Live Streaming Fee Comparison — YouTube, Twitch, TikTok & Patreon vs Donastar's 5%
Your viewers’ support is what keeps the stream going. But when that support is paid out, a bigger slice than you think stays with the platform. Have you ever done the math? Every Super Chat, every Bit, every TikTok gift — the platform keeps anywhere from a fifth to more than half.
Donastar cuts that slice to 5%. It is a platform fee among the lowest in the world, which means the same support leaves more money with you.
That’s why we built this live streaming fee comparison. It lines up what streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Kick and TikTok — and support services like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee — take from your support, based on each company’s official pages and press reports as of October 2026.
Official service: donastar.tv
Live streaming fee comparison table
Platform-native support (Super Chat, Bits, gifts, Stars) and outside tipping and membership services, in one table. Platform fee is the share the platform takes from a donation; anything else that comes out is under Notes.
| Platform (tip type) | Platform fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Donastar (Dona) | 5% (0% event running) | 3% payment rails Viewer top-up: 10% |
| YouTube (Super Chat) | 30% | iOS: App Store cut comes first |
| Twitch (Bits) | ~29% | 100 Bits cost $1.40, streamer gets $1.00 |
| Twitch (subs) | 30–50% | 50/50, up to 70/30 via Plus |
| Kick (subs, KICKs) | 5% | Labeled a processing fee |
| TikTok (LIVE Gifts) | Not disclosed | Tests: creators got 31–40% |
| Facebook (Stars) | ~29% (est.) | $0.01 per Star to the creator |
| Tipping & membership tools | ||
| Patreon (memberships) | 10% | Processing 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Buy Me a Coffee | 5% | Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 0.5% payout fee |
- As of October 2026, from each company’s official pages (press reports where no official figure exists). Rates vary by tier, payment method and country.
- Twitch Bits: the US web 100-Bit pack ($1.40) pays the streamer $1.00; larger packs cost less per Bit and mobile packs cost more. Facebook pays creators $0.01 per Star; the ~29% assumes about $1.40 per 100 Stars.
- TikTok doesn’t publish its cut, so we used BBC (2022) and ABC (2024) tests.
- Sources: YouTube Help · Twitch Bits (Streamlabs) · Twitch subs · Kick Help · TikTok (BBC via PetaPixel) · TikTok (ABC via IMH) · Facebook Stars terms · Patreon pricing · Buy Me a Coffee Help · Donastar settlement guide
Platform-native support gives up 30% on Super Chat, about 29% on Bits and even more on TikTok gifts. Send the same support through a Donastar link and the platform fee is 5% — 0% during the event.
On top of that, Donastar’s 5% covers one link and QR code for viewers on 12 platforms, top-ups in USD, EUR, JPY, KRW, CNY, BRL and more, monthly memberships and on-stream alerts with TTS, all in one place.
Start with 0% fees for 3 months → donastar.tv
It’s not just the 5%
A low fee doesn’t mean missing features. The 5% covers everything a donation platform should do.
- Keep the platforms you already use — connect channels from 12 platforms (YouTube, Twitch, Kick, TikTok and more), then drop one donation link and QR code into chat, pinned comments or your stream layout. No need to move your stream or drop the support tools you already have.
- Fans pay in their own currency — viewers top up Dona in major currencies such as USD, EUR, JPY, KRW, CNY and BRL. The more international your audience gets, the wider your support window becomes.
- Monthly memberships — create up to 10 subscription tiers; only a 1% subscription fee comes out of the price you set.
- Your station — every account gets a station with announcements, boards, fans, managers and a blacklist in one place.
- On-stream alerts (optional) — connect the streaming tools with the same account and every donation shows up on stream with alerts and TTS.
Track it in Earnings, cash out with a Payout account
Check the Dona you have received under Station → Earnings → Gifted Dona, and register where the money goes once under Payout account.
| Example: you receive 1,000 Dona ($100) | You get |
|---|---|
| Standard settlement (Donastar 5% + payment rails 3%) | $92 |
| During the 0% fee event | The full $100 |
- When you can withdraw — once you have 300 Dona ($30) or more that are at least one month old, request a payout whenever you like.
- Where payouts go — every payout is made in USD. Stripe covers the US, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and the European Economic Area and converts the money into your bank account’s currency. Wise covers Korea and Brazil, sending USD to your own US USD account (such as the USD account details of a personal Wise account); a Wise transfer fee of about $1.13 per payout is deducted separately, and converting to KRW or BRL is up to you. If your country is not on the list yet, your Dona stay safely in your balance until it is.
Payout rules and steps → Settlement guide
Why start now
- The 3-month 0% fee event is running — for 90 days from your first earnings, settlement fees are fully waived while you have received fewer than 5,000 Dona. The event ends when its end is announced. → Event details
- You’re live the moment you sign up — no application or approval; your station and donation page (donastar.tv/username) are created instantly.
- Nothing to lose — keep your streaming platform and your current support tools, and simply open one more window that charges 5%. Your first payout will show you where more of the money stays.
How to start
- Sign up at donastar.tv.
- Under Station → Channel settings, connect your streaming channels and copy your donation link and QR code.
- Put the link in your pinned chat message, pinned comments and social bios.
- Watch donations arrive under Station → Earnings → Gifted Dona.
- Finish setting up your Payout account and request your payout.
Learn more: Introducing Donastar — A Donation Platform Built for Streamers
Live streaming fees: FAQ
What does Donastar’s 5% include?
The 5% platform fee plus 3% payment rails means 1,000 Dona ($100) pays out $92. When viewers top up Dona, a 10% fee is included in their payment. For 90 days from your first earnings, while you have received fewer than 5,000 Dona, the settlement fee is 0%.
Can I use it alongside my current platform?
Yes. Connect channels from 12 platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, Kick and TikTok, then put your donation link and QR code in chat, pinned comments or your stream layout. You keep Super Chats, Bits and gifts as they are and simply open one more window that charges 5% — no need to move your stream.
Which streamers gain the most?
- Streamers who rely on platform tips — moving even part of the support that loses 30% to Donastar changes what you keep.
- Streamers with international viewers — fans top up in their own currency.
- Multistreamers — one link collects support instead of a different tool for every platform.
The bottom line
Every donation carries a simple message: “I want this stream to keep going.” Donastar set its fee at 5% so that message reaches the streamer — not the platform.
Compare live streaming fees side by side and the difference is clear. Change one donation link today, and you’ll keep more from your very next payout.
Join now and start at a 5% fee → donastar.tv
Contact: hello@donastar.tv
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