Twitch badges are small icons that appear next to usernames in chat. They indicate a viewer's role, subscription status, or relationship to the channel. Some badges are global (the same everywhere on Twitch), while others are channel-specific and customizable by the streamer.
This guide covers every type of Twitch badge — what they look like, what they mean, and how viewers and streamers get them.
All Twitch Badge Types
| Badge | Type | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcaster | Channel | Automatic — appears in your own channel's chat |
| Moderator | Channel | Granted by the channel owner (/mod username) |
| VIP | Channel | Granted by the channel owner (/vip username) |
| Subscriber | Channel | Subscribe to the channel (Tier 1/2/3) |
| Founder | Channel | Be one of the first 10 subscribers to a channel |
| Bits / Cheer | Channel | Cheer Bits in the channel (tiered by total amount) |
| Sub Gifter | Channel | Gift subscriptions in the channel (tiered by total gifts) |
| Hype Train Conductor | Channel | Be the top contributor during a Hype Train event |
| Predictions | Channel | Participate in a Channel Points Prediction |
| Artist | Channel | Granted by the channel owner to their emote/art creator |
| Twitch Staff | Global | Twitch employee — cannot be earned |
| Admin | Global | Twitch admin — cannot be earned |
| Global Moderator | Global | Twitch global moderator — cannot be earned |
| Twitch Partner (Verified) | Global | Achieve Twitch Partner status |
| Prime Gaming | Global | Link an Amazon Prime account to Twitch |
| Turbo | Global | Subscribe to Twitch Turbo ($11.99/month) |
Channel Badges
Channel badges are specific to individual channels. The same viewer can have different badges on different channels depending on their relationship with each streamer.
Broadcaster
The broadcaster badge automatically appears next to the channel owner's name in their own chat. It cannot be customized or removed. Every channel has one.
Moderator
A green sword icon granted by the channel owner using /mod username in chat. Moderators can timeout and ban users, enable slow mode and subscriber-only mode, and manage chat settings. Streamers can mod and unmod users at any time.
VIP
A pink diamond icon granted by the channel owner using /vip username in chat. VIPs are exempt from slow mode and follower-only mode, and their messages are not affected by AutoMod. This badge is typically given to trusted community members, friends, or top supporters. Streamers earn VIP slots by hitting community milestones.
Subscriber (Loyalty Badges)
Subscriber badges appear next to the names of viewers who subscribe to a channel. These are the primary badges that streamers can customize — covered in detail in the section below.
Founder
The Founder badge is given to the first 10 subscribers of a channel. It's a permanent badge that cannot be changed or reassigned. If a Founder unsubscribes, the badge stays visible when they resubscribe. Founders are displayed in chat with a numbered badge (1-10). This badge is one of the rarest on Twitch — once all 10 slots are filled, no new Founder badges can be earned on that channel.
Bits / Cheer Badges
Viewers earn Bits badges by cheering (using Bits) in a channel. The badge level increases with the total number of Bits cheered in that specific channel over time. Bit badge tiers: 1, 100, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000, 75,000, 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, 500,000, 600,000, 700,000, 800,000, 900,000, and 1,000,000 Bits. Streamers can upload custom Bits badge images for each tier.
Sub Gifter
Awarded to viewers who gift subscriptions in a channel. The badge level increases with the total number of gift subs given. Tiers: 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1,000 gifts.
Hype Train Conductor
The top contributor (by Bits or subs) during a Hype Train event receives the Conductor badge for that channel. Hype Trains trigger when a channel receives a surge of support (subs, Bits, gift subs) within a short time period.
Artist
Granted by the channel owner to the creator who made their emotes, badges, or other channel art. This badge is a way for streamers to credit their artist publicly in chat.
Global Badges
Global badges look the same on every channel and cannot be customized by streamers.
Twitch Staff / Admin / Global Moderator
These badges identify Twitch employees and platform-level moderators. They cannot be earned — they're assigned by Twitch to their own staff. You'll occasionally see Staff badges in larger streams during events.
Twitch Partner (Verified)
A purple checkmark badge that appears next to the names of Twitch Partners globally. This is distinct from the Affiliate program — Partners have met higher requirements (typically 75+ average viewers, regular streaming schedule, and an established community). The badge appears on every channel, not just the Partner's own.
Prime Gaming
A purple crown badge displayed for users who have linked their Amazon Prime (or Prime Gaming) account to Twitch. Prime Gaming includes one free channel subscription per month, exclusive loot for games, and this badge. The badge is visible on every channel.
Turbo
A purple lightning bolt badge for subscribers to Twitch Turbo ($11.99/month). Turbo removes ads across all of Twitch and provides expanded emote sets, custom chat name colors, and priority customer support. The badge is visible on every channel.
Subscriber Loyalty Badges: Tiers and Milestones
Subscriber loyalty badges are the main customizable badges for Twitch streamers. When a viewer subscribes to your channel, they receive a subscriber badge that evolves the longer they stay subscribed.
Available milestone slots
| Milestone | Affiliate | Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Base (new subscriber) | Yes | Yes |
| 2 months | Yes | Yes |
| 3 months | Yes | Yes |
| 6 months | Yes | Yes |
| 9 months | Yes | Yes |
| 1 year | Yes | Yes |
| 2 years | Yes | Yes |
| 3 years | Yes | Yes |
| 4 years | Yes | Yes |
| 5 years | Yes | Yes |
| 6-10 years | No | Yes |
Both Affiliates and Partners can customize badges for milestones up to 5 years. Partners get additional slots up to 10 years. Affiliates originally had fewer milestone slots, but Twitch has expanded them over time.
In addition to loyalty milestones, you can set separate badges for Tier 2 and Tier 3 subscribers. This lets viewers show that they subscribe at a higher price point ($9.99 Tier 2 or $24.99 Tier 3 vs. the standard $4.99 Tier 1).
How to Upload Custom Subscriber Badges
You must be a Twitch Affiliate or Partner to upload custom subscriber badges. Here's how:
- Go to your Twitch Creator Dashboard
- Navigate to Settings → Affiliate (or Partner)
- Scroll down to the Loyalty Badges section
- Click on the milestone slot you want to customize
- Upload your badge images in all three required sizes (see requirements below)
- Click Save Changes
Changes may take a few minutes to appear in chat. Existing subscribers will see the updated badge on their next chat message.
Badge image requirements
- Three sizes required: 18x18 px, 36x36 px, and 72x72 px
- Format: PNG with transparent background
- Maximum file size: 25 KB per image
- Static only: Animated badges (GIFs) are not supported — subscriber badges must be static images
Design your badges at 72x72 px first, then scale down to 36x36 and 18x18. Test that details remain visible at the smallest size — badges appear at 18x18 in most chat windows, so overly detailed designs will be unreadable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sub badges are there on Twitch?
Affiliates can customize up to 10 subscriber loyalty badges (Base through 5 years). Partners can customize up to 15+ milestones (Base through 10 years). In addition, both can set separate badges for Tier 2 and Tier 3 subscribers at each milestone. If you don't upload custom badges, Twitch displays its default subscriber badges.
How do I get badges on Twitch as a viewer?
Most badges are earned automatically: subscribe to a channel for the subscriber badge, cheer Bits for the Bits badge, gift subs for the Sub Gifter badge, or link Amazon Prime for the Prime Gaming badge. The VIP badge must be granted by a channel owner — you can't earn it through a specific action. The Founder badge is only available to the first 10 subscribers of a channel.
Can I choose which Twitch badge to display?
Yes. If you have multiple badges on a channel, you can select which one appears in chat. Click the chat badge icon (next to the chat input box) to choose between your available badges. You can only display one channel badge and one global badge at a time.
What size do Twitch badges need to be?
Twitch requires three sizes for each badge: 18x18, 36x36, and 72x72 pixels. Format must be PNG with transparent background. Maximum file size is 25 KB per image. Animated images are not supported.
Do I need to be a Partner to have custom sub badges?
No. Both Twitch Affiliates and Partners can upload custom subscriber badges. Affiliates get milestone slots up to 5 years; Partners get slots up to 10 years. The ability to customize badges was originally Partner-only but has been available to Affiliates for several years.
What is the Founder badge on Twitch?
The Founder badge is given to the first 10 subscribers of a channel. It's permanent and cannot be earned after all 10 slots are filled. Each Founder gets a numbered badge (1-10). It's one of the rarest badges on Twitch because it can only exist for 10 people per channel, ever.
