Helm vs Shopify
Helm or Shopify, for a business in Lebanon.
Shopify is the world’s best-known store builder. Helm is built around how Lebanon sells. Here is the side by side, each line checked on its source.
Example
WhishPays first, pastes the reference
OMTPays first, pastes the reference
Shop · Ways to pay
WhishPays first, pastes the referenceOMTPays first, pastes the referenceBank transferPays first, pastes the reference
Cash on deliveryMarked paid when the money arrivesBeirut, Mount Lebanon · +$1
Side by side
The same questions, both answers sourced.
| Question | Helm | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| How buyers pay in Lebanon | Whish, OMT, bank transfer and cash on delivery, built in. Each can carry a fee and be limited to delivery areas. Card payments through your own gateway: PayTabs today, Areeba and HyperPay in testing, or ask for yours. | Shopify Payments isn’t offered in Lebanon. Manual methods, such as cash on delivery and bank deposit, are.Source: Shopify Help: supported countries · checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| A cut of your sales | None. | None on cash on delivery, bank deposits or cash. 2% on Basic when paid through an outside payment provider.Source: Shopify Help: transaction fees · checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Arabic | The dashboard, the shop, order emails, invoices and packing slips. | The admin can be set to Arabic, including Arabic (Lebanon).Source: Shopify Help: admin languages · checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| What you get for the price | Standard: $60 a month, or $50 a month billed yearly.
| Basic: $27 a month, or $19 a month billed yearly.
|
| Beyond the shop | Bookings, Loyalty & Memberships, Courses and 6 more tools: any 3 on Standard, all 10 on Business. | Apps from the Shopify App Store, each priced by its maker.Source: apps.shopify.com · checked 7 Nov 2026 |
Honestly
Where each one is the better fit.
Shopifyis better at
- Price. Basic costs less than Helm’s Standard.
- The app store. Thousands of apps for almost anything.
- Selling across many countries, in many currencies at once.
Helmfits a Lebanese business better
- Lebanon’s ways to pay, built in, with no apps to add.
- The couriers you already use: Wakilni, Aramex, LibanPost, Toters.
- Arabic in everything a buyer receives.
- More tools in the same plan, and no cut of your sales.
- A team on Beirut hours, and we move you.
Built for Lebanon
Delivery areas the way you already work.
Each area has its fee and delivery time. Pick your courier, and the tracking link goes into the “shipped” email.
Example
Shop · Delivery
Beirut$3.001–2 days
Mount Lebanon$4.002–3 days
North, South, Bekaa$5.003–4 days
Free delivery over $100
CourierWakilniAramexLibanPostTotersYour own
Aramex and LibanPost: the tracking link fills itself in.