In 2026, picking a streaming platform isn’t about vibes, it’s about take-home pay. This guide breaks down Kick vs Twitch earnings using simple, transparent math so you can estimate what you’d keep per sub and per month.
Important note: Platform payouts can vary due to regional pricing, payment fees, taxes, “net revenue” definitions, and your specific contract. The numbers below assume a standard $4.99 Tier 1 subscription for easy comparison.
💸 Subscription Splits: Kick 95/5 vs Twitch (50/50 + Plus Tiers)
Kick’s headline feature is simple: creators keep 95% of subscription revenue. Twitch’s baseline for many creators is still 50/50, but Twitch also has “Plus” tiers that can increase the creator split for qualifying channels.
The big takeaway: even if you qualify for Twitch’s better splits, Kick’s 95/5 still tends to win on pure subscription math.
📊 Real Monthly Subscription Earnings (50 / 100 / 500 Subs)
Let’s scale the same sub counts across common splits. These estimates are intentionally “clean” to make the comparison obvious.
🎯 “But What About Hourly Pay?” (Kick Incentives Explained)
Kick also promotes “premium payouts” and incentive-style earnings for some creators. The exact rates and eligibility can change over time, and in many cases the platform doesn’t publish one universal hourly number for everyone.
What you can do is treat incentives as a second income stream that sits on top of subs:
- Kick Subs: very strong by default (95/5).
- Kick Incentives: can add stability for creators who qualify.
- Twitch Ads: can be meaningful at high viewership, but inconsistent for smaller channels.
⚠️ The Multistreaming Catch
Kick supports multistreaming for Partners, but your revenue can be reduced while you multistream. If you’re building your “home base” on Kick and want maximum payouts, exclusivity during live hours tends to win on the math.
Quick rule of thumb: multistream for discovery, but understand it can reduce your per-stream earnings on Kick compared to streaming exclusively.
Calculate Your Kick vs Twitch Earnings
Plug in your sub count and estimate platform payouts instantly.
Open Comparison Tool🏁 Verdict: Which Platform Pays More in 2026?
If your income is mostly subscriptions and community support, Kick’s 95/5 split usually wins, especially for small to mid-sized creators.
- Kick wins for creators focused on subs (95/5 is hard to beat).
- Twitch competes when you qualify for improved splits and have strong ad scale.
- Your best move is the one that matches your content, category, and audience behavior.
Next up (recommended reads):
