Figuring out the best poker tools for pokerstars, GGPoker, and 888poker isn’t just a convenience question, using the wrong software on the wrong site can get your account frozen, your funds confiscated, or a permanent ban, even if the tool itself is completely legal to own and use elsewhere. The confusing part is that these three major rooms take genuinely different approaches to third-party software, so a tool that’s perfectly fine on one platform is a bannable offense on another. This guide breaks down exactly what’s allowed where in 2026, what’s universally banned everywhere, and how to build a study workflow that keeps you well inside the rules.
The One Rule That’s Universal: No Real-Time Assistance
Before getting into platform-by-platform differences, there’s one category of software that’s banned everywhere, full stop: Real-Time Assistance (RTA), any tool that gives you decision-making help, odds, or solver output while a hand is actively being played. This includes:
- Solvers or GTO tools running live during a hand
- Bots or partially-automated decision-making software
- Any external service feeding you real-time strategic advice tied to the specific hand in progress
Every major operator, PokerStars, GGPoker, and 888poker, treats RTA and botting as cheating, with consequences that typically escalate from warnings to permanent bans and confiscation of funds. GGPoker’s published security policy, for example, explicitly names RTA, bots, solvers used live, and dynamic HUDs as prohibited auxiliary tools, with potential penalties ranging from warnings to permanent bans and fund confiscation for serious or repeat violations. This isn’t a gray area on any platform, solvers and equity calculators are study tools, meant for reviewing hands after the session, not for live play.
Platform-by-Platform: What’s Actually Allowed
This is where things genuinely diverge, and it’s worth understanding the differences before you install anything.
| Platform | Third-Party HUDs / Trackers | Solvers (Off-Table Study) | Quality-of-Life Tools (Hotkeys, Auto Stack Alignment, etc.) |
| PokerStars | Basic, non-dynamic HUDs permitted on desktop client only — nothing “sophisticated” or that categorizes players/situations dynamically | Fully allowed for study away from the table | Allowed within PokerStars’ published permitted-tools list (e.g., StarsCaption) |
| GGPoker | Prohibited — third-party HUDs and trackers are not permitted while the client is active | Allowed for off-table study; not allowed live | GGPoker provides its own native in-client statistics rather than allowing external overlays |
| 888poker | Generally allowed — 888poker has historically permitted third-party HUDs and trackers (with the notable exception of SNAP fast-fold games), and also rolled out its own free built-in HUD | Fully allowed for study away from the table | Generally allowed |
A few important notes behind this table:
- PokerStars publishes an actual permitted-and-prohibited tools list rather than leaving it to interpretation, and it draws a specific line at “sophisticated” software, anything that categorizes opponents or dynamically surfaces situation-specific statistics crosses into prohibited territory, even if it’s technically a “HUD.”
- GGPoker takes the strictest stance of the three on third-party overlays. Its security policy prohibits third-party HUDs, trackers, and any auxiliary tool that could influence in-game decisions, and instead gives every player access to built-in statistics through the client itself, a growing trend also adopted by other networks like BetRivers Poker.
- 888poker is the most permissive of the three on trackers, historically allowing standard HUD software from providers like PokerTracker and Hold’em Manager, and adding 888 poker tools of its own, including a free, built-in HUD rolled out to give every player access to basic opponent stats without needing third-party software. The one consistent exception across sources is that HUD use isn’t supported in 888poker’s SNAP fast-fold format.
Understanding the Categories (So You Know What You’re Actually Installing)
Not all poker software falls into the same bucket, and lumping them together is exactly how well-meaning players accidentally break a platform’s terms of service. Broadly, allowed poker software across these sites tends to fall into three distinct categories:
- Trackers & HUDs — Record your hand history and opponents’ visible actions, then display stats like VPIP, PFR, and 3-bet frequency. This is the category where platform policy diverges most sharply.
- Solvers & Study Tools — Calculate GTO-optimal strategies for specific spots. Universally fine for off-table study; universally banned if used live during a hand.
- Quality-of-Life Tools — Hotkeys, table tiling/stacking, auto-seating scripts, betting profiles, and pop-up blockers. These don’t provide strategic advantage on their own and tend to be tolerated broadly, though each platform’s specific permitted-tools list (where one exists) is the real source of truth.
Why Policies Differ So Much Between Rooms
It’s not arbitrary, each platform is optimizing for a different priority. PokerStars has taken a middle path: allowing basic HUDs to keep serious grinders engaged while restricting anything “sophisticated” enough to create a lopsided edge over recreational players. GGPoker has gone the opposite direction, betting that a level playing field with no external tools at all is a stronger draw for its recreational-heavy player base, and it enforces that stance aggressively, the network has publicly reported large-scale enforcement actions against RTA and prohibited-tool use, including permanent bans and six-figure fund confiscations in publicized cases. 888poker sits closer to PokerStars but leans further into permissiveness, having built and shipped its own in-house HUD specifically so newer players aren’t left behind by opponents running third-party trackers.
Practical Guidance: Building a Compliant Study Workflow
- Treat solvers as a study tool, not a table companion. Review hands after your session, build ranges and node-locked spots ahead of time, and never have a solver open and actively consulted during a live hand.
- Check the specific platform’s current tools list before installing anything, since policies do change and enforcement varies — PokerStars in particular maintains a published list rather than relying on general language, which makes it the easiest platform to verify against directly.
- Don’t assume cross-platform consistency. A tool being fine on 888poker tells you nothing about whether it’s fine on GGPoker — verify per platform, every time, especially if you multi-table across different rooms simultaneously.
- When in doubt, email support and ask directly, especially for less common tools or edge cases like note-taking apps, timer overlays, or seating scripts. A five-minute email is far cheaper than a frozen bankroll.
- Be extra cautious about “having it installed” vs. “actively using it.” Some enforcement actions have been reported for prohibited software simply being present and running in the background, not necessarily actively used during play, so fully closing disallowed tools before logging in, not just leaving them idle, is the safer habit.
A Note on Accuracy and Changing Policies
Poker platform software policies are not static, operators revise their permitted-tools lists, launch or retire built-in HUDs, and adjust enforcement priorities on an ongoing basis. Everything above reflects publicly available policy information as of 2026, but the single most reliable source for any specific tool is always the platform’s own current terms of service or a direct message to their support team before you install anything. This guide is a starting point for understanding the landscape, not a substitute for checking the live policy on the site you actually play on.
For more strategy and platform breakdowns across the poker world, explore the full library at pokerclubgames.com.
FAQs
Q: Are HUDs allowed on PokerStars?
PokerStars permits basic, non-dynamic HUDs on its desktop client, but restricts anything considered “sophisticated” — software that categorizes players or dynamically displays situation-specific statistics is not permitted. PokerStars publishes a specific list of permitted and prohibited tools.
Q: Does GGPoker allow third-party HUDs or trackers?
No. GGPoker’s published security policy prohibits third-party HUDs, trackers, and other auxiliary tools that could influence in-game decisions. The platform provides its own built-in statistics through the client instead.
Q: Are poker trackers allowed on 888poker?
Generally yes, 888poker has historically allowed third-party HUDs and trackers, with the notable exception of its SNAP fast-fold game format. 888poker also offers its own free, built-in HUD as an alternative to third-party software.
Q: Are solvers allowed on any of these poker sites?
Solvers are allowed for off-table study on all three platforms, but using a solver for live, in-hand decision-making (Real-Time Assistance) is banned everywhere and is treated as cheating, with penalties up to permanent bans and confiscation of funds.
Q: Can I get banned just for having prohibited software installed, even if I’m not using it?
Some enforcement actions have been reported for prohibited software simply running in the background rather than being actively used during play, so it’s safer to fully close any disallowed tools before logging into a platform that restricts them, rather than assuming inactive software is automatically safe.
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