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So you want to know how to make money streaming. If you’re ready to put in some serious work, we’ll tell you about the different ways you can make money on Twitch. There are ways to get paid directly through Twitch, as well as ways to use your Twitch platform to make money outside of Twitch—including brand sponsorships through tools like Streamlabs Sponsorships app—no affiliate or partner status required.
Keep reading to learn more.
Jump Ahead:
- Ways to Get Paid Directly on Twitch
- Subscribers (Subs)
- Gifted Subs
- Twitch Bits
- Ads
- Ways to Monetize Outside of Twitch
Ways to Get Paid Directly on Twitch
In order to start earning money directly on Twitch, you need to be an affiliate. We have a guide on reaching Twitch affiliate status that will help you on your journey. Once you reach this milestone, you can start making money through Twitch via:
Subscribers (Subs)
Viewers can subscribe to your channel on a one-time or recurring basis —Tier 1 ($4.99), Tier 2 ($9.99) or Tier 3 ($24.99). If you are outside of the US, these prices will vary. Twitch will take a 50% cut from the cost of each sub, which is the standard agreement.
In the past, larger streamers from a select group received 70% of their subscriber revenue, but a change in policy from Twitch in September 2022 discontinued the admittance of new streamers to this program (except by way of the Twitch Partner Plus program). Thus, any streamer who is not currently in this selected group can expect to receive 50% of their subscriber revenue.
One of the best ways to get people to subscribe to your channel is by providing them with great emotes. You can also select different emotes to be available at different tiers, which may encourage people to subscribe at a higher tier.
Try making emotes yourself with a free/easy-to-use software such as Canva. Or, find a designer on Fiverr that specializes in creating these assets. We also have a helpful post on emote guidelines, which will get you started.
Subscriber badges, ad-free viewing, and subscriber-only streams and chats are nice perks that streamers can also offer their subs.
Gifted Subs
For many creators, gifted subs count for just as much revenue as regular subs, if not more. People love to give! When a viewer subscribes to your channel, Twitch immediately offers them a 20% discount on a gifted sub, encouraging them to get in the gifting spirit. At the top of the Twitch chat box, you can see the names of people who have gifted the most subs.
Twitch Bits
Viewers can “cheer” in your channel with bits. Twitch pays $0.01 for each bit you receive, which is not a lot but can add up over time. If you receive bits through a channel extension, Twitch pays you 80% of that $0.01, while the remaining 20% goes to the developer. You can check out the variety of extensions available for use here.
Bits are a great way to interact with your viewers and make your streams more fun and entertaining. Many streamers report that their bit payout is roughly the same amount as their sub payout (less of course when subs and gifted subs are combined). Once you reach affiliate status, make sure to utilize this valuable tool to its fullest.
Ads
Ad revenue typically makes up the smallest part of a streamer’s payout. The amount you will make from ads is affected by a variety of factors such as your CCV (Concurrent Viewership), the length of the ad, etc. Essentially, the larger your following, the more you will make from ads. With ads, you risk losing viewers, which won’t bother big streamers who may make enough from subs and bits. For small streamers, the small amount you’ll make may not justify the risk.
Ads do have a few perks though. If you time an ad right (typically midstream) not only can you take a much needed break, you can save your viewers from “pre-roll ads” (ads a new viewer sees when they first click on your channel). Studies show that many people click away during pre-roll ads and, as a result, will never see your content.
Twitch offers tools like automatic ad scheduling and “snoozing” to make them easier to manage. Streamers who are new to running ads will likely need time to find the best ad placement and duration for their viewership.
In short, Twitch offers several ways to earn—but since platform policies can change anytime, most streamers choose to diversify their income through additional sources outside of Twitch.
Ways to Monetize Outside of Twitch
Subs, Bits, and Ads: These are the items that will get you paid directly from Twitch if you’re an Affiliate or Partner. However, you can use your Twitch platform to help you make money in other ways (without reaching affiliate status!) such as:
Sponsorships
If you’re wondering how to get sponsored on Twitch, the truth is that bigger streamers are more likely to get approached. Fortunately, there is another way. With Streamlabs Sponsorships, you can browse and apply to paid campaigns right inside Streamlabs Desktop—no cold outreach or middleman required. Whether you're promoting a new game, headset, or app, you'll earn guaranteed pay and performance-based bonuses when your audience engages.
The best part? You don’t need to be a Twitch Partner or even an Affiliate to get started. Just open Streamlabs Desktop, install the Sponsorships app from the App Store tab, and start browsing available campaigns.
Merch
You don’t need to be a big streamer to make money with merch. Anyone using Streamlabs can make their own merch store and stock it with tees, bags, hats, and more. Your Streamlabs merch store can be set up with a Twitch extension, meaning users can shop while watching your stream at the same time.
Even if you have no art skills, you can find an expert to help you on websites such as Fiverr without breaking the bank. Also, text-only merch has great selling potential too, so don’t get intimidated by the design aspect.
If you know your audience, you can design merch that you think they’ll enjoy and wear it on stream. Since Streamlabs lets you adjust the cost of your merch, you can control the amount you’ll receive from each unit sold.
Monthly Tips
Monthly tipping from Streamlabs is the perfect way for fans to support your streams, especially if you haven’t reached affiliate status yet. The best part? Streamlabs doesn’t take a cut. After standard payment processing fees, all of your tips are yours. Viewers can choose how much to tip and whether the tip will be one time or monthly.
Streamers don’t always ask for tips directly, but when done with sincerity, it can be effective. Be humble, genuine, and clear that tips are appreciated—not expected. If your stream feels purely profit-driven, viewers will likely pick up on it and hesitate to contribute.
Donations
Using the Streamlabs donation goal widget, you can set visible fundraising milestones—like upgrading your mic or buying a new game—which makes contributing feel more engaging and rewarding for your audience. Many streamers use donation funds to improve their setup, but it’s also common to raise money for personal needs like tuition, rent, or even vet bills. If you’ve built a strong, supportive community, chances are they’ll show up for you when it counts.
Amazon Affiliate
Also known as “Amazon Associates,” this affiliate marketing program is easy for streamers and other content creators to set up. You need to apply through Amazon, then promote links to Amazon products of your choosing on your website (in this case, your Twitch channel).
For streamers, posting links to your stream setup and any other gear your use makes the most sense. If someone buys an Amazon product through your link, you’ll make a small commission. The percentage you’ll receive varies depending on the item you’re linking to—PC parts receive a 2.5% commission whilst Amazon games receive a whopping 20%.
P.S. If there’s a brand you already love and promote—like Logitech—check if they offer a direct affiliate program. These often come with higher commission rates and extra perks compared to general marketplaces like Amazon.
Membership Service (Patreon, Ko-Fi, Buy Me a Coffee)
A successful membership service can be a lucrative business for many creators. Different from tips and donations, members will likely expect something in return. Some creators send physical products, like stickers or artwork every month, some share valuable knowledge or tutorials, and some simply offer members-only content like videos, Zoom parties, etc. Tech savvy creators can make game mods and offer them to members. There are thousands of ways to start your own membership service as long as you’re offering something people want.
Every creator who makes a living through Twitch has diversified their income in some, or all of the above mentioned ways. Furthermore, smart streamers know how to utilize other platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and even LinkedIn to drive traffic to their streams, expand their network, and, as a result, create more opportunities to build income.
Remember that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to reaching Twitch affiliate or partner quickly. What worked for another creator may not work for you. The key is to prioritize learning and growth—Streamlabs University is a great place to help you do just that. Staying on top of current trends and useful tools is crucial too, but you can count on the Streamlabs blog to do that work for you.
Hopefully we answered the question, “How do Twitch streamers make money?” Now that you have all this knowledge, we can’t wait to see what you’ll create with it.
And if you’re ready to explore brand deals right away, Streamlabs Sponsorships is a great place to start. It’s built into Streamlabs Desktop and makes applying to campaigns fast and friction-free.
