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What is Kick streaming, and how does it work?

Learn what Kick is, how it works, and why creators use it.

Epidemic Sound

• 7 min read
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TL;DR: Kick is a “creator-led” streaming platform with more than 100 million users. Often compared to Twitch, the platform lets creators stream, monetize, and archive content.

We’ll cover:

What is Kick streaming?

Kick is a streaming platform with a similar feel to competitors like Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live. Viewers can subscribe to a creator’s channel, send Gifts, watch archived content, and join HD-quality live streams.

What makes Kick different from Twitch?

The key difference between Kick and Twitch is that Kick positions itself as a “creator-led” streaming platform. It takes a smaller percentage of revenue from creators, and is considered more lenient with content categories like gambling.

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What can you stream on Kick?

Just like Twitch, Kick features a ton of categories to browse and stream. They include:

  • Just Chatting
  • IRL
  • Slots & Casino
  • Live Music
  • Politics
  • Reactions
  • Specific games, covering everything from GTA V and Call of Duty: Warzone to Minecraft and Stardew Valley

When did Kick start?

Kick was established in October 2022, but officially launched in January 2023. Some people speculate that the quick release was down to Twitch’s ban on unregulated gambling in October 2022. One of Kick’s founders has said they “rushed to market.”

Who owns Kick?

Kick was founded by Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven, the latter of whom is the CEO. They started the company alongside Tyler “Trainwreck” Niknam, a high-stakes online gambler who made his name on Twitch. Trainwreck left Twitch in late 2022 because of its gambling ban.

Is Kick funded by gambling?

Kick is often described as “funded by gambling.” This is because Kick’s co-founders also started a crypto-gambling website called Stake. Both Kick and Stake are owned by the same parent company, Easygo.

What is Kick’s streaming quality?

The best stream quality for Kick is full HD. The platform supports a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels at frame rates up to 60fps.

How many users are on Kick?

Kick reported more than 100 million users in April 2026. The split between creators and viewers isn’t specified.

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Who streams on Kick? 10 top creators

As of April 2026,* the 10 most-followed Kick streamers include WestCOL, Adin Ross, and MrStiven Tc. The full list is:

  1. WestCOL
  2. Adin Ross
  3. MrStiven Tc
  4. Davoo Xeneize
  5. SXB
  6. Spreen
  7. LACOBRA
  8. Drb7h
  9. RRaenee
  10. Atro

xQc, one of Twitch’s most-followed creators, just misses out on the top 10. He was one of the more notable names to join Kick in 2023, signing a two-year, non-exclusive contract worth around $100 million. Kick has also signed significant deals with companies like F1 and the UFC.

How much does Kick pay streamers?

Kick’s streaming payouts are one of the platform’s biggest perks, as streamers receive 95% of all subscription earnings. This is more than Twitch’s 50/50 split, and it even beats YouTube’s generous 70/30 Commerce Product cut.

How do you make money on Kick?

You can make money on Kick with the Affiliate program, the Partner program, and Gifts.

Kick Affiliate program

Kick’s Affiliate program lets you activate paid subscriptions for your channel. To qualify, you need 75 followers and 5 total streamed hours.

The average cost of a Kick subscription is around $4.99 per month. If you have 1,000 paying subscribers at $4.99, that’s roughly $4,750 once Kick takes its 5% cut.

Kick subscription revenue is paid out once per month.

Kick Partner program

On top of the 95/5 subscription split, the Kick Partner program lets users multistream on other platforms and keep 50% of the Kick-made revenue. Stream revenue is calculated in real time, meaning every organic view is money in the bank.

To qualify for the Kick Partner program, you need to:

  • Be verified on Kick
  • Have at least 250 followers
  • Stream for at least 30 hours in the last 30 days
  • Have at least 250 unique chatters in the last 30 days
  • Have at least 25 active subscribers in the last 30 days
  • Reach an average of 75 concurrent viewers in the last 30 days
  • Publish at least 3 VODs in the last 30 days

Kick Gifts

Users can buy Kick tokens to send virtual Gifts to streamers. Gifts are displayed in the chat and can include custom messages.

Kick says that “gifting is the most direct way to support your favorite creators on our platform,” but doesn’t break down how much a streamer receives for a Gift.

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Is there advertising on Kick?

Kick has supported banner ads since 2023. In April 2026, Tehrani said that the platform had “started rolling out ads.” Craven previously stated that the platform aims to “add ads in a way that isn’t overtly intrusive and doesn’t really kill that viewer experience.”

Does Kick have an algorithm?

In the same April 2026 statement, Tehrani said that Kick was “actively rolling out [its] V1 algorithm (10% of users so far),” which “will make Kick the best long-form streaming platform for authentic engagement and discovery.”

Can you stream on Kick and Twitch at the same time?

Kick lets creators multistream across other platforms. This initially gave Kick an advantage, as Twitch’s rules were tighter. Twitch is more relaxed nowadays, allowing users to multistream and combine chats across multiple platforms.

Does Kick allow NSFW content?

Kick updated its Community Guidelines in 2026, which restrict nudity, violence, hate speech, and more. These guidelines apply to both human-made and AI-generated content. Users can block not-safe-for-work content categories in their “Content Preferences” settings.

How do you download the Kick app?

You can download the Kick app for your Apple or Android device, or head to Kick.com to access the browser version.

Is Kick available on Google Play?

The Kick streaming mobile app is available for Android devices. Download it for free from Google Play here.

Is Kick available on the App Store?

The Kick streaming mobile app is also available for Apple devices. Grab it for free from the App Store here.

The Kick app lets you watch livestreams, enter the chat, subscribe to creators’ channels, send Gifts, and more. However, it doesn’t let you broadcast live streams. Learn how to do that below.

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How to go live on Kick

You can live stream with Kick via desktop or mobile. Let’s run though how to do both.

Go live on Kick via desktop

  1. Go to Kick.com and log in. If you don’t have an account, create one first.
  2. Click the “Channel” tab in your Creator Dashboard, then “Stream URL and Stream Key.”
  3. Open your streaming software of choice, then enter your Stream URL and stream key when prompted.
  4. Ensure all the output settings match your computer’s, then head back to Kick.
  5. Click “Edit stream info.” Name your new stream, categorize it, and select the primary language. You can label it as an 18+ broadcast if necessary. Once you’re done, press “Save.”
  6. Start streaming via your streaming software.

Go live on Kick via mobile

  1. Download a mobile streaming software. For this walkthrough, we’ll choose Streamlabs.
  2. Give Streamlabs access to your mobile’s microphone and camera. Then, click the three-line burger menu in the app’s top-right corner.
  3. Click “Account Settings.” Next to the “Custom RTMP” option, select “Setup.”
  4. Name your stream for reference, enter your Kick stream key, and paste the following into the URL field: rtmps://fa723fc1b171.global-contribute.live-video.net:443/app
  5. Edit your stream info. This needs to be done via browser. Repeat step 5 from the previous “Go live on Kick via desktop” walkthrough.
  6. Press “GO LIVE” at the bottom of your screen in Streamlabs.

Some mobile Kick streamers prefer to broadcast from their phone and operate the chat from a second device. Try it out and see what works best for you.

Can you use music on Kick?

Like Twitch’s music rules, Kick’s audio use is based around licensing. You need a valid license to use a track, otherwise you risk warnings, takedowns, and legal issues.

Try Epidemic Sound instead.

More than 55,000 tracks made by real artists. AI-enhanced workflows. Smart tools to help you find, edit, and work the perfect track into your video.

It’s a sound platform for modern content, structurally designed to be compliant and free you up to do what you do best: create. Get started with Epidemic Sound below and soundtrack your way.

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*Streaming statistics referenced from Streams Charts on April 27, 2026.