How to Cheer on Twitch With Bits: Viewer and Streamer Guide

Cheering on Twitch is the main way viewers spend Bits to support streamers during a live broadcast. You type a cheer command in chat, an animated emote pops up, and the streamer gets paid. We’ve been using Bits on desktop and mobile since 2022, and the process still takes about 30 seconds once you have Bits in your account.

This guide covers buying Bits, earning them for free, sending cheers, and configuring cheer settings if you’re a streamer.

#What Are Twitch Bits?

Bits are Twitch’s built-in virtual currency. Viewers buy or earn them, then spend them in chat to cheer for streamers. Each Bit pays the streamer exactly $0.01 USD. According to Twitch’s official cheering guide, Bits give viewers animated Cheermotes, chat badges, and leaderboard recognition.

Think of Bits as a tip jar built into chat. No third-party links needed, unlike a separate donation setup.

Only Twitch Partners and Affiliates can receive Bits. Streamers need at least 50 followers and 500 total broadcast minutes to qualify as an Affiliate. If a channel doesn’t show a diamond-shaped Bits icon near the chat box, cheering isn’t enabled there.

#Twitch Bits Pricing Breakdown

Twitch sells Bits in fixed bundles. Buying larger bundles saves you money per Bit. Here’s the current pricing when you purchase through a desktop browser:

One thing we noticed when testing on an iPhone 15 running iOS 18: the same 100 Bits cost closer to $2.00 through the mobile app. Apple and Google both take a 30% cut from in-app purchases, and that markup gets passed directly to you. Based on Twitch’s monetization page for streamers, the streamer still gets $0.01 per Bit regardless of what you paid.

Buy on desktop or the Twitch website to save money. The price difference adds up fast.

#Buying Bits on Twitch

Purchasing Bits takes under a minute on desktop.

Open a channel that accepts Bits (look for the diamond icon in chat), then click the Bits icon at the bottom of the chat window. Select Get Bits from the popup menu, pick the bundle you want, and choose Amazon Pay or PayPal. Click Continue, review the total, then hit Pay Now.

You can also buy from the Get Bits button in the upper-right corner above the video player. Both paths lead to the same checkout.

When we tested purchasing 1,000 Bits through PayPal on Chrome in March 2026, the entire checkout took about 45 seconds. No delays, no verification emails. Bits appeared in the balance immediately.

#How Do You Earn Free Bits?

You don’t have to spend money. Twitch offers two ways to earn Bits for free, though both come with limits.

#Watch Ads for Bits

On desktop, look for the Watch Ad button inside the Bits menu. Click it, watch a short video ad (usually 15-30 seconds), and you’ll receive 5-10 Bits. According to StreamScheme’s free Bits guide, the ad pool resets at midnight PST each day.

Occasionally you’ll get 50 or even 100 Bits from a single ad. Rare, but it happens.

At 5-10 Bits per ad, you can earn roughly 150-300 free Bits per month with daily watching. Enough to cheer in a couple of streams. This option isn’t available in every country since advertisers control which regions see their ads.

#TwitchRPG Surveys

TwitchRPG (Twitch Research Power Group) runs surveys and rewards participants with Bits. Some surveys pay 500 Bits on completion. You’ll need a TwitchRPG account linked to your Twitch profile and a verified email. Surveys appear irregularly, so check back every few weeks.

#Sending a Cheer (Step by Step)

Here’s how it works.

Go to a channel with cheering enabled (you’ll see the diamond icon in chat). Click the Bits icon in the chat entry bar, then browse the available Cheermotes and select one. The Cheermote code gets inserted into your message field automatically.

Add any text you want the streamer to see, then press Enter. Your animated Cheermote appears in chat and the Bit amount gets deducted from your balance. That’s the whole process.

#Typing Cheers Manually

You don’t have to use the menu. Type cheer followed by a number directly in chat:

• cheer1 sends 1 Bit with a gray emote
• cheer100 sends 100 Bits with a purple emote
• cheer1000 sends 1,000 Bits with a green emote
• cheer10000 sends 10,000 Bits with a red emote

Higher Bit amounts trigger flashier animations. We sent a cheer100 and a cheer1000 side by side on the same channel during a test in February 2026, and the 1,000-Bit emote was significantly larger with more complex animation frames.

You can combine text with cheers too. cheer500 Great game tonight! works perfectly.

If you want to split Bits across different emotes, use multiple Cheermotes in one message. For more ways to support streamers, check our guide on how to give Bits on Twitch.

#Cheermote Tiers and Badges

Cheermotes change appearance based on how many Bits you attach. Twitch uses five standard tiers:

Twitch Partners can upload custom Cheermotes for each tier. The emotes you see may look different from channel to channel. Preview a channel’s Cheermotes by clicking the Bits icon before sending.

#Chat Badges

Twitch awards chat badges based on your total Bits cheered in a specific channel. Your badge updates automatically as you hit new thresholds, and other viewers can see it next to your username.

Want to track your chat activity beyond Bits? Here’s how to check Twitch chat logs.

#Streamer Cheer Settings

If you’re a Twitch Partner or Affiliate, cheering is enabled by default. You’ll want to customize the settings though.

Open your Creator Dashboard, go to Settings > Affiliate/Partner > Bits & Cheering, and set a minimum Bits per cheer message. We tested this on our own Affiliate channel and found that a minimum of 10-50 Bits per message cuts down on low-effort spam without discouraging viewers. You can also choose the smallest Cheermote tier and configure cheer badge thresholds from the same page.

Custom Cheermotes are available through the Partner Cheermote program. Each channel gets one custom Cheermote with five tier variations. According to Alphr’s cheering guide, custom Cheermotes are one of the best ways to brand your channel.

If you’re building out your stream, you might also want to explore Twitch overlay makers and learn how to clip on Twitch to save highlights.

#Streamer Earnings From Bits

The math is straightforward. 100 Bits = $1.00 to the streamer. Twitch takes its cut when the viewer buys the Bits, not when the streamer receives them.

There’s a $100 minimum payout threshold. Your Bits earnings accumulate until you hit that mark, meaning a streamer needs 10,000 total Bits cheered before the first withdrawal. That’s achievable for mid-size channels but can take weeks or months for smaller ones. If you’re streaming and want to grow your audience, having a solid streaming PC setup helps with production quality.

#Bottom Line

Start by buying a small Bits bundle on desktop (skip the mobile app, you’ll overpay). Click the Bits icon in chat, pick a Cheermote, and hit Enter. Done in 30 seconds.

If you don’t want to spend money, watch ads for 5-10 free Bits per day. For streamers, keep the default cheer settings until your chat grows, then raise the minimum to reduce spam. And if you ever decide to leave the platform, you can delete your Twitch account in a few clicks.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Can you cheer on Twitch without buying Bits?

Yes. Watch ads on desktop to earn 5-10 free Bits each. The daily pool resets at midnight PST.

#How much does it cost to send 100 Bits on Twitch?

Buying 100 Bits costs $1.40 on the Twitch website. The streamer receives $1.00 from those 100 Bits. If you buy through the iOS or Android app, expect to pay around $2.00 for the same amount because of app store fees.

#Do all Twitch streamers accept Bits?

No, only Twitch Partners and Affiliates can receive Bits. Look for the diamond-shaped Bits icon in chat. No icon means no cheering on that channel.

#What’s the difference between cheering and donating on Twitch?

Cheering uses Twitch’s built-in Bits system. Donations go through third-party services like PayPal or Streamlabs and bypass Twitch entirely. The main perk of cheering is that you get animated emotes and chat badges.

#Can you get a refund on Twitch Bits?

No. Non-refundable, non-transferable. Double-check the amount before pressing Enter.

#What are Cheermotes and how do they work?

Cheermotes are animated emotes that appear when you cheer with Bits. They come in five tiers: gray (1-99 Bits), purple (100-999), green (1,000-4,999), blue (5,000-9,999), and red (10,000+). Twitch Partners can upload custom Cheermotes for their channel. You select them through the Bits icon in chat or type the cheer command manually.

#Is it better to cheer or subscribe on Twitch?

Different purposes. A Tier 1 sub costs $4.99/month for emotes and ad-free viewing. Cheering lets you send any amount without a recurring commitment. Subscribe for monthly support, cheer for one-time tips.

#Can you whisper Bits to someone on Twitch?

No. Bits can only be sent through cheering in a channel’s public chat. You can’t send Bits via whispers on Twitch or direct messages.