Although Twitch is mostly used for enjoyment, it can also be a source of income. It offers two programs for this purpose. Affiliate and Partner. The Affiliate program is easier to achieve, but that doesn’t mean everyone can be one.
The path to becoming a Twitch Affiliate is thorny. You’ll need proper knowledge and guidance. I’ll update you on everything you need to know. So, let’s get started.
The Journey to become an Affiliate Streamer
Imagine you’re a teenager, and while scrolling Facebook or passing the time on any streaming site, you see one of your favorite streamers playing a game. And you’re thinking how nice it would actually be to be a streamer yourself.
But as a member of society, you have responsibilities. You have to earn and provide.
This is where the Twitch Affiliate Program comes in. It lets you earn while doing the things you’re passionate about, no matter your age. You can monetize your streams and get support from fans.
What happens when you become a Twitch Affiliate?
- You would be famous and have a fanbase.
- If you stream something that you’re good at, people will subscribe to your channel to see your content. In this way, you can make money and also show your skills to the world.
- You can create your own Brand.
- You will receive sponsorship offers from reputed companies.
Being a famous streamer is a dream almost for almost anybody. Twitch gives you this opportunity where you can start small.
Follow our definitive guide to becoming a twitch partner and get verified on twitch.
What is the Twitch Affiliate Program?
The Twitch affiliate program is a campaign that provides the streamer a path to make money doing what they like doing most and showcasing it on the Twitch platform. It is a system where streamers get paid for the number of subscribers in their channel after fulfilling certain conditions.
Twitch Affiliate Vs. Partner: What is the Difference?
Twitch first launched the Partner Program in July 2011. It lets popular content creators generate income from advertising in their streams, and they get some earnings from the subscription and other sponsorships.
Twitch Affiliate program launched on 24th April 2017. Its motive was to let smaller channels earn revenue. Streamers in this program get a portion of the benefits of the Partner Program. Normally streamers can earn from cheering with bits, sponsorships, sales, etc.
So what’s the difference between these two?
Simply speaking, these are two separate contracts. If one has Partner status, he cannot be an Affiliate and vice-versa. Both Partner and Affiliate have their perks.
You might be thinking, how can I apply for the program? Well, there are a few key requirements that you’ll have to fulfill. I’ve explained them in the next part.
Twitch Affiliate Requirements [as of 2022]
For streamers and people who love to watch live streams, Twitch is a must. It has a great chat feature, and streamers can make their own custom emotes. So can anyone be an affiliate in this program? The answer is as long you have the qualifications, anyone can.
The basic requirements for being an affiliate are easy. It might feel like some difficult criteria, but they are attainable.
Here are the requirements to become a Twitch Affiliate:
- Have a Total of 500 minutes of broadcast time in the last 30 days.
- Have streamed on 7 different days of the week at the same 30-day time span.
- Maintaining at least an average of 3 viewers while streaming.
- Gathering a minimum of 50 followers.
This might look much since you have only a month to meet these requirements. Concurrent viewership and keeping the minimum number of followers are the steps new streamers struggle with most. But taking the right steps and dedicating the right amount of time is actually easy.
It’s actually an affiliate achievement named Path to Affiliate. It can be found on the creator dashboard.
Also, don’t forget to see followers on twitch most often.
How to get Twitch Affiliate status
Twitch is an interactive live streaming platform where streamers can broadcast themselves. Twitch content encompasses many things like gaming, cooking, making art, playing music, and many other endeavors.
Streamers showcase their skills while getting paid for doing what they’re passionate about. Here millions of people come alive every day, interact with each other and make their own entertainment.
Joining the Twitch affiliate program is quite easy. Once you get in, you can start earning revenue. But before starting, there are a few steps you need to follow.
The first thing to do is to meet the 4 requirements to fit affiliate status and get the invitation to onboard.
Here are the steps to becoming Twitch Affiliate:
1. Access Affiliate Onboarding
After meeting the requirements, Twitch will send the invitation link to your mail address. You can also initiate the process from the dashboard.
Here’s how to Access Affiliate Onboarding:
- Go to Creators Dashboard and Click on Insight.
- Navigate to Achievements.
- Click on Get Started.
Now you’ll have to go through the Onboarding process, which consists of 4 steps.
2. Completing Payout Registration
You’ll get a form asking for some basic legal information. Fill out this information carefully according to what’s been asked to provide.
If you’re unsure, then it’d be wise to get help from a professional, as the info provided will be examined to check if you’re eligible for payouts.
3. Agree to Twitch Affiliate Agreement
This agreement holds all of what you agree to Twitch. You can contact your legal advisor or local attorney if you want further elaboration on this.
On the other hand, if you’re a minor, you cannot do this. You’ll have to get your parents or legal guardian to agree to it. Your guardian must type their full legal name, check the box, and click Agree in order to continue.
Note: The agreement can be found on the Twitch Affiliate Agreement page.
4. Provide Tax Information
Your tax information will be needed to complete this step. Twitch will ask you for two types of tax information.
- Royalty Tax
- Service tax
Though the forms are similar, they are used for different purposes. It’s imperative that you fill them out correctly.
Now the average citizen doesn’t actually know about all of the specifics of tax. Therefore it is highly recommended that a local tax professional is consulted before filling out this form since Twitch support doesn’t have this service.
Note: If you have any problems with definitions of any individual fields, you can refer to Amazon Tax Information Interview Guide.
5. Complete the Tipalti Form
After you have completed the previous steps, you now have to let Twitch know how you want to get paid.
Twitch uses a third-party payment processor for this, so it charges money for the transaction fee each time.
The payouts that Twitch accepts are
- Wire Transfer
- Paypal
- Check
- Direct Deposit / ACH
Payouts can be postponed if you want Twitch to hold on to your money. Here you can set the regularity of your payouts and fix transaction fees. Otherwise, it’ll be automatic according to the method you select. 
That’s basically how you join the Affiliate program. Once these are done, you’ll be a Twitch affiliate.
Note: Rejected payouts from any misinformation will also generate a fee for the inconvenience. These fees vary according to the method. You can see the fees here.
Is Streaming on Twitch free?
You might be thinking up to now How much does streaming cost? Can I afford it? The answer is yes, you can because it’s free. Just as opening a twitch account and watching live streams of your favorite streamer is totally free. You can even live stream on your own.
It costs money only to subscribe or if you want to give money or gifts to a streamer.
Though there are streamers, who do subscriber streams, these streams are not free. Only people who the streamer selects can see these live shows.
Many streamers have dedicated communities like subscribers, moderators, or even VIPs. These streams include private gaming sessions, discussions with moderators and supporters about future content, etc.
Subscriber streams are great to show gratitude to your core community and thank them for their continuous support. During this, any viewer can get a free preview of that stream.
They can manage their audiences with bots and receive gifts while streaming.
Check out some awesome solutions to fix the twitch error code 995f9a12 on Xbox.
FAQs
Are there any payout threshold settings?
Yes, there is. Your channel has to accumulate 100$ before a payout can be started. You have to wait and stream until you reach that threshold.
Can I lose a Twitch Affiliate?
The answer is yes. There may be various reasons, but the most common one is the 24-hour exclusivity clause. This rule says that after finishing an initial broadcast on twitch, you cannot upload or stream concurrently on another platform for the next 24 hours.
Why are my payouts being reduced?
Twitch uses a third-party processor for payouts. This could be a result of the Tax interview. You should go back and check if all the information is correct.
Final Thoughts
So, after going through all this, you might understand there are many things to consider to become an affiliate. Do not be disheartened by the fact that there is a long road ahead.
Whatever others say, follow your heart if it tells you to become an affiliate. There are bound to be some obstacles and hindrances, but they are temporary, believe me.
Hopefully, this article has helped you gain some insight into this matter. If you really become an affiliate on Twitch, I hope someday I will see you there and cheer for you. Have a nice day.
