How to set up subscriptions on Twitch
How do you set up subs on Twitch? Reach Affiliate or Partner, and subscriptions turn on automatically — there is no switch to flip. From there you configure the paid side of your channel: upload sub emotes and loyalty badges, write your subscriber perks, and add on-screen sub alerts. This guide walks the whole setup, from unlocking subs to making them worth buying.
Step 1: Unlock subscriptions (reach Affiliate)
Subscriptions are not available to brand-new channels. They unlock the moment you hit Twitch Affiliate, which requires, within a rolling 30-day window: 50 followers, 500 total minutes streamed, 7 unique broadcast days, and an average of 3 concurrent viewers. Once Twitch approves your Affiliate status, the Subscriptions section appears in your Creator Dashboard and your channel gets a Subscribe button automatically — nothing else to enable.
The three effort requirements come with time. The 3-average-viewer gate is the one most new streamers stall on, because an empty stream stays empty. If that number is what is holding you back, a starter viewer boost raises your average directly while the extra discovery brings the followers — the fastest way to clear Affiliate and switch subs on.
Step 2: Understand the sub tiers and your cut
Twitch subs come in three monthly tiers, and viewers can also gift subs or use their free monthly Prime sub:
| Tier | Viewer price | Streamer earns (50/50) | |---|---|---| | Tier 1 | $4.99 | ~$2.50 | | Tier 2 | $9.99 | ~$5.00 | | Tier 3 | $24.99 | ~$12.50 | | Prime | Free to viewer | ~$2.50 |
Most channels start on the standard 50/50 split; eligible Partners can reach a 70/30 split through Partner Plus. Prime subs (free for Amazon Prime members) pay you roughly the same as a Tier 1. Gifted subs pay identically to a normal sub of that tier. You can model your monthly total on the Twitch sub calculator.
Step 3: Upload subscriber emotes
Emotes are the number-one reason people subscribe. In Creator Dashboard → Settings → Affiliate/Partner → Emotes, upload your emote set. Affiliates start with one to five emote slots depending on sub count; Partners get more, plus animated emotes. Upload at all three required sizes (28x28, 56x56, 112x112), keep them readable when tiny, and lead with a couple of expressive, reusable ones — a hype emote and a laugh emote earn their slots fastest.
Step 4: Set up loyalty (sub) badges
Sub badges sit next to a subscriber's name in chat and level up with their sub tenure (1 month, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and beyond). Upload them under Loyalty Badges in the same settings area, at the required sizes. Badges give long-term subs visible status in your community — a small touch that meaningfully improves sub retention.
Step 5: Write your subscriber perks
A sub is a monthly purchase, so tell viewers what they are buying. Common perks:
- Ad-free viewing (automatic for subscribers on your channel)
- Custom emotes to use everywhere on Twitch
- Subscriber-only chat or Discord channels
- Sub-only streams or game nights
- Shoutouts, sub-only giveaways, or emote votes
Add a short perks list to your channel's About panel so the value is obvious before someone clicks Subscribe.
Step 6: Add sub alerts on screen
On-screen alerts turn a new sub into a moment. Connect an alert tool (or use your GetStreamViews dashboard alert widgets), add a sub/resub/gift-sub alert as a browser source in OBS, and reacting to each one live encourages more. Public celebration is social proof: viewers who see subs happening are more likely to sub themselves.
Step 7: Promote subs without nagging
The best sub prompts are woven into the stream, not repeated like ads. Mention perks when they come up naturally, thank every sub by name, run the occasional sub goal on screen, and let gifted-sub trains build their own momentum. A stream that already looks active and full converts far more subs than a quiet one — which is why growing your concurrent viewers and your subscriptions are really the same project.
FAQ
Do I need to be a Partner to have subscriptions? No. Subscriptions unlock at Affiliate, one tier below Partner. Partners get extras — more emote slots, animated emotes, and access to the Partner Plus 70/30 split — but subs themselves start at Affiliate.
How much does a Twitch streamer make per sub? On the standard 50/50 split: about $2.50 per Tier 1 sub, $5.00 per Tier 2, and $12.50 per Tier 3 each month. Prime and gifted subs pay roughly the same as their tier. See the sub earnings calculator for your numbers.
When do I get paid for subs? Sub revenue pools with your Bits and ad earnings and pays out around the 15th of each month, once your balance passes the $50 threshold ($100 for wire transfer).
How do I get more subscribers? Subs convert from viewers, and viewers come from discovery. Rank higher in your category, keep chat active, and give subs real perks. Many streamers use a viewer boost to lift the concurrent count that feeds both discovery and sub conversion.
The bottom line
Setting up subs on Twitch is less about flipping a switch — that happens automatically at Affiliate — and more about making a subscription worth buying: strong emotes, tenure badges, clear perks, and live celebration of every sub. Get to Affiliate first, then build the paid experience. If the 3-average-viewer requirement is what stands between you and subs, that is the gap to close first — start free and warm your channel so subscriptions can switch on.