Honest comparison
HelmFi vs Cryptohopper
Cryptohopper is a copy-trading marketplace — its core product is letting you subscribe to other users' strategies and mirror their trades. HelmFi is the opposite end of the spectrum: a small, curated set of strategies that each have to pass a public validation gate before live eligibility, and a public list of the strategies that failed.
If you want to browse 1,000+ user-submitted strategies, Cryptohopper is the right product. If you want to see the validation trail behind a smaller curated catalog, this is.
At a glance
| HelmFi | Cryptohopper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free · $15 · $39 · $79 founding ($24 · $59 · $129 regular) | Free · $29 · $69 · $129 |
| User base | Private beta · small | 1.15M traders claimed |
| Strategy validation gate | Walk-forward + bootstrap + permutation | User-submitted, no public gate |
| Failed strategies disclosed | Public graveyard | No |
| Copy / social trading marketplace | No | Yes — core product |
| Regime awareness | Validated trend rule gates · AI classifier for context | Sentiment / signal indicators |
| Exchange coverage | Kraken spot only | 15+ exchanges |
| 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
- Validation transparency. Strategies must pass walk-forward, bootstrap, and permutation tests before live eligibility. The ones that failed are listed publicly on the graveyard — with specific numbers and what killed each. Cryptohopper's marketplace shows the best 30-day returns of strategies that survived; the failures are filtered out by design.
- A regime gate that actually halts trading. The live Helm Index exits to cash on a walk-forward-validated trend rule; an AI classifier provides live regime context on the dashboard. Cryptohopper has sentiment indicators and external signal subscriptions, but they advise rather than gate.
- Lower-priced tiers. Pro at $39/mo for founding members ($59 regular) vs Cryptohopper Adventurer at $69/mo. Same general capability set at the upgrade tier.
- Paper-first default. Live trading requires explicit opt-in.
Where Cryptohopper wins
- Copy / social trading marketplace. The single biggest reason to use Cryptohopper. You can browse user-submitted strategies, subscribe to a top trader's signal feed, and let it run your account. HelmFi has no copy-trading equivalent.
- Maturity and user base. 1.15M traders claimed — much larger network effect than HelmFi's private beta.
- 15+ exchanges. HelmFi runs Kraken spot only.
- Mobile app. iOS and Android. HelmFi is web only.
- Signal marketplace. External signals from third-party providers (TradingView, specific signal vendors) can be subscribed and routed to bots.
Pick Cryptohopper if…
- You want to copy-trade established traders, not build your own strategy
- You want access to third-party signal marketplaces
- You trade outside Kraken (HelmFi is Kraken-only today)
- You want a mobile app
Pick HelmFi if…
- You distrust marketplace metrics and want to see the full validation history — including failures
- You want regime-aware execution, not signal subscriptions
- You trade Kraken spot and want lower-priced tiers
- You want a small set of curated, validated strategies — not a marketplace of 1,000+
Pricing and feature claims verified 2026-07-06 (monthly-billing prices; Cryptohopper's tiers are now Explorer / Adventurer / Hero). Cryptohopper figures from their public pricing page; HelmFi figures from this site.