The effect of catalyst properties on residue oil hydroconversion was studied at moderate operating conditions (at a temperature of 400℃, an initial hydrogen pressure of 10 MPa, and a reaction time of 4 h) in a batch mode slurry phase with different catalyst samples. The results showed that the catalyst acidity had a good effect on residue conversion and MCR (micro carbon residue) conversion but brought about higher coke yield. Residue conversion was thermally induced but the catalyst acidity changed its conversion route. A catalyst with higher metal loading, higher hydrogenation activity and appropriate pore size had higher sulfur and metal removal rate, higher MCR conversion and also a lower coke formation. The activity of spent commercial catalyst AS1 and DS1 was slightly lower than the corresponding fresh ones but was still high enough for residue oil hydroconversion. It assumes that the role of the catalyst is to activate hydrogen species toward reaction with an aromatic carbon radical to yield a cyclohexadienyl type intermediate which will t into liquid and also to absorb the mesophase which can easily aggregate to form coke.