This information is incredibly useful to have when you are playing online poker especially if you plan to play multiple tables. It can be very difficult to keep track of dozens of different players across several tables.
I have been a big proponent of using a HUD for many years especially at the micro stakes. I think that if you take online poker seriously at all, then you should be using one.
And as a 10+ year online poker pro there is only one poker HUD that I have used for the vast majority of that time. And every other poker pro I know uses this same HUD as well.
So in this article I am going to reveal what is the best poker HUD.
PokerTracker 4 is the Best Poker HUD Software
And it will probably come as little surprise to some of you that PokerTracker 4 is still my #1 top recommended poker HUD software.
The reason why is because this poker HUD is the most comprehensive and easy to use poker tracking program out there. It is great for cash games, sit and gos and tournments.
As an online poker pro I have personally been using this HUD for nearly 7 years now when it was first released.
Here below is the PokerTracker HUD on my poker table while I play on PokerStars. As you can see it gives me detailed information on each of my opponents.
The numbers refer to stuff like the percentage of hands they play, how often they bet the flop and so on.
PokerTracker 4 also has the best backend database filters for studying your poker game and fixing your leaks that I have ever seen.
And this is a point that I try to stress all the time. The HUD for me is actually just a small part of why I use a poker tracking program like this.
Most people focus on this way, way too much. The HUD is a tiny part of how PokerTracker helps you improve your online poker win rate.
Studying my own game and my opponents in my PokerTracker database is the biggest key to my success because this is how I fix my leaks and learn how to beat my competition at the poker tables.
As I have discussed many times, I have spent countless hours over the years studying the players in my games and creating the strategies to beat them (discussed in more detail below).
This is how I consistently get the edge over other good poker players when I sit down to play against them. I have already studied their game inside out.
And often by studying them in PokerTracker I learn from the strategies that they use and incorporate it into my own game as well!
Lastly, unlike many other poker HUDs out there PokerTracker 4 is both Windows and Mac compatible. As both a Windows and a Mac user myself, I find this very helpful because then I can run it across multiple devices.
You can download the 30 day free trial for PokerTracker and try it yourself, right here.
Here is How PokerTracker 4 Can Help You Improve Your Poker Game
So let's get into some of the ways that PokerTracker 4 can help improve your poker game starting with the HUD.
The PokerTracker 4 HUD is very simple to setup and start using. It is also supported by most major online poker rooms including by far the biggest poker site in the world, PokerStars.
In order to get your poker HUD up and running at the tables you just need to enter the poker site you are playing on, tell it where to find the hand histories on your computer, and then start the HUD.
It is literally that simple and I explain how to do it all step by step in this video (in less than 5 minutes):
Customizing Your PokerTracker 4 HUD
Customizing your PokerTracker 4 HUD is equally as easy to do. I recommend using at least a handful of basic HUD stats such as:
- VPIP
- PFR
- AF
- 3Bet%
- Fold to 3Bet%
- 4Bet Ratio
- CBet
- Fold to CBet
- WTSD%
PokerTracker 4 has the most comprehensive list of available HUD stats that I have ever seen in a poker HUD. You can change them at any time by going HUD > EDIT HUD PROFILES
Now don't worry if you don't know what any of these poker HUD stats mean right now.
And that is because I have already written the most complete guide available on the internet for the best poker HUD stats
Download My Personal Custom PokerTracker 4 HUD for Free
But what if you could also simply download and install the PokerTracker 4 HUD that I personally use at the poker tables? And for free by the way.
Well you can!
In fact thousands of people have already used my custom HUD and told me how much it helped them. So I continue to share it for free only for readers of my blog here.
- My PokerTracker 4 "Lite" HUD (for NL2 and NL5 online or $1-$10 tournaments) - Download Link
- My PokerTracker 4 "Full" HUD (for NL10+ online or $10+ tournaments) - Download Link
I have hosted the custom PokerTracker 4 HUD that I personally use as a poker pro on Google Drive at the links above. Once again, this is a free download only for readers of my poker blog.
After you download my custom HUD you can just import it directly within PokerTracker and start using it for yourself at the poker tables!
If you have any problems figuring out how to import my custom PokerTracker HUD I actually show you how to do it step by step in the video posted above.
Note: As mentioned in the comments below though, I believe you need to be using the full paid version of PokerTracker (i.e. it won't work with the free trial) in order to use my custom poker HUD.
Best Poker HUD for PokerStars and Best HUD for Zoom
What if you play Zoom though? People often ask me, what is the best poker HUD for Zoom.
As I mentioned before, PokerTracker is fully compatible and easy to setup for playing on PokerStars and Zoom as well. That is why PokerTracker is my top recommended best HUD for PokerStars and the best HUD for Zoom players as well.
PokerTracker is helpful for Zoom poker players in particular because the action is extremely fast in these games. Also, at the lower limits you are very often going to be playing against hundreds of other people.
There is just no way that you are going to keep "mental notes" on this many people. This is why when I play Zoom poker on PokerStars my PokerTracker HUD is always on.
By the way, I already have written the most comprehensive Zoom poker strategy guide on the internet which also shows you how to use your HUD.
Best Poker HUD Software for Mac
As I already mentioned, PokerTracker is fully compatible with Macs as well which is a big deal since many other poker tracking programs are not.
I personally use a MacBook Air most of the time when I am playing online poker (best travel laptop ever made in my opinion).
And I have been using the Mac version of PokerTracker while I play online poker for a long time when I am traveling or at the office.
I also still use my HP laptop though as well especially when I am at home, and the Windows version of PokerTracker works just as well on that.
You can download both the Mac and Windows version of PokerTracker 4 right here.
PokerTracker 4 - Fix Your Leaks and Study Your Opponents
So as I also mentioned before one of the best things about PokerTracker in my opinion is the ability to not only study my own hands but also those of my opponents.
As an online poker pro I have spent literally hundreds of hours in this program over the years finding and fixing my leaks. And also learning what the best players are doing better than me by studying their hands.
Within PokerTracker you can filter for any scenario you want. For example, perhaps you are having problems playing AK from the blinds.
Well, all you have to do is hit More Filters and open up the Cash Game Filters box.
From there you can enter AK and filter for all hands when you were in the blinds. You can immediately see your winnings or losses in this situation.
And then you can pull up individual hands in the replayer and see exactly what you are doing wrong. You want to pull up all hands where you lost a lot and try to find the common mistakes.
If you still don't know what mistakes you are making then study the best players in your game. This is something that I have been preaching for years!
Why? Because these are the guys (or girls) who are already crushing the games. Just find out what they are doing by studying their hands and copy it.
There is no shame in this. Use the strategies that are creating proven results for them and implement them into your own game.
I also study my opponents constantly in PokerTracker to find out their leaks and how I can exploit them next time I play against them.
This gives me a massive advantage over every regular when I play against them. I have already studied their game inside and out in PokerTracker and I know exactly how to beat them.
Best Poker HUD for Tournaments and Tracking Your Own Results
Lastly, PokerTracker 4 is fully functional with cash games, tournaments and sit and gos. You can easily switch between cash games and tourneys and even create custom HUD setups for both.
You can also track your results separately for every type of poker game that you play. Never again will you have to "guess" about what your poker results are. PokerTracker keeps track of it all for you.
The ability to also graph your own poker results lets you dig deeper into your strengths and weaknesses.
For example the red line on your graph in PokerTracker 4 indicates what your non-showdown winnings are (i.e. your profits or losses when the hand ended without showdown).
A common mistake that many small stakes poker players make (and believe me I know this will sound extremely counter-intuitive), is having a positive, profitable red line.
I actually recommend having a breakeven or even a slightly losing red line at the micro stakes.
Why?
Because having a positive red line means that you are bluffing a lot. This is fine but the problem is that low stakes poker players notoriously do not like to fold.
So if you are bluffing too much at the lower limits this is likely to negatively impact your overall results (green line) which of course is the only thing that actually matters!
For much more on non-showdown winnings by the way I have already written a massive guide on optimal red line strategy at the micro stakes.
Bottom line, most of the very biggest winners at the lower stakes (live or online) do not have a positive red line. PokerTracker will show you what yours is when you graph your results.
Final Thoughts
So what is the best poker HUD software?
Well, for me it is still easily PokerTracker 4. In fact every single poker pro who I know uses PokerTracker as well.
This is the most comprehensive and easy to use poker HUD out there today and it is compatible with most major poker sites and it is Mac friendly as well.
PokerTracker is very easy to setup and get running at your poker tables and you can even download my own personal custom HUD for free (links above) and use it for yourself at the tables.
Lastly, the ability to study your own game, fix your leaks and also study your opponents within PokerTracker is second to none. And this is actually the biggest reason why I use this program.
Bottom line, if you are serious about online poker then I would highly recommending at least checking out the free trial of PokerTracker.
You can download the free trial of PokerTracker 4 right here.
Let me know in the comments below what you think is the best poker HUD.
Please note that the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase the full version of this poker HUD.
This is the most comprehensive and easy to use poker HUD out there today and it is compatible with most major poker sites and it is Mac friendly as well.
PokerTracker is very easy to setup and get running at your poker tables and you can even download my own personal custom HUD for free (links above) and use it for yourself at the tables.
Lastly, the ability to study your own game, fix your leaks and also study your opponents within PokerTracker is second to none. And this is actually the biggest reason why I use this program.
Bottom line, if you are serious about online poker then I would highly recommending at least checking out the free trial of PokerTracker.
You can download the free trial of PokerTracker 4 right here.
Let me know in the comments below what you think is the best poker HUD.
Please note that the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase the full version of this poker HUD.
I couldn't download the link man
ReplyDeleteThere is actually a link for download and the Google Drive page opens, but the archive is not .exe, is a dead archive which my computer doesn't recognize.
ReplyDeleteAnd are you sure it is for free? What about the licence for Poker Tracker don't we have to pay for it?
You do need to buy poker tracker 4 in order to use the HUD, yes. However, there is a 30 days trial, which you can try for free.
DeleteHey Mr. Writer, I think you need to be using the full version of PokerTracker in order to use my custom HUD. I uploaded both of my custom HUD setups to Google Drive. I believe it is a .pt4 file or something like that. Basically, you import it right into PokerTracker like I show in the video above.
DeleteHey Mr. Writer, pt4hud is an extension only recognizable by Poker Tracker. Open it, HUD -> Edit HUD profiles -> Options -> Import Profile
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes this :)
DeleteI use PT4 and would hate to live without it. Its good for all the reasons, Nathan mention, and even though any HUD can do that, it also makes table selection so much easier. Sure you can identify and label "fish" by manually observing their actions, but letting a HUD calculate the VPIP and PFR of all your opponents is a much easier and more objective method.
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes you will even have to conclude, that the person, you originally labeled as a "fish", is now more of a semi-loose passive player with a VPIP of say 30. In which case maybe there is not really a reason for you to still be at the table.
As for studying away from the table, I have to admit, I am a bit lazy with that. I will regularly review big pots, I won or lost to see, if there were any mistakes. But I have never really gone into studying my opponents on a deeper level.
And I think, there is also something to be said for not focusing to much on that, until you reach at least 25NL. If you develop a solid fundamental strategy, avoid making big tilted mistakes, table select well and simply just try to play equilibrium with the other regs or even avoid some of them a bit, you will do fine up to at least 10 NL.
hi nathan
ReplyDeletewhat are your wiews about features such as "vs hero" that HM2 has ?not so usefull
Hi Dexta,
DeleteI don't use HM2 so I can't really comment on it however it is also a good poker tracking program and HUD.
Quoting the author of the blog himself: "But what if you could also simply download and install the PokerTracker 4 HUD that I personally use at the poker tables? And for free by the way."
ReplyDeleteThis phrase may contain several meanings depending on the reader:
A) That Nathan is giving for free Poker Tracker 4
B) That Nathan is giving his HUD configuration for free
C) That the user of this blog may download for free Poker Tracker 4 HUD
Whatever, I do not intend being rude or boring, because I love Nathan's work at the micros because he is a saint, the only one who REALLY talk about the raw reality of the micros, Nathan is a God, which is making me have profit playing poker by the very first time in my life.
Thank you Nathan and sorry for my misunderstanding about your explanation, it is because I do not have enough money to buy eihter Hold'em Manager 2 or Poker Tracker 4, so I use one HUD very simple whose name is "Easy Poker HUD" it shows the VPIP, PFR, AF and Numbers of Hands Played, only, it is useful but of course, Poker Tracker 4 is the best, I used the 30 days trial and recommend this program to anyone who wants to be a regular or a professional poker player.
Hi Mr. Writer, please read all the comments above. They explain how to download and install my free custom HUDs. Alternatively you could also just watch the video embedded above in this blog post where I walk you through the entire process.
Delete60 bucks is a lot 4 us grinding the micros but its a very good investment
ReplyDeleteI agree and that's why I recommend trying out the free trial first. But if you take online poker seriously you will eventually want to get the full version. No doubt it has helped me make thousands more over the years.
DeleteHi Nathan, how many tables are you able to multitable on with Mac Air 2015?
ReplyDeleteIf I just stack my poker tables like I used to do a lot in the past I can play 20 or 30 at a time. It doesn't matter what computer I am using. Typically though these days I just tile with some overlap on my Macbook Air (like in the pic for this blog post), and I play between 4 and 8 tables at a time.
DeleteNathan,what hotkeys do you use on poker clients that allow hotkeys?And seriously,how can one multitable with stacked tables?You cant follow the action imho.
ReplyDeleteHey Jimmy,
DeleteI don't stack very often anymore. When I used to I would use AHK scripts for my hotkeys. I think there are better programs available today though like TableNinja or something like that.
Hi - I too use a Mac and a Windows Laptop. Can you tell me if PT4 can "see" the hands played on both devices so you have a complete picture whichever device is used? i.e. hands played on Mac are included in the HUD stats shown on the windows device and vice versa?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm interested in your views on the future of HUD programs. PartyPoker recently stopped their use and I'm not 100% sure what microgaming are planning for the future but think they too are reviewing their use? I've recently started using 888 and hope if I invest in PT4 that it will available for long term use.
Hi,
DeleteI stopped using a Windows laptop awhile ago so this is difficult for me to answer. And when I used both Windows and Mac, I just kept separate databases. I never tried to combine them. Your best bet would be to shoot PokerTracker an email about this.
As for the future of HUDs, this isn't something that I comment on because poker sites change their rules regarding this all the time.
What I can say is that HUDs have been around in online poker for 10+ years now and you can still use them on most of the major poker sites. I doubt this is going to change any time soon.
But even more importantly, as I discuss in this article, the biggest reason why I and so many other online pros use PokerTracker isn't the HUD anyways.
People get this very confused.
The biggest benefit of using a program like PokerTracker is the database and the ability to study your hands and your opponents away from the tables. This is the #1 way to improve your poker game.
And unless the online poker sites all decide to ban hand histories (which is pretty much a 0% chance), you will always be able to do this.
Thanks for the reply - appreciated. I'll let you know if I solve the "combine the database" conundrum. I'm going to get PT4 and I have a plan to play and improve my cash game play starting in the New Year. I will definitely be using it to find the leaks in my own game and study my opponents away from the table. Here's to a successful 2020!
DeleteNo problem, let me know how it works out for you. All the best at the tables in 2020 :)
DeleteThe links for your HUDs don't seem to work anymore. Is this intentional?
ReplyDeleteHey Concerned,
DeleteOops thanks for pointing that out. I am not sure what happened. I have fixed the links now though.