How to make money and get paid on Twitch in 2025

Twitch dominates the live-streaming industry, hosting millions of concurrent viewers and streamers, and in 2025, the platform is expected to continue its trend of innovation and growth in the realm of payments. The platform supports a broad array of content types—from gaming and esports to creative arts and casual chats—making it a versatile space for content creators to build engaged communities and monetize effectively. As more streamers seek to capitalize on their audiences, Twitch will likely enhance its payment mechanisms, offering new ways for creators to earn revenue through subscriptions, donations, and merchandise sales, thereby solidifying its position as a leader in the live-streaming landscape.

In 2025, earning money on Twitch has become more achievable for content creators due to the platform’s enhanced monetization options and an expanding audience. Twitch streamers can tap into multiple revenue sources such as subscriptions, Twitch ads, and donations while forming valuable partnerships with brands. The launch of new tools designed to boost viewer engagement has enabled creators to cultivate stronger communities, which can result in increased financial support. By concentrating on delivering high-quality content, interacting with followers, and keeping up with the latest trends in the streaming world, Twitch users can effectively start monetizing their channels. Understanding how much do Twitch streamers make and the various ways to earn money can help aspiring creators turn their Twitch channels into profitable ventures. To succeed on Twitch, it’s essential to promote your Twitch account, engage with viewers, and consistently produce content that resonates with your audience. As Twitch continues to grow, those who level up their Twitch channels and adapt to changes in monetization will likely see the greatest success in earning money online.

Twitch streamers earn revenue through several key programs and methods:

  1. Twitch Affiliate and Partner Programs
  2. Twitch Bits
  3. Viewer Donations

Twitch Programs

Twitch streamers earn in various ways as the platform evolves in 2025. Becoming a Twitch affiliate is a key step to start making money on Twitch. To qualify, streamers need 50 followers, 500 broadcast minutes per month, and an average of 3 concurrent viewers. Once accepted, they can offer subscriptions, boosting income through their Twitch channel. The Twitch Partner program offers even greater monetization opportunities, requiring 25 streaming hours over the past month, 12 unique days, and an average of 75 viewers. This program enables earnings from Twitch subscriptions, ad revenue, and brand deals. Many wonder how much Twitch streamers make; top streamers can achieve significant income through these strategies. Learning how to monetize effectively can lead to success on Twitch. By creating a Twitch account and establishing effective stream schedules, streamers can grow on Twitch and earn extra money, turning their passion into profit.

Twitch Bits

Twitch Bits is Twitch’s native currency, allowing viewers to support streamers and a popular way to earn money on Twitch. In 2025, many Twitch streamers will rely on this monetization method, creating rewards systems to encourage donations through exclusive chat access or emotes. While Twitch typically pays streamers 1 cent per Bit, this can significantly boost their income when combined with other revenue streams. As Twitch creators grow and attract more concurrent viewers, they can monetize through Twitch subscriptions and ads. By promoting their Twitch channel and creating engaging content, streamers can turn their channels into profitable ventures. Whether through the Twitch affiliate program or becoming a Twitch partner, there are essential steps to start making money on Twitch, and diversifying income sources can help streamers earn more.

Donations

Donations provide a significant revenue stream for many streamers. Unlike subscriptions, donations go directly to the streamer, though transaction fees may apply. Donations are a primary way to make money on Twitch, helping streamers become full-time broadcasters. Even with a small audience, interesting content can yield good donations. In 2025, earning money on Twitch is evolving, with streamers exploring ways to monetize their Twitch channels effectively. Securing donations is crucial as Twitch’s popularity grows. Streamers earn through various sources like ad revenue and subscriptions, so understanding the steps to start making money on Twitch is vital. As Twitch streamers consider their monthly earnings, focusing on building a loyal audience and increasing concurrent viewers can boost their income in 2025.

Payment Platforms for making money on Twitch 

In 2025, many Twitch streamers are exploring various ways to earn money on the platform. Here is the list of popular payment methods for Twitch earnings: 

  1. Paypal
  2. Paper Check
  3. Bank Wire Transfers
  4. Credit/Debit Cards
  5. Skrill

Understanding how to monetize your Twitch channel effectively is crucial for success. 

PayPal

PayPal is one of the most common ways for Twitch streamers to receive their earnings from the Twitch affiliate program, partner payouts, and donations. As a well-established payment processor, PayPal has been around for over two decades and is known for its customer-friendly approach. Many Twitch streamers appreciate PayPal for its ease of use and straightforward design. As long as users follow PayPal’s terms, they can expect a good experience. However, it’s important to note that PayPal may not be the best option for processing donations and Twitch payouts. Recently, PayPal raised its donation fees for Twitch streamers. Now, for every $1 donation, streamers only receive 48 cents, which is significantly less than before. This increase in fees can negatively impact the income of smaller streamers who rely on donations. Regarding Twitch payouts, the situation is also challenging. While Twitch partners and affiliates in the US only pay a $0.25 fee for withdrawals, those outside the US face a $5 fee for each payout. This can make it harder for international streamers to earn money on Twitch.

Paper Check

Paper checks are one way to receive a payout on Twitch. This method is available only to Twitch streamers who are part of the Affiliate and Partner programs, as they earn income from subscriptions and Bits donations. While paper checks may seem outdated in many countries, they offer a secure way to get paid on Twitch. Using paper checks allows streamers to keep their banking information private. Even if a check is stolen, it is difficult to cash it without providing a signature and ID. However, keep in mind that it may take over a week for checks sent by Twitch to arrive, making it a slower option for getting your earnings.

Bank Wire Transfers

A bank wire transfer is a secure way to get paid by Twitch. As streaming on Twitch grows, many wonder how much Twitch streamers can make in 2025. Streamers can earn money through Twitch subscriptions, bits, and ad revenue. For those looking to monetize, joining the Twitch affiliate program or striving for partner status can provide more ways to earn online. Top Twitch streamers leverage multiple income streams, making Twitch monetization key for success. Twitch streamers can promote their accounts and grow their audience, increasing their earnings through viewer engagement and concurrent viewers.

Credit/Debit Cards

Twitch is a popular live streaming platform, and as we approach 2025, many are curious about how to earn money on Twitch. While Twitch doesn’t directly offer credit or debit cards for payouts, streamers can accept donations via these methods. However, using cards can result in chargebacks, affecting streamers’ bank accounts. To start monetizing, many turn to services like Stream Labs for donation alerts. Joining the Twitch affiliate or partner program can further enhance monetization through subscriptions and ad revenue. In 2025, streamers can earn online via Twitch bits and donations, making it possible to generate income while streaming. With effective strategies and schedules, many Twitch streamers can achieve significant earnings and turn their Twitch channels into profitable ventures.

Skrill

Skrill is a popular donation option for streamers, offering more currencies than PayPal and free cross-border transaction fees. As we approach 2025, many Twitch streamers are learning how to make money online through donations and utilizing the Twitch affiliate program and Twitch partner program for additional income streams. Understanding how much Twitch streamers make and average Twitch streamer earnings can help creators set realistic goals. By promoting their Twitch stream and engaging concurrent viewers, streamers can grow their Twitch channels into profitable ventures, making it easier for viewers to support them through subscriptions and donations.

Advantages of using crypto on Twitch

Security

Cryptocurrencies are secure mediums of exchange, governed by blockchain technology. Blockchain ensures trust through decentralization, cryptography, and consensus. Transactions are bundled into blocks, forming an unbreakable chain. Each transaction is validated only after reaching consensus, making data tampering virtually impossible. This eliminates chargeback fraud, as all transactions are irreversible. Blockchain offers a superior level of security.

Transparency

Cryptocurrency transactions are usually transparent, allowing everyone to access information about each transaction recorded on the blockchain. Twitch streamers can take advantage of this by showing their audience how much they earn from donations. However, some streamers prefer to keep this information private. They can use cryptocurrencies like Monero, which provides more privacy by making transactions untraceable, helping them manage their income on Twitch without revealing details.

Speed

Crypto transactions are extremely fast. Even Bitcoin, whose transactions are not the quickest of all, can be sent and received within seconds using the Lightning Network. Additionally, cryptocurrencies like NANO and DASH can be transferred in seconds by default.

Fees

It has been noted that platforms like PayPal often take significant fees from payments. However, streamers who opt for cryptocurrency transactions can potentially earn more money, particularly if they select the right coins. For instance, using XRP for transactions incurs a fee of less than a cent, allowing the streamer to receive nearly the full amount of their donations. This approach could be a smart way for twitch streamers to increase their twitch income and maximize their earnings on the platform.

Get crypto donations on Twitch with NOWPayments

If you are a twitch streamer looking to earn money on your twitch channel, consider adding crypto donations using NOWPayments. We offer a simple button that you can place on your twitch account. By clicking this button, your viewers can easily donate to you using their cryptocurrency. You can choose from over 100 cryptocurrencies to feature as donation options.

If you prefer to receive payments in traditional currency, NOWPayments provides a crypto-to-fiat conversion feature, automatically changing your viewers’ crypto donations into fiat currency.

Offering crypto donations can help twitch streamers grow their audience. Not everyone can donate using standard methods like PayPal. However, with cryptocurrencies, there are almost no restrictions. Regardless of where your viewers are located, they can effortlessly send crypto donations since blockchain technology knows no boundaries.

Sell merch for crypto

Every twitch streamer is constantly looking for ways to make money on twitch. Selling merchandise is a popular method to create an additional income stream and connect with more viewers online. Fans enjoy supporting twitch streamers, especially when they receive high-quality products in return. Whether it’s a great gaming session or a stylish t-shirt, people are willing to pay for it. Streamers can boost their merchandise earnings by accepting cryptocurrency payments. Cryptocurrency transaction fees are typically low, allowing streamers to charge less for their products. NOWPayments provides various tools for handling cryptocurrency payments. For example, streamers can sell merch using crypto invoices and a web-based Point-of-Sale terminal. Those who run their merchandise stores on platforms like PrestaShop, WooCommerce, Magento 2, WHMCS, OpenCart, Zen Cart, Shopify, and Shopware can use special plugins to simplify the payment process and start earning more.