Streaming Guides
Streamer.Guide publishes 66 hands-on guides for live streamers on Twitch, YouTube, Kick and TikTok. They cover four areas: getting set up (OBS, capture cards, encoder and bitrate settings), going live on a specific platform (TikTok LIVE Studio, Kick, Discord, X, LinkedIn, CHZZK, SOOP, Rumble), growing an audience, and getting paid — subscriptions, sponsorships, affiliate programs and the revenue split each platform actually pays. Every guide states its requirements up front, gives exact settings rather than ranges where a correct value exists, and is dated so you can see how current it is. Hardware recommendations name specific models with current prices and are marked when a link earns us a commission, and where a platform has changed its rules we say when it changed and what it changed from. Where a figure is not published — a revenue split, a follower threshold, a payout rate — we say it is unpublished rather than estimating it.
Browse all 66 guides
Showing all 66 guides, newest first
Gear8 min read
How to Use a Stream Deck: Setup, Profiles and Multi Actions
Most Stream Decks end up as fifteen buttons that each do one thing. The features that justify the price are the ones nobody sets up: Smart Profiles that swap layout when you change app, Key Logic for three actions on one key, Multi Actions for whole sequences. Plus how to test the whole thing free on your phone before buying hardware.
Updated
Platforms10 min read
Kick Emotes (2026): How to Add Them and the Most Used in Chat
How to add channel and subscriber emotes on Kick (PNG or GIF, 500×500, under 1 MB, 60 + 24 slots), how emote-only mode and 7TV work there, and one day of real Kick chat data: all 40 of the most used emotes are ones Kick ships itself, led by KEKW, plus what the new collectible emotes like collectiblesGoldenKEKW are.
Updated
Platforms10 min read
Discord Text Formatting (2026): Strikethrough, Bold, Spoilers
Every Discord Markdown code in one cheat sheet: ~~strikethrough~~, **bold**, __underline__, ||spoilers|| for text, images and links, -# small text, headers, masked links, lists, quotes, code blocks with syntax highlighting, ANSI colored text codes, mentions by ID and all nine timestamp styles — plus what works on desktop vs mobile and the mistakes that stop each format rendering.
Updated
Platforms9 min read
Kick vs Twitch (2026): Pay, Rules and Audience Compared
Kick vs Twitch decided in the first paragraph: $4.75 of a $5 Kick sub vs about $2.50 on Twitch's default split, the KICK Partner Program vs Twitch Plus Points, gambling and multistreaming rules, quality caps and VOD storage — plus why the '$16 an hour' Kick claim is out of date.
Updated
Tech & Tools5 min read
Kick vs Twitch Viewership (2026): Hours Watched, Month by Month
Thirteen months of Streams Charts data: Kick grew from 34% to 39% of Twitch's watch time (49% in early September) with fewer channels but far more hours per channel, plus the top categories and biggest channels on each platform.
Updated
Tech & Tools6 min read
Kick vs Twitch by Language (2026): Where Each Platform Wins
Kick carries 95% of Arabic and 93% of Turkish Twitch-plus-Kick watch time but only 17% of English; Portuguese was Kick's big mover in Q3 2026. Every major language compared, with the reasons where they are documented.
Updated
Tech & Tools11 min read
Streamlabs vs OBS (2026): Which One Should You Use?
Same engine, different trade-offs: when to pick OBS Studio or Streamlabs Desktop, what Streamlabs Ultra ($27/month or $189/year) actually adds, CPU overhead, alerts and widgets in OBS, multistreaming and Dual Output, TikTok and Kick, Mac support, and how to move your scenes either way.
Updated
Platforms9 min read
How to Make and Edit Twitch Clips (2026): Clip, Cut, Repost
The Alt+X hotkey and the 90-second capture buffer, the 60-second limit, Twitch's built-in captions and portrait crop, where clips live in the Creator Dashboard, how to cut them into vertical TikToks and Shorts, what Twitch's new CapCut partnership actually gives you, why you cannot upload a clip as a clip, and the 100-hour storage cap that deletes old highlights.
Updated
Money11 min read
TikTok LIVE Gifts, Coins and Diamonds: How Gifts Become Money (2026)
Coin prices web vs in-app, the 2-coins-to-1-diamond conversion, the $0.005 diamond, why the real creator share is closer to a quarter than a half, every major gift's value from Rose to TikTok Universe, withdrawal rules, PayPal identity matching, the refund clawback and eligibility.
Updated
Money7 min read
TikTok LIVE Subscription Is Now Super Fan (2026): Price, Payout
Super Fan replaced LIVE Subscription on September 15, 2025: $9.99 a month, up to 50% of TikTok's net revenue to creators. How it differs from the non-LIVE Subscription, who can offer it, perks, tools and setup.
Updated
Platforms9 min read
TikTok LIVE Rules 2026: What Gets You Banned and How Strikes Work
The LIVE-specific rules that end streams: minors on camera, static or pre-recorded streams, off-platform redirects, regulated goods, gambling, licensed music, bots. Plus the strike ladder, 90-day expiry, permanent LIVE bans, appeals and a 60-second pre-stream check.
Updated
Growth7 min read
Best Time to Go Live on TikTok (2026): Peak Hours and How to Find Yours
The four windows that work, weekday vs weekend patterns, why most published data measures posting rather than LIVE, how to read Follower activity in TikTok Studio, handling split time zones, and why starting 30-60 minutes before the peak matters more than the hour itself.
Updated
Getting Started13 min read
Stream Channel Setup: Panels, Art Sizes, Descriptions and Privacy Rules
Exact art sizes for Twitch, Kick and YouTube, how to add and reorder panels on both Twitch and Kick, what streamers actually put in them, how YouTube's channel and stream descriptions work instead, where to get free overlays and panel packs, and the personal-data rules that keep your address off the internet.
Updated
Platforms12 min read
Twitch Emotes Explained: Meanings, How to Add Them, and 7TV vs BTTV
What every big Twitch emote means (KEKW, LUL, PogChamp, Sadge, monkaS, COPIUM and more), the most used emotes in Twitch chat this week from Streams Charts data, how to upload your own, and why half the emotes in chat are invisible without 7TV, BetterTTV or FrankerFaceZ.
Updated
Platforms10 min read
How to Go Live on YouTube in 2026: PC and Mobile, Step by Step
From a computer you can stream with zero subscribers, by webcam or through OBS. From the phone app you need 50. Full setup for both routes, the 24-hour activation wait that catches everyone, encoder and latency settings, and what to check when the Go Live button is greyed out.
Updated
Money14 min read
How to Withdraw Money From Twitch (2026): Methods, Thresholds, Taxes
Every route out of Twitch: payout methods and their thresholds, the $50 minimum, when Twitch really pays, the tax interview and the 30% withholding that a completed treaty section removes, plus country notes for the US, Europe, Brazil and Ukraine — and the Spendable Balance, which spends earnings on Bits and gift subs before you can withdraw them.
Updated
Money9 min read
Twitch Affiliate Requirements 2026: The Four Numbers (Updated in June)
Twitch cut the bar in June 2026: 25 followers, 4 hours streamed, 4 broadcast days and 3 average concurrent viewers in a rolling 30-day window. What each number means, why only one of them is hard, where to track progress, what Affiliate is worth now that subs and Bits are open to everyone, and how Partner compares.
Updated
Tech & Tools13 min read
How to Stream GTA 6 on PS5 & Xbox: Full Setup Guide (2026)
GTA VI launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Capture cards by budget, the PS5 HDCP toggle that blocks capture, console-native vs capture-card routes, encoder settings, and the in-game radio DMCA trap.
Updated
Tech & Tools8 min read
TikTok LIVE Studio Download for PC (2026): Requirements & Fixes
Where to download TikTok LIVE Studio safely (tiktok.com/studio/download), TikTok's official Windows and macOS system requirements, how LIVE access, the application form and the trial work, and fixes for the errors everyone hits: no Go LIVE button, revoked access, muted audio, frozen chat and casting.
Updated
Money6 min read
How Much Do TikTok Ads Cost in 2026? CPM, CPC & Minimum Budget
Sourced 2026 TikTok ad benchmarks (median CPM about $4–5, CTR 0.61%), TikTok's official minimums ($50/day per campaign, $20/day per ad group), what moves the price, and a realistic starter test for streamers.
Updated
Growth7 min read
How to Get More Viewers on TikTok LIVE in 2026: Organic, Promote & Ads
How the TikTok LIVE algorithm recommends streams, best times to go live, TikTok Promote vs Ads Manager, Spark Ads for streamers, and battle tactics that borrow other creators' audiences.
Updated
Tech & Tools10 min read
Bitrate & Encoder Settings Cheat Sheet 2026: Best OBS Settings by Resolution & Platform
Exact bitrate by resolution and frame rate, which encoder to use (x264, NVENC, AV1, HEVC), and per-platform caps for Twitch, YouTube, and Kick — plus copy-paste OBS settings.
Money11 min read
Streaming Platform Revenue Split 2026: Which Platform Pays Creators the Most?
Kick 95%, YouTube 70%, Twitch 50–70%, TikTok ~50%, Rumble 60% — the complete 2026 breakdown of what creators actually keep per sub, gift, and ad view across every major platform.
Updated
Growth9 min read
Streamer Health Guide 2026: Beat Burnout, Boost Energy & Optimize Long Streams
Sleep, movement, fuel, focus, burnout, and biomarker testing — the five pillars of streamer health plus how to know your real numbers with at-home testing.
Gear & Setup8 min read
Best Capture Card for Streaming in 2026: Top 7 Picks
Tested picks for every budget — 4K144, 1080p60, console, and dual-PC. Compare Elgato 4K X, AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S, HD60 X, and more.
Gear & Setup12 min read
Podcast + Stream Setup: The Complete 2026 Guide
The gear, software, and step-by-step workflow to record studio-quality audio and go live to YouTube, Twitch, and more — from a $150 starter kit to a full pro studio.
Platforms6 min read
How to Go Live on Discord: Stream and Screen Share Guide (2026)
Share your screen or game in a Discord voice channel in seconds — no stream key needed. Covers desktop, mobile, quality tiers, OBS Virtual Camera, and fixing no-sound issues.
Platforms7 min read
LinkedIn Live in 2026: Access, Tools, Events and RTMP Setup
LinkedIn Live is gated: you need access approval and, in most cases, an approved third-party tool rather than your own stream key. Who qualifies, which preferred partners are worth paying for, how to run a LinkedIn Live event, and the encoder settings that work.
Platforms8 min read
How to Go Live on X (Twitter): Step-by-Step Guide 2026
Go live on X (Twitter) from your phone or desktop. Covers mobile steps, OBS + RTMP setup, X Media Studio Producer, encoder settings, and tips to grow your audience.
Platforms11 min read
Twitch Dual Format: How to Vertical Stream on Twitch (2026)
How to stream vertical and horizontal on Twitch at the same time with Dual Format, open to every streamer since June 2026: OBS 32, Enhanced Broadcasting, the free Aitum Vertical plugin, 12.5 Mbps upload, the OBS setup step by step, Streamlabs and StreamElements, vertical safe areas, and why the vertical VOD disappears after 7 days while clips stay in both formats.
Updated
Platforms11 min read
How to Co-Stream on Twitch (2026): Stream Together & Shared Chat
Squad Stream was retired in January 2024 — here is how co-streaming works now. Stream Together setup in OBS for up to 6 collaborators, Shared Chat and its cross-channel moderation, the combined Shared Viewership count, who gets subs and Bits, official event co-streaming for esports via the Co-Stream button, raid vs co-stream, and Discord, VDO.Ninja and StreamYard alternatives.
Updated
Money8 min read
TikTok Business Account 2026: Creator vs Business, and Ad Credits
What a TikTok Business account really changes for a creator (Commercial Music Library only, no gifts or Creator Rewards, bio link once verified), how to switch, and how the new-advertiser ad credit works: up to $6,000, earned on a spend ladder within 14 days of registering, not a 1:1 match.
Updated
Tech & Tools10 min read
Best TikTok Analytics Tools (2026): Free, Paid and LIVE Compared
TikTok Studio, LIVE Center, Exolyt, Socialinsider, HypeAuditor and TikTokStats.com compared, with free tiers and prices checked in September 2026. Also covers where native analytics live, the 60-day window, how to read LIVE metrics, and which metrics actually matter.
Updated
Tech & Tools9 min read
How to Download Kick VODs and Clips (2026): Free Kick Downloader
Kick clips have a Download button; Kick VODs have none. The free downloader Kick's own help center recommends (full VOD or a time range, MP4/TS up to 1080p), the m3u8-into-VLC route, and how long Kick keeps VODs (7 or 30 days, plus pinning).
Updated
Tech & Tools10 min read
How to Download Twitch Clips and VODs (2026): Free Downloader
Download any Twitch clip as an MP4 up to 1080p with the free Streams Charts downloader, save your own clips and VODs from Clips Manager and Video Producer before they expire (7, 14 or 60 days), and the honest options for other people's VODs.
Updated
Money8 min read
What is Club.com and How to Join — Creator Monetization Guide
Learn what Club.com is, how to create an account, and start earning from exclusive content. The new invite-only creator platform from the team behind Kick & Stake.
Money12 min read
How to Accept Crypto Donations on Stream: Wallets & Alerts (2026)
Accept crypto donations on stream: a plain wallet address vs NOWPayments or OxaPay, how to fire StreamElements and Streamlabs alerts from a payment webhook, choosing a wallet to receive into, Twitch and Kick rules, taxes and security. Coinbase Commerce closed in March 2026.
Updated
Tech & Tools13 min read
Best OBS Alternatives (2026): Meld, Streamlabs, PRISM, vMix
Meld Studio, Streamlabs, PRISM Live Studio, XSplit, vMix, Wirecast, Ecamm, Lightstream, TikTok LIVE Studio and browser studios compared on price, OS and built-in multistreaming — prices checked September 2026, with a pick for beginners, Mac, console, podcasts, pro productions and low-end PCs.
Updated
Growth14 min read
Best Streaming Conferences & Festivals 2026: Where to Grow Your Brand
TwitchCon, DreamHack, VidCon, PAX, Gamescom — the top events for streamers to network, find sponsors, and meet their community in 2026.
Gear & Setup9 min read
Best Smartphones for Streaming (2026): IRL, Live & Gaming
Which phone to stream from in 2026, judged on what matters on a long stream: sustained cooling, stabilization, front camera, battery and USB-C webcam mode. Picks: iPhone 18 Pro Max (best overall and IRL), Galaxy S26 Ultra, Pixel 11 Pro, REDMAGIC 11S Pro (mobile game streaming) and Pixel 10a (budget), plus the accessories that matter more than the phone.
Updated
Getting Started9 min read
What Is Live Streaming? Definition, How It Works, Platforms (2026)
Live streaming is video created and broadcast at the same moment, with no finished file existing beforehand. How it differs from video on demand and music streaming, how the pipeline works from camera to viewer, the latency to expect, and which platform fits which broadcast.
Updated
Getting Started10 min read
How to Start Streaming in 2026
Complete beginner's guide to launching your streaming career with step-by-step instructions
Updated
Tech & Tools14 min read
OBS Studio Setup (2026): Best Streaming Settings, Step by Step
Every OBS Studio 32 menu that matters, in order: Auto-Configuration Wizard, stream keys for Twitch, YouTube, Kick and TikTok, encoder and bitrate per platform, Enhanced Broadcasting, video scaling, the mic filter chain, Hybrid MP4 vs MKV recording, and how to tell dropped, skipped and missed frames apart.
Updated
Gear & Setup11 min read
Game Streaming on a Budget: Mic, Webcam, Light & Green Screen
Three complete game-streaming setups at $150, $300 and $500, with every part linked: USB or dynamic mic, 1080p webcam, ring light, green screen and headphones. Also covers how to light and key a budget green screen in OBS, and when you need a capture card.
Updated
Gear & Setup10 min read
IRL Streaming Setup (2026): Backpack, Bonding & Gear List
What goes in an IRL streaming backpack and when you actually need bonding. Three setups priced from real Amazon listings (a phone kit around $190, a hotspot backpack around $600–$680, a pro bonded rig from $2,600), plus LiveU Solo PRO vs BELABOX vs the free Moblin and IRL Pro apps, power bank sizing with FAA carry-on rules, mics, mounts and the best camera for IRL streaming.
Updated
Gear & Setup12 min read
What Colors Not to Wear With a Green Screen (2026)
Green vanishes, but that is only the first rule. Which colors pick up spill and glow at the edges, why shiny fabric ruins a key even in a safe color, what to wear against a blue screen instead, and the fabric choices that fix edge halos in OBS.
Gear & Setup13 min read
Gifts for Streamers (2026): 28 Ideas by Budget, $12 to $350
28 gifts for streamers and content creators sorted by budget, from a $12 headphone hook to a $350 Stream Deck + XL, plus how gift subs, Bits, Kick subs, YouTube gift memberships and Discord Nitro actually reach the streamer. Includes what not to buy and how to find out their setup first.
Updated
Growth16 min read
How to Grow on Twitch in 2026: Get More Viewers From Zero
How to grow a Twitch channel from zero in 2026: how the directory, Discovery Feed, raids and Stream Together actually surface a small channel, how to pick a category by viewers per live channel with public data, a clip routine, the current Affiliate and Partner numbers, and a realistic 90-day plan.
Updated
Money12 min read
Monetization Strategies for Streamers
Learn how to earn income from your streams through multiple revenue channels
Money14 min read
Polymarket for Streaming Events: Creator Markets Explained (2026)
Prediction markets occasionally list streaming-industry outcomes - a platform CEO change, a high-profile unban, an awards result. How those markets are worded, why resolution criteria matter more than the odds, and the rules to know before touching them on stream.
Money10 min read
Vyro Clipping: How MrBeast's Platform Pays Per View (2026)
What MrBeast's clipping marketplace Vyro actually pays today: $1–$1.50 per 1,000 views on the campaigns it currently lists, a 5,000-view floor per post, a 1M-view cap per clip, and $10 weekly cash-outs via PayPal or Stripe. Plus the rules that get clips rejected, a legit-or-scam checklist, the 'Vyro cashback' mix-up, and how streamers can fund their own campaign to get clipped.
Updated
Money16 min read
Best Affiliate Programs for Streamers
Discover high-paying affiliate programs for streamers across gaming gear, VPNs, energy drinks, and more
Getting Started14 min read
How to Become a VTuber for Free (2026): Software & Setup
Become a VTuber for $0: PNGtuber vs Live2D vs 3D compared, every free app checked (VTube Studio, VSeeFace, Warudo, VRoid Studio, veadotube mini, PNGTuber Plus, Cubism FREE) with prices, platforms and versions, plus webcam vs iPhone tracking, the VRoid to VSeeFace/Warudo walkthrough, OBS transparency via Spout2 or Game Capture, FPS fixes and licensing rules.
Updated
Platforms10 min read
How to Go Live on TikTok (2026): LIVE Studio, PC, OBS & Mobile
Every way to go live on TikTok: from the app, from a PC or Mac with TikTok LIVE Studio, or OBS with a stream key from LIVE Center. What LIVE access requires (18+, 1,000 followers in most regions, the 25-minute trial rule), and TikTok Studio vs LIVE Studio vs LIVE Center vs Streamer Desktop.
Updated
Platforms12 min read
How to Stream on Kick (2026): OBS, Stream Key & Requirements
Step-by-step Kick setup: where the stream key and RTMPS URL live, Kick's real OBS limits (H.264, CBR, 8,000 kbps, 1080p60, 2-second keyframes), going live from a phone or the browser, console routes, why OBS won't connect, and what subscriptions and the KICK Partner Program require.
Updated
Platforms12 min read
How to Stream on Pump.fun
Complete guide to streaming crypto token launches on pump.fun with live video and community engagement.
Platforms12 min read
How to Stream on Rumble
Complete guide to streaming on Rumble with OBS setup, RTMP configuration, and monetization strategies.
Platforms14 min read
How to Stream on CHZZK
Complete guide to streaming on CHZZK (Naver's platform) with OBS setup and Korean audience strategies.
Platforms14 min read
How to Stream on SOOP
Complete guide to streaming on SOOP (AfreecaTV) with Star Balloon monetization and BJ registration.
Platforms18 min read
How to Stream Chess Games
Complete guide to streaming chess on Twitch and YouTube with OBS setup, electronic boards, and growth strategies.
Growth9 min read
How to Use TikTok and YouTube Shorts to Grow on Twitch (2026)
A clip pipeline for streamers: cut stream moments into vertical TikToks and Shorts, the 2026 length and payout rules on both platforms (including the February 2027 YouTube Partner Program changes), and the links that turn short-form viewers into live viewers.
Updated
Platforms14 min read
Complete List of Livestreaming Platforms
Comprehensive directory of 13+ livestreaming platforms including Twitch, YouTube, Kick, TikTok, and regional platforms
Updated
Platforms12 min read
Twitch vs YouTube for Streaming (2026): Which Is Better?
Which platform to stream on in 2026, answered in the first paragraph: sub splits (Twitch 50/50 → 70/30 vs YouTube 70/30), what it takes to get paid on each, discovery, VOD storage, 2K vs 4K, plus Q2 2026 viewership data showing Twitch still has ~1.8× YouTube's live gaming hours.
Updated
Tech & Tools15 min read
Stream Optimization: Technical Guide
Master bitrate settings, encoder selection, and performance optimization for flawless streams
Platforms14 min read
How to Multistream (2026): Twitch, YouTube, Kick & TikTok at Once
Every platform's 2026 multistreaming rules (Twitch simulcasting guidelines, Kick's Partner toggle, TikTok stream keys), cloud relay vs free OBS plugins, upload bandwidth math, vertical + horizontal at once, and unified chat options.
Updated
Platforms10 min read
Multitwitch: How to Watch Multiple Twitch Streams at Once (2026)
Put 2 to 9 Twitch, Kick and YouTube streams in one tab with our free Multiwatch viewer or a /multi/ URL. Covers which multitwitch sites still work in 2026, plus audio, pop-out chat, bandwidth per layout, esports multi-POV and mobile.
Updated
Create a Guide
Have expertise to share? We're looking for high-quality guides on streaming tools, techniques, monetization, and platforms.
or email partners@streamer.guide