Im not sure why but i always play better live then online. Feels like I'm more focused idk any thoughts on how to get better

This is more suited to Beginner's Questions. This is not actually a poker strategy forum but a forum dedicated to PokerStrategy.com.

And you are aware that the same stakes are significantly harder online?

So true.

And I can't do without a HUD.

I find that I play much better live than online..more focus, only 1 table...I really get into it...however, where I play, bigger rake. 15-20% or more rake for tourneys sometimes. Venetian Deepstack events costing $300-400 take 15% for themselves, Caesars WSOPC might take 18% on a typical event. I'm not much of a cash game player, but the same would have to hold true live vs. online when you add in the fact that you're expected to tip every single tiny little pot you win and then they're always taking another $1 drop for some sort of jackpot that you'll never win. More rake hurts your bottom line. But on the other hand, live players suck big-time sometimes.

I used to think the same way about 4-5 years ago, all it really meant was that I had a ton of leaks to fix.

I got the same and yes, I do believe that you might be more focused in live games than online.

Fact is that in a live game you have to pay more attention, pick your spots and you have the advantage of gathering some valuable information about your opponents hand based on his reactions and actions as the board plays out.

Online most of this information is not available to you unless you either single table and pay the same attention you do when playing live or use a HUD if you're multi-tabling. Even if you single table and don't use a HUD you'll still miss valuable info since you don't see your opponent having to rely on time tells and bet size tells which don't mean much.

on top of that you're up against a much larger number of players online than you are at your local casino. The advantage at the casino is that over time you will pick up on the playing styles of the other regulars were online you will always have a much larger number of players around you've never played against + the regs who are (to a large percentage) using HUD's too. So while you're collecting stats on them, they are collection stats on you and so on.

So I guess this is why you might find that you play a better game live than you do online which I can totally understand and reflect on.

Personally I'd say keep playing live poker

Dealers at the places I play like know that I tip at the end of my session as I've made it clear in the past that I wont be tipping over small/large pots.

Why would you? What does the dealer do for you other than dealing cards? Does be bring players to the table to ensure the game doesn't break up? Does he call you at home when there is super weak games going? Does he do anything for you other than his job?

The logic here is easy. If I end the night being up I give a nice tip but for as ling as the game is still going there is no tips cause every $ not part of the stack is a $ not earned when you get it in good. I also don't pay for my food or drinks with chips from my stack.