How to get paid
on Twitch.

Step 1: become a Twitch Affiliate

On 13 May 2026 Twitch opened Bits, subs, emotes, badges and Channel Points to all eligible streamers. The catch: you can earn before Affiliate, but you cannot be paid out until you are an Affiliate or Partner. Until then, Twitch lets you spend what you earned on Bits and gift subs through Spendable Balance.

The Affiliate bar, per Twitch's blog, since early June 2026:

• 4 hours streamed
• on 4 different days
• 25 or more followers
• 3 average viewers, on 4 different days

Older guides still quote 50 followers and 7 days. That bar is gone.

Every way Twitch pays you

• Subscriptions. Viewers pay $5.99, $9.99 or $24.99 a month in the US. The standard split is 50/50.
• Plus Program. Earn 100 Plus Points a month for 3 months in a row and your sub split goes to 60/40. Hit 300 points for 70/30. A Tier 1 sub counts as 1 point, Tier 2 as 2, Tier 3 as 6.
• Bits. Viewers cheer with Bits, and you get 1 cent per Bit.
• Ads. Affiliates and Partners who run at least 3 minutes of ads per hour get a 55% share of ad revenue.
• Sponsorships. Twitch runs Open Invitation campaigns from brands, first come, first served. Partners can take them; Affiliates first need Twitch's Creator Sponsorship Certification. You must say out loud that the stream is sponsored.

Channel Points are a loyalty feature: viewers earn them by watching, so they do not pay you directly.

Set up payouts: the 3 steps

Go to Creator Dashboard, Monetization, Affiliate. Twitch says all three steps must be done before you can earn:

1. Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). Twitch requires it for every Affiliate and Partner. A green check appears when it is on.
2. Sign the agreement and add your details. Click Set Up, enter your legal full name (it must match your tax documents), and accept the Twitch Monetized Streamer Agreement. If you are 13 to 17, a parent or guardian must agree for you.
3. Tax interviews and payout method. Most streamers do two tax interviews, one for royalty income and one for service income. Twitch says they take 24 to 48 hours to process, sometimes up to 72. Then pick a payout method: direct deposit (ACH), eCheck or local bank transfer, PayPal, check, or wire.

Have your legal name, date of birth, country and tax ID ready. Twitch says mismatched names or addresses between these steps are the most common reason payouts get stuck, so type them the same way every time.

When do you actually get paid?

Twitch pays on a Net 15 schedule: money earned in one month is paid on or around the 15th of the next month. Earn something on 3 May and it becomes payable on 15 June.

• Minimum: $50 for direct deposit, eCheck, PayPal and check. $100 for wire, because of transfer fees.
• Under the minimum? The balance rolls over to the next month until you pass it.
• Payout, not Spendable Balance. Twitch only pays out if you chose to receive your earnings as a payout.
• Arrival: usually 3 to 5 business days after Twitch sends it.
• Changing your payout info? Twitch suggests doing it before the 10th so that month's payout is not delayed.

Going Partner

Partner is the next step up. Twitch tracks it with the Path to Partner achievement in your dashboard; once you complete it, you can apply. Twitch does not promise every applicant gets in. Partners get the same money tools plus perks like sponsorship access without extra certification. See how to grow on Twitch for the viewer side.

Where ReelShift fits

Every number above grows with viewers, and most new viewers now find streamers through short clips. ReelShift clips your Twitch stream while you are still live, turns the moments vertical with captions, and has them ready to post in minutes. See the Twitch clipper.