Kick vs. Twitch: Which One To Choose as a Streamer

From playing video games to sharing real-time vlogs, livestreaming is one of the most popular ways to create content online. Most influencers are familiar with the streaming platform Twitch, but in recent years, it’s faced competition from Kick.

Understanding the differences between Kick versus Twitch will help you choose the right platform to grow your brand. 

What’s Twitch?

Twitch is one of the most popular livestreaming platforms available. Its founder, Justin Kan, started broadcasting his life 24 hours a day on a platform called Justin.tv. A year later, he opened the platform to anyone interested in streaming, and in 2011, he created the spinoff site called Twitch.

Amazon purchased the platform in 2014, and today, Twitch averages nearly 7 million active streamers. It offers several content categories for creators to choose from, including gaming, travel, and fitness. 

What’s Kick?

Kick.com is another livestreaming platform that competes with Twitch by prioritizing content creators. Entrepreneurs Bijan Tehrani and Eddie Craven founded Kick in 2022. Like Twitch, Kick has numerous content categories such as gaming, music, and ASMR. 

Kick pays creators much more than Twitch, which appeals to many streamers. Despite this generosity, Kick still has a significantly smaller user base than Twitch, with only 170,000 active streamers on the platform.

Kick vs. Twitch: 4 Differences

Here are four essential factors that set these platforms apart. 

1. Revenue Model

Twitch offers three payment models: 

• 50/50 — This is the base rate that most streamers receive. 
• 60/40 — Affiliates and partners who maintain 100–299 Plus Points for at least three months get a higher income. Creators earn Plus Points for each subscriber.
• 70/30 — Streamers with 300 Plus Points qualify for this split.

Even with all these payment options available, Twitch’s highest payouts still can’t compete with Kick’s model. Kick streamers receive a more attractive revenue split, as the platform pays content creators 95% of the subscription revenue they generate. 

2. Audience Size

Thanks to its popularity and longer track record, Twitch has a significantly higher number of users. The platform records roughly 2.4 million concurrent viewers compared to around 440,000 for Kick. 

3. Community Engagement Features

Twitch provides more opportunities for interaction between users and content creators. For example, it has Hype Trains, which appear when there’s a spike in subscriptions, Hype Chats, or Bits during a stream. Anyone who contributes will earn emote rewards for supporting the channel. 

Like Twitch, Kick lets audiences interact with streamers through live chats, polls, and custom emojis. However, Kick lacks some of the advanced features Twitch offers.

4. Streaming Tools and Ease of Use

Twitch Studio has more streaming features available, including the ability to go live on consoles without using third-party tools. Creators also tend to find Twitch easy to use and customize, which may appeal to new influencers.

Kick has fewer tabs, features, and options to juggle, but you have to use third-party streaming sites like OBS to actually go live. This requires a little more manual setup, which might not be as accessible to beginners.

Kick vs. Twitch: Pros and Cons

Consider the advantages and drawbacks of both platforms to decide which one best suits your needs. 

Twitch Pros

• Larger, more established audience — Twitch has much higher subscriber and viewership numbers, so you may be more likely to connect with viewers interested in your niche.
• Better stability — Twitch maintains its infrastructure using the well-regarded Amazon Web Service. This means the platform is less likely to crash when large numbers of viewers log on. 
• More monetization options — Even though Twitch’s revenue split isn’t as strong, it offers more ways for creators to make money on the platform. For instance, in-stream ads and Bits are two monetization options that Kick doesn’t provide.

Twitch Cons

• Oversaturation — If you’re new to streaming, Twitch’s size can actually be a deterrent. With so many people going live daily, it can be difficult to grow your following on the platform. 
• Stricter content guidelines — Twitch’s Community Guidelines are more firm than Kick’s, and breaking them can result in temporary or even permanent bans. Worse, Twitch doesn’t always enforce these rules consistently, which can be confusing when you’re deciding what to post.
• Lower revenue share — Twitch splits less subscription revenue with its livestreamers, so making a living on the platform can be more challenging unless you gain a large following. 

Kick Pros

• Creator-friendly revenue split — As mentioned, Kick gives creators 95% of the revenue they earn on the platform. 
• More relaxed content guidelines — Kick’s less stringent content moderation allows you to see and contribute to a wider range of streams. 
• Less competition — Creators without a large following might benefit from Kick’s smaller audience, as it can be easier to stand out in a smaller pool of content creators. 

Kick Cons

• Fewer advertising and brand deals — Because of its large audience, Twitch attracts more advertising and branding deals for creators. These opportunities aren’t as frequent on Kick due to its more limited reach. 
• Less stability — Without the technical and financial backing of a large corporation like Amazon, Kick’s future is less certain. Like other platforms that use revenue share models, Kick might need to pull back on the revenue split or other perks to focus on sustainability and profits. The platform may also start running in-stream ads to support itself, which viewers may not like.

How To Choose Between These Platforms

When deciding which streaming site is the best fit, keep the following elements in mind. 

Content Focus

Creators looking to break into popular streaming categories like gaming and in-real-life streams may have a better chance on Kick. Since the platform isn’t as well established, there’s less competition, even in these common niches. 

However, if you create more unique content, you may want to use Twitch to find your community among its large user base.

Monetization Preferences

If your main concern is monetization, Kick might be your best bet. Along with the high revenue payout, Kick has also introduced a Creator Incentive Program, which pays streamers each time they go live. 

To qualify, you’ll need at least 1,500 followers and must reach the following milestones within 30 days: 

• 100 average concurrent viewers
• 50 stream hours
• 15 separate days of streaming
• 25 direct subscriptions
• 500 unique chatters
• Three videos uploaded on demand

Once you hit these criteria, you can email an application to Kick. Accepted creators will earn an hourly wage alongside subscription, donation, and sponsorship funds.

Dual Streaming Setup

Unless you have exclusivity contracts with one platform, you’re allowed to stream on both at the same time. Tools like Restream and Streamlabs let you broadcast to multiple sites at once. By simulcasting, you’ll benefit from both Kick’s monetization options and Twitch’s large viewer base.

Make Stream Highlights With Captions

Regardless of which livestreaming platform you choose, you should post on other social media sites — like Instagram and TikTok — to grow your following. Scrubbing through hours of footage takes time, so that’s why you need Captions to generate high-quality video clips in minutes. 

Our Twitch Clip Editor helps you pull highlights from your long-form streams. No more scrubbing through hours of content to find viral-worthy content — AI does this process automatically in just a few minutes. Once you generate these clips, upload them across platforms to build your audience.

Use Captions to create, personalize, and share content faster. 

FAQs

Is Kick Owned by Twitch?

Twitch doesn’t own Kick. Instead, Kick Streaming Pty Ltd. owns the platform. 

Is Kick Taking Over Twitch?

Kick has positioned itself as a strong competitor to Twitch, but Twitch still has Kick beat on streamer accounts and active users.

How Much Does Kick Pay Streamers?

When streaming on Kick, you’ll earn a 95/5 revenue split, making it a viable way to generate an income. Additionally, if you qualify for the Creator Incentive Program, you’ll earn even more for going live.

Where Else Can I Livestream? 

Plenty of other platforms have streaming capabilities, including Instagram broadcasts, TikTok LIVE, and YouTube. With simulcasting tools, you can go live on many of these channels at once.

What Streaming Equipment Do I Need? 

If you’re still building your streaming setup, all you need to get started is a high-quality camera or an iPhone and a microphone. These basic tools will capture your reactions and commentary clearly. 

Other video equipment, such as powerful computer decks or studio lights, can wait until you’re ready to invest in more advanced content creation.