As a consumer of media, you’re probably used to paying for content. When you go to the movies or even pay that monthly Netflix bill, the people who make entertainment (creators) need to eat, right? However, your own budget is finite. Even when it comes to the media you enjoy, you can’t buy everything you want.
What if I told you there was a free way for you to support your favorite Twitch streamer?
If you have Amazon Prime, all it takes is a few minutes of your time.
Why Should You Subscribe to a Twitch Channel With Amazon Prime?
Subscribing to a Twitch channel helps the streamer produce content. Even if they have sponsorships, most Twitch streamers (whether full or part-time) produce streams thanks to the support of subscriptions and donations.
As an occasional streamer, I can tell you that the donation or subscription here and there also encourages me to keep producing content. And that content benefits the LARP community, so it’s a win for everyone.
How Do You Subscribe on Twitch Using Amazon Prime?
First, you need to sign up with Twitch (also free). Head over to twitch.tv and click the sign up button if you don’t have an account already. It’s located in the upper right hand corner.
Once you’re signed up and signed in, you’ll see your Twitch user name where the login button was. I’m signed in as TheGeekInitiative here:
See that crown near the login? Click it! This will bring up a menu showing all the cool stuff you can get (game rewards) with Twitch Prime. You want to click “Start your free trial.”
This will bring you to a sign up screen. Twitch Prime memberships cost $99 per year – unless you have Amazon Prime. If you do, it’s already included in the cost of your Amazon Prime membership. Click “Enable Twitch Prime” and link your account.
Great! You’re all connected. Now you need to head over to your favorite streamer (if you’re looking for me, click here). Up near your login panel you’ll see a few buttons.
This gives you a few options. You’ve got:
- Heart: Click it to follow the channel. Followers matter to subscribers, especially if they are not affiliated or partnered yet. It’s free to do, and you’ll get notified when they go live if you click it.
- Subscribe: Click to subscribe (free with Amazon Prime to make the subscription happen)
- Get Bits: If the streamer is affiliated or partnered, you can give them bits. Bits are pretty much “Twitch money.” You can turn real money into bits, or, if you live in the US, you can watch ads to get bits as a reward (free). Then you can give bits to the streamer.
Subscribe also gives you some other options if you click on the ‘other options’ link. This is what it looks like for an affiliated streamer, which is the level I have earned:
Subscribing With Prime: What’s the Catch?
- Twitch doesn’t support Prime subs for every country, but if you live in the US or UK, it should work flawlessly.
- It really doesn’t cost you anything extra to do this, but you only get one Prime sub per month.
- Unlike other subscription types, the Prime sub doesn’t auto-renew 🙁 You have to do it manually each month, but your streamer will really appreciate it.
- Don’t worry, though! I’ll sign you up for one automated email per month to remind you to do the Prime sub if you like. Just send me an email at tgicontentservices@gmail.com and put “Twitch Sub Reminder” in the subject line. That’s it!
Need More Help With Twitch?
For more information or to receive support from Twitch, you can access the Twitch Prime Guide.
Want to get started in streaming and don’t know where to begin? Ready to take your stream to the next level? Check out Next Step Streaming. Tina will coach you through the process. Before Tina launched this program, she taught me everything I know. Using her advice, I became affiliated in just a couple of weeks.
Did You Find This Content Helpful?
If you found this information useful or if you want to support me but can’t do so through prime, consider a quick and small one-time donation through ko-fi, or click on the Patreon button below to support The Geek Initiative regularly.
Interested in a new way to game? Check out digital live action gaming from The Geek Initiative. Yes, sometimes we stream larp!
Thank you!
