Honest comparison
HelmFi vs 3Commas
Both products are automated crypto trading platforms. They optimize for different things. 3Commas is the bigger brand, mature feature set, broader exchange coverage. HelmFi is smaller, newer, and bets everything on validation rigor — regime gating, walk-forward backtests, and a public list of strategies that failed.
We list both honestly. The right answer depends on what you actually need.
At a glance
| HelmFi | 3Commas | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free · $15 · $39 · $79 founding ($24 · $59 · $129 regular) | $20 · $50 · $140 + custom ($15/$40/$110 billed annually) |
| User base | Private beta · small | 134,000+ active members |
| Walk-forward validation gate | Yes — public methodology | Not advertised |
| Failed strategies disclosed | Public graveyard | No |
| Validated trend gate + AI regime classifier | Llama 3.3 70B · every 5 min | Signal Bot (TradingView) |
| Chat explains your specific trades | Yes (Pro/Elite) | Generic AI dashboard |
| Exchange coverage | Kraken spot only | 9 exchanges (V2, checked Aug 2026) |
| Mobile app | No (web only) | iOS + Android |
| Custody | Trade-only API · cannot withdraw | Trade-only API |
| Paper-first default | Yes | Live trading prominent |
Where HelmFi wins
- Real validation gate. Strategies must pass walk-forward backtests with bootstrap and permutation tests before live eligibility. Ones that fail are disclosed on the public graveyard.
- A regime gate that actually halts trading. The live Helm Index is gated by a walk-forward-validated trend rule — it exits to cash when the majority of its basket breaks trend. A separate AI classifier (Llama 3.3 70B) reads BTC/ETH/SOL every 5 minutes for dashboard context and chat. Most competitor "AI" is dashboard recommendations or sentiment scores; our kill decision is a validated rule, not a model's mood.
- Chat explains your specific trades. Pro/Elite tiers have an AI that knows your portfolio context — not a generic chatbot.
- Paper-first default. Live trading requires explicit opt-in. You can sit in paper indefinitely.
- Lower founding prices. Founding members pay from $15/mo ($24 regular) vs 3Commas' $20 monthly ($15 on annual billing). Free tier is permanent; their 2025 restructuring dropped the permanent free plan (7-day trial only).
Where 3Commas wins
- Maturity and user base. 134,000+ active members, years of production track record. HelmFi is in private beta with a much smaller install base.
- Exchange breadth. 9 exchanges supported on the current V2 (checked Aug 2026) including Binance, Coinbase, KuCoin, Bybit. HelmFi runs Kraken spot only (Bybit in development).
- Mobile app. iOS and Android. HelmFi is web only.
- TradingView Signal Bot. If your edge already lives in a TradingView Pine script, 3Commas routes those signals directly to bots. HelmFi has no equivalent.
- Higher-tier coverage. The $140 Expert tier and custom enterprise plans cover power-user needs that HelmFi's Elite ($79 founding, $129 regular) doesn't yet.
Pick 3Commas if…
- You trade on Binance, Coinbase, KuCoin, or Bybit (HelmFi is Kraken-only today)
- You already have TradingView Pine scripts you want to route to bots
- You want a mobile app
- You value maturity and a large user base over validation transparency
Pick HelmFi if…
- You want to see which strategies failed validation, not just the ones that didn't
- You want regime-aware trading — bots that halt when the market shifts
- You want an AI that can explain why YOUR specific bot made a trade
- You trade on Kraken spot and want lower-priced tiers ($15 founding vs $20)
Pricing and feature claims verified 2026-07-06 (3Commas restructured to Starter/Pro/Expert in late 2025; monthly-billing prices shown, annual rates noted). 3Commas figures from their public pricing page; HelmFi figures from this site. We update this page when their pricing changes — file an issue if you spot a drift.