| Therapeutic feature | HH | HP |
| Size | 30 - 40 nt | 65+ nt |
| [Mg++] requirement | >10 mM | <10 mM |
| Chemical synthesis | High yield | Poor yield |
| Chemical modifications | Yes | No |
| KCAT/Km | >1 min−1·µM−1 | >1 min−1·µM−1 |
| Nuclease resistance | Poor | Poor |
| Delivery vector | Not required | Required |
| Clinical trials | Yes | Yes |
| Catalytic performance in vivo | Medium/Poor | High |