How To Setup Donations On Twitch: Beginner’s Guide
It’s certainly possible to make money through live streaming on Twitch. Truth is, a lot of people do it today — and some earn so much that they’re able to make it their full-time job.
If you’re planning to make a Twitch channel and earn by streaming games or doing variety streams, know that it’s certainly a viable option.
But until you secure advertisers or do merch, the way you’re going to make money would be through donations.
In this post, you’re going to learn how to set up donations for your Twitch account. That way, you could start receiving fan donations so you can keep your lights on and upgrade your setup as needed.
Setting up Twitch donations
There are multiple donation methods that you could use. Each one of them has its own set of pros and cons.
Below are just some of the best ways to receive donations on Twitch along with instructions on how to set each one up.
Twitch Bits
Twitch Bits are a virtual currency that Twitch users can buy and gift to their favorite streamers. A viewer can use Twitch Bots by sending a “cheer” through chat.
It’s the only official way to donate to a Twitch streamer. However, you’d have to be a Twitch Affiliate or Partner to have this option. That means this method isn’t for everyone. But it’s still worth mentioning.
In addition, Twitch Bits have to be bought online. Fees can vary depending on what platform you’re on. Sometimes buying Bits through the Twitch mobile app is more expensive, likely due to associated app store fees.
But there are perks for Twitch users who choose to donate through Bits. When they Cheer, they get to use custom chat badges and exclusive emotes.
There’s also a leaderboard feature. If they donate enough, they can see their username right at the very top.
So how much are Bits anyway?
At the time of writing, 100 Bits will cost you $1.40. 500 Bits is about $7. 1,500 Bits is $19.95. 5,000 Bits is $64.40 while 10,000 Bits is $126. You can buy 25,000 Bits for $308.
Users can buy Bits through Amazon Payments and PayPal.
Chances are these values may change so be sure to confirm this on the Twitch website.
How to set up Twitch Bits
Go to your Twitch channel and click your profile icon. It should be on the upper-right corner of the screen. Once clicked, a drop-down menu will appear.
Click Creator Dashboard.
If you qualify for Twitch Bits, you should have access to the Affiliate or Partner donation settings. Click on it and look for Bits and Cheering. There should be a button that you can toggle to activate Cheers. Turning this on will enable you to receive Cheers on your Twitch channel.
Streamlabs
Streamlabs is a SaaS company that offers solutions for live streamers. Its main product would be its broadcasting software, Streamlabs OBS. But it also has alert boxes, chatbots, widgets, overlays, analytics, and more.
You can also use the monetization tool to receive Twitch donations.
Don’t be surprised to see streamers using this platform to get donations. You’ll find Streamlabs’ presence on almost every Twitch channel page.
In the description of a Twitch channel, you’re going to find a donation link. When you click on that, there’s a good chance that it will redirect you to a Streamlabs Tip Page.
On that page, users can enter the amount that they’d like to donate. They’re also given a chance to enter a message to send out to the Twitch streamer.
This is what Streamlabs can do to facilitate donations between viewers and Twitch streamers. Many streamers use Streamlabs because their fans can donate directly that way — which isn’t the case with Twitch Bits.
How to set up Streamlabs
To use Streamlabs Tip Page, you’re going to need to sign up for a Streamlabs account. After you do, you’ll go through an onboarding process. Here you’ll get asked to enter a support payment processor. Alternatively, you can connect a PayPal account.
After connecting with a payment processor, you’re almost done. All that’s left is to add the page to your Twitch account.
You can also configure the Streamlabs donation settings and select a payment method from there.
There are other payment options that you can toggle from the settings. For example, you can configure what currency you want to appear which is great for Twitch streamers that aren’t based in the US.
Buy Me a Coffee
Buy Me a Coffee isn’t as trendy as the other entries on this list but its perks make it one of the best ways for viewers to make Twitch donations.
One of the reasons why it’s a good platform for donations is because it offers streamers lots of control.
It’s good for the donors as well. Buy Me a Coffee accepts donations from everyone. A user doesn’t even have to register to give money. In just a few steps, they can contribute to their favorite Twitch streamers.
Place your Buy Me a Coffee link in your bio. When people click on it, they will land on your Buy Me a Coffee donation page. From there, users just need to select the amount they want to donate.
Alternatively, you can place a Buy Me a Coffee button, widget, or QR code on your page. Plus you can use the same link on your YouTube or social media pages. You only need to manage one link which is great.
How to set up Buy Me a Coffee
Setting up Buy Me a Coffee is so easy. Just go to the website and sign up for an account. The whole process takes less than a minute.
When you’re done, you can simply add your link to your Twitch account. When people want to donate, all they have to do is click on the link.
It’s that simple.
As mentioned earlier, you can also use banners or a QR code to make your donate section stand out more.
You can also offer monthly subscriptions and more.
Patreon
Patreon is like Buy Me a Coffee except it has a stronger focus on the subscription/membership model. That means your followers can support you on an ongoing basis.
And there’s really nothing to setting it up. Just sign up for a Patreon account and then add the link to your About page.
Honestly, you’ll end up spending more time trying to figure out what to offer Patreon subscribers. This could be the only downside to using this platform.
While it is possible to have a Patreon page and offer nothing in return, you’ll want to offer your followers something of value. If you don’t, they might consider donating to another streamer.
What can you offer?
Access to exclusive videos is a good one. You can also do Q&As for your Patreons. If you have a YouTube account, giving users early access to future content would be a nice perk.
There are also Twitch streamers that have private Discord channels for Patreon subscribers. Others base their future livestream content on what Patreons suggest.
It’s really up to you what perks to give. Just try to have some to increase your value. You also get to set the minimum donation amount so try to make it accessible. For instance, some creators offer a $1 tier just so anyone can pitch in.
And again, you can use Patreon outside of your Twitch channel. So you’re not limited to Twitch donations to survive. You can add the link to your social media accounts for maximum coverage.
How to set up Patreon
You’ll need to sign up for a Patreon account to get started. It is free to use at first. But as you scale, Patreon will begin to take a cut of your income.
If you sign up for the Pro plan, the company will take an 8% cut off your income. The Premium plan which comes with a dedicated partner manager and merch for membership option will cost you 12%.
After signing up and deciding on your perks, you can paste your Patreon link to your Twitch channel page.
All you need to do is direct your viewers’ attention to it on your Twitch stream.
It’s worth noting that there are some streamers that use Patreon for charitable donations.
PayPal
PayPal is a digital wallet that every streamer should have. Why? Because having a PayPal account means you can accept donations more efficiently. And all you need is a PayPal.me link to get started.
Note: Once you sign up for a PayPal account, you’ll be able to create a PayPal.me link to accept donations. You can also use it to get paid via other services.
Fundamentally, it works the same way as some of the other solutions mentioned in this post. You add a PayPal donation link in your bio, users click on it, and then they proceed with the transaction.
It’s a convenient way to get donations.
And even if you like the features that Streamlabs or similar services have to offer, you can still connect your PayPal account to those services.
That means all donations can end up in your PayPal account — something streamers prefer since all your funds will conveniently be in one place.
There are downsides though.
You’ll have to keep a close eye on PayPal fees as it can take a good chunk of the donations you receive. Withdrawing funds can be quick but it depends on the country you’re located in. So, expect that it might take a few days for funds to land into your bank account.
This platform is also prone to pranks. For example, a viewer might donate only to report it so that the money never leaves his or her account. This is usually done to mess with the streamer for their enjoyment or to bring attention to themselves during streams.
How to set up PayPal
You can get a PayPal donation link by signing up for a PayPal account. The signup process is fairly easy. Consider signing up for a Business account though when given the option. It will give you more control over how you handle your finances.
Once you get your link, all you need to do is add the link to your Twitch bio. You might want to edit panels on Twitch to make the PayPal link more prominent.
StreamElements
StreamElements offers several services for live streamers and content creators. And yes, one of them just so happens to be a way for streamers to receive donations.
To be more specific, this platform allows streamers to create a free tipping page that they can customize to their liking.
Just connect your PayPal account and let users tip you that way. You can display your top tippers for the week to incentivize followers to donate more.
You can also set custom amount presents and incorporate your Twitch stream branding. And when viewers tip when you’re live, StreamElements will flash an alert to let everyone know what just happened.
There’s even a cool feature that stops trolls from sending filthy messages. All you need to do is customize the message filtering tool. It can automatically hide bad words or replace them with positive ones.
If that sounds good to you, then you definitely check this platform out.
How to set up StreamElements
Again, it’s just a matter of adding a link to your Twitch bio. Sign up for StreamElements and get your Tipping Page link. Don’t forget to connect it to PayPal if you’ll use that service.
Bonus: OneGift
OneGift isn’t exactly a donation tool but it is an alternative to all the services on this list.
Instead of having viewers donate money, you ask them to buy items on your wishlist. Most of the streamers that use this platform are from Southeast Asia though. And it appears that OneGift is focusing more on that market.
However, the concept is already out there. And it wouldn’t be surprising to find similar sites like this one.
Below is a OneGift page that a streamer created. It lists down all the items the streamer wants for herself.
If a viewer decides to buy a present, OneGift will handle the shipping to the streamer. That way, the streamer’s personal details won’t get revealed.
Just add the link to your Twitch bio to show your followers your gift suggestions.
How to encourage Twitch donations
There are things that you can do to get more people to donate to you. Below are just a couple.
1. Engage the community
Live streaming is quite different from posting videos on platforms like YouTube. Because you’re live, you have to be on your toes all the time. You have to engage your community all the time.
Viewers drop in and out. So not everyone who joined you at the start of the stream will be there in the end. This is especially true for streams that last more than four hours.
When you engage the community as often as possible, the more likely they are to donate to support your good work.
2. Be transparent
Let people know what you need money for. If you’re using donations to improve your current setup, they’ll understand. Your fans want the best for you. So they’ll donate what they can if it leads to improved stream quality.
The same thing goes for streamers who have special projects they’re working on. For example, a streamer might ask for donations if they need funds for an upcoming IRL stream in a different city or country.
Just let people know what you’re using the donations for. People will like you more if you’re forthcoming.
3. Create alerts
Donors appreciate it when streamers acknowledge their contribution. Setting up donation alerts will accomplish that. Not only will you know when someone donates, but so will everyone else on your stream.
This can also encourage other viewers to start donating too. Some streams even feature donors trying to outdo one another by donating higher and higher amounts.
4. Thank donors
It’s a small thing but thanking donors goes a long way. You don’t even have to do anything extraordinary. A simple thanks is all they need.
If a donor attaches a message to their donation, read it on stream (unless it’s inappropriate). Answer questions if there are any. Never take any donation for granted, even the smaller ones.
5. Incentive viewers
Why not offer special emotes or badges to make donations mean more to your followers? It’s all about the little things.
6. Promote donations while stream
It won’t hurt to point out during a stream that there’s a link to a donation page in your bio. At this point, viewers understand that streamers need to make money to continue doing their thing. And they’re willing to help too. It’s just that sometimes they forget that they can.
Frequently asked questions
Conclusion
You’ve just read about the most popular ways to get donations on Twitch. But which one is the best?
It all depends on you, really.
Some streamers say that Streamlabs is the best but others claim StreamElements is better. It’s all about preference.
Give each one a try and see which would work best for you.
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