When watching a stream, sometimes a streamer will reward a viewer with something fresh that only subscribers typically get. Ever wonder how they do that? Well then you’re likely asking what are channel points on Twitch. And we’ve got your answers so sit tight.

What are Channel Points on Twitch?

Channel points on Twitch are points that viewers can earn by watching a stream. Twitch Affiliates and Partners can then set up different rewards that their viewers can receive once they a certain amount of channel points.

Streamers get a set of templated rewards that can be customized to suit the particular channel’s needs. As members watch and participate, the streamer can award the viewers for participation.

Typically, streamers’ rewards are similar to perks that only subscribers get, and may include other perks as well. However, they can reward non subscribers as well. 

When a viewer earns channel points, those points are not transferable to other channels. Still, they remain in the channel for that particular viewer on that particular channel.

The incentive is for the viewer to remain on the particular channel and thus accumulate reward points.

It’s like a smoothie card for Twitch. Punch punch.

Do Streamers Get Anything From Channel Points on Twitch?

Channel Points for streamers are a marketing tool of sorts. When a streamer can offer new and customizable rewards to viewers for watching and participating, this encourages the viewer to earn more points. The only way a viewer can earn more points is by watching and participating with the channel.

An engaged viewer is more likely to become a subscriber, which is suitable for the streamer’s channel. Likewise, increased viewers and increased watch time make for a right metrics combination for the channel, making it more likely Twitch will recommend the channel to the masses.

So, although there are no direct rewards for a streamer to take advantage of the Channel Points system that offers immediate monetary rewards, the system is an excellent tool for the streamer to drive more viewers, subscribers, and excitement for their channel. 

How to use channel points on Twitch

There are two primary ways to use Channel Points on Twitch, and they depend on whether one is a streamer or a viewer. As a viewer you can use the channel points for certain perks on the channel (giveaways, emotes, etc.). As a streamer, you get to set what the rewards will be and look like inside your creator dashboard.

Let’s take a look at each.

Channel Points And Viewers

As a viewer, when you watch a stream, that channel rewards you. Or rather, Twitch rewards you, and you get points. There are several ways to get those points, and we’ll cover that in the next section after channel points and streamers.

When a streamer gets accepted as a partner or affiliate status, they can start customizing the channel rewards they want to offer. We’ll get more into that from the streamer’s perspective. Basically, for the viewer, when the channel points have racked up, the viewer will have the option to use the channel points to exchange for a cool channel perk.

As mentioned previously, these channel points remain with the particular channel. Therefore, each viewer will acquire channel points with a particular channel.

The viewer can leave and come back, and their points will still be there, attached to that particular channel.

Once the viewer has enough to trade for a channel perk, they may do so. These channel perks are set up by the streamer.

They can be things like unlocking emotes to use on that channel’s chat platform or to highlight their chat comments of a particular color or something along these lines.

Channel perks can help the viewer to stand out as being loyal to that particular channel. It allows people to take part and participate in their favorite channels in unique ways that show the support they have for the channel.

As well, it allows viewers to get rewarded for something they would do anyway, and that’s watching the channel they like.

Channel Points And Streamers

As we’ve mentioned, the Channel Points system is an excellent tool for streamers to reward their loyal viewers with cool channel perks and rewards.

These channel perks are for use only with the particular channel. That means that the viewers who get these rewards will only use the perks on that channel.

It, in turn, encourages the viewers to stay on the channel and participate. And it also encourages return viewers.

Streamers can access the rewards system via their creator dashboard. There, one can control things like the cost and background color of default templated rewards. And to make it easy, there are smart costs features, which lets the system decide for you based on audience size, redemption rate, and more. This way it’s a sort of ‘set and forget’ kind of reward program. 

The other fantastic feature of the Twitch Channel Points system is a streamer’s ability to create custom rewards. As long as the reward meets the Points Acceptable Use Policy, the streamer can offer whatever they want.

These rewards range from joining the streamer’s next game to actual in-game content like in-game currency to having the streamer dance or do a shoutout on a stream. The custom rewards can be creative, but they have to follow the rules.

How to get channel points on Twitch

There are several ways in which a viewer can get channel points while on the Twitch platform. The following is a list of the different actions that Twitch has set up for viewers to receive points.

1. Watching the channel
2. Actively watching the channel
3. Participate in a raid
4. Follow a channel
5. Watch streak 2
6. Watch streak 3
7. Watch streak 4
8. Watch streak 5+
9. 1st cheer
10. 1st gifted subscription

Watching the Channel – When a non-subscriber watches a channel, they receive 10 points for every 5 minutes of live watch time.

Actively Watching the Channel – When a non-subscriber watches a channel, they receive 50 points for every 15 minutes of live watch time.

Participating in a Raid – 250 points are awarded for viewers joining a raid.

Follow a Channel – When a viewer follows a channel, they receive 300 channel points.

Watch Streak 2 – When a viewer returns for two consecutive streams, they get rewarded 300 channel points. Each instance must be a minimum of 10 minutes in length. The second instance must have ended at least 30 minutes before the beginning of the second stream.

Watch Streak 3 – A viewer can receive 350 channel points if they return for a third stream viewing the same channel. Again, each stream must be no less than 10 minutes long, and there must be at least 30 minutes between the end and beginning of each stream to the other.

Watch Streak 4 – The same rules apply to the watch streak 4 rewards except that it is the fourth consecutive stream view, and now the reward is 400 channel points.

Watch Streak 5+ – In line with the other winning streak rewards is the watch streak five rewards. This reward for the fifth consecutive live stream viewing again follows a protocol of a minimum of 10 minutes in length and at least 30 minutes between consecutive live streams viewed. The reward for the Watch Streak 5 reward is 450 channel points.

1st Cheer – The first Cheer on a channel in 30 days is rewarded with 350 channel points. The reward is not given to those cheering anonymously. 

1st Gifted Subscription – The viewer can earn 500 channel points for gifting their first subscription in 30 days. The reward is not given to those gifting anonymously.

Subscriber Channel Point Perks

As a subscriber, one earns channel points faster than non-subscribers. There are three tiers in which subscribers fall under, and each earns channel points at their rates.

Tier 1 – Watching increases channel points by a multiplier of 1.2.

Tier 2 – Watching increases channel points by a multiplier of 1.4.

Tier 3 – Watching increases channel points by a multiplier of 2.

FAQS

Can you lose channel points?

If you’ve spent some time on a channel and acquired many points or perks, never fear those points will never expire. However, you can lose the channel points if the streamer takes down the channel. But, as long as the streamer keeps the channel up, you will never lose your points in that channel.

How to get channel points fast on Twitch

The fastest way to get channel points on Twitch is to watch and participate in the channel as a subscriber, in particular a tier 3 sub. Taking advantage of all the ways one can get channel points by watching consecutive separate streams, watching every day, gifting a subscription, and doing a cheer once every 30 days. That’s the fastest way to get channel points. 

Accepting all bonus clicks to claim notifications which pop up on the stream as well help one to rack up the channel points reasonably fast. But again, this comes to spending time watching and paying attention. That’s why just putting the stream on play is not the most effective way to grow points quickly. To get all the bonus points that pop up at intervals, one must be paying attention. 

What are Twitch rewards?

Just in case you’ve heard the term Twitch rewards and wonder what they are, we’ve got that covered. Twitch rewards are simply the rewards one gets as set by the streamer of the channel. Twitch has set up standardized rewards that a viewer gets to watch and participate in a channel, as mentioned and detailed above.

The term Twitch rewards often refer to the custom rewards that the streamer can set in the channel. These rewards can range from in-game content to the streamer’s color shirt on their next channel. Although, all must follow the Twitch official guidelines.

These should not be confused with drops. Drops are created by developers to allow people who have the game to receive in-game loot by watching a Twitch sponsored channel.

As always, if you have any questions or just want to hang with me, stop by my Twitch channel here and say what’s up!

Those are channel points. If used properly they can be a great tool to attract and maintain viewers in your channel.

Don’t forget to follow my socials and keep chasing those stream dreams my friends! ????

Sources

1. “Channel Points Guide” Twitch, https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/channel-points-guide?language=en_US#:~:text=Channel%20Points%20is%20a%20customizable,rewards%20that%20streamers%20can%20customize, Accessed July 21, 2020.
2. “Channel Points Acceptable Use Policy” Twitch, https://www.twitch.tv/p/legal/channel-points-acceptable-use-policy/, Accessed July 21, 2020.
3. “How to Earn Drops” Twitch, https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/how-to-earn-drops?language=en_US, Accessed July 21, 2020.