How much does it cost to stream on Kick, Twitch? We break it down

Streaming on Kick and other popular streaming platforms can be an affordable hobby, but those who want to take it seriously are looking at some serious costs

While there’s a constant discourse about how much the biggest streamers make, there’s no question that it’s a potentially pricey hobby. Streaming can technically be done with just an internet connection and a smartphone or right through a gaming console, but that doesn’t make for a compelling product for viewers.

A bare-bones streaming setup requires a reasonably strong PC, a strong internet connection, a microphone, and a webcam. From there, other pieces of hardware and software might need to be added. Here’s a guide on everything you need to start streaming on Kick and other popular streaming platforms, and how much it costs.

Explaining the cost of Kick livestreaming

While livestreaming on Kick or elsewhere can technically be done for free, a basic streaming setup requires a strong internet connection and hundreds of dollars worth of hardware. Many people will have some of this hardware on hand, but some components aren’t commonly owned.

This lineup of hardware will allow hopeful streamers to put together a broadcast that looks reasonably legitimate:

• Desktop PC ($500)
• Two monitors ($200)
• Microphone ($100)
• Webcam ($80)

A PC, webcam, microphone, and a pair of monitors is all that someone needs to put together a standard streaming broadcast. There are many options for good streaming hardware out there, but prices vary wildly.

First and foremost, a $500 pre-built desktop PC might not be enough for anyone looking to stream themselves playing video games. Someone looking to stream themselves reacting to cat videos or lounging in their hot tub can get by with a cheap PC. However, many popular games won’t even run on a cheap PC, and streaming is an additional performance tax for the hardware. Those who want to become a Vtuber will also have to take this into account, as powering their avatar also weighs down their PC performance.

A stream like this just needs a decent PC, webcam, and microphone.

Someone looking to emulate content from streamers like Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa will also need a better webcam than someone wanting to show off their Valorant skills. Broadcasting software like OBS can be used for free, but many features carry a price tag.

There are many other components that can cost anything from a little to a lot, depending on what kind of broadcast is planned. Here are some other potential costs people may have to endure to start streaming on Twitch or Kick:

• Green screen
• Capture card
• Additional webcams
• Headphones
• Lighting
• Control pad

Can you stream on Kick or Twitch for free?

Anyone can stream on Kick or Twitch at no cost by using the Kick or Twitch mobile app, depending on which platform they want to stream on. These offer a free, albeit rudimentary, option for streaming.

PlayStation gamers can also stream on Twitch directly through their PlayStation 5 by hitting the share button. The share menu has the option to broadcast directly to Twitch, albeit with few bells and whistles. Streamers are extremely limited in what they can do with the Twitch app on PS5, though they can view their chat and talk to their audience through a headset.

How to Stream IRL on Twitch from Mobile

Similarly, the Kick and Twitch mobile apps allow users to instantly start streaming. On the Twitch app, it’s as simple as creating a Twitch account, streamers simply need to hit the + button at the bottom of the home menu. This offers a prefabricated setup for both IRL streaming and streaming mobile games. The process via Kick is similarly simple.

As with streaming on PC, the cost of streaming on Kick or Twitch from a phone can hypothetically be nearly free, but it could be quite expensive depending on your streaming setup. It also necessitates having a good internet connection.