How the Twitch earnings calculator works
A Twitch streamer's income has three parts, and the calculator works each one out separately before adding them up: subscriptions, Bits from viewers, and ads that run during streams. Since Twitch's May 2026 announcement, subs, Bits and channel points are available to eligible streamers worldwide; to actually get paid you still need Affiliate or Partner status and the $50 payout threshold.
If Twitch search is enabled, typing a channel name pulls in streamed hours from the last 30 days and the live viewer count if the channel is on air. Twitch doesn't show sub counts publicly, so you enter that one yourself; the number in your Creator Dashboard works.
The formula
- Subscriptions: subs × Tier 1 price × streamer share. Tier 1 is $5.99 in the US (January 2026). The standard share is 50%; the Plus Program raises it to 60% or 70% based on monthly points.
- Bits: monthly Bits × $0.01. Twitch pays streamers one cent per Bit.
- Ads: average viewers × hours streamed per month × ad revenue per viewer-hour. That last rate is our estimate: $0.005–$0.012 for a US audience.
Worked example: a mid-sized US streamer
A variety streamer with 400 subs, 250 average viewers, 120 hours a month, 30,000 Bits a month and a 60% Plus share:
| Item | Calculation | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriptions | 400 × $5.99 × 60% | $1,438 |
| Bits | 30,000 × $0.01 | $300 |
| Ads | 250 × 120 h × $0.005–$0.012 | $150–$360 |
| Total | $1,888–$2,098 |
Subs make up about 70% of this streamer's income, ads under a fifth. Moving from the 50% to the 70% share would add roughly $480 a month with no new subscribers, which is why the Plus Program matters more to many mid-sized streamers than ad settings do.
What moves the result
- Subs and share. Reaching 60% or 70% in the Plus Program lifts sub income by 20–40%.
- Hours streamed. Ad revenue grows directly with viewer-hours, and a regular schedule tends to grow subs too.
- Audience country. Both sub prices and ad value vary by country.
- Ad settings. Twitch gives a 55% ad revenue share to streamers who run at least 3 minutes of ads per hour.
What the calculator leaves out
Direct donations through outside payment tools, sponsorships, special payout terms for Prime subs and income from reusing streams on other platforms are not included. Gifted subs count like normal subs. Figures are before tax.
Twitch does not publish channel earnings. This is an estimate based on the numbers you enter; only the streamer sees the real figure in the Creator Dashboard.
Sources
- Twitch Blog: Monetization for All — global access (13 May 2026), $50 payout threshold
- Twitch Blog: An Update to Several Streamer Payout Programs — Plus Program, 60% and 70% shares
- Twitch Blog: Bigger Ad Payouts to More Creators — 55% ad revenue share
- Twitch Blog: Cheering and Bits follow-up FAQ — one cent per Bit
- StreamScheme: Twitch subscription price by country — US sub price (January 2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-13