Guide 2026
Guides for streamers in the UK
Just starting out, or moving away from SE.Pay or the Streamlabs tip page? These guides explain, topic by topic, how to take tips on stream, show alerts in OBS, choose a platform and understand the fees in pounds. Every guide is written for the UK, with the payment methods UK viewers actually use: debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Pay by Bank.
Getting started
- Donation platform for streamersA donation platform for UK content creators: a free tip page for Twitch, YouTube, Kick and TikTok, OBS alerts, Pay by Bank and payouts in pounds.
- Make money streamingSubs, Bits, ads, sponsors and direct tips: how streamers in the UK make money, what each platform keeps and what lands in your account in pounds.
- Make money on TwitchHow UK streamers earn on Twitch: subs at around 50%, Bits at about 71%, ads, sponsors and direct tips paid out in pounds from your first stream.
- Make money on TikTokGifts, Creator Rewards, LIVE subscriptions and direct tips: how UK creators earn on TikTok, the thresholds that apply and what you keep in pounds.
- Make money on YouTubeThe YouTube Partner Programme, Super Chat at 70%, memberships, sponsors and direct tips: how UK YouTubers earn and when each option opens up.
- Start streamingStart streaming in the UK on a budget: a decent mic, free OBS Studio, a steady schedule and, once your scene works, a tip link and alerts.
Comparisons and switching
- TipeeeStream alternativeMoving off TipeeeStream in the UK? Compare fees, OBS alerts and payouts in pounds, and import your tip history into DonoLink for a flat 3.5% fee.
- Streamlabs donations alternativeKeep Streamlabs Desktop for going live and move your tip page and alerts to DonoLink: Stripe on your own account, payouts in pounds, 3.5% per tip.
- Ko-fi alternative for streamersKo-fi or DonoLink for live streams in the UK? Compare fees, on-screen alerts and payouts in pounds before you pick the tip page for your channel.
- StreamElements alternativeSE.Pay stops taking tips and closes on 31 December 2026. Move your StreamElements tips to DonoLink, import your history and get paid in pounds.
- Donation platforms comparedStreamlabs, StreamElements, Ko-fi, Fourthwall and DonoLink compared for UK streamers: fees in pounds, Pay by Bank, alerts and what you really keep.
- Import your donation historySwitching tip tools in the UK? Import tips from Streamlabs, StreamElements, Ko-fi, TipeeeStream or a CSV so your leaderboard and totals carry on.
By streaming platform
- Receive donations on TwitchTake Twitch donations in pounds with a tip panel, a !tip command and OBS alerts. A £10 tip leaves you £9.30, against about £7.10 from £10 of Bits.
- Donations during YouTube live streamsA £10 Super Chat leaves a UK creator about £5.83 after VAT and YouTube's 30%. A tip link in your description leaves £9.30, with alerts in OBS.
- Donations during TikTok LIVETikTok LIVE gifts leave creators about half of what viewers spend. A £10 tip on your own page leaves £9.30. Compare both and add tips to your LIVE.
- Receive donations on KickSet up Kick donations in the UK: a tip link in your About section, follow and sub alerts in OBS and payouts in pounds. 3.5% per tip, no subscription.
- Donation link in your bioOne tip link for your Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube bio. A mobile tip page, no account for fans, and payouts in pounds on your own Stripe account.
- Instagram Live donationsInstagram Live has no tappable link, so use your bio, a story link sticker and an on-screen QR code to take tips from UK followers in pounds.
- Facebook Live donationsTake tips during Facebook Live in the UK: a link in the description, a pinned comment, a QR code and OBS alerts when you stream from software.
- PS5 and Xbox stream donationsStreaming from a PS5 or Xbox in the UK? Take tips with a link and show alerts through Lightstream, or through a capture card with OBS on a PC.
- Multistream donationsMultistreaming to Twitch, YouTube, Kick and TikTok from the UK? Use one tip link, one OBS alert and one shared goal for every platform at once.
For every kind of creator
- Donations for VTubersA tip page for UK VTubers under your stage name: transparent alerts over your model, text-to-speech, filters, and no real name shown to viewers.
- Creator support pageYouTubers, podcasters and artists in the UK: a free tip page with your name, photo and suggested amounts in pounds, shared by link or QR code.
- Donations for live musiciansBusking online from the UK? Take tips during live music streams with quiet alerts that never cut a song, a goal for your next record and requests.
Alerts, overlays and tools
- OBS donation alertsAdd tip alerts to OBS Studio or Streamlabs Desktop in one click: sound, GIF, text-to-speech and a goal bar, with every amount shown in pounds.
- Free streamer toolsFree tools for UK streamers: tip page, OBS alerts, goal bar, chat overlay, leaderboard, QR code and a Stream Deck plugin. Pay only 3.5% per tip.
- Text-to-speech donationsHave tip messages read aloud on stream with text-to-speech, a minimum amount in pounds, a profanity filter and anti-spam controls you set yourself.
- Donation goal overlayShow a live donation goal in OBS: a title, a target in pounds and a bar that moves with every tip. Free with your DonoLink tip page, no subscription.
- Top donors leaderboardThank your biggest supporters with a top tippers leaderboard on your tip page and in OBS, by day, week, month or all time. Switch it off any time.
- Media and song requestsLet viewers request YouTube videos and songs from your page while you decide what plays. A free media player for OBS, moderated by you.
- Chat overlay for OBSPut your Twitch chat on screen in OBS with badges, colours, fonts and auto fade. A free, transparent chat overlay with no Twitch login needed.
- Follow, sub and raid alertsShow Twitch and Kick follows, subs, raids and Bits in the same alert queue as your tips. Ready-made alerts you can customise or switch off.
- Donation message moderationKeep tip messages friendly on stream: a profanity filter with your own word list, link hiding, a minimum amount in pounds and a length limit.
- Donation QR codeCreate a QR code that opens your tip page: custom colours, a PNG for print and a transparent OBS widget for your scene. Free for UK creators.
- Stream Deck plugin for donationsSkip, replay or pause tip alerts and show your total in pounds from an Elgato Stream Deck. A free DonoLink plugin with its own limited API key.
- Discord donation notificationsPost every tip to a Discord channel with the amount in pounds, the supporter's name and their message. Set up with a webhook in about a minute.
- Customise your donation pagePersonalise your tip page: photo, banner, colours, bio, suggested amounts in pounds, a minimum tip and your socials. No coding needed at all.
Payments, fees and tax
- Receive donations without PayPalA PayPal.me link plays no alert and can hold new sellers' funds. Take tips by debit card, Pay by Bank or wallet with OBS alerts. PayPal is coming soon.
- Donation fees explainedWhat does a £10 tip cost? Stripe takes £0.35 on a UK card, DonoLink £0.35, and you keep £9.30. How stream donation fees work in pounds.
- Card donationsUK viewers tip with a debit or credit card in seconds, no account and no PayPal. Stripe secures the payment and it lands on your own account.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay donationsMost UK tips happen on a phone. Apple Pay and Google Pay turn a tip into one tap and show up automatically on compatible devices. Nothing to set up.
- Refunds and disputesWhat happens when a UK viewer disputes a tip? Card chargebacks, refunds, Pay by Bank payments that can't be charged back and how to cut the risk.
- Stream donations and taxesTwitch donations and tips in the UK: when HMRC expects Self Assessment, the £1,000 trading allowance, the deadlines and the records to keep.
Tutorials
- How to set up donations on Twitch: donate button and alertsHow to set up donations on Twitch in five steps: a donation page, a donate button panel, a !donate chat command, OBS alerts and a goal, plus Affiliate rules.
- How much do Twitch streamers make per sub and per Bit?By default a streamer gets 50% of a sub’s net revenue, or 60% or 70% in the Plus Program. A $5.99 US sub pays under $3, and each Bit pays 1 US cent.
- How to donate on Kick: subs, KICKs or a donation linkHow to donate on Kick on desktop or mobile: subs, gifted subs, KICKs or a donation link, how much the streamer receives and what to check before you pay.
- How to donate on YouTube Live: Super Chat vs a donation linkHow to donate on YouTube Live on desktop or mobile: Super Chat, Super Stickers, memberships or the creator’s link, what the creator keeps and safety tips.
- How to receive donations on Instagram: bio link, Stories and LiveHow to receive donations on Instagram: a link in your bio, the link sticker in Stories, badges on Live, gifts and subscriptions, and what each route costs.
- Create a donation link for your streamBuild a recognisable donation page, share your local link and check the payment journey from a viewer’s perspective.
- Set up donation alerts in OBSAdd alerts as a browser source and check the picture, sound and queue before going live.
- A donation checklist before your livestreamCheck your account, public page and alerts in a consistent order so that an important step does not get missed.
- How to donate on Twitch: Bits, subs or a donation linkDonate to a Twitch streamer on desktop or mobile: the difference between Bits, subscriptions and a donation link, payment steps and useful checks.