Twitch Guide: Facts and History

Twitch (or Twitch.tv) is a live streaming platform owned by Twitch Interactive which is a subsidiary of Amazon. The first version of Twitch was called Justin.tv. You can access it by simply going to the website or downloading the mobile application.

Most popular streams on Twitch

Esports tournaments
Popular video game streams (PC, console, mobile, gambling-related games)
Creative content
Real Life streams

Channel subscriptions

Twitch is a free website which inserts ads into its streams at regular intervals. If you're an Amazon Prime or Prime Video member, your membership includes access to Twitch Prime.

Twitch Prime Benefits

Twitch channel subscription (includes ad-free viewing for that channel)
Special emoticons
More chat color options
A chat badge
Free games delivered on a monthly basis
Most streamers will show their recent subscribers and some of them will give them a shoutout

Twitch subscriptions

If you want more ad-free Twitch channels, or if you don't have a Prime subscription, you have the option to subscribe to individual channels for $4.99, $9.99, or $24.99 (price per month). Streamers set the subscription rewards, so the benefits vary from channel to channel. You can give channel subscriptions to friends or just gift them to random viewers watching a particular streamer.

Twitch Bits

Twitch lets you buy Bits which is virtual currency that you use to purchase chat emotes from streamers, you also use it for donations. Pricing starts at $1.40 for 100 Bits, and streamers get a percentage of viewers' purchases. This is another way for viewers to support their favorite channels.

Most popular Twitch Streamers

DrDisrespect
Summit1g
Tim the Tatman
Dakotaz
Riot Games
TSM|Daequan
Ninja (moved to Mixer)
Tfue
Shroud

Want to learn how to start streaming on Twitch? Then read this Guide!