The world of streaming has grown a lot in recent years and that has caused many to wonder how to make money on Twitch and the rest of the platforms. You may think that all you have to do is turn on the camera and little else, but nothing could be further from the truth.
It is true that being a streamer is not something that is suitable for everyone, but we must recognize that it is an activity that can be very lucrative. For this reason, in this article, I am going to explain everything you need to make money on Twitch, from the essentials to everything you can do to maximize your income.
Do you want to know how to make a living from Twitch? Keep reading!
How to make money with Twitch? Basic concepts
Today it is possible to make a living (and very well) from some social networks, but to do so it is necessary to know how to make money on TikTok, how to make money on TikTok Now (which is different), and the rest of the applications. When it comes to Twitch, the first thing is to know everything important before even considering making money streaming.
How to monetize Twitch: requirements to be an affiliate
Twitch can act as an app to make money, although this is something you won’t be able to do from the first minute. To do this, it is necessary that you first enter what is known as the Affiliate program, as explained by the purple platform itself on its website.
Until you enter this program you will not be able to start monetizing your streamings, so you should not lose sight of its requirements. These are more demanding than those necessary when monetizing Discord for example, but they are still feasible. The requirements are the following:
- Stream at least 500 total minutes over the last 30 days
- Stream at least 7 unique days in the last 30 days
- Have an average of at least 3 simultaneous viewers in the last 30 days
- Have at least 50 followers
As I said, these requirements are not too complicated if you have been streaming for a while, although without a doubt the most complicated thing at the beginning will be having 3 viewers on average. To do this, a trick you can use is to ask a friend or family member to watch you or at least leave the broadcast on in the background (it is important not to mute it).
Once you have met these requirements, you will receive an invitation from Twitch to enter the affiliate program. This will automatically arrive in your email, and it is possible that it will go to the spam folder.
When you receive it, you must provide a series of personal information to Twitch, and once this is done you will be part of the Affiliate program. Keep in mind that entering this program will force you to stream simultaneously only on Twitch.
Twitch Partner Program: is it the same as being an Affiliate?
If you usually watch other well-known streamers, you may have heard the term Partner several times. This belongs to a program that is different from the Affiliates program that I explained a little above, although, in essence, it is about the same thing: being able to monetize streaming.
Simply explained, the Partner program is the next level of the Affiliate program, since it grants all the advantages that it offers and adds some exclusive ones. The most notable is being able to attend certain in-person events, a higher level of customization when streaming and being able to store VODs for much longer.
To be able to enter this program, the requirements are much more demanding. To do this, you will have to do the following:
- Broadcast 25 hours in the last 30 days.
- Issue 12 different days in the last 30 days.
- Have an average of 75 spectators (raids not included).
- Adhere to the Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and DMCA Guidelines.
- Maintain all these criteria at all times while belonging to the Partner program.
In this case, if you meet all of these requirements, you can send a request to Twitch through this link. The platform usually responds within a period of between 2 and 4 weeks, but if you have previously gone through the Affiliate program the time is shortened to 7 business days.
All the ways to make money on Twitch
Knowing everything I explained above and how to broadcast on Twitch, it’s time to get to work to earn money. This platform will allow you to generate income every month, and the best of all is that it will give you many ways to do it. Below, I explain each of them.
Subscriptions: types and how much Twitch pays for them
Subscriptions are key to explaining how Twitch works. These are the main sources of income for streamers who are part of the Affiliate or Partner program since they contribute monthly money on a regular basis. In other words: you could say that subscription money acts as a kind of “salary”.
The first thing to say about subscriptions is that they are not all the same. The most common one that you will see on Twitch is the one that comes from Prime Gaming, but it is not the only one present. These are all the subscription forms that exist right now on the streaming platform:
- Paid Subscriptions (3 levels): This is the standard subscription. Your followers will pay a minimum of 3.99 euros to become subscribers or subs, either once or for several months (which represents savings for them). This gives advantages such as not seeing ads, access to exclusive emoticons, and being able to interact with you if you configure your chat for subscribers only. There are two levels that will allow your followers to support you to continue creating content in exchange for being more expensive: 7.99 and 19.99 euros respectively.
- Gift subscriptions: Gift subscriptions, in essence, are almost the same as the previous ones. The only difference here is that your own subscribers will be the ones who give them to other viewers of your channel, giving them the corresponding advantages. You can also give away subscriptions, something that is usually very well received by the audience.
- Prime Gaming: Amazon Prime has a number of advantages, and among them is Prime Gaming. Thanks to this, it is possible to subscribe to a Twitch channel for free once a month. This subscription cannot be established periodically and will bring you the same benefit as a level 1 subscription (the cheapest).
As I said, this is the most stable and regular form of monetization there is. As a general rule, the distribution of profits from subscriptions is shared equally between the streamer and Twitch, so you will own half of the amount of each subscription they make to your channel.
This is not the same for everyone, since important streamers usually reach agreements with Twitch thanks to which they can keep 70% of each subscription. It is true that it is difficult to get subscriptions at first, but without a doubt with a stable number of them, you will be able to earn a fairly respectable amount each month.
Bits: what are they and how do they work?
In addition to subscriptions, another thing that is very common to see on Twitch is Bits. It is a currency that can be purchased on the streaming platform and that is used to send Cheers, Cheermotes, or to activate certain extensions to emit scary noises to scare the streamer, for example.
The bits will bring you much less money than the subscriptions, but they are still worth taking into account. For every bit you receive, you will keep 0.01 cents. In this way, to receive 1 euro you must receive at least 100 bits from your followers and subscribers.
There are also donations on Twitch
There is a belief that the best way to support a streamer is through bits, but in reality, the best way is through subscriptions and also donations. These are also very interesting ways to earn money, and unlike what happens with Bits, with them, you will receive 100% of the donation.
The only “but” that this way of monetizing has is that it cannot be created organically within your streaming as it happens with Bits (the button to donate them appears within the chat itself). Despite this, it is not at all complicated to have the possibility of receiving donations.
To do this, you will only have to edit your Twitch profile and add the necessary information to receive donations. This will automatically lead to the payment method you choose ( PayPal is recommended in this case ) and in this way, your viewers will be able to support you to continue growing.
Advertising: How much does Twitch pay per ad?
Each subscriber you have will not see any type of advertising when they watch your streams, but despite this, it is another good way to monetize your Twitch channel. It is true that this advertising can be a little intrusive at times, but the platform is already working to solve this with new, much “friendlier” advertising.
Generating income through advertising is simple. Twitch has a complete advertising manager where you can configure it however you want. Of course, if you want to monetize in the most efficient way possible, it is important that 3 minutes or more of ads appear on your channel for every hour you stream (with this you will earn 55% of the income generated, only 30%).
Here there is no “fixed” amount as there is with subscriptions. In this case, you will earn more money through advertising the more people see the ads. In this way, it is estimated that advertising revenue can reach up to 1.50 euros per 1,000 impressions.
Sponsorship Agreements Can Also Offer Advantages
Another way to make money through Twitch is not on the platform itself. When you have a settled and relatively large community, it is likely that brands of all kinds will contact you to offer you sponsorship deals. In terms of gaming, for example, it is common to see peripheral brands sponsor streamers.
With these agreements, you can earn a lot of money. Basically, brands pay content creators to test or use their products in exchange for financial compensation.
This way of monetizing is perhaps the most “delicate” of all. It is advisable that you think carefully about each sponsorship agreement and that you do not recommend something that you would not recommend to a family member. In addition, it is also interesting that you stick with those brands that match the theme of your channel, although that will depend on you.
Manage your channel: statistics and income
If you have come this far you already know everything you can and have to do to generate income with your channel. Now, as with any activity that makes you money, it is important to be aware of everything to the millimeter, and for that, Twitch gives you very interesting tools that are not at all difficult to use.
Track how much you earn on Twitch with payment history
The purple streaming platform has a complete payment history so you can check the money you have been generating. This page will indicate your gross income, as well as possible taxes you may have to pay and an estimate of tax withholdings that you will need to take into account.
This section of your Twitch profile is also where you will need to go to withdraw the money generated. To do this, you only have to click on the button indicated for this and follow the steps indicated. Of course, this button only appears when you complete the so-called “Payment Threshold”.
Data analysis will give you a lot of information
The other point to take into account about the statistics is the summary of your broadcasts. Here you can see a complete monitoring of the status of your channel, both on a day-to-day basis and in the week or month in which you consult it.
A graph will appear in which you will have very useful information such as the average number of viewers, followers, subscriptions, or income generated. In addition, you will also be able to see your progress to enter the Affiliate or Partner program.
Make money with Twitch: frequently asked questions
While I’ve tried to be as thorough as possible in giving you everything you need to generate income on Twitch, you may still have some unanswered questions. Just below you have some of the most frequent ones.
Being a streamer, how much does it pay on Twitch?
Both on Twitch and in other applications for YouTubers and streamers you can earn money. Many people ask if it is necessary to subscribe or pay some kind of amount, and the answer is simple: no, it is totally free.
Getting started with streaming is not too expensive, as you need little equipment (besides a good Internet connection). Of course, if you want to improve the quality of your broadcasts, there will come a time when you will have to invest your earnings in equipment such as cameras or microphones.
How do you start making money on Twitch?
The trick to start making money is to start streaming. It is best not to get obsessed at first with entering the Affiliate program, it is something that will come with time. As a personal tip, I even recommend not doing too many hours at first, since the more hours you do, the more difficult it will be for you to reach the average of 3 viewers.
How does Twitch pay?
When you enter the Affiliate program you will have to fill out some information, including choosing a payment method to receive money from Twitch. Here the platform is quite versatile and offers the following forms: electronic check, bank transfer, PayPal (the most recommended when you start), and even withhold payments if we want to keep the money there for a while.
How often does Twitch pay?
It’s easy to know how often Twitch pays if you look at the payment history I showed you above. By entering here you will see a window that indicates the last time your earnings were updated, and what the next update date will be.
In that sense, the short answer is that Twitch pays every 30 days. Now, in order to withdraw the money, you will need to generate at least $50 during those 30 days. Otherwise, you will have to wait another 30 days for the next update to arrive.
How much does Twitch pay per sub?
Above I explained to you that the balance of profits is 50-50 between you and Twitch. In that sense, it is not difficult to know how much you will earn for each sub you receive while you are streaming. For example, for each level 1 subscription you receive you will charge almost 2 euros, so 100 subscriptions per month will earn you 200 euros gross. Knowing this, you may also be interested in knowing how much Kick pays.
How much does Twitch pay for views?
The ways to monetize Twitch are clear, and views are not among them. That means Twitch won’t pay you directly for people who watch you, regardless of whether it’s 1 or 100.
Now, this statement has a catch. The views you have will be paired with ads (as long as they are not subscribers), so you will earn money from Twitch based on the ads you have configured.
For this reason, you are interested in getting the greatest number of views possible by attracting more viewers to your channel. There it can help you a lot to know how to download Twitch clips and upload them to other social networks, for example.
How much does Twitch pay you per 1,000 viewers?
Knowing the information from the previous question and knowing more or less what is generated by ads, it is easy to know how much you will charge from Twitch for every 1,000 viewers you have. The answer may disappoint you: you will earn less than 2 euros for it (not counting subscriptions, donations, and bits, of course).
How much does a streamer earn on Twitch?
Knowing how much a specific Twitch streamer earns (approximately) is possible. There are platforms like TwitchTracker or Social Blade that give an income estimate based on how many subscribers a channel has , so you can know how much your favorite streamer earns without having to look too hard.
How much do Twitch streamers earn?
It’s difficult to know how much Twitch streamers earn, on average. Many variables come into play here that can be considered (such as subscriptions) but others that cannot be quantified, such as the agreements reached with brands.
An article from the Business Insider portal explains that 4 out of every 10 euros generated by Spanish streamers come from Prime Gaming subscriptions, being very dependent on it. It is very important to receive these subscriptions every month since they are free for the viewer, but very important for the streamer.
And that’s it for the article on how to make money on Twitch. I hope that with all the information in it, you can start to monetize your channel and get the most out of it. If you found it useful, you can share it with other streamers who are starting out, and if you have any questions, you can leave them in the comments.
