If you run a renovation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or general contracting business in Canada, your invoices are big and few. That changes the math on getting paid. A percentage card fee that barely registers on a $60 coffee sale costs you hundreds of dollars on a $25,000 kitchen, while a flat or capped bank payment costs a few dollars no matter the size.
This guide compares the realistic ways a Canadian contractor can get paid: Interac e-Transfer, EFT and pre-authorized debit (PAD), and credit cards through Helcim, Stripe, QuickBooks Payments, Square, and Jobber Payments. It includes a worked table of what each method costs on a $5,000 and a $25,000 invoice, and it covers deposits, holdbacks, and credit card surcharging rules.
How we evaluated
This is a research-based guide: we did not open accounts or process payments with any of these providers. Every fee below comes from the provider's own Canadian pricing page, fee disclosure, or help documentation, checked in September 2026, and all amounts are in Canadian dollars unless marked otherwise. Surcharging rules come from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), and e-Transfer rules come from Interac and the banks' own fee pages.
We ranked options on what matters when a single invoice runs into the thousands: the fee on a large payment, whether the fee is capped, whether the client can pay by bank from the invoice itself, deposit and partial payment support, and whether the rate is published at all. For Helcim, that means the same numbers as our full Helcim review and our Square vs Moneris vs Helcim comparison.
| Feature | Helcim | Interac e-Transfer | Stripe | QuickBooks Payments | Square |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank payment fee | 0.5% + 25¢, max $6 under $25,000 | No processor fee | 1% + CA$0.40, max CA$5 | 1% | Not offered |
| Online card fee | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢ | Not applicable | 2.9% + CA$0.30 | 2.9% + $0.25 (keyed) | 2.8% + 30¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | Bank plan fee | $0 | $0 | $0 (Invoices Plus $30) |
| Separate invoicing fee | 0.4% per paid invoice | ||||
| Published Canadian rates | Set by each bank | Schedule dated July 2023 |
What does it cost to get paid on a $5,000 or $25,000 invoice?
On a $25,000 invoice, a capped bank payment costs $5 to $6 in processing, while a flat-rate card payment costs about $700 to $725. The table below uses only each provider's published Canadian rates. Where the rate is interchange-plus, we show the markup and write "interchange +" because the wholesale card cost depends on your client's card.
| Feature | Fee on $5,000 | Fee on $25,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Interac e-Transfer (received) | $0 processor fee | $0, if the sender's limit allows |
| Stripe PAD (payment fee only) | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| Helcim EFT/PAD | $6.00 | $6.00 |
| Stripe PAD sent with Stripe Invoicing (+0.4%) | $25.00 | $105.00 |
| QuickBooks Payments EFT (1%) | $50.00 | $250.00 |
| Wave bank payment (1%, $1 minimum) | $50.00 | $250.00 |
| Helcim card in person (0.40% + 8¢) | Interchange + $20.08 | Interchange + $100.08 |
| Helcim card online or keyed (0.50% + 25¢) | Interchange + $25.25 | Interchange + $125.25 |
| Square invoice paid online (2.8% + 30¢) | $140.30 | $700.30 |
| QuickBooks Payments keyed card (2.9% + $0.25) | $145.25 | $725.25 |
| Stripe card (2.9% + CA$0.30) | $145.30 | $725.30 |
| Wave Visa or Mastercard (2.9% + $0.60) | $145.60 | $725.60 |
| Square card on file (3.3% + 15¢) | $165.15 | $825.15 |
| Jobber Payments | No published Canadian rate | No published Canadian rate |
A few notes on reading it:
- Helcim at $25,000: the fee disclosure caps EFT at $6 for payments under $25,000 and charges 0.05% on any amount above $25,000, so larger single payments cost a little more.
- Stripe PAD has the lowest payment fee; Stripe's documentation lists Invoicing and hosted Checkout as supported, not Payment Links. If you send the invoice through Stripe Invoicing, the 0.4% per paid invoice fee applies on top.
- Interchange on Helcim cards is extra and varies. Business and premium rewards cards cost more than basic cards, and online interchange is higher than in person. Even so, the markup on a $25,000 payment is $125.25, compared with roughly $700 at the flat rates above.
1. Helcim: best overall for contractors
Helcim is the best fit for most Canadian contractors because it covers both ends: capped bank payments for large invoices and interchange-plus card rates for clients who prefer a card. Its invoicing is free, with no monthly fee.
Pricing. Helcim's pricing page and Canadian fee disclosure (updated February 2, 2026) list EFT/PAD at 0.5% + 25¢ per approved transaction, capped at $6 below $25,000, with a $5 fee for each payment rejected or returned by the bank. Online and keyed card payments cost interchange plus 0.50% + 25¢ on the first volume tier ($0 to $50,000), and in-person card payments cost interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢. There is no monthly, setup, or cancellation fee.
What stands out. Helcim's invoicing page says you can take a deposit as a dollar amount or percentage, accept multiple partial payments against one invoice, send automatic reminders, and let clients pay by bank, credit card, or debit. That maps well to how contractors bill: a deposit up front, progress payments, then the final invoice.
Keep in mind. Bank payments settle over a few business days. Helcim's EFT page says the first payment from a new customer takes about 5 business days, then typically 3 to 4 business days. Card fees vary with the card your client uses, so your statement will not show one flat percentage.
Helcim
Strengths
- EFT/PAD capped at $6 per payment under $25,000
- Interchange-plus card rates with published markups
- Free invoicing with deposits and partial payments
- No monthly, setup, or cancellation fees
- Bills in CAD
Good to know
- Bank payments take 3 to 5 business days
- Card cost varies with your client's card
- Online and keyed markup of 0.50% + 25¢ on the first tier
- $5 fee on each returned bank payment
Helcim
2. Interac e-Transfer: best for smaller invoices
Interac e-Transfer is the cheapest way to get paid when your client can send the full amount, because there is no processor taking a percentage. The main factor is the sending limit, which your client's bank sets.
Fees. Interac says it does not charge e-Transfer fees directly to end customers; each financial institution sets its own. TD's Business Digital Account and RBC's Digital Choice Business Account ($6 a month each) list fees only on outgoing e-Transfers beyond the 10 included. Check your own account's fee schedule, and see our business bank account review for plan-by-plan details.
Limits. Interac states that each financial institution sets its own sending limits. Its business product allows up to $25,000 per transaction, but a homeowner paying from a personal account may have a lower limit. On a $25,000 invoice, that can mean several transfers over several days, or a switch to bank debit or cheque.
What stands out. Interac's Request Money feature lets you send a payment request with an invoice number in the message, and Autodeposit sends funds straight to your account without a security question.
Keep in mind. e-Transfer is bank-only, with no card option. The payment links to your invoice when your software records it, and a deposit and final payment are sent as separate transfers.
Interac e-Transfer
Strengths
- No processor fee
- Many business accounts include free incoming e-Transfers
- Request Money can carry an invoice number
- Autodeposit skips the security question
Good to know
- Sender's bank sets the limit, which can be below a large invoice
- You record the payment against the invoice yourself
- Incoming fees apply on some plans past an allowance
Interac e-Transfer
3. Stripe: best for pre-authorized debit with a low cap
Stripe has the lowest published bank debit cap here, and its no-code route adds an invoicing fee. It makes the most sense if you already send invoices through Stripe or bill repeat commercial clients.
Pricing. Stripe's Canadian pricing lists pre-authorized debit at 1% + CA$0.40, capped at CA$5.00, plus CA$1.00 per instant verification and CA$5.00 for each failed or disputed payment. Domestic cards cost 2.9% + CA$0.30, with 0.5% more for manually entered cards and 0.8% more for international cards. Stripe states it has no setup or monthly fees. Stripe Invoicing adds 0.4% per paid invoice on the Starter plan.
What stands out. Stripe's PAD documentation says funds become available about five business days after submission, and the default maximum per debit is far above any residential job. The client signs a PAD agreement once, and it can be reused for future invoices.
Keep in mind. Stripe's documentation says PAD works with Invoicing and hosted Checkout but not Payment Links, so the cheapest route takes more setup. A client can dispute a PAD with their bank: up to 90 calendar days after the debit for a personal account and 10 business days for a business account, and Stripe says you cannot win a PAD dispute.
Stripe
Strengths
- PAD capped at CA$5 per payment
- No setup or monthly fees
- Reusable PAD agreement for repeat clients
- Bills in CAD
Good to know
- Stripe Invoicing adds 0.4% per paid invoice
- PAD works with Invoicing and hosted Checkout rather than Payment Links
- Homeowner PADs can be disputed for 90 days
- Flat card rate of 2.9% + CA$0.30
Stripe
4. QuickBooks Payments: best if you already use QuickBooks
QuickBooks Payments is convenient if your books are already in QuickBooks Online, because payments land against the invoice automatically. Its bank payment fee is a flat 1% with no published cap, which costs more than the capped options on large invoices.
Pricing. The QuickBooks Payments Canadian pricing schedule, last updated July 31, 2023, lists no monthly fee, 2.9% + $0.25 for keyed card transactions, and 1% for EFT bank payments. It also lists a $25 EFT reject fee and a $30 NSF fee. The schedule states that not all customers are eligible for this pricing, so confirm your rate when you apply. The QuickBooks Payments page says customers can pay up to $50,000 per bank payment and that bank payments take 3 to 5 business days.
What stands out. No separate invoicing tool to reconcile. For a full look at QuickBooks as your accounting system, see Wave vs QuickBooks in Canada, which also covers Wave's payment rates (2.9% + $0.60 per Visa or Mastercard payment, 1% per bank payment with a $1 minimum).
Keep in mind. At 1%, a $25,000 EFT payment costs $250, compared with $6 at Helcim. The published schedule is dated July 2023.
QuickBooks Payments
Strengths
- Payments post to QuickBooks invoices automatically
- No monthly fee
- Bank payments up to $50,000 per transaction
- Rates in CAD
Good to know
- 1% EFT fee with no published cap
- Pricing schedule dated July 2023
- Confirm your rate when you apply, as not all customers are eligible for published pricing
- $25 EFT reject and $30 NSF fees
QuickBooks Payments
5. Square: best for occasional card payments
Square is simple and predictable: one published rate per payment type, no monthly fee on the free plan. For contractors, note that every invoice payment is a card payment, since Square publishes no bank payment option for Canadian invoices.
Pricing. Square's Canadian pricing lists 2.8% + 30¢ per invoice paid online, 3.3% + 15¢ for keyed or card-on-file payments, 2.5% for in-person credit, and 0.75% + 7¢ for in-person Interac debit. Cards issued outside Canada cost 1.5% more, and Square's help centre says fees apply to the full amount including tax. Square Invoices Plus costs $30 a month and is where milestone payment schedules live.
What stands out. Rates are the same for every card brand, and Interac debit in person costs far less than credit on a large ticket: $37.57 on $5,000 versus $125 at the 2.5% credit rate.
Keep in mind. On a $25,000 invoice paid online, Square's fee is $700.30. Milestone billing is on the paid Plus plan. We rate Square 4.0 for in-person retail in our processor comparison, and 3.5 here because contractors need a bank payment option for large invoices.
Square
Strengths
- Simple published flat rates
- Free plan with no monthly fee
- In-person Interac at 0.75% + 7¢
- Same rate for every card brand
Good to know
- Invoice payments are by card, with no published bank payment option for Canadian invoices
- 2.8% + 30¢ on every invoice paid online
- Milestone payments are on Invoices Plus at $30/month
- Cards issued outside Canada add 1.5%
Square
What about Jobber Payments?
Jobber Payments works in Canada; Jobber does not publish a separate Canadian rate. Its pricing page lists 2.9% + 30¢ for card processing and 2.7% + 30¢ for Tap to Pay, labelled as available in the US, Canada and UK, without saying the amounts are in CAD or apply to Canadian accounts. Its help centre says rates vary by payment method and directs you to your account settings. Bank payments (ACH) are listed as US-only.
Two more Canadian details from Jobber's help centre: Tap to Pay does not accept Interac in Canada, and transactions over $250 may exceed Tap limits. Payouts arrive on a two-business-day rolling window after an initial five-business-day period. If you already run your business in Jobber, check your rate in Settings during the trial and compare it with the table above. Our Jobber review covers the rest of the product.
How do deposits and holdbacks change the math?
Deposits and holdbacks split one job into several payments, which lowers the total on a capped fee and leaves a percentage fee unchanged. With a percentage rate, three payments of $10,000 cost the same as one of $30,000. With Helcim's $6 EFT cap, each payment costs at most $6, so three payments cost at most $18.
On Ontario construction contracts, each payer must retain a 10% holdback on work supplied, so a $25,000 progress invoice may be paid as $22,500 now and $2,500 on holdback release. A percentage fee applies to each payment as it arrives. The payment method you offer does not change the prompt payment clock: an Ontario owner has 28 days to pay a proper invoice. See our Ontario holdback and prompt payment guide and the holdback glossary entry for the rules.
If you take payments outside a processor, you still need to record them against the invoice. Accounting software does this, and so does a simple spreadsheet. GetMarkup, which is built by Methodical Studio, the publisher of NorthVetted, does not process payments or charge a transaction fee; it lets you mark an invoice paid by e-Transfer, cheque, card, or cash. For invoicing tools more broadly, see our best invoicing software for contractors.
Can you charge clients a credit card fee in Canada?
Yes, outside Quebec, up to 2.4% on credit cards. The FCAC's merchant guidance says you may add a surcharge to a credit card transaction except in Quebec, the maximum surcharge cap is 2.4%, you must give your processor and/or card network advance written notice, and you must display the surcharge at the point of sale (in store and online) and on every receipt. Card networks forbid surcharging prepaid cards, and the FCAC says to ask your processor about debit.
Helcim's Fee Saver feature charges in-person credit card customers 2.40% and does not apply to in-person debit; the in-person version is not available in Quebec. Helcim's help centre lists separate terms for online invoice payments, so read them before turning Fee Saver on.
How to choose
Pick the method based on invoice size and how your client pays, then offer a card as the fallback. Most contractors end up offering two or three options.
- Invoices your clients can send by e-Transfer: ask for e-Transfer. No processor fee, and many business accounts include free incoming transfers.
- Invoices over your clients' e-Transfer limit: offer a capped bank debit. Helcim EFT ($6 cap under $25,000) is the simplest; Stripe PAD (CA$5 cap) is cheaper if you avoid the invoicing fee.
- Clients who prefer to pay by card: Helcim's interchange-plus markup is the lowest published. Consider a surcharge outside Quebec.
- Books already in QuickBooks: QuickBooks Payments saves reconciliation, but compare its 1% EFT against a $6 cap on your typical invoice.
- Using Jobber or other field service software: check the rate in your account settings before you default to built-in payments. See Jobber vs Housecall Pro in Canada if you are still choosing.
Our verdict
4.5Most Canadian contractors should ask for Interac e-Transfer on invoices their clients can send, and use Helcim for everything else: EFT capped at $6 under $25,000 for large invoices, and interchange-plus card rates for clients who want to pay by card. Stripe's CA$5 pre-authorized debit cap suits contractors who already invoice through Stripe or bill repeat commercial clients. QuickBooks Payments is the convenient choice if your books live in QuickBooks, and its 1% EFT fee works out to $250 on a $25,000 invoice. Square suits the occasional card payment and does not offer a bank payment option for large invoices. Jobber does not publish a Canadian rate for Jobber Payments, so check yours in your account settings before relying on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way for a contractor to get paid in Canada?
Interac e-Transfer has no processor fee, and many business accounts charge nothing to receive one, but your client's bank limits how much they can send. For larger invoices, a capped bank debit is the next cheapest: Helcim EFT is capped at $6 under $25,000 and Stripe pre-authorized debit is capped at CA$5, before any invoicing fee.
How much does it cost to take a $25,000 payment by credit card?
At published flat rates, $700.30 with Square Invoices (2.8% + 30¢), $725.25 with QuickBooks Payments keyed (2.9% + $0.25), and $725.30 with Stripe (2.9% + CA$0.30). Helcim charges a $125.25 markup plus interchange on an online payment of that size.
Can I charge my customer a credit card fee in Canada?
Outside Quebec, yes. The FCAC says the maximum credit card surcharge is 2.4%, you must give your processor or card network advance written notice, and you must disclose the surcharge at the point of sale and on every receipt. Prepaid cards cannot be surcharged.
Is there a limit on how much a client can send by Interac e-Transfer?
Yes. Interac says each financial institution sets its own sending limits, so the limit depends on your client's bank and account. Interac's business product allows up to $25,000 per transaction, and a homeowner's personal limit may be lower.
What does Jobber Payments cost in Canada?
Jobber's pricing page lists 2.9% + 30¢ for card processing and says card payments are available in the US, Canada and UK, but it does not state that rate in Canadian dollars or confirm it for Canadian accounts, and its help centre sends you to your account settings for your rates. Bank payments (ACH) are listed as US-only.
Sources
- Helcim: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Helcim: Canadian fee disclosures (checked September 2026)
- Helcim: EFT/PAD payments (checked September 2026)
- Helcim: online invoicing (checked September 2026)
- Helcim Learn: what is Helcim Fee Saver (checked September 2026)
- Stripe: pricing (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Stripe: local payment methods pricing (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Stripe: Invoicing pricing (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Stripe Docs: Canadian pre-authorized debit payments (checked September 2026)
- QuickBooks Payments: Canada pricing schedule (checked September 2026)
- QuickBooks Payments Canada (checked September 2026)
- Wave: payments (checked September 2026)
- Square: pricing (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Square: Invoices pricing (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Square Support: what are Square's fees (Canada) (checked September 2026)
- Jobber: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Jobber Help Center: Jobber Payments basics (checked September 2026)
- Jobber Help Center: Tap to Pay (checked September 2026)
- Interac: e-Transfer for business (checked September 2026)
- Interac: understanding fees (checked September 2026)
- Interac: consumer FAQ (checked September 2026)
- TD: Business Digital Account (checked September 2026)
- RBC: Digital Choice Business Account (checked September 2026)
- FCAC: Merchant surcharges, service and convenience fees, and discounts (checked September 2026)
- GetMarkup home page (checked September 2026)