Twitch vs. YouTube has become the new “Playstation vs. Xbox” debate in the streaming world.
Why???
Because people are starting to question Twitch as the default platform.
And for good reason…
You simply can’t ignore the fact that huge streamers like TimTheTatman and DrLupo have switched to YouTube.
Which begs the question: which platform should you use?
Because at the end of the day, the platform you stream on can have a huge impact on your success.
YouTube and Twitch have different algorithms and features, both of which can influence who views your stream and their experience.
That makes this a big decision for you.
And that’s exactly why we put together this detailed comparison of YouTube vs. Twitch for streamers.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear picture of which is better for YOU.
Twitch vs. YouTube for Streaming: How Do the Platforms Stack Up Across 4 Major Categories?
1. Popularity
Twitch
Twitch is still the de facto streaming platform for gamers with approximately 8.07 million active streamers as of September of 2021.
It will likely remain the most popular platform for the foreseeable future even with some major streamers leaving for YouTube Gaming.
Why?
Because its primary focus is on video game streaming while YouTube’s isn’t.
YouTube
On the flipside, YouTube Gaming is gaining traction with headlines about streamers switching from Twitch.
But it’s important to remember that YouTube is an entirely different platform than Twitch.
YouTube is the world’s 2nd largest search engine and is used for thousands of things other than streaming.
So, when you’re talking about “popularity”, it’s a different kind of popularity.
YouTube will always have a leg up on Twitch for active users but these users aren’t all interested in live streams or video games.
If you’re not looking to exclusively stream video games, though, YouTube could be a really interesting option.
2. Discoverability
Twitch
Twitch tends to recommend popular streamers in their search results—which can make it difficult for new or budding streamers to show up without already having a respectable following.
That being said, since Twitch is geared towards video game streaming, the audience using the platform is much more targeted if you’re trying to grow your own gaming stream.
This makes Twitch easier to build a following from scratch as long as you aren’t relying on strictly organic growth through their search function.
YouTube
YouTube is a much more sophisticated search engine than Twitch—making it easier for new streamers to be discovered organically.
But there’s a distinction here…
It’s really only easier to be discovered organically through pre-recorded videos, not live streams.
Another key issue with YouTube is that, again, not all of its users are gamers.
Even though the search engine can help new streamers more than Twitch’s, it’s harder to build a following on YouTube for live streams.
Most streamers who have switched from Twitch to YouTube already had huge followings and were paid big bucks to make the jump.
So, while YouTube can be better for discoverability in terms of pre-recorded content, it’s not necessarily better for building a streaming audience.
3. Monetization
Twitch
Twitch has lower requirements for becoming an affiliate than YouTube.
All you need is 500 minutes broadcast over 7 days, an average of 3 viewers, and 50 followers.
Twitch also has several monetization methods streamers can utilize, including:
- Donations – Viewers can donate to the streamer and they receive 100% of it.
- Merchandise – Twitch extensions make it possible for streamers to sell merch during their stream without viewers having to leave.
- Sponsors – Streamers are free to place sponsored links in their profile and advertise during their stream.
- Inline Ads – Twitch offers the ability to work with them to display embedded ads during your broadcast.
- Paid Subscriptions – You can offer viewers a paid subscription tier and you split the profit 50-50 with Twitch.
While Twitch offers a low barrier to entry and several tools for monetization, it’s not necessarily easy to actually make money until you have a respectable following.
YouTube
It’s much harder to qualify for YouTube’s affiliate program than Twitch’s.
You have to have:
- At least 4,000 hours of views in the last 12 months
- 1,000+ subscribers
- Original videos
It also has slightly fewer (and slightly less desirable in some cases) monetization options.
The main ones are:
- Ads – Once you qualify, you can place ads on your channel and get paid via GoogleAdsense.
- Members – If you are part of the Partner Program and have at least 1,000 subscribers (as a gaming channel), you can create paid membership tiers. YouTube takes 30%.
- Super Chat – YouTube also allows you to accept donations but they take 30%.
- Merchandise – YouTube offers a merchandise bar for qualifying streamers.
Twitch definitely has better monetization options than YouTube, but it’s often easier to start actually making money on YouTube because it’s easier to get views.
4. Content
Twitch
Twitch is all about live broadcasts.
People go to Twitch to watch streamers in real-time.
This can be a blessing and a curse.
On one hand, pretty much everyone on Twitch wants to watch gaming streams.
On the other, you always have to live cast.
Another key distinction with Twitch content is it’s monitored much more tightly than YouTube.
Twitch streamers constantly complain about being banned for no reason and claim their rulings aren’t consistent.
Some have gotten so frustrated with this in particular that it made them switch to YouTube.
YouTube
With YouTube, you can choose between live broadcasts and uploading pre-recorded content.
This is a huge appeal because content creators don’t have to always live stream.
They can upload content that gets discovered through YouTube’s search engine that serves as marketing material for their live streams.
They can grow their audience, make money, and more while they sleep.
YouTube is also much more lenient with its rules.
It has a 3 strike system that lets you know you’ve violated guidelines without shutting you down immediately.
Is Twitch Better Than YouTube?
Yes, if you’re a video game streamer who wants to utilize live broadcasts.
But Twitch isn’t inherently better than YouTube outside of live streaming.
There are several different use cases for each platform.
Which leads to the ultimate answer…
“Should I Stream on YouTube or Twitch?” The Answer
I recommend starting your live stream on Twitch and uploading other pre-recorded videos to YouTube.
You don’t have to pick one platform over the other, you can use both for their strengths.
There’s also the option of live streaming on both at the same time through software like Restream that broadcasts your stream on up to 30+ channels at once.
As with most huge debates, there isn’t a definitive answer on which platform is “best”.
There are reasons to use both, and you can, so you should. 🙂
Stream for a Living is a small team of gamers, full-time content creators, and streamers who are dedicated to helping you grow your stream.