Live streaming has substantially developed within the past decade and has become an indispensable game culture attribute. Being almost synonymous with broadcasting as a concept, Twitch has significantly grown and maintained its authority as a leading player in the gaming industry and a massive pile of miscellaneous content, including podcasts, public events, ASMR, DIYs, vlogs, and much more.
Of course, given the scope of Twitch's success, streaming has become a career of a dream for so many people because what can be better than earning a fortune demonstrating your game skills or just having fun and talking with your viewers? However, the question is whether you can make a healthy income this way. Let's find an answer to this and a bunch of other questions and determine how much Twitch streamers make and what sources of income they have.
How Much do Big Twitch Streamers Make?
There's no secret that the earnings of streamers might reach up to millions of dollars, which is obviously a lot of money. Twitch doesn't disclose specific figures, but plenty of big streamers tend to reveal their income, and their openness gives us a rough idea of what you should strive for. And what's even more interesting, a leak of confidential Twitch data that occurred in October 2021 revealed the earnings of about 100 biggest streamers from August 2019 to October 2021. The list of payouts was posted by Twitter user @KnowS0mething, and you can get acquainted with all the numbers here or in the list several paragraphs below.
The gross payouts of the top 100 highest-paid Twitch streamers from August 2019 until October 2021: pic.twitter.com/3Lj9pb2aBl
— KnowSomething (@KnowS0mething) October 6, 2021
The leaked payouts include only subscriptions and ad revenue, so all the sponsorships, direct donations, merch, and any earnings from streaming exclusively on Twitch are unaccounted. So in light of that, you can add another zero to the numbers and still underestimate their incomes which is crazy!
Of course, it's a bit presumptuous to expect to make the same amount of money as xQc or Ludwig, especially from the very beginning, but focusing on such experiences truly urges the desire to become a well-known name on Twitch.
How Much do Small Streamers Make on Twitch?
It's important to emphasize that almost every streamer is in constant search to increase the coverage of the audience. Still, it doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot maintain more or less decent earnings being a small one. Guesstimate equals anywhere from $100-$2000 per month and varies depending on the overall number of viewers, subscribers, donations, multiple other factors, and their correlation. Simply put, streamers are usually paid 50% of a $5 subscription ($2,5) while Twitch bears the rest, but big accounts can settle more appealing proportions.
Of course, money should be a minor priority when you start out because you'll make less than you expect initially, guaranteed. However, with channel growth and a proper effort, numbers will be much more favorable!
Let's analyze monetization methods one by one below to get closer to fulfilling your ambitions!
Twitch Monetization
First and foremost, you should appraise becoming a Twitch Affiliate or Twitch Partner to pull money straightly out of Twitch's pocket. After that, you'll get access to all the gripping features, including accepting tips and subscribers and running advertisements during your streams. Choose carefully, as the two paths have different terms and requirements, and you can discover them thoroughly in our article on how to make money on Twitch. The criteria for Twitch Affiliate are easier to meet, but Twitch Partnership justifies the means entirely because it allows running ads and significantly boosts your earnings.
In general, direct sources of income on Twitch include:
Subscriptions
Subscribers are likely the most reliable and predictable source of income because they pay a stable monthly fee to support your channel and for some extra features. Twitch keeps 50% of the money from all three subs ranges: $4.99, $9.99, and $24,99, so you receive $2.49, $4.99, and $12.49 from every follower.
Bits
Bits are Twitch's exclusive currency type that can be purchased through different packages, with the basic rule that 1 Bit equals 1 cent for streamers, and Twitch seizes 50% of the money. It's one of the most popular ways of making money because viewers support their favs and, at the same time, get some extra options like voting in polls, going up in the chat, receiving badges, and much more.
Ad Revenue
Every 1000 views of ads transform into $3.50 for a streamer, so it's a great way of an income if your channel is respectively big. Advertisements on Twitch function similarly to those on YouTube, but they're available only for Twitch Partners. The main disadvantage is that numerous people get annoyed by them quickly and have ad blockers which decrease revenue. It can be solved if you encourage people to disable adblockers to support the channel. Still, you should know your limits and not turn your videos into bulletin boards.
Mid-Stream Advertisements
Mid-stream ads usually run during breaks on broadcasts, and it's up to you to inform the audience that there will be an advertisement soon. As Ad revenue, they primarily depend on the number of views.
Donations
Receiving donations is quite popular among streamers, even though the bits' system is easier for subscribers. Twitch doesn't keep a percentage of the revenue, so it's a more profitable way to support favorite streamers.
Other Revenue Sources
Many alternative income strategies can also be linked to Twitch and help streamers firmly stand on their feet. Everyone has the opportunity to earn more money by combining the following methods:
Merchandise
Selling merchandise is an extra source of income for many Twitch channels. T-shirts, hoodies, soap, wigs, mouse pads – anything you come up with can be sold if you are captivating enough. Don't hesitate to create merch because someone on the other side of the screen might want to support you even if you're just starting a career.
Sponsorships
If your Twitch account gains a large following, you'll start receiving sponsorship suggestions from several businesses. Sponsorship deals depend on how hyped your profile is and can be immensely lucrative. On the other hand, some companies choose to work with smaller accounts paying attention to beginner streamers with appealing personalities and quality content, so there's always a chance!
Other Subscription-Based Services
Using third-party platforms like Patreon or Ko-fi may seem just a little bonus to your monthly budget, but they can always add cash in return for your extra content.
Affiliate Deals
Event broadcasters who haven't yet enabled Twitch monetization can engage with brands and earn a percentage of each sale through product referrals on their channel.
Twitch Ad Incentive Program
Twitch Ad Incentive Program has been introduced recently as a decision of the controversies concerning revenue split, which have been a stumbling block between the platform and big streamers for a long time. It is supposed to become a more convenient and predictable way to earn money from ads since it provides fixed revenue based on the Ads Manager feature and guarantees returns from showing advertisements.
To get started, go to the Ads Manager on your Creator Dashboard and search for an offer bar. Most of the Twitch Partners receive an offer, but you need to meet the following requirements:
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Minimum three months of streaming activity
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Twitch Partnership status
While many streamers are optimistic about innovations and claim that they cannot recommend Ad Incentive Program enough, some of the largest creators on Twitch, including Asmongold, Distortion2, and SweetAnita, aren't satisfied with incentives at all. The biggest problem was the overload of ads because, apparently, 8 minutes of commercials per hour is more than viewers and creators are used to. Fortunately, Twitch is preparing some significant adjustments to this program for 2023 to make it more flexible and mutually beneficial!
How Much do Top Twitch Streamers Make?
As per the leak mentioned earlier, here's the complete list of 100 Twitch Streamers ranked from highest to lowest revenue so that you know the wealthiest creators!
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CriticalRole – $9,626,712.16
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xQcOW – $8,454,427.17
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summit1g – $5,847,541.17
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Tfue – $5,295,582.44
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NICKMERCS – $5,096,642.12
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ludwig – $3,290,777.55
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TimTheTatman – $3,290,133.32
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Altoar – $3,053,839.94
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auronplay – $3,053,341.54
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LIRIK – $2,984,653.7
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DrDisrespect – $2,863,780.63
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Gaules – $2,844,985.18
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HasanAbi – $2,810,480.11
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Asmongold – $2,551,618.73
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loltyler1 – $2,490,584.9
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RanbooLive – $2,401,021.84
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MontanaBlack88 – $2,391,369.58
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ibai – $2,314,485.53
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Castro_1021 – $2,311,021.81
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MOONMOON – $2,236,043.55
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TheRealKnossi – $2,157,258.23
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moistcr1tikal – $2,098,742.63
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Mizkif – $2,086,548.21
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CohhCarnage – $2,061,059.29
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shroud – $2,040,503.15
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AdmiralBahroo – $1,985,892.39
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Pestily – $1,961,086.96
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Sykkuno – $1,916,327.43
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ESL_CSGO – $1,903,580.27
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LVNDMARK – $1,902,807.22
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DrLupo – $1,894,615.81
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AdinRoss – $1,854,656.42
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Clix – $1,843,917.31
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TeePee – $1,786,534.47
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Rubius – $1,764,965.15
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PaymoneyWubby – $1,756,486.29
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alanzoka – $1,731,716.65
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Trainwreckstv – $1,572,912.37
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pokimane – $1,528,303.11
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tommyinnit – $1,513,217.7
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Maximilian_DOOD – $1,499,562.93
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GRONKH – $1,481,291.05
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sodapoppin – $1,461,302.14
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ZeratoR – $1,440,221.4
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BobbyPoffGaming – $1,415,247.01
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Ninja – $1,378,791.48
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Philza – $1,364,215.61
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Amouranth – $1,363,346.32
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BruceGreene – $1,360,850.67
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50.Odablock – $1,354,805.74
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RayNarvaezJr – $1,335,520.12
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Symfuhny – $1,334,485.63
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dakotaz – $1,324,198.49
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ZanoXVII – $1,310,925.8
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SypherPK – $1,295,112.63
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Trymacs – $1,288,207.23
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TheGrefg – $1,286,765.09
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Papaplatte – $1,286,004.35
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JohnPitterTV – $1,215,717.01
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RATIRL – $1,214,440.08
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RocketLeague – $1,204,908.7
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NoWay4u_Sir – $1,188,728.95
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GamesDoneQuick – $1,185,456.44
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GernaderJake – $1,176,353.74
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fps_shaka – $1,173,280.3
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EsfandTV – $1,170,700.02
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buddha – $1,158,170.55
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Locklear – $1,155,665.61
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stylishnoob4 – $1,147,599.76
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ANGRYPUG – $1,146,888.15
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Sintica – $1,075,977.17
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Fresh – $1,073,254.63
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Quackity – $1,065,157.18
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RonnieRadke – $1,063,989.05
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Riot Games – $1,052,571.76
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KYR_SP33DY – $1,052,545.35
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Gladd – $1,045,687.54
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juansguarnizo – $1,034,709.27
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Bugha – $1,034,227.61
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NickEh30 – $1,027,976.4
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Tubbo – $1,000,504.31
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Pikabooirl – $994,116.76
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RatedEpicz – $987,866.88
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Swagg – $984,854.8
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Shotz – $984,477.46
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CDNThe3rd – $976,750.53
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Tumblurr – $960,316.77
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Aydan – $953,042.02
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ops1x – $947,355.14
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scump – $946,332.99
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BarbarousKing – $933,633.48
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julien – $918,684.35
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mang0 – $916,857.66
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Kitboga – $915,795.53
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chocoTaco – $913,022.39
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alexelcapo – $911,427.22
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Anomaly – $908,794.96
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Jerma985 – $906,602
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The8BitDrummer – $895,020.23
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TSM_ImperialHal – $886,999.17
Summary
Twitch seems like a dream of quick money, but it's more challenging than it looks. However, the game is worth the candle if you are confident in becoming a streamer, ready to work hard, and enjoy the process! Twitch is more popular than ever, so now is the perfect time to get the most out of it.
