Twitch Gifted Subs - All You Need to Know

Subscriptions to a Twitch channel are an excellent way to support streamers that you know and love. For each subscription, the streamer receives income from Twitch and if a channel receives enough subscriptions they’ll be able to add extra custom emotes to their channel. As a subscribed viewer, you’ll have access to their emotes to use how you want. If you are already subscribed, but hoping to continue to show support to a streamer, you can give gifted subs to other viewers in their community.

What are Gifted Subs on Twitch?

Gifted subs on Twitch are subscriptions that a user (viewer or streamer) can give (gift) to another user. There is no difference between a gifted sub or regular sub in terms of features. A user who receives a gifted sub will have full access to emotes or the ability to chat in a subscriber-only chat. Gifted subs can be a tier 1, tier 2, or tier 3 subscription.

A gifted sub can be purchased for other viewers or followers in the chat or even be purchased for specific Twitch users. It doesn’t matter if the person has never been to the stream you can still buy a subscription for them. You also have the ability to buy gifted subs regardless if the streamer is online or offline. Users who are gifted a subscription will receive a notification letting them know they have been the recipient of a gifted sub.

How to Purchase Gifted Subs on Twitch

Go the channel that you'd like to purchase a Gifted Sub for. On the right side of the channel, you'll see a purple button that says "Subscribe" or possibly "Continue Subscription" depending on whether you've personally subscribed to the channel or not. Click the downward arrow on the purple button.

You will now see the screen to purchase gifted subs. At the top of the screen you'll be able to choose whether you want the gifted sub to be given anonymously or not.

By clicking "Gift to a Specific Viewer" you'll be able to choose exactly the Twitch user you'd like the subscription to go to. You can gift to anyone who has a Twitch account regardless whether they've been to the channel or not. I've seen some users gift to popular streamers such as "Ninja" or "Sequisha" as a joke. By not choosing a specific user your gifted sub will randomly be given to someone in the community.

Once you've determined who the gifted sub is going to, you'll need to choose the quantity of gifted subs and also the Tier level. As a reminder - Tier levels will be more expensive, but give the subscriber access to more exclusive channel emotes.

You'll also need choose the quantity of gifted subs you'll want to give. You can choose anywhere between 1 and 100. 100 gifted subs is the maximum you can gift in a single time. The exception is that you can only gift 40 tier 3 subs at a time. If you'd like to gift more you'll need to repeat this process.

Lastly, if you're choosing to gift to a specific user you can gift them a subscription for 1 to 12 months. This is a kind gift to keep the subscribed to a channel for an entire year.

Once you're ready to go, click "Gift a Subscription" and you're all done! You have now gifted someone a Twitch Subscription! If you have more interest in gifting a sub, you can read more from Twitch's official guide.

Do Streamers get Money from Gifted Subs?

Yes, streamers receive the same amount of money from a gifted sub as they do from a regular subscription to their channel. Usually affiliate streamers receive 50% of the total cost of a subscription. For example, a tier 1 sub costs $4.99 so the streamer would approximately receive $2.50 for this gifted sub. Half of the price goes to Twitch and the other half goes to streamer. Partnered popular streamers often will receive more than 50% for subscriptions, but this depends on their contract with Twitch.

Do gifted subs auto renew?

Gifted subs will not auto renew. They are not recurring charges that take place once they expire. If you gift an individual a 3 month sub they will have that subscription until it expires 3 months later. At the time of expiration, you won't be charged any longer unless you wish to gift another subscription. You don't need to worry about extra charges showing up on your credit card!

How to Receive Gifted Subs on Twitch

There's not a tried and true way to automatically receive a gift subscription to someone on Twitch, because it's like asking for someone to hand you a present! In most circumstances, it's rude to ask for a gifted sub in the same way you wouldn't go to a friend and ask them for a present. With that said, here's a couple of ways to increase your chances of receiving a gifted sub.

1) Follow popular channel

There's a higher likelihood of you receiving a gifted sub in a channel in a moderately popular channel. If there's 10s of thousands of viewers, it's unlikely that you will be gifted a random gifted sub, because of the sheer number of viewers in a channel. But if you're in a channel with a few hundred or less viewers you'll have a better chance of receiving a random gifted sub. It also helps if the channel actively has viewers gifting out numerous subs.

2) Be supportive and active in channels

This really is the best advice I can give you for receiving a gifted sub. Be active in a twitch channel and over time it's nearly inevitable that you'll receive a gifted sub from someone. What does it mean to be supportive and active? This means participating in chat in ways that align with the channel. You're in chat adding to the vibe of the channel without being obnoxious. Over time if you become a "regular" of a channel it's not uncommon to receive a gifted sub from a viewer or even the streamer themselves.

There's many channels that I love and enjoy that I've received gifted subs for month after month, because I'm a regular viewer. Sometimes it's a gifted sub that was randomly gifted, other times it's someone specifically choosing to gift me a sub, because they know who I am. All this to say - if you're a supportive viewer there's an increased chance that you'll get a gifted sub. It's not an absolute guarantee, but a good chance that it happens.

How much does 50 gifted subs cost?

A gifted tier 1 sub on Twitch costs $4.99. 50 gifted tier 1 subs at $4.99 each will cost you $499 plus taxes. 50 gifted tier 2 subs at $ will be a total of $499.50 plus additional taxes depending on your location. Finally, if you were to give 100 tier 3 subs (don't you wish this would happen in your channel!) it would cost $999. Can you imagine someone gifting that many subs?

How much does 100 gifted subs cost?

A gifted tier 1 sub on Twitch costs $4.99. 100 gifted tier 1 subs at $4.99 each will cost you $499 plus taxes. 100 gifted tier 2 subs at $ will be a total of $999 plus additional taxes depending on your location. Finally, if you were to gift 40 tier 3 subs it would cost $999.60. The maximum number of tier 3 subs you can gift at a time is 40. You'll need to repeat the gifting process if you'd like to give more.

The Benefits of Gifted Subs

As a viewer a subscription allows you to watch your favorite streamers without ads, utilize their emotes, and chat in sub-only mode. Most streams also have gifted subs leaderboards that showcase those who have given the most subs. It's a simple way to show who the top contributors are, and they also get their own badge next to their name if they're at the top of the leaderboard.

But the benefit of receiving a gifted sub is also helpful for the streamer too. The streamer not only receives income, but they now have a viewer who feels like they're officially part of the community. Community building is integral to growing a successful twitch channel, and having viewers become subs helps usher them into the community, Does someone HAVE to subscribe to feel like they're part of the community? Of course not, but it does give some viewers a sense of "I'm part of this" when they are subbed.