One of the best features of Twitch streaming is the custom emotes. A custom emotes flash to signify an event, action or just for kicks within a live stream is a signature trademark of many successful streamers.

Having a good understanding of the subscription points that drive the amount of emotes a streamer can have at their disposal is essential. But what are subscription points or sub points?

What are Sub Points on Twitch?

In Twitch, there are three tiers of subscribers. Each of these subscription tiers provides a certain number of points to the streamer, commonly referred to as sub-points. The higher the sub tier, the more sub points the streamer will receive. The streamer gets a certain number of emotes based upon the number of sub points they have.

What are sub-points used for on Twitch?

Sub points are used in Twitch to determine the number of emote slots available to the streamer.

When a streamer first signs up to stream on Twitch, they receive 6 slots for their tier 1 emotes. Previously one, but in 2020 this changed, and now the total is six as of the time of writing.

There are more emote slots added the more sub points you get. However, you cannot start getting any more than the original six until you get 65 sub points on 

How do you get sub points on Twitch?

For each tier 1 subscription, the streamer gets one point. For each tier 2 subscription, the streamer gets two sub points. And lastly, for tier 3 subscriptions, the streamer gets 6 points. With emotes in such high demand, many streamers’ goal is to achieve as many sub points as possible to unlock further emote levels.

And naturally, in getting subs, the streamer also will get closer to (if not at already) the status where they can start making money on Twitch from those subs.  

Can you lose sub points on Twitch?

In Twitch, you can lose sub points if subscribers don’t re-subscribe to you or if they cancel their sub. However, the good news is that once a streamer has achieved a certain sub point emote level, the number of emotes they are allowed to use does not decrease, even if their sub points drop.

It does mean though that a streamer will need to build their stream back up if they want to qualify for an even higher number of available emotes. 

How much do streamers make per sub on Twitch?

Most streamers will make anywhere from $2.50 to $3 per subscription. The amount you make per sub depends on viewer count so that new streamers can expect the lower end of the scale.

Now, consider the numbers for a moment and let’s look at an example. According to Twitchtracker.com, the streamer with the most subs on Twitch at the moment is NICKMERCS, with 54,454 subs at the time of writing.

If Nick is making $3/subscription each month (assuming he were to maintain these numbers), Nick is making $163,362 per month, which is $1,960,344 per year from subscribers alone. 

He makes even more when you factor in things like sponsors, donations and the fact that Tier 2 and Tier 3 subs pay even more than Tier 1 subs.

Also, many of the big name streamers get even more than the 50% cut given to most streamers on Twitch.   

Do re-subs count towards sub points?

Re-subs count as a part of your collective sub point total, but do not add additional points beyond the points you already earned from their original sub. So the points you get when they first subbed are the only points that count towards your total.

Make sense? Let’s clear that one up a little.

As a streamer, you get a certain number of points for each subscriber to your channel. We’ll get into how many each tier gives in a moment.  So, if a streamer has 100 tier one subs, the streamer will have 100 sub points.

The only way the streamers sub points go down is if a subscriber cancels their subscription in one way or another. However, the number of emotes you have unlocked will not go down even if your sub count does decrease. 

A streamer can have more sub points than subscribers, but that has to do with each subscription tier’s point value. As was touched on earlier, different tiers are worth different amounts of sub points.

How many sub points is a tier 1 sub?

Tier 1 gives the streamer 1 point for each subscription. This tier of subscriptions is the cheapest. They are the ‘entry level’ tier of the Twitch subscription system. This tier is best for new viewers as they progress from followers to subscribers. The subscriber pays $4.99 per month for a tier level one subscription or they can get it for free with Amazon Prime. 

How many sub points is a tier 2 sub?

Tier 2 gives the streamer 2 points for each subscription. Tier two subscriptions are the second of the three tiers and are intended for more serious subscribers. The tier costs the subscriber $9.99 per month and offers them perks exclusive to the tier.

How many sub points is a tier 3 sub?

Tier 3 gives the streamer 6 points for each subscription. It is the elite of the subscriber tiers and costs the subscriber $24.99 per month. Tier 3 subs get the best perks of the channel they are subscribed to. 

New Changes To Emote And Subscriber Points System

This article includes changes made at the beginning of 2020. Twitch implemented some new changes to their emote quantities based on the sub point level. Moving forward, as of the time of writing, the following is now correct.

For Partner, the new minimum emotes available is six. That is until the streamer gets 65 or more sub points. Then the rewards include up to 7 emotes.  

For Affiliate level streamers, there is now the possibility to unlock up to 5 tier 1 emotes. There are additional bonus emotes for each tier 2 and 3 subscribers, but there is a limit to each of 6 and 7.

Lifetime Subscribers And How They Affect Sub Points

Before we talk about how the lifetime subscriber affects sub points, we should quickly go over the basics of what a lifetime sub is compared to a standard tier 1, 2, or 3 subscribers.

What is a Lifetime Subscriber on Twitch?

A lifetime subscriber on Twitch is just as it sounds, a subscriber to a channel for life. And it’s an exclusive benefit for Twitch Partners and Partners alone. The streaming partner who gets to award the lifetime subscriptions only gets three of them to award, so they must use them wisely. 

The lifetime subscription is a serious business. As such, the lifetime subscription cannot be reversed or undone once it has been committed. One would think that some engineer takes a hammer and chisel and carves it right into a Twitch server somewhere.

Well, it isn’t quite like that, but it might as well be for all intents and purposes. So, make sure you award a lifetime subscription to someone who deserves it. 

Lifetime subscriptions may be best used for a gaming sidekick or partner in crime. Or they might be useful to any number of other particular reasons.

The point is that one should remember that the lifetime subscriber is for life. That person will forever have the privileges of permanent subscription membership, for life, to that channel. And because of this, it is good to consider the long term.

It’s also good to reconsider before you hand a lifetime subscription to one of your most significant income-generating fans. Some may think this is a good idea, but it could backfire, giving it some thought first is a wise decision.

How Do You Get Lifetime Subscriptions?

Channel lifetime subscriptions are available for the Twitch Partner only at specific subscriber count goals. Those being 50, 250, and 500 subscribers. There are only three-lifetime subscriptions awarded per channel.  

How Do Lifetime Subscriptions Affect Sub Points?

Lifetime subscriptions can be very advantageous to a streamer if used wisely. Lifetime subs do not award additional sub points or revenue to the streamer, though.

However, the Twitch Partner may decide which tier of a sub to award the viewer, be it tier 1, 2, or 3.

As mentioned, these are for life, so the sub points won’t ever change concerning the lifetime subscribers, and also they will never generate revenue either. 

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!

Sub Points on Twitch are the currency used to control the amount of emotes able to be used by a streamer on their channel. These sub points can fluctuate over time, depending upon the number of subscribers to the channel.  

There are different tiers of subscribers, and each provides a different number of sub points. It is how a streamer can get to the higher amounts of emotes with fewer subs if they are all higher tier.

Lifetime subs do not add additional sub points and also do not generate revenue. The lifetime sub is also permanent, so avoid frivolous gifting of these precious commodities.

Sources

1. “Partner and Affiliate Emote Update” Twitch, https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2019/02/22/partner-and-affiliate-emote-update-e724563f830f/,  Accessed July 21, 2020.
2. “Subscriber Emote Guide” Twitch, https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/subscriber-emote-guide?language=en_US#:~:text=Sub%20points%20are%20how%20many,3%20subscription%20is%206%20points.,  Accessed July 21, 2020.
3. “Twitch Subs Count Statistics” Twitchtracker, https://twitchtracker.com/subscribers,  Accessed July 21, 2020.