It’s no secret that Twitch streamers can make a lot of money. Through Twitch alone, streamers get money through monthly subscriptions and donations. Beyond that, if the streamer is large and partnered, they can earn additional income through their sponsorships, affiliate marketing, ads, merch, and other sales. If you have a particular streamer that you support, you may be wondering how to donate to them on Twitch. Let’s address that now.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
To donate to a streamer on Twitch, start watching their stream. If you want to donate with the donate button, scroll down to their channel panels, click their donate button and fill out the fields to finish sending your donation. If you want to use Twitch Bits to Cheer, click the Cheer button in chat.
KEY SECTIONS
Twitch donation methods
When people subscribe to a channel on Twitch, that streamer takes a 50% cut on the subscription. Beyond that, viewers have two options if they want to make a donation: a dedicated donate button and Twitch Bits.
Donate button
Streamers may have a panel set up underneath their stream, on their channel, that functions as a donate button. Setting up one of these dedicated donation panels through Stream Elements and Streamlabs allows streamers to accept direct donations from users without having to worry about losing a cut to the donation platform.
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The donate button on NICKMERCS’ Twitch channel.
Not every Twitch streamer has a donate button set up, so scroll down and make sure the streamer has a panel underneath their stream that says something like “Donate,” “Donations,” “Tip Jar,” or “Tips.” This clickable button looks different for every streamer.
If you’re a Twitch mobile user, the simplified layout doesn’t have room for channel panels underneath the stream. You must go to their Twitch page > About > donate button.
Twitch Bits
Twitch Bits are a fun, interactive, and innovative way to make a donation during someone’s livestream. Bits are a virtual currency purchasable through Twitch that, according to Twitch, “give you the power to encourage and show support for streamers, get attention in chat through animated emoticons, vote in Polls, get recognition through badges, leaderboards, and acknowledgment from the streamer, with even more possibilities in Extensions.”
You can use Twitch Bits to Cheer or use an extension during a streamer’s stream. Cheering makes it so that whatever you type in your cheer message appears on-screen in the stream. If the streamer has it enabled, your message may also be read aloud in text-to-speech. When you use an extension with Bits, something will happen during the stream; for example, sometimes streamers enable a “soundboard” extension, where, if you use Bits, a sound plays during the stream.
Twitch streamers get $0.01 for every Twitch Bit donated during their stream through Cheering. When used on extensions, streamers get 80% of that $0.01 per Bit, and 20% goes to the extension developer.
How to donate to streamers on Twitch (donate button)
Desktop
Go to Twitch in your browser and start watching the streamer you want to donate to.
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Find the streamer you want to donate to and start watching their stream.
Once you’ve opened their stream, scroll down. Underneath their stream, you will find their channel panels and buttons.
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With their stream open into full, scroll down to their channel panels.
If they have one set up, locate their donate button and click it. These buttons typically read “Donate,” “Donations,” or “Tips.”
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Locate their donate button. Remember, every streamer’s donate button will look different!
You will be redirected to their external donation page. Fill out all necessary elements to make the donation, including your payment method credentials. When finished, send the donation.
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Fill out all relevant fields in their donation page, then send it.
The largest Twitch donation of all time came from Twitch itself. Twitch donated $1 million to DrLupo during a charity stream.
Mobile
Open the mobile Twitch app and start watching the streamer you want to donate to. Once their stream is open, tap anywhere on the playback area to reveal the media controls, then tap their Twitch profile picture to go to their profile.
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Tap the About tab on the streamer’s profile, then scroll down and find the donate button. Press it.
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Confirm that you want to go to their external donation page, then fill out all fields to finish making your donation.
How to Cheer on Twitch (Twitch Bits)
Twitch Bits are a premium digital currency that can be used to Cheer or activate certain stream extensions that a streamer may have added underneath their stream. You must buy Twitch Bits beforehand to Cheer or use extensions.
You must purchase Twitch Bits from the website. In certain areas of the world, you can watch ads for free Bits, or, in Canada, there is a promotion where you can get 50 Bits for redeeming associated candy bar codes. 100 Bits costs $1.40, 500 Bits costs $7, 1500 Bits costs $19.95, 5000 Bits costs $64.40, 10000 Bits costs $126, and 25000 Bits costs $308.
Desktop
Open Twitch on your computer and start watching the streamer you want to donate to. In chat, click the diamond-shaped Twitch Bits button.
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Click on the option for how many Bits you want to use to Cheer. If you want your message to appear on-screen, type it in after Cheer[insert number].
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Click the Chat button to send your message.
Mobile
Open the Twitch mobile app and start watching the streamer you want to donate to. Tap the diamond-shaped Twitch Bits button in the Send a message field.
Select how many Twitch Bits you want to Cheer and the animated emoticon you wish to use. Add your message after the Cheer[insert number] text when ready.
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Send your message to finish donating.
If using an external donate button, Twitch takes nothing from the donation. Twitch takes around 30% of the initial Twitch Bits purchase, but nothing from any Bits donated to the streamer.
