Twitch vs YouTube [Which is Better for New Streamers]

In this article, I'll be breaking down whether Twitch or YouTube is better for new streamers to grow faster and make more money. These will be just the facts, with no fluff, so you can decide which platform is best for you. 

If you're new here, be sure to check out The Streamer Academy where I help you start, build, and succeed as a streamer. There are tons of free resources available for you to utilize that will help grow your stream.

If you're starting from zero, one platform gives you a huge advantage. We'll start by going over the pros and cons of each, then I'll share my recommendation at the end. 

Growth and Discoverability

The first thing we need to think about is which platform is going to help you get found. 

Twitch is going to be harder to get discovered on, but there are some pros. 

1. There's a built-in audience for livestreaming. 
2. There is a super active live chat and community. 
3. The raids and host features help you to connect with other streamers and communities. 

With these pros, there are of course some cons. 

1. There's no discoverability unless people already know you.
2. You have to stream consistently to remain relevant. 
3. Twitch favors bigger streamers which makes it harder for people to grow. 

The bottom line here is that if you start from zero on Twitch, it's not enough. You would need to bring in viewers from somewhere else to be successful. 

Moving on to YouTube, it is easier to be discovered, but there are still some pros and cons here as well. 

We'll start with the pros.

1. Live streams can stay up on your channel as videos, helping to get you views even after you're done streaming. 
2. YouTube Shorts and long-from videos drive traffic to your livestreams. 
3. The algorithm pushes content to new audiences which gives you free exposure.

Now, we'll look at the cons. 

1. The live chat isn't as hype as Twitch. 
2. There aren't any raids or strong community features. 
3. The gaming audience is smaller than Twitch's. 

The bottom line for streaming on YouTube is that if you're starting from zero, YouTube is way better for long-term growth. 

Monetization

Next, we'll get into which platform pays streamers more. 

Twitch allows you to get to monetization faster. Here are some more of the pros of using Twitch. 

1. To get monetized on Twitch, you only need 50 followers and 3 average viewers. 
2. You get access to Twitch Prime Subs, which is free for Amazon Prime users, but you still get paid. 
3. Bits and donations make it easy for you to make money. 

Here are the cons. 

1. Twitch takes 50% of your sub revenue while YouTube only takes 30%. 
2. You don't get to make passive income; you have to be live to be earning money. 

The bottom line is that Twitch is great for fast cash, but it's not reliable unless you stream consistently. 

When it comes to YouTube, you have higher earning potential long-term. 

Let's start with the pros.

1. You get a 70% revenue split, which is way better than Twitch's 50%. 
2. There are more streams of revenue with super chats, memberships, and ads. 
3. You can make passive income as your past streams and videos keep making money. 

Now, let's look at the cons.

1. You must hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours to get monetized. 
2. Super chats and memberships are less common than Twitch subs. 

The bottom line here is that YouTube takes longer to get monetized, but it will make you more money per view in the long run. 

Best Streaming Strategy

Next, let's get into the best streaming strategy for you. There's going to be two options. The first option, which I believe is the best for growth, is to multistream. 

Why only stream to Twitch or YouTube when you could be streaming to both? Using OBS Studio, it's really easy to multistream and build up your channel on both platforms. 

You can learn how to set up a multistream on OBS Studio here. 

By doing this, you can build both platforms and see which one your audience grows faster on. 

Here's an example of what this strategy might look like. 

You can stream to both YouTube and Twitch at the same time, and then after you're done streaming, you can make a 'Best Moments' video for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. This way, you're using Twitch for community and engagement and then use YouTube for discoverability and monetization. 

To learn more about how to quickly grow your stream, check out this video here where I show you how to grow your stream with just 10 hours a week. 

Option two is the YouTube first approach since this will be a lot better in the end for long-term growth. 

If you really don't want to multistream, then starting with YouTube is the way to go. Focus on YouTube shorts and livestreaming, and then once you hit the requirements for getting monetized on YouTube, add Twitch into the mix for extra engagement. 

Here's my recommendation: if I were in your shoes as a new streamer, I would go with the multistreaming route and stream to both Twitch and YouTube. I would then use YouTube shorts and TikTok to bring traffic to both. Once I got monetized on YouTube, I would lean into YouTube as my main platform and begin creating more content for it. 

You don't want to rely on just one platform. It's a lot better to diversify, grow, and get monetized in this smart and easy way. 

Again, if you want to learn how to multistream to both Twitch and YouTube using OBS Studio, check out this video here. In this, I'll walk you step-by-step through how to get this all set up.