Game Streaming Donation & Subscription Revenue Calculator

Twitch takes a 50% revenue share from standard Partner subscriptions. This means if a viewer pays $4.99 for a Tier 1 sub, the streamer receives approximately $2.50. However, Twitch has introduced a tiered program where top partners can negotiate better rates (70/30 split for the first $100K). For Prime subscriptions, Twitch also takes a 50% cut, though the pricing model differs.

Kick offers the most creator-friendly revenue split at 95/5 - creators keep 95% of subscription revenue and Kick takes only 5%. This is significantly better than Twitch (50%) and YouTube (70/30). However, Kick has a smaller audience and different monetization options. Our calculator helps you compare net revenue across platforms so you can decide if the higher revenue share offsets the smaller potential audience.

Ad RPM (Revenue Per Mille/1,000 views) measures how much ad revenue you earn per 1,000 ad impressions. It is calculated as (total ad revenue / total ad impressions) × 1,000. RPM varies widely based on your audience demographics, geographic location, content category, and seasonality. Gaming streams typically have lower RPM ($1-$4) compared to business or finance content ($10-$20+).

Bits are Twitch's virtual currency that viewers can purchase and use to Cheer in chat. Each bit costs approximately $0.014 (for the viewer), but the streamer receives $0.01 per bit cheered - so Twitch takes about 28.6% of the bit purchase price. Bits are completely passed through to streamers without additional platform fees, making them one of the most efficient revenue sources for Twitch streamers.

Yes, multi-streaming (simultaneously streaming on multiple platforms) is possible using tools like Restream, OBS Studio plugins, or Streamlabs. However, check platform-specific exclusivity agreements. Twitch Partner agreements often include exclusivity clauses that restrict multi-streaming. YouTube and Kick generally allow multi-streaming. The calculator helps you compare revenue if you were to focus on a single platform vs reaching audiences across multiple platforms.

YouTube channel memberships work similarly to Twitch subscriptions. Viewers pay a monthly fee ($0.99, $1.99, $4.99, $9.99, or $24.99 per month) for perks like badges, emoji, and exclusive content. YouTube takes a 30% revenue share from memberships, meaning creators keep 70%. The payment processing fee is also deducted. YouTube additionally takes 30% from Super Chat and Super Stickers.

Sponsorship rates vary widely based on your audience size, engagement rate, niche, and platform. Common benchmarks are $10-$50 per 1,000 views for mid-tier streamers, while top creators can command $50-$100+ CPM. A streamer with 100 average viewers might charge $50-$200 per sponsored stream segment. Our calculator lets you input your sponsorship rate to see how it contributes to total monthly revenue.

Yes, all streaming revenue - including subscriptions, bits, donations, memberships, sponsorship payments, and ad revenue - is considered taxable income. In the US, streamers typically receive a Form 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC from platforms if earnings exceed $600 annually. Self-employment tax (15.3%) also applies. It's important to set aside 25-35% of streaming income for taxes. This calculator shows gross and net revenue before taxes.

These projections are estimates based on published platform revenue share rates, standard pricing tiers, and industry-average ad RPMs. Actual revenue may vary based on audience geography (viewers from higher-CPM countries generate more ad revenue), platform-specific promotions, seasonal fluctuations, currency conversion rates, and individual contract terms for partnered streamers. Use this calculator as a planning tool, not as a guarantee of future earnings.