Sometimes you might come across a streamer that you genuinely enjoy and want to support them by donating on Twitch.
They could be a nice person working towards their dreams of becoming a pro in a game or becoming a successful full-time streamer. They could’ve made a hilarious joke that you appreciated or shared valuable tips that helped you improve in a game.
You might have thought once or twice about supporting this streamer and helping them with their goals. If so, one of the easiest ways to support them is by subscribing or donating.
If you are wondering just how to donate on Twitch, this guide will show you the 5 main donation methods and exactly how to do each.
5 Best Ways to Donate to Your Favorite Twitch Streamer
Some people who are new on Twitch might not always know how to offer their support to a streamer. The truth is, there are many ways you can support your favorite Twitch streamer.
You can give support by doing something as simple as following, watching, chatting, or lurking. If you want to provide them with some monetary support, you can do so by getting them one of these gifts for streamers, subscribing to them, or giving them some bits.
However, Twitch does take a bit of a cut when you subscribe or drop bits. For this reason, it might be a better choice to just donate to them directly.
Direct donations cut out the middleman (Twitch) so that your favorite streamer gets 100% of the amount you’ve given.
Let’s take a look at the different ways you can offer your support by donating.
1. Donate on Twitch Directly
As we’ve mentioned, one of the best ways to offer your support to a streamer is by donating to them directly. The direct donation means the streamer will get 100% of your money because Twitch does not take a cut this way.
This method also doesn’t require the streamer to be affiliated or partnered, making it the easiest and most convenient method. If you want to donate directly, the streamer must have already set it up (through PayPal or other third-party companies).
To give your donation (on the computer), visit your streamer’s channel and scroll down to their Twitch panels. Look for their “Donate” panel, which often contains the link through which you can send cash.
Once you click on the link, it should show you the options you can fill in. You can input your username, the amount you would like to donate, and any donation message you’d like to leave (often read by a text-to-speech bot).
If you are giving through third-party services like Streamlabs, you may be allowed to choose a GIF to go along with your donation.
Payment is often made via PayPal (through your PayPal balance or card) or through cryptocurrency if this method is activated.
2. Purchasing Through Streamer Affiliate Links
Sometimes, streamers may have partnerships with brands. Alternatively, they could also be sponsored or working with companies that market to gamers.
In either case, chances are they may have affiliate links through which the Twitch streamer can earn some passive income. If you are on the streamer’s page and notice links or images that state they are partnered or sponsored with a company, you can often get a discount code to use when you purchase.
Using the streamer’s discount code usually grants you a small discount (anywhere from 5-15%, sometimes more depending) on your total amount.
Streamers often partner with companies to help you get a discount on games, content, gaming equipment, or even sports drinks.
For this reason, it’s always a great idea to check out your favorite streamer’s page for any affiliate links if you are looking to buy new games or upgrade your gaming or streaming setup.
When you purchase from a streamer’s affiliate link or through their discount code, they often get a small percentage in passive income at no extra charge for you.
The streamer will usually also get a small amount if you purchase an item through an Amazon extension on their page.
If your favorite Twitch streamer has some merchandise for sale, you can also purchase something to offer your support! Often they will have apparel, mugs, keychains, stickers, mousepads, and more.
3. Support a Streamer Through Subscriptions
One of the most popular ways to donate to a streamer on Twitch is by subscribing to them. Subscribing allows all three parties to benefit – you get ad-free viewing, subscriber perks, and channel emotes.
Twitch gets a percentage of the amount for their bottom line. And, of course, the streamer gets their cut, too. Twitch partners get a larger cut than affiliates – but a sub will put a smile on any streamer’s face regardless.
Tier 1, 2, or 3 Subscriptions
These subscriptions cost $4.99/mo, $14.99/mo, and $24.99/mo, respectively.
There isn’t much of a difference between Tier 1, 2, and 3 – the main differences are higher tiers have exclusive emotes and sub badges.
Related: How to unsub on Twitch
Twitch Prime Subscriptions
If you link your account with Amazon Prime or Prime Video to your Twitch account, you get one free Twitch Prime subscription every month.
Related: How to cancel Twitch Prime
4. Gifting Subscriptions
If you would like to share the love with the streamer’s community, you can gift subscriptions to randomly chosen people (or to specific viewers). To gift a subscription, simply scroll down a streamer’s page to the “Gift a Sub” button.
Click the link, and you will be taken to a window where you have various options, such as the number of subs you’d like to gift, whether you’d like to gift anonymously, and whether you want to gift to a specific viewer.
Note: The cost will vary depending on the number of gift subs and your currency.
5. Donate on Twitch with Bits
If the Twitch streamer is an affiliate or partner and you’re looking for a way to donate on Twitch without PayPal, or through a 3rd-party, you can choose to support streamers through giving them Twitch’s currency: bits.
You can purchase bits from Twitch and spend them at the streamer’s channel. One bit equals 1 US cent when donated. However, they do cost you more to purchase, since Twitch adds a bit on top for their profits.
In some cases, you can earn some bits for free by watching some ads on Twitch.
There you have it, all the best ways to donate to your favorite Twitch streamer!
Now get out there and have fun making someone’s day. 🙂
