28 Streamline Twitch Statistics For 2023

Updated · May 20, 2023

It started as Justin.TV, with the man himself, Justin Kan, broadcasting his daily life.

Soon after, gamers joined the party and the Twitch section was formed.

With the growth of gaming and the rise of eSports, the entire platform pivoted and became a place dedicated to gaming!

Interestingly, today one of the fastest-growing genres on the platform is… people broadcasting their daily life! Talk about a streaming revolution.

Now, everybody, spam PogChamp as we get into the Twitch statistics!

Twitch Stats Highlights:

  • 326 billion minutes of content were watched during the first three months of 2021.
  • 93 billion minutes were watched a month in 2020—a 69% increase over 2019.
  • Twitch generated $1.54 billion in revenue in 2019.
  • It saw 140 million monthly active users in 2020.
  • Twitch sees 26.5 million daily active users.
  • 65% of viewers identify as male.
  • 9.7 million streamers go live each month—a 41% increase over 2020.

What’s Twitch?

It’s a streaming platform launched in 2011. Streaming, in this context, is the act of broadcasting yourself live. Most people on Twitch broadcast themselves gaming. Streaming has been around for a while, but Twitch refined the process. A look at Twitch statistics shows how prevalent it's become.

Everyone is on Twitch. From streamer OGs like Ninja to hip-hop OGs like Snoop Dogg. Surrounding any big streamer, you’ll find a community, which is just a subsection of the bigger communities related to the games they play.

We’re done “just chatting”—that one will make sense soon—it’s time to get into it.

Intriguing Twitch Statistics for 2022

People are more hyped for Twitch than they’ve ever been. That trend won’t slow down…

1. 326 billion minutes have been watched on Twitch in Q1 2021.

(Source: TwitchTracker)

In the first three months of 2021, Twitch users have watched 326 billion minutes of content. This figure is already nearly half of 2019’s 660 billion in total. That’s over 5 billion hours watched on Twitch in Q1 2021 alone.

2. An average of 93 billion minutes of Twitch watched per month in 2020.

(Source: TwitchTracker)

Tallies show that, in 2020, Twitch clocked an average of 93 billion minutes watched per month. This shatters 2019’s 55 billion on average, marking a 69% increase. 2021 is set to go even further with an average of 108 billion per month during the first three months.

3. Twitch was bought by Amazon in 2014 for $970 million.

(Source: Business Insider)

Amazon noticed Twitch’s potential early on. It snapped up the company in 2014 for nearly a billion dollars. A chunk of change like that would get you about 40,000,000 Twitch subs! More on those later.

4. Predictions for the Twitch revenue in 2022 are optimistic.

(Source: Business of Apps)

The Twitch financial report is combined with that of its parent, Amazon, so it’s hard to get the exact numbers on its earnings. Still, a report on Twitch’s revenue estimated it stood at $1.54 billion in 2019. Consider the growth stats for 2020 & 2021 below and it’s apparent that Twitch will reach greater heights soon.

5. Twitch data shows most traffic comes from the US, at 22.68%.

(Source: SimilarWeb) 

It’s no shock that the bulk of the American service’s traffic is homegrown. The second biggest source is Germany at 6.54%, with Russia coming in third at 4.48%. Escape from Tarkov, anyone?

6. YouTube directs 42.13% of social traffic to Twitch.

(Source: SimilarWeb)

Social media gives Twitch 7.14% of its traffic. It seems small, but it’s above the 5.9% average. The most traffic is coming from YouTube. Many streamers save their clips and upload them to their channels. Fans often “clip” highlights and memeable moments to share there too.

It’s common to see Twitch trends—in-jokes, fads, etc.—on YouTube. Often a person’s intro to a streamer will be on YouTube before they seek them out on Twitch.

7. The peak viewing time on Twitch is 4:00 pm EST.

(Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)

With Americans as the majority, the peak viewing time is 16:00 EST, leading into the evening. It coincides with leisure time for teens, while adults drop by later. Streamers must remember to structure their working schedule to the resting schedule of their audience. Doing so will ensure they hit those prime peak Twitch times.

8. Twitch is second in video game website rankings for 2021.

(Source: SimilarWeb)

Twitch was king of the hill before being toppled by Roblox. Roblox is a free-to-play browser-based game. It hosts imitations of games popularized by Twitch.

Roblox gives cash-strapped fans a taste of what the real things have to offer.

9. League of Legends is at the top of the Twitch most streamed games leaderboard.

(Source: Newzoo)

Twitch game stats show League of Legends’ iron grip on the platform as its most-streamed game. Its strength of presence is derived from sheer watchability, as well as its dominance of the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) eSports scene.

10. A 10% increase in Twitch viewership stats has been attributed to coronavirus lockdowns. 

(Source: CompareCamp)

In 2020 governments across the globe declared nationwide lockdowns to combat the spread of Covid-19. Twitch became an outlet for people seeking entertainment and social contact they couldn’t get in person. During the same period, there was an increase in Twitch hours watched by 24%.

We touch on a few more stats related to the pandemic later.

(Source: TwitchTracker)

It sounds strange for a platform about gaming, but Twitch stats show it's the most popular topic in general. “Just Chatting”—formerly the vlogging tag of the IRL category—is for streamers to talk to their viewers. Who’d have thought the platform would end up embracing its roots as a “lifecasting” network?

This genre has helped popularize “lifestyle streaming.” Note that many gaming streamers use this topic too. It’s good to warm up by catching up with your community.

Twitch Demographics: It’s All About the Fans

Like any good show, Twitch needs its actors and audience. Below we take a look at who’s packing the bleachers.

12. Twitch monthly active users cap in at 140 million for 2020.

(Source: Business of Apps)

Twitch statistics for 2020 show that 140 million viewers watched content on the platform every month that year. I’m a part of that figure and the odds are you are too.

With its diverse content, there’s something for every gamer and sports fan. Solo streamers stick to schedules, while eSports media broadcasts tournaments seasonally.

You can see everything from Fifa to Super Smash Bros, Call of Duty to Minecraft. Newer niches like the ASSG (Asymmetrical Slasher Genre) are also busting in. The top game, Dead by Daylight, is consistently represented in the Top 20 monthly.

13. Twitching to go, 35% of Twitch’s viewers are on mobile.

(Source: Video Game Stats)

Desktops still lead, but a quick swipe through Twitch audience demographics shows that over a third of Twitch’s viewers are on mobile. Twitch is diversifying, with more lifestyle content from a global cast of creators. The choice moments users clip are perfect for sharing over Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

14. Daily users number 26.5 million in 2021.

(Source: Backlinko)

Looking at Twitch numbers, active users are hovering at 26.5 million per day in 2021. If the rapid growth continues, Twitch’s performance will positively dwarf previous years’ by the end of 2022.

15. Millennial-Z, the average age of Twitch viewers is under 35.

(Source: Statista)

2021 Twitch user stats show Millennials and Gen-Zers make up 73% of viewership. Seems obvious, given that these generations were the first to grow up with the internet. The age distribution should even out as these generations grow older. Something to keep in mind for the long term when planning new content.

16. With a 65% male viewership, Twitch viewer demographics for 2021 are approaching a balance.

(Source: Backlinko)

Tech has historically been a male-dominated industry—a trend which Twitch follows. Men make up 65% of the viewership in 2021. Although still existent, the gap is smaller than in previous years. Twitch viewer statistics indicate male viewers were over 80% in 2017.

(Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)

Twitch viewer stats consistently show that Sunday is the biggest day of the week. On average, there are more people watching and streaming on Sundays—the day of the week when most people are at home. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the least viewers visit the platform on Monday.

18. People watch Twitch streamers for entertainment, its community, and educational purposes.

(Source: Streamers Playbook)

There are three reasons people use this platform:

Firstly, entertainment. Streaming makes the “let’s play” formula more interactive. A formula that caught on in the early 2010s, with Pewdiepie being cited as the popularizer.

Community is the second reason. Part of that interactivity comes from lighting up the chat with fellow fans. Top streamers recognize this by fostering a brand through community participation.

If I asked you how many people watch Twitch for education, would you be puzzled? It sounds funny, but the third reason is, in fact, education. Gamers want to improve. eSports make the pro dream real. Streamers can help you learn the meta (most effective tactic available) or even set it. I’ve often seen a new streamer strat, only to begin facing it match after match the very next day.

19. Twitch average viewers per streamer dropped until 2019.

(Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)

Twitch statistics are up across the board, except in one area. Average viewers per streamer dropped yearly before stabilizing in 2019. Why? Because more people are streaming. There is now an average of 25 viewers per streamer in 2022 but remember...

Anyone on Twitch can stream. Those viewers we’ve been talking about are all potential streamers. This stat shows that more of them are picking up the mic. Speaking of…

Twitch Broadcaster Stats

Who’s in the spotlight? Stats about streamers are trickier to find than those on viewers. It appears fact-finding is aimed at those wanting to break into the industry. Let’s investigate.

20. In 2021, there are 9.7 million streamers active per month.

(Source: TwitchTracker) 

This is an increase of 41% from 2020’s 6.9 million. Want to know what 2020’s increase over 2019 was? The mind-blowing 90%! This boom coincided with, you guessed it, nationwide lockdowns. Naturally, the advent of quality streaming software also helped.

How many Twitch streamers are there overall? The all-time peak is over 6 million at once.

21. Who has the most Twitch subscribers?

(Source: TwitchTracker)

Twitch subscribers (subs) are followers who pay a streamer monthly to support them. Sub numbers fluctuate because most followers don’t always resub. Ninja has the all-time record of 269,154, while RanbooLive has the most “active” subs in Q1 2021—99,508.

And they’re increasing by the minute!

22. The Grefg holds the record for the highest Twitch viewer peak of all time—2.5 million people.

(Source: DualSHOCKERS)

The highest viewer count on Twitch in a stream belongs to The Grefg. During a stream revealing his official Fortnite skin, the Spanish streamer amassed over 2,000,000 concurrent viewers. The event also illustrates how ingrained streamers are in the gaming culture. Many games now feature cosmetic content themed to influential streamers.

23. The average expert Twitch streamer makes between $3,000-$5,000 a month.

(Source: Business of Apps)

You’d have to look at a streamer’s Twitch channel statistics to get an exact idea of earnings, but the figure given applies to average professional streamers. Live for at least 40 hours a week, with a sizable audience—these are the pros. The figure doesn’t include ad money—about $250 per 100 subscribers.

24. Which Twitch streamers have the most followers?

(Source: TwitchTracker) 

The Twitch channel stats show Fortnite-Pro, Ninja, has the most followers among male streamers at 16.8 million. The top female streamer on Twitch is Pokimane with 7.4 million, coming in 7th overall.

25. Twitch chats have been packed with over 70 billion comments since 2016.

(Source: StreamElements)

To be exact, 71,037,543,876… wait 71,037,611,222, no, wait… it’s actually impossible to keep up with live Twitch chat stats. In slow periods the service sees around 1,000 messages per second. When busier, it runs into multiples of thousands, so you better throw bits if you want to be heard.

What’s Next for Twitch?

Everything considered, 2021 was Twitch’s best year so far, with 2022 poised to top it. What’s next?

26. Consoles are expected to make further inroads onto Twitch.

(Source: Essentially Sports)

Follow a particular game and you may know of a console streamer. However, PC players rule the streamer stats leaderboard. Twitch’s desktop website offers integration with Steam and Discord, which are near necessities for versatile streaming. They allow streamers to cross-promote each other and newer titles.

Before 2021, console streamers relied on a basic Twitch app. Furthermore, the cross-platform play was being ironed out. Next-gen consoles promise to solve these issues with day one crossplay and stronger hardware for live performance.

27. In 2021, Twitch stream stats for music channels show they’re double 2020’s number.

(Source: BBC News)

One last time. It’s 2020. Everything is locked down. All dressed in pajamas with nowhere to go, how did people get their live music fix?

Twitch, you guessed it!

Closed venues and social distancing led artists such as Travis Scott, Dillion Francis, and Aaron Goldberg to Twitch.

The highlight of the season was Scott’s interactive Fortnite concert. Over 12,000,000 players attended in-game, while legions tuned in to watch his avatar make Battle Royale Island quake. The average viewer count for Twitch music shows the 2020 sound tsunami hasn’t stopped rolling.

Your favs will be surfing it soon.

28. Twitch nearly doubled its partnered streamers in 2020 to 51,480—up by 45% from 2019.

(Source: TwitchTracker)

If you want to turn Twitch streaming into a career, your main goal should be to make a “partner.” The partner program gives streamers exclusive support from Twitch. To qualify, your Twitch channel viewer stats have to be on point. You need an average of three concurrent viewers, 50 followers, seven unique broadcast days, and over eight hours logged.

Perks include on-site video storage to maintain a presence when offline, plus financial support and greater revenue shares. Partners can offer subscriptions that ordinary users can’t.

“Stream delay” is an underrated benefit for competitive gamers. It allows you to delay your live footage by 15 minutes to avoid “stream sniping”—people getting an unfair advantage by watching you while playing against you.

If you qualify, make an inquiry. It should be obvious by now that the platform is on the march to swell its ranks. If not, keep building that Twitch viewer count.

Wrap Up

Whether you’re a budding steamer aiming for your first 24-hour stream or just curious why everyone is talking about them, consider these Twitch statistics your info starter pack.

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Nick Galov
Nick Galov

Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.