- Twitch's cut of subs: the three splits
- How Plus Points move your Twitch sub split
- How much Twitch pays per sub by tier
- Prime Gaming subs and Twitch's fixed rate
- Gift subs and what Twitch takes
- How to keep more of every Twitch sub
- When your Twitch sub money arrives
- Twitch sub split checklist
- Frequently asked questions
Twitch takes half of net subscription revenue on the default 50/50 split. Through its Plus Program, Twitch's cut drops to 40% for streamers who keep 100 Plus Points for three consecutive months, and to 30% at 300 Plus Points. Prime Gaming subs pay a fixed rate by country instead, and your exact share is shown in your dashboard.
Subs are the most reliable money on Twitch, so it's natural to want to know how much of each one you keep. The headline split is easy to find. What most guides skip is the detail: which subs count towards a better split, what comes off before the split, and why a Prime sub pays differently. I've pieced it together from Twitch's own pages and the reporting on its Plus Program.
Twitch's cut of subs: the three splits
| Your status | Twitch keeps | You keep | What qualifies you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default | 50% | 50% | Any Affiliate or Partner |
| Plus Program, first tier | 40% | 60% | 100 Plus Points for three consecutive months |
| Plus Program, top tier | 30% | 70% | 300 Plus Points for three consecutive months |
TechCrunch reported the 50/50 default, and its coverage of the Plus Program reported the 60/40 tier and the 70/30 tier, whose threshold was lowered from 350 to 300 Plus Points. The same report said the programme is open to Affiliates as well as Partners, so you don't need a Partner badge to improve your split.
Twitch's streamer agreement adds the formal version: your fee is the percentage set forth in your dashboard of Net Revenue from paid or gifted channel subscriptions. Whatever any article says, your dashboard is the final word for your channel.
How Plus Points move your Twitch sub split
Plus Points are how Twitch measures whether you've earned a better split. TechCrunch reported the scoring like this:
- A Tier 1 sub counts as 1 point
- A Tier 2 sub counts as 2 points
- A Tier 3 sub counts as 6 points
You need to hold the target for three consecutive months, which rewards steady communities over one-off spikes. Twitch's original Partner Plus announcement described the 70/30 share as applying to net subscription revenue from recurring monthly subscriptions and gift subs.
There used to be a ceiling too. TechCrunch reported that Twitch lifted the 100,000 US dollar annual cap that once pushed top earners back to the lower rate. Today, a streamer who qualifies keeps the better split on all eligible sub revenue.
How much Twitch pays per sub by tier
Twitch's Partner page lists the subscription options as 5.99, 9.99 or 24.99 US dollars, plus the free Prime Gaming sub. Your share is a percentage of net revenue, not of those prices, so you can't simply halve the sticker price and call that your pay.
Here's why. The agreement says Net Revenue is what Twitch receives after billing or platform fees, taxes, refunds, chargebacks, discounts and currency exchange and transaction fees. A sub bought through a phone app store usually carries extra platform fees, and the agreement also says fees depend on the offering, which may include discounts, promotions and local pricing. So the same tier can pay you different amounts depending on where and how the viewer bought it.
Prime Gaming subs and Twitch's fixed rate
Prime subs follow a separate rule. Twitch's agreement says redeemed Subscription Tokens pay a fixed-rate fee based on the redeemer's country, not a share of Net Revenue. Insider Gaming reported the rates when the change came in: 2.25 US dollars per Prime sub from the US and Canada and 1.80 from the UK.
That means Twitch doesn't take a percentage of a Prime sub in the usual way; it pays you a set amount. Some streamers find Prime subs are a big part of their count, especially with gaming audiences, so it's worth reminding Amazon Prime members in your chat that they can use theirs on you.
Gift subs and what Twitch takes
Gift subs count as channel subscription revenue under Twitch's agreement, so the same split applies. Gift subs bought by a viewer for others are a common way for communities to celebrate a milestone stream, and they can lift your monthly sub income quickly.
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Twitch has also given streamers a way to gift subs themselves. Its blog says Spendable Balance lets you buy Bits and gift subs using your Twitch account balance, which can be a handy way to reward your community before you're eligible for a cash payout.
How to keep more of every Twitch sub
- Ask desktop viewers to subscribe on the website rather than in a phone app, where app store fees come off first.
- Build towards 100 Plus Points steadily; recurring paid subs are what count.
- Offer a reason to choose Tier 2 or Tier 3, such as extra emotes or a monthly sub-only stream, because higher tiers earn more points.
- Remind Prime members that their free sub can go to you.
- Check your revenue dashboard monthly to see your current split and whether you're on track for the next tier.
Chat-based support works on other platforms too. If you want to compare models, my review of Premium Chat, a platform for paid chats shows how a different split looks.
When your Twitch sub money arrives
Sub revenue joins the rest of your balance. Twitch's agreement says payments go out monthly, within 45 days after the end of each calendar month, and only once you're an Affiliate or Partner and you've passed the payout threshold. For the full picture of subs alongside ads, Bits and brand campaigns, my guide to how much Twitch pays streamers puts all the income streams side by side.
Twitch sub split checklist
| What | How it works | Source checked |
|---|---|---|
| Default split | 50/50 of net sub revenue | TechCrunch |
| Plus first tier | 60/40 at 100 Plus Points | TechCrunch |
| Plus top tier | 70/30 at 300 Plus Points | TechCrunch |
| Prime subs | Fixed rate by viewer's country | Twitch agreement, Insider Gaming |
| Your real share | Percentage in your dashboard | Twitch agreement |
Twitch's cut of subs isn't fixed for ever. It shrinks as your loyal subscriber base grows, which is a good reason to focus on keeping subs, not just winning them.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Twitch take from subs?
Twitch keeps 50% of net sub revenue by default, 40% for streamers on the Plus Program's first tier and 30% on the top tier, according to TechCrunch's reporting.
How much does Twitch pay per sub?
You get your split of the net revenue from each sub, after platform fees, taxes and similar deductions. Twitch's Partner page lists sub options of 5.99, 9.99 and 24.99 US dollars, but your share is calculated on net revenue.
Do Prime subs pay the same as paid subs?
No. Twitch pays a fixed rate for Prime subs based on the viewer's country. Insider Gaming reported 2.25 US dollars from the US and Canada and 1.80 from the UK.
Can Affiliates get the 70/30 split?
Yes. TechCrunch reported that the Plus Program is open to both Affiliates and Partners.
Do gift subs count towards Plus Points?
Twitch's agreement treats gifted subs as channel subscription revenue, but Plus Points are earned from recurring paid subs, so check your dashboard for how your gift subs are counted.
