That's why you earn more on YouTube than on Twitch | Revenue Comparison

Transcript

How much money actually reaches you as a Creator when a user makes a digital transaction? That’s exactly what this video is about. We compare YouTube and Twitch and look at how much remains after value-added tax (VAT), app store fees, platform cuts, and income tax.

On YouTube, there are essentially two types of digital transactions: super features like Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks, as well as paid channel memberships. The billing follows the same principle in both cases, so we can consider them together.

On Twitch, we need to distinguish between subscriptions and Bits. Subscriptions have different platform cuts depending on the platform and subscription tier. Bits work differently: Creators receive a fixed amount per Bit, while the purchase price for users can vary depending on the package and device.

The method is always the same. First, the user pays a gross price. Then, VAT, possible device or app store fees, the platform cut, and taxes are deducted. In the end, the amount that actually reaches the Creator remains.

On YouTube, the share for Creators is particularly high when users pay via desktop or Android. Android belongs to the Google ecosystem, so there are no additional app store fees like on iOS. On iOS, it becomes more expensive because Apple takes a cut of in-app payments.

For Twitch subscriptions, it’s more complicated. Desktop subscriptions already bring a lower net share than YouTube memberships. Mobile subscriptions are even less favorable because additional app store fees apply and the price for users can be higher, while less reaches the Creator.

With Twitch Bits, the calculation is different. Creators receive a fixed amount per Bit, but users pay different amounts depending on the package and platform. Large Bit packages are more efficient than small ones, and desktop purchases are usually better than mobile purchases. This means that the net share for Bits can sometimes look better than for mobile subscriptions.

The most important difference is: For long-term memberships and regular support, YouTube is often more efficient for Creators. For one-time payments, Twitch Bits can be competitive depending on the purchase method, but mobile purchases significantly worsen the calculation.

For Creators, this means: Pay attention to where your community is active. A mobile-first community can be less efficient for digital transactions because app store fees take a large share. Desktop users are usually best for such payments, and on YouTube, Android is also relatively strong.

Conclusion: If you want to build long-term memberships, YouTube is often financially more attractive. When considering one-time payments, the comparison depends more on the product, platform, and device. Take a close look at the numbers before finalizing your monetization strategy.