How To Make Money on Twitch: 7 Methods

Twitch allows creators to share content and connect with their audience in real time. There are multiple ways to make a living on the site, though Twitch earnings vary depending on the creator, content, and monetization options.

Whether you stream yourself playing video games or hosting a political talk show, you can build a valuable business on this platform. Read on to learn how to make money on Twitch and create new income streams.

What’s Twitch?

Twitch is a live-streaming platform owned by Amazon. Initially, the streaming service focused on gaming content, including esports tournaments, talk shows, and individual Let’s Plays. Today, you can also find other types of videos on the site, such as:

• ASMR — Streamers make relaxing sounds for viewers.
• Food & Drink — Creators cook, drink, and eat on camera.
• Just Chatting — Influencers talk and interact with viewers.
• Music — People play, listen to, and share music with viewers.

Like many social media sites, Twitch pays successful content creators to encourage them to continue posting. However, before trying to start a Twitch career, it’s important to understand how monetization works.

7 Ways To Make Money on Twitch

To make money on this platform, you need to join the Twitch Affiliate or Twitch Partner program. Here are the criteria you need to meet in order to qualify:

Once you join either program, you can start getting paid on Twitch. While both let you earn income, there are a few differences between the two: 

• Monetization tools — Affiliates have access to fewer Sub Emotes and can’t use Cheermotes. 
• Video tools — Affiliates have fewer stream, video storage, and stream delay options.
• Other features — Affiliates don’t get channel badges or dedicated Twitch Partner Discord servers. 
• Channel visibility — Partners are more likely to be featured on the platform, boosting their follower count. 

Below, we’ll cover the primary ways people monetize their Twitch channels.

1. Subscription Fees

Twitch offers three subscription tiers, and streamers typically earn around 50% of these fees. The price points are as follows:

• Tier 1 — $4.99/month
• Tier 2 — $9.99/month
• Tier 3 — $24.99/month

Subscribers will unlock additional content at each tier. For example, Tier 1 subscribers could get access to custom emotes and chat badges, while Tier 2 viewers receive more emotes, and Tier 3 subscribers get access to exclusive streams.

Because Amazon is Twitch’s parent company, Prime subscribers get one free Tier 1 subscription. It resets monthly, so you can either keep subscribing to the same channel or switch to supporting other accounts. 

2. Bits

Twitch Bits are a virtual currency that viewers can purchase to cheer creators on while streaming. Streamers earn $0.01 for each Bit they receive. For instance, if you send someone 100 bits, Twitch will pay them $1.00.

Twitch allows streamers to set the minimum Bits a follower must send when cheering. It also lets Partners create custom Cheermotes (unique emotes for a channel) that viewers can unlock and use the more money they spend on Bits. 

3. Direct Donations

You don’t need to join the Twitch Affiliate or Partner program to receive donations on Twitch, making it a popular monetization option for new and smaller channels on the platform. 

To enable donations, you can add a PayPal donation button or PayPal.me link in your channel description. Or, set up a Donate button using a third-party service like Streamlabs and Muxy.

These services allow you to set up your channel to accept various methods, including PayPal, credit cards, or Skrill. 

4. Ads

Unlike short-form videos, which last only a few seconds, Twitch streams can go on for hours. To help fill this time and get adequate breaks, many streamers run ads. While this is a great way to make money, it also breaks up the content, which can hurt engagement. 

If you decide to run ads, consider the following tips to maintain your viewer count and make more money:

• Automate ad breaks so you can focus on your content.
• Space ads 15 minutes apart to avoid overwhelming audiences.
• Run more, shorter ads rather than fewer, longer ads.
• Aim for one to three minutes of ads per hour to maximize revenue.
  

5. Brand Deals

Brand sponsorships are arguably the best way to make money on Twitch. One sponsorship can generate thousands in revenue over time, making this income stream highly profitable. 

Although most brands and companies try to sponsor creators with a large following, even smaller streamers can get sponsorships from brands in their niche. Just let viewers know that you’re promoting a sponsored product — the platform requires it, and this transparency makes your audience trust you more.

6. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing lets you earn a commission when viewers purchase products using your link. To earn these funds, you must sign up for a company’s affiliate program or a specific platform like Amazon Affiliates.

Just add links to your Twitch profile, channel description, or live chat. Every time a viewer purchases a product or service using your affiliate link, you earn a percentage of the revenue.

7. Merchandise

Many streamers with a dedicated following sell custom merchandise. When deciding what to sell, consider your niche and audience. For example, you could create T-shirts referencing inside jokes commonly shared by your viewers or custom kitchen appliances you use when developing recipes. 

To promote your items on Twitch, add a link to your online store in your channel description and tell your viewers about it.

How To Build a Twitch Audience

‍If you want to make a living on Twitch, you need to gain a dedicated following. Here are some tips to help you connect with more viewers.

Stream Consistently

Streaming on the same days and times ensures viewers can work your content into their schedule. This consistency provides a reliable experience for the viewer, builds trust with your audience, and helps your channel grow. 

Consider your target audience and personal schedule to help you choose the right time to stream. You can also analyze Twitch’s peak hours to see when most people are on — while there’s more competition during these times, there’s also more opportunity.

Engage With Your Community

Like all social media platforms, your audience drives your income on Twitch. So, as much as possible, try to build a relationship with your community to earn their continued support.

Here are some tips to maximize engagement during your video streams: 

• Talk with viewers while streaming.
• Host special events, content, and giveaways.
• Respond and interact with chats.
• Play games with subscribers to connect with the community directly.

Post on Other Platforms

The more platforms you’re on, the greater your brand visibility. To promote your channel, consider starting a YouTube channel to reach new viewers or making TikTok videos using clips from your stream.

For example, with the Twitch to TikTok Clip Maker, you can instantly convert your Twitch content into short-form videos for TikTok. 

Maximize Your Twitch Earnings With Captions

When you put in the effort, there’s plenty of money to earn on Twitch. If you need help jumpstarting your streaming career, Captions has you covered. 

We offer a whole suite of features to enhance your Twitch content, from tools that quickly add subtitles to royalty-free music generators. Plus, with our Twitch Clip Editor, you can create viral clips from your streams and promote them on other platforms.

Sign up for Captions today and grow your following. 

FAQs

How Do Beginners Make Money on Twitch?

As a beginner, you should focus on creating engaging content, building a community, and establishing a routine streaming schedule rather than making money. With the proper setup and consistent effort, you should eventually build a sufficient audience to qualify for Twitch’s Affiliate or Partner program and start earning money streaming.

How Much Money Do Twitch Streamers Make?

How much Twitch pays streamers varies greatly from channel to channel. The best way to make a livable wage on the platform is to grow your audience and reach out to brands for sponsorships.

How Do Streamers Get Paid on Twitch?

The average Twitch streamer earns most of their money from subscriptions, Bits, and donations. While ad revenue and sponsorships can lead to big paydays, the most lucrative deals primarily go to the top streamers on the platform.