TikTok Live vs YouTube Live vs Twitch represents the three dominant paths to live streaming income in 2026, with Twitch streamers earning a median of $0.02-$0.05 per viewer hour through subscriptions and ads, YouTube Live creators generating $0.03-$0.08 per viewer hour through Super Chats and ad revenue, and TikTok LIVE hosts earning $0.01-$0.04 per viewer hour through virtual gifts. Each platform has carved out a distinct economic model, and the best choice depends on your content type, audience size, and preferred revenue mix.
Quick Comparison
Here is how the three major live streaming platforms compare across the metrics that matter most to creators in 2026:
| Metric | TikTok LIVE | YouTube Live | Twitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Live Viewers | 350M+ | 500M+ | 140M+ |
| Primary Revenue Model | Virtual gifts | Super Chat + ads | Subscriptions + bits |
| Creator Revenue Share (gifts/tips) | 50% | 70% (Super Chat) | 50% (bits) |
| Subscriber Revenue Share | N/A (limited) | 70% (memberships) | 50-70% (tiered) |
| Ad Revenue Share | None | 55% | 50-55% |
| Avg. Earnings per Viewer Hour | $0.01 – $0.04 | $0.03 – $0.08 | $0.02 – $0.05 |
| Min. Followers to Go Live | 1,000 | 50 subscribers | None |
| Avg. Concurrent Viewers (median streamer) | 15-40 | 8-25 | 5-15 |
| Discoverability for New Streamers | Very High | Moderate | Low |
| Best Content Type | Entertainment, music, casual chat | Education, events, tech | Gaming, IRL, creative |
| Mobile Streaming Support | Excellent (mobile-first) | Good | Limited (mobile app) |
| Payout Threshold | $100 | $100 | $50 |
The most important takeaway: YouTube Live generates the highest earnings per viewer hour thanks to its combined Super Chat, membership, and ad revenue streams. TikTok LIVE offers the easiest path to building a live audience from scratch. Twitch provides the deepest community and subscription infrastructure but requires the most audience-building effort.
For a broader comparison of these platforms beyond live streaming, see our creator monetization platform comparison.
Use the Live Earnings Calculator to estimate your potential revenue on each platform based on your audience size and content type.
Gift Value Deep Dive
Virtual gifts and tips are the most direct form of live streaming income. Each platform handles this differently, and the real-dollar value of gifts varies significantly.
TikTok LIVE Gifts
TikTok's gift economy is the most active of any live streaming platform by volume. Viewers purchase TikTok Coins (100 coins cost approximately $1.29) and send virtual gifts during streams. Creators receive these gifts as Diamonds, which convert to cash at approximately 50% of the purchase value.
TikTok gift value breakdown:
| Gift Name | Coin Cost | Creator Receives (USD) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose | 1 coin | $0.005 | Very high |
| GG | 1 coin | $0.005 | Very high |
| Ice Cream Cone | 1 coin | $0.005 | High |
| Drama Queen | 5 coins | $0.025 | High |
| Galaxy | 1,000 coins | $5.00 | Low |
| Lion | 29,999 coins | $150 | Very low |
| Universe | 44,999 coins | $225 | Rare |
The average TikTok LIVE stream with 50 concurrent viewers generates $5-$25 in gift revenue per hour. Top TikTok LIVE creators with 500+ concurrent viewers regularly earn $200-$1,000+ per stream session. The platform's gifting culture is particularly strong in music, dance, and interactive chat content.
YouTube Super Chat and Super Stickers
YouTube's Super Chat system allows viewers to pay $1-$500 to pin highlighted messages in the live chat. YouTube takes a 30% cut, giving creators 70% — the most generous split among the three platforms for direct tips.
YouTube Super Chat tiers:
| Tier | Cost Range | Message Visibility | Creator Receives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | $1 – $1.99 | Highlighted, no pin | $0.70 – $1.39 |
| Cyan | $2 – $4.99 | Pinned 30 sec | $1.40 – $3.49 |
| Green | $5 – $9.99 | Pinned 1 min | $3.50 – $6.99 |
| Yellow | $10 – $19.99 | Pinned 2 min | $7.00 – $13.99 |
| Orange | $20 – $49.99 | Pinned 5 min | $14.00 – $34.99 |
| Magenta | $50 – $99.99 | Pinned 10 min | $35.00 – $69.99 |
| Red | $100 – $500 | Pinned 1 hour | $70.00 – $350.00 |
The average YouTube livestream with 50 concurrent viewers generates $10-$50 per hour in Super Chat revenue. YouTube's audience tends to send fewer but larger individual contributions compared to TikTok's high-volume, low-value gift model.
Twitch Bits
Twitch uses Bits as its virtual currency for live tipping. Viewers purchase Bits (100 Bits costs approximately $1.40) and send Cheers during streams. Creators receive $0.01 per Bit — meaning Twitch takes roughly 28% of the purchase price.
Twitch Bits earnings by stream size:
| Concurrent Viewers | Avg. Bits Revenue/Hour | Monthly (20 streams) |
|---|---|---|
| 10-25 | $1 – $5 | $20 – $100 |
| 25-100 | $5 – $25 | $100 – $500 |
| 100-500 | $25 – $100 | $500 – $2,000 |
| 500-2,000 | $100 – $500 | $2,000 – $10,000 |
| 2,000+ | $500+ | $10,000+ |
Twitch Bits revenue alone is not a primary income source for most streamers. The real monetization power on Twitch comes from subscriptions, which we cover next.
Subscriber Revenue Deep Dive
Recurring subscription revenue is the most stable form of live streaming income. The three platforms offer very different subscription models.
Twitch Subscriptions
Twitch has the most mature subscription system. Viewers subscribe at three tiers ($4.99, $9.99, $24.99), and creators receive 50% of the subscription price by default. Top partners with strong negotiating leverage can earn up to 70%.
Twitch subscription economics:
| Metric | Tier 1 ($4.99) | Tier 2 ($9.99) | Tier 3 ($24.99) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator Share (standard) | $2.50 | $5.00 | $12.50 |
| Creator Share (top partner) | $3.50 | $7.00 | $17.50 |
| % of All Subs | 85-90% | 7-10% | 2-4% |
| Avg. Retention Rate | 65% month-over-month | 55% | 45% |
Additionally, Twitch offers gifted subscriptions, where viewers can purchase subscriptions for other viewers in bulk. Gifted subs account for 20-30% of total subscription revenue for most streamers and represent a significant income boost during special events or subathons.
A Twitch streamer with 500 active subscribers (a strong mid-tier streamer) earns approximately $1,250-$1,750 per month from subscriptions alone. Combined with Bits, ad revenue, and donations, total monthly income reaches $2,500-$5,000.
YouTube Channel Memberships
YouTube's membership system offers creators more pricing flexibility. Creators set their own membership tiers, typically ranging from $0.99 to $49.99 per month. YouTube takes 30%, giving creators 70% — significantly more generous than Twitch's standard 50% split.
YouTube membership advantages:
- Custom tier pricing (up to 6 levels)
- 70% revenue share for all creators
- Members-only live chat, posts, and content
- Integration with YouTube's broader subscription ecosystem
A YouTube Live creator with 500 active members at an average of $4.99/month earns approximately $1,748/month after YouTube's cut — roughly 40% more than an equivalent Twitch streamer at the standard 50% split.
TikTok LIVE Subscriptions
TikTok's subscription offering for LIVE creators is still relatively limited compared to Twitch and YouTube. The platform offers LIVE Subscription at $4.99/month in select markets, with a 50% revenue share. Adoption remains low — fewer than 5% of regular TikTok LIVE creators have active subscribers, compared to 30-40% on Twitch.
TikTok's LIVE monetization strength lies in its gift economy rather than subscriptions. Creators who want stable recurring revenue from subscriptions are better served by Twitch or YouTube.
For projections on how subscription income combines with other revenue streams, the TikTok earnings calculator provides a comprehensive breakdown, and the multi-platform earnings calculator shows combined income across platforms.
Side-by-Side Analysis
Ad Revenue During Live Streams
Ad revenue is a significant differentiator, and it strongly favors YouTube:
| Ad Metric | TikTok LIVE | YouTube Live | Twitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-roll ads | None | Yes (70% to creator) | Yes (50-55% to creator) |
| Mid-roll ads | None | Yes (manual trigger) | Yes (manual trigger, 30s-3min) |
| Display/overlay ads | None | Yes | Yes |
| Avg. Ad RPM (per 1K viewer hours) | $0 | $8 – $18 | $3 – $10 |
| Creator control over ad timing | N/A | Full control | Full control |
YouTube's ad revenue advantage is substantial. A YouTube Live creator with 200 concurrent viewers streaming for 3 hours can generate $15-$35 in ad revenue alone — income that simply does not exist on TikTok LIVE. For a deeper understanding of RPM mechanics, see our RPM calculator.
Audience Size Requirements
The barrier to earning meaningful live streaming income varies dramatically:
| Income Target | TikTok LIVE Viewers Needed | YouTube Live Viewers Needed | Twitch Viewers Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100/month | 30-80 concurrent | 15-40 concurrent | 20-50 concurrent |
| $500/month | 100-250 concurrent | 50-120 concurrent | 80-200 concurrent |
| $1,000/month | 200-500 concurrent | 80-200 concurrent | 150-400 concurrent |
| $5,000/month | 800-2,000 concurrent | 250-600 concurrent | 500-1,200 concurrent |
| $10,000/month | 2,000+ concurrent | 500-1,200 concurrent | 1,000-2,500 concurrent |
YouTube requires the fewest viewers to hit each income target because it combines ad revenue, Super Chat, and memberships. TikTok requires the most viewers because it relies primarily on gifts with no ad revenue component.
Discoverability and Growth
Building a live audience is perhaps the most important consideration for new streamers:
- TikTok LIVE has the strongest discovery algorithm for live content. The For You page actively recommends live streams to non-followers, and creators can build from zero to 100+ concurrent viewers within weeks if their content resonates. Understanding how the TikTok algorithm works is essential for maximizing live stream visibility.
- YouTube Live benefits from YouTube's search and recommendation engine. Live streams appear in search results, suggested videos, and notifications to subscribers. Growth is moderate — slower than TikTok but more predictable.
- Twitch has the weakest organic discoverability. The platform's browse pages heavily favor already-popular streamers. New Twitch streamers average 1-3 concurrent viewers for their first 6-12 months. Growth on Twitch increasingly depends on building an audience elsewhere (often TikTok or YouTube) and funneling them to Twitch streams.
Content Format Strengths
| Content Type | Best Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Twitch | Deep gaming culture, integrated game directories, clip sharing |
| Music/performance | TikTok LIVE | Strongest gift economy for performers, mobile-first viewing |
| Education/tutorials | YouTube Live | Search discovery, replay value, ad revenue on VODs |
| Casual chat/IRL | TikTok LIVE | Easy mobile streaming, high discoverability |
| Esports/tournaments | Twitch | Established esports audience, team features |
| Product launches/events | YouTube Live | Professional production tools, replay monetization |
| Creative/art streams | Twitch | Dedicated creative categories, loyal community culture |
Which Is Better
The TikTok Live vs YouTube Live vs Twitch decision depends on where you are in your creator journey and what you want to optimize for.
Choose TikTok LIVE if:
- You are new to live streaming and need to build an audience from scratch. TikTok's discovery algorithm gives new streamers the fastest path to viewers.
- Your content is mobile-friendly — casual chat, music, dance, reactions, or interactive entertainment.
- You prefer a gift-based economy with high-energy, transactional viewer interactions.
- You already have a TikTok following and want to deepen engagement through live content.
- You are in an early market where TikTok LIVE competition is still low.
Choose YouTube Live if:
- You want the highest earning potential per viewer through combined ad, Super Chat, and membership revenue.
- Your content has replay value — educational content, events, and tutorials generate ongoing ad revenue as VODs.
- You are building a long-term channel ecosystem where live streams complement your video library.
- You value the 70% Super Chat and membership revenue share — the most generous among all three platforms.
- You want to reach an older, broader demographic (YouTube's 18-49 audience is the most diverse).
Choose Twitch if:
- Gaming is your primary content category. Twitch's gaming infrastructure, community features, and audience are unmatched.
- You want the most stable recurring revenue through subscriptions. Twitch's subscription culture is the strongest of any live platform.
- Community depth matters more than audience breadth. Twitch viewers spend an average of 95 minutes per session — far more than YouTube or TikTok live viewers.
- You are willing to invest 6-12 months in audience building for long-term payoff.
The multi-platform strategy: The most successful live streamers in 2026 simulcast or cross-promote across platforms. A common approach is streaming on Twitch or YouTube as the primary platform while going live on TikTok to drive discovery and funnel new viewers. Creators using a multi-platform live strategy earn 40-70% more than single-platform streamers. Explore our creator growth guide for audience-building strategies that work across platforms.
Use the Calculator to Compare
Estimating live streaming earnings requires factoring in your concurrent viewership, stream frequency, content type, and gift/tip patterns — variables that differ dramatically between platforms. The Live Earnings Calculator provides personalized projections across TikTok LIVE, YouTube Live, and Twitch.
How to get accurate estimates:
- Enter your average concurrent viewer count (or your target if you are just starting).
- Select your streaming frequency — most successful streamers go live 3-5 times per week.
- Choose your primary content category, which affects gift frequency and ad RPM.
- Review the earnings breakdown by revenue stream (gifts, subscriptions, ads) for each platform.
The calculator uses the benchmarks from this comparison, adjusted for your individual inputs. For creators who also earn from short-form video content, combine these projections with the TikTok Money Calculator or the multi-platform earnings calculator for a complete revenue picture.
Understanding your engagement rate benchmarks is also valuable context — high engagement on your short-form content often predicts strong live stream performance because engaged followers are more likely to join live sessions and contribute financially.
Browse our platform comparison data hub for additional comparisons, and visit the monetization guide for comprehensive strategies on maximizing live streaming income alongside other creator revenue streams.