Twitch has been the reigning King of the live game streaming scene, with over 140 million monthly active users. However, some streamers now choose to expand beyond Twitch or leave the platform altogether due to increased competition, policy changes, and revenue splits.

Fortunately, Twitch is one of many options for aspiring live game streamers. Several other platforms provide viable alternatives to build an audience and make money through live streaming. Here are some of the top options to consider instead of or in addition to Twitch.

Kick - A New Rising Live Streaming Platform

One of the more recent live games entrants that is accumulating quite a few streamers is Kick. Founded in late 2022, Kick has signed the famous personalities Adin Ross and xQc to exclusive deals. In its first few months of life, Kick usage has exploded 400% to more than seven million monthly active streamers.

Kick takes only a 5% cut of subscriptions for streamers, compared to the 50% cut on Twitch. It also puts fewer restrictions on content. All this makes Kick appealing to established and new streamers alike in search of new and lucrative opportunities.

Kick, a brand-new streaming platform, is still building features and functionality. But with solid momentum and appealing revenue splits, it's positioned itself as one of the leading contenders looking to disrupt the game streaming space. The lower barriers to entry give Kick a chance to compete for creators against the more entrenched Twitch.

YouTube Gaming — Built-in Potential Audience Reach

With more than 100 million users every day, YouTube Gaming leverages YouTube's enormous built-in audience. It also provides live streams as archived videos, helping gaming creators build an on-demand portfolio along with real-time streaming.

YouTube's revenue split of 70% for creators is also more favorable than Twitch's 50% cut. However, the platform's focus extends beyond gaming, so discoverability within the gaming subdomain may be more difficult.

YouTube's sheer viewer base gives it an advantage. However, the platform lacks some of the gaming-centric features and communities of a dedicated platform like Twitch. Still, its appeal to creators comes from tapping into the larger YouTube ecosystem.

Facebook Gaming — Leverage Existing Followings

Facebook Gaming creators can easily promote streams to their existing Facebook followers, and cross-promotion to already established audiences gives streamers an upper hand in discovery with over two billion monthly active users on the platform.

The revenue split is also enticing at 70% for streamers. However, algorithms ensure creators who pay for promotion receive favor over organic reach. Also, some users may not want gaming content mixed with their social feeds.

While Facebook does give streamers instant potential outreach to friends and followers, for most Facebook users, gaming is likely secondary to connecting with friends. Therefore, converting followers into engaged gaming viewers would take more effort. Still, those built-in connections will give creators a starting boost.

Trovo — Lower Barrier of Entry For New Streamers

Trovo is one of the smaller systems covered here, with only 10-20 million monthly users. The upside is that the ratio between streamers and viewers is low, making it easier for new streamers to gain traction. Requirements for monetization are also lower than those of Twitch.

However, streams of English occupy only about 10% of the Trovo platform. Most viewers come from Asia, and unless you create content in languages like Chinese, growth may prove difficult overall.

For creators who focus on niche gaming content or for newer streamers who wish to build a small but engaged audience, Trovo offers them a more level playing field. Don't expect to find the same massive scale of viewership that some top streamers have seen on Twitch. But with that being said, it takes less effort to stand out from the crowd as a newcomer.

Weigh the Pros and Cons of Each Platform

For gaming creators looking beyond Twitch, platforms like Kick, YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, and Trovo provide alternatives worth exploring. Each has pros and cons to weigh based on your goals, audience, and content style. You can also multi-stream to reach your fans on Twitch and other sites simultaneously.

If the content is there, your gaming streams could succeed on any site. To find suitable streaming options, look at upstart challengers like Kick and Trovo and more well-established destinations like YouTube and Facebook. It's worth carefully evaluating each platform to determine the best fit based on revenue potential, content restrictions, built-in audience size, etc.

New live streamers may prefer options like Kick or Trovo, which offer more opportunities to stand out. Established creators can leverage larger communities on YouTube and Facebook. When deciding where to stream, consider your target audience, content type, and revenue goals.

Test out multiple platforms to see which one resonates most with your community. Be prepared to adapt your approach to each site's culture.

This post is provided by a third party who may receive compensation from the products or services they mention.

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