Enable bits to be used to purchase subscriptions for channels
Enable bits to be used to purchase subscriptions for channels.
Give discount on channel subscription cost, based on bits purchased or bits in stock.
Would save twitch money on payment/card processing fees per subscription as money already with twitch.
Would encourage more people to sub to channels to get good discount worth the % fees paid to get bits.
Subscribing to XX channels based on % would give cover any % payed to get the bits, this would encourage use of bits, and give discounts to those that supported more channels with subscriptions, and more usage of bits.
Would save money for Twitch, less payment processing fees and save money for the viewer if they subscribe to multi channels, also only pay one local tax per transaction for bits, usually you would have to pay that tax on each subscription if from certain areas.

20 comments
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N1TRO_On_Twitch commented
I think that we actually should be able to save up the bits that be awesome to get a subscription.
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GeorgeHopkins commented
As long as bits subs can be tracked separate the same way prime/paid subs are I'm down.
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Honeth commented
If they ever do add this it could open up Paths for people to completely blow the minds of streamers with HUGE Gifted Bombs funded through Bits.
Just imagine a guy planning on gifting 1000 subs to your community "i've seen it happen in 10 installments of 100 before".
What would be more amazing of a feeling being unable to gift the whole 1000 due to the limits or having it tell you to charge up the bits for it so you can dump the whole 1k gifted at once.
This wouldn't force the person to use bits but it would open the path for those that have the dedication to a streamer and wish to show some Incredible support to them as well.
I understand that there'd be a fear of Twitch double dipping on the transactions as they take a % for the bits purchase at this point in time as well as a % from the subscription.
For this to work properly the % on the subscription from gifted through bits should either be 1/10th of the current percentage or just 0% allowing people to enjoy a somewhat "Free Gifted Sub" while the streamer doesn't lose out on the value of the bits.
This would also inadvertently get people to continue their subscription after a gifted was obtained by them. as they'd happen a lot more.
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WalterWyoming commented
Twitch already makes money from people watching ads for bits. Then Twitch could take half the money of the 5$ for someone subscribing with bits. It's a win/win for Twitch.
As a streamer however... I would much prefer the full 5$ from the bits than only 2.50$ from the sub with bits. This is not a good idea for streamers. This is only a good idea for Twitch and people with no direct access to money. I personally would be sad if this idea was implemented as half of streamers potential revenue is flushed right back to Twitch instead of the streamer.
Hypothetical - If a streamer has regular viewers who watch ads for bits and donates them at a regular interval and gets the 100$ payout monthly. Now lets say the viewers start subbing instead of donating the full amount of bits, the streamer would get 50$ and no payout until every other month when they hit the payout minimum.
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Acorn_Oakland commented
This idea would be good for anyone trying to save money in general rather then spending out of their pocket. :D
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wackywiller commented
good idea.
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xaviergreen87 commented
Some individuals; especialy kids; don't have a Credit Card on hand. So watching adds to earn bits and then using bits to buy a subscription would help said individuals, which would otherwise not subscribe at all.
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SilentSnaple commented
I like this idea! Especially because you can earn free bits watching ads
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Anonymous commented
Bits should just be Twitch credits, each bit used in a cheer gives 1¢ to the streamer. By that logic one bit could just be considered a Twitch monetary unit equivalent to 1 US cent. A subscription could cost 500 bits, or 5 USD a month. You can purchase them from amazon for an exchange rate of $1.40 for 100 bits or $1.00. You can also watch adds to earn bits, like now. Make it a little work to get bits by watching ads, but you then can get revenue from extra ad money that they generate. It may not reach perfect cost, but even if it were 50% of what you would normally get from a subscription there would be more people subscribing. At worst you are making more money than you are now by just having more people sending less money. So you get $5 from the majority of people subbing normally, and then say $3 for people who would like to sub but cannot afford to subscribe due to their financial situation.
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jakeeyexe commented
and the people will use bits also for donations because its fast to use.
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gektek commented
Open bits to ALL streamers...partnered AND non. While non partnered streamers would not be able to collect any revenue from the bits they could use them in a variety of ways. Subscribe to others...getting their name to pop up once a month in other potentially popular streams giving that slight word of mouth experience...aka free advertising for their own channel (in a sense). Give bits as rewards to their own viewers who then in turn can use them as they see fit. Use bits to purchase Twitch branded merchandise. Partner with sites like TreatStream so bits can be used to buy food for streamers. SO many possibilities for bits other than filling a ridiculous on screen cup for streamers already receiving tips via StreamLabs :P
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irbChad commented
Just came up with this idea myself, glad to see its already on here with 350+ votes :D
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Matrixis commented
The main reason I like this is because you can get bits from ads & sometimes from surveys and people like to subscribe, but not always be able to afford them. Obviously you wouldn't buy bits to subscribe, but it's an extra option.
This would obviously be something the partner would opt-in to, but as for Twitch getting half, I'm OK with this, I as a partner myself I don't mind Twitch getting it. I want them to grow as well. -
Anonymous commented
Awesome idea especially if ads for bits comes to other countries
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Jacky commented
As some people can watch ads for bits, it is actually a great idea for people to support their favourite broadcasters that they can't afford to, just by saving up ads bits.
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Anonymous commented
Great idea, but we still need mobile bit
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Kaaaaaayla commented
This would be 'unfair' to those who pay for subscriptions with money, because you can get bits for free by watching ads.
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RedSnt commented
@Taizun Well they take 50% of the MONEY for subscription, but I don't think they take a cut from bits after the fact that it's been bought by the user.
And if they made subs slightly cheaper using bits I think they'd sell a lot more.
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JustinBlue commented
I think this is a great idea, considering you can get bits by watching ads. That way you could subscribe to a partner totally free and and ads are delivered in arguabley their most effective form...at the request of the user.
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Taizun commented
The issue I see with this, is the fact that Twitch/Amazon would then be taking two cuts of that bit-exchange.
The first cut would be from the initial purchase of the bits, and the second cut would be the default 50% that Twitch takes from subscriptions (Less than 50% if a partner is on a different plan).
For this to work, I would have to add a side-suggestion that would eliminate the 50% cut if a subscription was purchased using bits, or make a subscription cost 250 bits (or whatever amount of bits equals the amount of $ the streamer would normally get from a subscription, depending on the partnership-plan they're on).