Kicks New Partner Program: What Streamers Need to Know

by Robert Burnside

may 16th 2025

Looking to make streaming more profitable in 2025? Kick.com might be your answer. This relative newcomer to the streaming scene is shaking things up with its revamped partner program that puts creators first with industry-leading revenue splits for streamers. Let's break down everything you need to know about Kick's new approach and how it compares to the platforms you might already be using.

The rise of kick: a brief history

Kick emerged in late 2022 as a fresh alternative to streaming giants like Twitch and YouTube Live. Backed by co-founders Bijan Tehrani and Ed “Eddie” Craven and initially championed by popular streamer Trainwreckstv, Kick set out with a clear mission: offer a more creator-friendly platform with looser content moderation and a far more generous revenue split.

What immediately set Kick apart was its headline-grabbing 95/5 subscription revenue split – meaning you keep an unprecedented 95% of subscriber revenue. Compare that to Twitch's standard 50/50 split (or, at best, 70/30 for top performers), and you can see why content creators started paying attention.

Since its launch, Kick has managed to attract big names like GMHikaru, Adin Ross, and even former Twitch superstar xQc. With over 192,000 active streamers in February 2025, the platform's momentum is undeniable. But the real question is: how can you, as a streamer, take advantage of what Kick has to offer?

Kick's Partner Program: The Three-Tier System Explained

In a move to streamline streamer progression, Kick recently overhauled its partnership program. The platform has rebranded its tiers, adjusted requirements, and introduced new incentives designed to create a clearer path from new streamer to top-tier partner.

Here's a breakdown of the three tiers and how they've changed:

Image courtesy of Kick.com

Kick has simplified their path to monetization. The most striking change? Drastically reduced requirements across all tiers. You'll now find lower viewer thresholds, fewer streaming hours needed, and a massive reduction in follower requirements—particularly for Partner status, where the follower count dropped from 1,500 to just 250. This revamp makes verification and partnership substantially more accessible to growing creators.

According to Kick's Santamaria, these changes are specifically designed to make "the pursuit of being a full-time creator, with quality work, more attainable" for streamers at every stage of their journey.

Let's talk money – because that's where Kick truly shines.

95/5 Revenue Split on Subscriptions

This is Kick's headline feature. For every $5 subscription, you get approximately $4.75. Kick only keeps $0.25 (5%), which they say primarily covers payment processing fees.

To put this in perspective: with 100 subscribers, you'd earn about $475 monthly on Kick versus just $250 on Twitch (at their standard 50/50 split). That's nearly double the income for the exact same number of supporters!

Monetization Through the Partner Program

What was previously called the Kick Creator Incentive Program (KCIP) has now been rebranded as the Kick Partner program, but the core benefit remains: you get paid based on each stream’s performance.

While Kick hasn't published the exact equation for calculating this rate, streamers have reported that it scales with viewership.

When deciding where to focus your streaming efforts, understanding the key differences between platforms is crucial:

Kick Creator vs. Twitch Affiliate:

  • Kick's Path to Creator requires 5 hours streamed total with no minimum viewer average.

  • Twitch Affiliate requires 8 hours streamed, on 7 different days, with a 3-viewer average, and 50 followers.

  • Kick gives you a 95% revenue cut; Twitch gives 50%.

Kick vs. YouTube:

  • YouTube's monetization threshold is significantly higher: 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch-hours in a year.

  • YouTube offers a 70/30 split on memberships (better than Twitch's 50/50, but still well below Kick's 95/5).

Kick Partner vs. Twitch Partner/Partner Plus:

  • Kick now requires 75 average viewers for full Partner status; Twitch requires similar numbers just for basic Partner.

  • Twitch's enhanced subscriber revenue share (70/30) requires 350 recurring sub points for 3 months; Kick gives everyone 95/5 from day one.

  • Kick pays Partners based on viewership and chat activity without ads; Twitch pays Partners an advertising revenue split of 60/40 or 70/30 based on their tier.

  • Kick pays Partners weekly; Twitch pays Partners monthly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I have to stream exclusively on Kick?

A: No! Kick does not require exclusivity at any tier level. You can stream on Twitch, YouTube, or elsewhere while building your Kick presence. Just be aware that if you're a Twitch Partner, Twitch has its own rules about advertising streams for competing platforms.

Q: How does Kick's monetization work?

A: The amount paid per stream varies based on your viewership and engagement.

Q: If I meet all the requirements, am I guaranteed to be accepted?

A: For Verification, generally yes – if you meet all the criteria and have no red flags. For Partner status, meeting the requirements makes you eligible to apply, but Kick's team will manually review your application. They consider factors beyond just numbers, such as content quality and consistency.

Q: How does Kick handle payouts?

A: Kick pays creators weekly via Stripe! You'll need to set up your preferred payout method in your Creator Dashboard.

Is Kick Right for You?

Only you can decide! Kick's partner program represents a bold shift in the streaming landscape, prioritizing creator compensation in unprecedented ways. With its recent changes lowering barriers to entry across all tiers, it’s a good time to consider giving the platform a try. 

As a Kick partner manager revealed, there's more to come: "Phase 2 in the near future will be creating a more premium tier to appeal to more established creators." This tease suggests Kick plans to evolve and improve its Partner program over time.

Want to learn how Crusader can accelerate your path to becoming a Kick Partner without an application process?

Reach out to me at Robert@CrusaderTalent.com or on Discord: robertcrusader!

Note: This article reflects Kick's partner program as of March 16th, 2025. As with any platform, requirements and features may change over time.

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