What Are Subs on Twitch – Important Things to Know (2024)

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Twitch subscription is a feature available to Twitch Partners and Twitch Affiliates that enables them to earn a certain amount of money.

However, this feature is not available for regular viewers, but they can still subscribe to channels and get certain perks set by the streamer in return like free emotes, for example.

Subscribing is not the same as following. Following a channel on Twitch is comparable to following a page on Instagram. On the other hand, subscribing means showing community and financial support to a Twitch channel.

Let’s find out what are subs on Twitch, how to subscribe to a channel, how much money streamers can generate, how the free subscription works, and how to attract more subscribers in the Twitch community.

What Are Subs on Twitch

Twitch Channel Subscription

Twitch subscriptions are monthly payments made to Twitch Partners and Affiliates that act as donations for your favorite streamer.

Of course, you can subscribe to more than one channel. In that way, Twitch Partners and Affiliates receive revenue that helps them continue with their streaming sessions and support their lives, while subscribers receive some subscription benefits in return.

Before you decide to subscribe to someone’s channel, make sure you have read the streamer’s page thoroughly so you know what’s in store for you. The benefits you can get as a subscriber are written in the Twitch about me section.

Twitch Subscription Benefits

Some of the exclusive perks you can get are listed below. The subscription works in the same way for both Twitch Partners and Affiliates despite the fact that Partners have a higher rank and more features available.

As a subscriber, you can get more emotes and use them in chat rooms even outside the channel you have subscribed to. The number of channels emotes is often related to the number of subscribers a channel has, so it varies from channel to channel.

Next, you can get subscriber badges, icons that appear next to your name that show your loyalty to a specific Twitch channel. Star is the typical one, but you can customize your own.

In addition, as a paying subscriber, you can join an exclusive chatroom created by Twitch Partners and Affiliates and seize the chance to comment on the most popular Twitch channels. They can also host special contests in which you can win various prizes ranging from a set of cups to video consoles.

Finally, Twitch Affiliates and Partners can provide you with an ad-free viewing experience, so you don’t get annoyed by undesirable ads. Most viewers like ad-free prime gaming and special competitions.

It is up to you to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of being a subscriber to one such channel and paying a monthly subscription.

How Much Does a Twitch Subscription Cost?

You can get three sub-tiers for the Twitch subscriptions and the cost is defined according to which one you choose.

You pay for subscriptions on a monthly basis or in bulk payments for multiple months. Tier 1 costs $4.99, tier 2 costs $9.99 (+ an extra emote) and tier 3 costs $24.99 (+ two extra emotes).

How Much Does a Streamer Get?

Twitch Partners and Affiliates receive fifty percent of the total subscription depending on the type of the tier.

Of course, they can receive more than fifty percent in cases when Twitch wants to encourage them to remain active on the Twitch platform. Also, always make sure you know exactly what perks you get.

How Can You Subscribe to a Twitch Channel?

  • Firstly, open the Twitch website on your preferred browser on your computer.
  • Sign in to your account and open the Twitch channel you want to support and subscribe to.
  • Click the Subscribe button which you can see in the top center of the page.
  • You will then see a new drop-down menu asking you whether you want to subscribe via Twitch primer or payment.
  • Now you need to choose the tier. You can choose the default amount of $4.99 per month (tier 1) or select All Paid Tiers to choose between tier 2 and tier 3 and see the perks you are offered for each.
  • Next, insert the payment method you will be using: Paypal, credit card, cash, gift cards, and crypto.
  • Having chosen the payment preference, you are officially a subscriber to the channel.

Free Monthly Subscription with Twitch Prime

Twitch Prime is an exclusive feature offered to premium memberships. It enables you to watch streams on your favorite channels without ads on all channels, and you can also get animated emotes, badges, and similar.

What’s more, with Twitch Prime you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription to Twitch Partners and Affiliates if it costs $4.99 (tier 1) and yet you get exactly the same benefits. You only need to renew it every month.

The process is the same as in the case of a paid subscription, clicking the subscribe button, with one exception.

Instead of selecting your preferred method of paying, select the option Start Your Free Trial and it will start on the same day.

Here is a cool tip. If you are already an Amazon subscriber, you can unlock this premium subscription through Amazon Prime.

Canceling Twitch Subscriptions

You can unsubscribe from a Twitch channel anytime by deciding not to renew the subscription. You will be subscribed to a channel as long as your paid period lasts, but after that, you will cease to be a subscriber to the channel. You can only unsubscribe on your PC, not via the Twitch app on your phone.

To do that, sign in to your Twitch account, go to the menu and select Subscriptions – Payment Info – Don’t Renew.

By clicking the last button (Don’t Renew), you agree to cancel your subscription. At this point, you will be asked to provide feedback and reasons for canceling the subscription. This step is optional, not mandatory.

In case you change your mind after canceling the subscription, you can re-subscribe within 30 days from the date of cancellation.

Finally, you can always change the preferred tier (price you are currently paying). Open your web browser on the PC and open the channel you want to change the amount of payment.

Click Subscribed and check out the offered perks for each rate. Click Subscribe Now. The new subscription will commence immediately.

Gift Subs

Gift Subs

Gifted subs (gift subscriptions) are allocated to other users by a streamer. Gifted subs have access to the same subscription benefits as regular subs such as emotes for the chat. As a gifted sub, you also get a badge that disappears once you lose that function.

Simply find the user you want to gift a sub to, click their username and Gift a sub. Don’t gift random people, though. Sub Tier window will then appear. You also get the same amount of money as for regular subs.

DID YOU KNOW: Ludwig Ahgren is one of the most popular streamers ever. He has set the new record with over 283,066 subscribers.

How to Get More Subscribers on Twitch

First of all, try to get at least 50 followers, have broadcasts lasting about 500 minutes over the last 30 days, out of which 7 need to be unique. This will lead Twitch to invite you to become their Affiliate.

Broadcast quality, fun, and engaging content and let your personality shine through. You can have channel panels with information about yourself, your schedule, and perks for a subscription.

There are more methods to attract new viewers and subscribers. For example, add stream overlays and use twitch extensions as this will greatly impact the overall experience of your viewers.

Promote your channel on Discord, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and any other social media. This will increase your audience and your chances for success.

Final Words

As a Partner or Affiliate, you have the possibility to offer community support and help your favorite streamer to grow, while stashing away some cash and getting some nice perks as you play games or stream.

However, this option isn’t mandatory and it is up to you to weigh the pros and cons. You can still watch stream sessions, participate in the chatroom and be part of the Twitch community. Hopefully, these detailed guides have given you relevant insight into Twitch subscriptions.

FAQ

Do you get paid for subs on Twitch?

Yes, you can generate some revenue on your channel page if you are Twitch Partner or Twitch Affiliate from your paying subscribers. Many streamers earn their living in this way. However, viewers and other streamers don’t yet get paid for streaming.

How much does a Twitch streamer make per sub?

This varies according to the twitch subscription amount (three tiers): $4.99, $9.99, or $24.99. You can get at least 50% of the total amount per month, sometimes more, but most streamers get 50%.

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author on the blog

Stefan Mitrovic

Stefan is a long-time content creator and one of the Stream Mentor's co-founders. He's a tech geek and a Dota 2 player (not even a good one) who wanted to help others become professional streamers and earn from the comfort of their home.