Estimate how much you can earn from Super Chats and Super Stickers during live streams based on your audience size and engagement rate.
Turn your live streams into a revenue machine with viewer donations.
Revenue Split: YouTube keeps 30%, you receive 70% of all Super Chat and Super Sticker payments
Higher payments get more visibility and longer pin times.
What creators at different levels typically earn per stream.
Some content types generate more Super Chats than others.
Need 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours OR 1,000 subs + 10M Shorts views.
Turn on monetization in YouTube Studio and accept the terms of service.
Go to Monetization > Supers > Turn on Super Chat & Super Stickers.
Start a live stream or Premiere. Super Chat will be available to viewers.
Not just for live streams! Earn from uploaded videos too.
Understanding where viewer donations go
Everything you need to know about live stream monetization
YouTube keeps 30% of all Super Chat and Super Sticker payments. You receive 70%. For example, a $10 Super Chat gives you $7.00. This is actually better than ad revenue where YouTube takes 45%. The 30% covers payment processing, platform costs, and fraud protection.
Requirements: 1) Be in the YouTube Partner Program (1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours OR 10M Shorts views), 2) Be 18+ years old, 3) Live in a country where Super Chat is available (60+ countries), 4) Have monetization enabled, 5) Not have any active Community Guidelines strikes.
Limits: $1-$500 per Super Chat message, $500 per day per viewer, $2,000 per week per viewer across all channels. Different currencies have equivalent limits. The maximum character count also increases with donation amount (50-500 characters).
Super Chat earnings are combined with your YouTube ad revenue and paid monthly via AdSense. Payments are typically issued around the 21st of the following month. You must reach the $100 minimum threshold ($10 in some countries) to receive payment. There's no separate payout for Super Chats.
Creators cannot directly refund Super Chats. Viewers must contact YouTube Support or request a refund through their payment provider. If YouTube approves a refund, the amount will be deducted from your future earnings. Refunds are relatively rare as viewers must actively request them.
Yes! Super Chat is available during: 1) Live streams, 2) Premieres (watching a new video together), 3) Post-Premiere window (while chat is still active). This is often overlooked - Premieres can be a great way to earn Super Chats without going live.
Super Chat: Highlighted text message in live chat ($1-$500). Super Stickers: Animated images in live chat ($0.99-$50). Super Thanks: Tips on regular uploaded videos ($2-$50). All have the same 70/30 revenue split. Super Thanks works on VOD content, the others require live/premiere.
Religious content dominates Super Chat earnings for several reasons: 1) Faith-based giving culture translates directly to streaming, 2) Extremely loyal, dedicated audiences, 3) Regular streaming schedules (weekly services), 4) Personal connection to spiritual leaders, 5) Often older demographics with more disposable income. Pastors like Jerry Eze have earned $200K+ monthly from Super Chats.
Proven strategies: 1) Acknowledge every Super Chat by name and read them aloud, 2) Create interactive moments (Q&A, song requests, challenges), 3) Set visible donation goals with rewards, 4) Stream longer (3-4 hours gives more opportunity), 5) Build genuine community connection, 6) Be consistent with schedule, 7) Use donation alerts/overlays, 8) Thank big donors personally after stream.
Yes, and they often send more! Mobile viewers can easily send Super Chats through the YouTube app. The process is streamlined with saved payment methods. Gaming streams often see high mobile Super Chat volume since viewers watch on phones while at work/school. Don't underestimate mobile audiences.
Super Chat is available for creators in 60+ countries including USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, and more. However, viewers can send Super Chats from even more countries. Some regions have restrictions on both sending and receiving. Check YouTube's support page for the current list.
Don't worry - Super Chats are processed immediately when sent. If your stream crashes, you still receive the revenue. The viewer's message may not have been displayed if sent right before the crash, but the payment is recorded. You can always thank them when you restart or in your next stream.
Yes. Moderators can hide Super Chat messages from the visible chat without affecting the payment. You still receive the revenue even if the message is hidden. You can also set up word filters to automatically hide Super Chats containing certain terms. YouTube also has automatic moderation for clearly inappropriate content.
Higher donations get pinned at the top of chat longer: $1-$4.99: No pin (just highlighted in chat), $5-$9.99: ~1 minute pin, $10-$19.99: ~2 minutes, $20-$49.99: ~5 minutes, $50-$99.99: ~30 minutes, $100-$500: ~1 hour or more. Pin times can vary slightly based on chat activity.
Yes, Super Chat income is taxable in most countries. It's considered self-employment income. YouTube reports your earnings via 1099 forms (US) or equivalent. Keep records of all earnings and consult a tax professional. Some creators mistakenly think "tips" aren't taxable - they absolutely are.
Yes! Go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Revenue > Super Chat to see detailed breakdowns. You can see top supporters, total earnings per stream, and historical data. Some creators use this to personally thank top donors via community posts or shoutouts in future streams.
Super Chat earnings are highly variable. Factors our calculator can't predict: 1) Individual viewer generosity (some fans donate hundreds, others nothing), 2) Stream topic/event (special occasions get more), 3) Viewer mood and engagement, 4) Competition from other streamers, 5) Time of month (payday weeks are better). Use estimates as rough guides only.
Key differences: YouTube takes 30% vs Twitch bits (50%+ depending on method). YouTube handles all payment processing; Twitch requires third-party tools for direct donations. YouTube has the $500 cap; third-party services on Twitch have no limit. YouTube Super Chats are integrated into one payout; Twitch requires managing multiple revenue streams.
Check out our other calculators to understand your full YouTube earnings potential.