year) just by switching to interchange-plus.

The support difference

Dharma’s support reputation is the best of any processor in our catalog. The company holds an A+ BBB rating with minimal complaints. Trustpilot reviews average 4.4 out of 5, with reviewers consistently noting responsive, knowledgeable support from real people.

This is not a small thing in payment processing. Square and Stripe are notorious for automated responses, email-only communication during fund holds, and difficulty reaching a human. National Processing has 400+ BBB complaints. Dharma’s support reviews read like a different industry entirely.

The one fee to watch is the $39.95/month PCI non-compliance penalty. Dharma includes PCI compliance tools at no charge, but if you fail to complete the annual self-assessment questionnaire, the penalty kicks in. It takes about 10 minutes to complete. Do not skip it.

Bottom line

Dharma Merchant Services is the best interchange-plus processor for businesses processing $10,000 or more per month. The markups are the lowest we have found, the support is genuinely excellent, and the B-Corp certification reflects a company that operates differently from the industry norm.

Below $8,000-$9,000/month, Helcim is the better choice because of its $0 monthly fee. And if you need advanced developer tools or a modern checkout experience, Helcim or Stripe will feel more polished. Dharma’s MX Merchant platform gets the job done, but it is not winning any design awards.

For businesses in the $10,000 to $100,000/month range that want the lowest transaction costs, month-to-month terms, and support that actually picks up the phone, Dharma is the strongest option we review. A statement audit will show you exactly how Dharma’s rates compare to what you are paying now.