Twitch Affiliates are streamers who have unlocked Twitch’s monetization (earning real money from streaming) tools (subscriptions, Bits, etc.) but haven’t yet become full Partners.
In early 2025, Twitch announced it is dramatically easing its affiliate requirements, even “unlocking monetization for everyone” so that most streamers can use subs and Bits from their very first streams.
Later on, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy confirmed that it will “open up monetization tools, subscriptions and bits, to most streamers, from day one”.
Table of Contents
New Twitch Affiliate Program Requirements
The old thresholds (50 followers, 8 hours streamed, 7 days, 3 avg viewers) are no longer blocking monetization. Historically, to join the Twitch Affiliate Program you had to hit all four criteria in 30 days. Once you met them, Twitch would automatically invite you to join.
The New Twitch Affiliate Program Requirements include 25 Followers, 4 Hours, Streaming on 4 Different Days, and an Average of min 3 Viewers on 4 different days. These 4 days can be any of your first 30 days. Thus, only the avg viewers criteria is maintained!
Twitch ‘Path to Affiliate’ & Checking ‘Progress’
Twitch provides a ‘Path to Affiliate’ tracker in your Creator Dashboard to monitor progress. Under Creator Dashboard → Insights → Achievements → Path to Affiliate, you can see how many followers, hours, days, and average viewers you’ve accumulated, and what’s left to qualify.
For example, before 2025 the tracker explicitly showed four goals: 50 followers, 8 total hours streamed, 7 unique broadcast days, and an average of 3 concurrent viewers.
Even if Twitch’s new policy relaxes these targets, the ‘Progress’ tracker still helps you build an audience. Once you meet the new goals, Twitch notifies you in your dashboard so you can complete the signup process.
How to Apply & Become a Twitch Affiliate?
Unlike some programs, you don’t manually apply to become an Affiliate, as Twitch reaches out to eligible streamers. As soon as your channel meets the criteria (as mentioned in Requirements above), you will be invited via email, notification, and an announcement in your dashboard.
A new section will appear in your Settings where you can accept the Affiliate Agreement and activate Bits and subscriptions.
In short, when you see the Affiliate button in your Creator Dashboard, simply agree to the terms and you’re in, there is no fee to join.
Your channel will then have ‘Twitch Affiliate’ Status, meaning you can use subscriber buttons, Bits, and other perks.
Twitch will label your channel as an Affiliate once you accept. At that point you are ‘eligible for affiliate status’ and can immediately start earning.
Twitch Affiliate Program Alternatives
You can also explore these Twitch Affiliate Program Alternatives as they don’t have stricter policies, offer competitive commission rates, good conversion ratio, and a reputable name in the gaming & streaming affiliate industry.
| Twitch Affiliate Program Alternatives | Commission Rate (CPS, except Ubisoft) |
| Codashop Affiliate Program | 0.71% – 0.86% |
| World of Warships Affiliate Program | $8.95 – $10.74 |
| Immersive Gamebox US Affiliate Program | 3.75% – 4.50% |
| CDKeys Affiliate Program | 3% – 3.6% |
| Ubisoft Affiliate Program | Min $0.0014 (Dynamic-CPC) |
Twitch Affiliate Program Agreement
Twitch’s Monetized Streamer Agreement (the legal contract you accept) spells out some key rules. For instance, it confirms that only Twitch Affiliates and Partners can receive payouts from Twitch’s programs.
It also warns that if Twitch terminates your account in connection with any violation of its terms, you cannot rejoin the Twitch Affiliate Program without written permission. In practice, this means you must stay in good standing.
Thus, violating Twitch’s rules or becoming inactive for too long could lose you Affiliate benefits.
Twitch Affiliate Status: Losing It or Letting It Lapse
Once you become an Affiliate, Twitch expects you to remain active. According to Twitch’s policies and community reports, inactive channels (over ~12 months without revenue or streaming) risk having their ‘affiliate’ status removed.
Twitch may even close such dormant accounts (and deduct a small maintenance fee from any remaining balance). Similarly, breaching Twitch’s Terms of Service (hate speech, copyright strikes, etc.) can lead to immediate termination of your Affiliate Agreement and disqualification from rejoining.
In normal cases, though, you generally keep Affiliate status indefinitely as long as you occasionally stream and follow the rules.
Features & Benefits for Twitch Affiliates
Once accepted, Twitch Affiliates unlock multiple monetization methods:
Subscriptions
Affiliates can create up to 3 subscription tiers (for example $4.99, $9.99, and $24.99) for their channel. Subscribers to your channel get perks you define, most commonly, custom chat emotes, subscriber badges, ad-free viewing, and access to sub-only chat or streams.
Twitch affiliates earn a fixed revenue share on each sub (typically ~50%), so a $4.99 Tier 1 sub nets about $2.50 in revenue. Amazon Prime members also get one free sub each month, and affiliates still receive the $2.50 from each Prime sub.
Bits (Cheering)
Affiliates can enable Twitch Bits, a virtual currency viewers spend to cheer. Affiliates earn roughly $0.01 per Bit cheered.
You can also create custom “Cheermotes” (animated emotes) that fans unlock by spending Bits, making cheers more exciting. Bit donations are an easy way for viewers to show support, and the payments flow directly to you as long as you remain an affiliate.
Game Sales and In-Game Items
Twitch offers an affiliate link for any game you play that is sold on the platform. When you stream a game, Twitch can display a “Buy” link on your channel. Affiliates earn a 5% commission on any purchases made through that link.
For example, if a viewer buys a $60 game via your channel link, you get $3. This is a passive way to earn money when your audience buys the games you’re playing.
Channel Points & Custom Emotes
Affiliates also get Twitch’s Channel Points system (free loyalty rewards for viewers) and at least one custom subscriber emote slot immediately (up to 5 by default, and more unlockable as you grow).
These features don’t pay money directly, but they drive engagement. Custom emotes make subscribing more fun (fans use your emotes everywhere in chat), and Channel Points (redeemable for perks you set) encourage viewers to watch longer and interact more. All of these help you build a committed community.
Twitch Simulcasting & Other Platforms
Twitch Affiliates are no longer locked to Twitch alone. As of late 2023, Twitch allows simulcasting i.e. you can stream to Twitch and other platforms (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) at the same time.
Restream explains that simulcasting is now permitted “for all streamers on Twitch, including those with a ‘Monetized Streamer Agreement,’ i.e. Twitch Affiliates and Partners”.
The usual Twitch rules apply i.e. you can’t post clickable links to other streams in your Twitch chat or encourage viewers to leave Twitch during a live stream, and you should maintain at least the same video quality on Twitch as on other platforms.
In summary, yes, as an Affiliate you may stream on YouTube, TikTok, etc. concurrently, provided you follow Twitch’s simulcasting guidelines. The only exception is if you personally signed an exclusive agreement with Twitch, which is generally for top Partners, not Affiliates.
Tips for New Twitch Affiliates
Building a channel to Affiliate status takes consistent effort. Experts advise to:
- Plan your streams and be consistent: Set a schedule so viewers know when to tune in.
- Engage your audience: Talking with viewers, asking questions, and making them feel part of your community.
- Network with other streamers: Host or raid others, co-stream, and grow friendships in your niche (but avoid spamming).
- Promote your channel externally: Use Discord, Twitter, TikTok or YouTube to alert people to your streams.
As experts put it, “Build a community off-stream” via social media and groups. These steps combined with delivering fun, high-quality content (good audio/video gear and gameplay/charisma), are your fastest path to affiliate.
Finally, since affiliate status is tied to averages, consider simulcasting or sharing highlights on YouTube to attract new viewers.
Earnings & Payout
Twitch pays out affiliate earnings (subs, Bits, etc.) on a regular schedule. Payouts occur approximately every 15 days once you meet the minimum balance.
Twitch typically pays out every 15 days via direct deposit or PayPal, provided your account balance is at least $50.
If you choose wire transfer, a $100 balance is required. Any income below the threshold simply rolls over to the next period.
In concrete terms, how much do Affiliates earn? It varies widely. Most affiliates keep about 50% of subscription revenue, so a standard Tier-1 or Prime sub ($4.99) nets roughly $2.50.
Bits give ~$0.01 each. For example, 100 Bits = $1 for the streamer. By contrast, Twitch does not take a cut of fan donations or external tips (only transaction fees apply).
A Twitch analysis suggests smaller affiliates (with 5-10 average viewers) might earn on the order of $50-$200 per month, scaling up with audience size. The key point is that growth in viewers and subs directly drives income.
Withdrawals (Payment Methods)
To withdraw your earnings, link a payment method in Twitch’s dashboard under Settings → Affiliate (or Payout settings). Twitch supports PayPal, bank (ACH), e-check, and wire transfers.
Many Twitch affiliates use a PayPal business or personal account, which can be added in the Twitch Dashboard. Once your balance exceeds the payout threshold, Twitch will send you the money via your chosen method on the regular schedule.
Promoting Your Twitch Channel and Affiliate Links
Being proactive in promotion helps you grow faster. On Twitch itself, take advantage of panels under your channel description to add affiliate marketing links or merchandise URLs.
Simply add links to your favorite products in your Twitch profile. Streamers often place Amazon affiliate links or sponsored product codes in their panels or mention them in chat.
Outside Twitch, use Twitter, Instagram, Discord, YouTube shorts, etc., to announce when you’re live or share highlights.
Join Twitch communities (subreddits, Discord servers) in your game genre and participate respectfully. Remember to announce (non-spam) when you go live or achieve milestones (e.g. “We hit 25 followers – going live now!”).
Collaborating with slightly larger streamers (joint streams) or hosting them can also introduce new viewers to your channel.
In short, consistency, networking, and cross-promotion (including responsibly sharing affiliate links) are the best ways to accelerate reaching the ‘Twitch Affiliate’ status.
Next Step: Twitch Partner Program (Overview)
Beyond Affiliate is the Twitch Partner Program, aimed at the biggest channels. Becoming a Partner requires applying after meeting higher milestones.
Twitch notes Partners are creators with established audiences. They must apply to join through their Creator Dashboard.
In practice, Partners often meet the Path to Partner goals. For example, streaming approx. 25 hours over 12 different days with an average of about 75 concurrent viewers.
Partners earn a higher revenue split, gain full ad revenue, longer VOD storage, and other perks. If you reach Affiliate status and continue to grow, you can apply for Partnership under the Partner Achievement section of the dashboard once you’re ready.
Conclusion
The Twitch Affiliate Program is the first major milestone for any aspiring streamer. With Twitch now lowering barriers to entry, it has become easier than ever to start monetizing your content and building a loyal audience.
From subscriptions and Bits to emotes and channel points, Affiliates gain powerful tools to grow both their community and income.
While reaching Twitch Affiliate is exciting, it’s only the beginning as consistent streaming, engaging with your viewers, and smart promotion will determine your long-term success.
As you refine your channel and audience, you’ll not only maximize your earnings as a Twitch Affiliate but also pave the way toward the ultimate goal of becoming a Twitch Partner!
How much does 1,000 views on Twitch pay?
Twitch doesn’t pay per view. Earnings come from ads, subs, and Bits. On average, 1,000 ad views may bring in around $2-$5, depending on CPM rates.
Why are many affiliates concerned about the Twitch Affiliate Program?
Affiliates often worry about low earnings, the 50% revenue share, and Twitch’s $50–$100 payout threshold, which can make it harder for small creators to see consistent income.
Why are Twitch Affiliate Program’s commission rates low?
Twitch keeps a 50/50 split on subscriptions to cover platform costs, but many creators feel this is less competitive compared to other platforms offering higher shares.
Sahil Ajmera is content writer with more than 7 years of work experience in field of Affiliate Marketing, Digital Marketing, etc. He loves saving money on everything. His aim is to get readers exactly what they are looking for and that too without wasting much of their time. Whatever he is writing on, you are sure to find a way to earn & save good!
