Kick.com is a new and ambitious streaming platform that began operating in January 2023. It is already being compared to Twitch and is considered an excellent alternative for content creators who want to receive more favorable subscription revenue conditions. While it may not be able to compete with Amazon's platform in terms of audience size just yet, Kick is gaining momentum. In this article, we will discuss what Kick is, the conditions it offers to its users, which top streamers have already joined it, and the sections and categories that are popular among viewers.
What is Kick
Kick is a platform for streaming that allows users to create and watch live broadcasts in real time. It supports HD-quality streams and features a chat function, which allows users to interact with viewers during broadcasts. Kick also offers numerous tools for managing streams. Users can customize their profile and channel, add thematic tags, define privacy settings, and control access to their broadcasts.
Read also: Kick.com streamers & categories popularity in Q1 2023
One of Kick's unique features is the ability to stream games with friends or a team. This allows for collective streaming and chatting, even if participants are in different locations.
Details about Kick's owners are still unclear. Some reliable sources claim that Kick.com is a new venture created by the founders of Easygo and Stake.com, although neither company has confirmed this fact.
Sections of streams on Kick
There are several main navigation sections on Kick to make it easier for viewers to find the content they're interested in. Each section has categories that specify the theme of the stream. Here is a list of the main sections on Kick:
Games — This section contains all the gaming streams on the platform. When you enter, you will find a menu with a list of games that are currently being streamed. These can be streams of e-sports tournaments, single-player story games, matches with other players in multiplayer, etc. The list of titles is not very different from those popular on Twitch.
IRL — This section contains non-gaming streams during which streamers and viewers discuss various everyday topics. Among the most popular categories of the section are Just Chatting, Pools, Hot Tubs & Bikinis, News, ASMR, Travel & Outdoors, and others.
Music — This section features music-themed streams. On Kick, there are separate categories for live performances by performers, listening to DJ sets, acoustic streams, guitar lessons, and even dance classes. Some streams consist of long playlists of music on various themes that can be listened to in the background while working or studying.
Gambling — The gambling section on Kick contains categories such as Slots & Casinos, Poker, Sports Betting, and others. The content offered here is mainly for adults marked 18+.
Creative — This section is dedicated to various streams of creative themes. For example, there are categories such as ART, Makers & Crafting, Video Production, Body Art, and others. People demonstrate their applied skills in drawing, programming, handicrafts, music creation, and more.
Alternative — This section contains categories that do not belong to other sections. For example, there is a category called Just Sleeping. Streamers who go to sleep without stopping the stream choose it. Watch Party streams are also popular here, during which streamers watch movies, TV shows, or anime with their viewers.
Popular games on Kick
The same games that are popular on Twitch are also popular on the Kick platform, but local viewers particularly enjoy watching multiplayer team shooters. Streams of Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Valorant, Escape From Tarkov, Overwatch 2, and others are in high demand on Kick. There are also fans of Grand Theft Auto V RP servers here.
Kick's conditions for streamers
The conditions for streamers on the Kick platform are quite attractive. For example, the platform offers content creators up to 95% of the revenue from subscriptions, which is significantly higher than other platforms. In addition, on Kick, streamers can stream in 4K resolution, allowing them to provide high-quality content to their audience regardless of their level of partnership with the platform.
In addition to the high percentage, Kick also allows its streamers to receive 100% of the viewer's "tips" (so-called kicks). The platform does not charge a commission for transferring these funds and makes payments on the same day. Other platforms charge a small percentage for this operation, and the actual withdrawal of money usually takes some time.
Kick also has the Creator Program, which pays streamers for each hour of broadcast. The amount of payment is based on the number of hours of streaming, as well as a fixed rate for 1,000 ad views, the average number of viewers, the demographic data of the audience, and their engagement in the broadcast.
It is the more favorable financial conditions, as well as less strict rules, that have become the main reasons why some streamers from other platforms have decided to fully or partially switch to Kick.
Broadcasting rules on Kick
Like any other streaming platform, Kick has rules that need to be followed. For example, any forms of hate, discrimination, violence, or sexual harassment are prohibited. Violations of copyright and the use of profanity are also prohibited. Here is a more detailed list of requirements for Kick streamers:
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The broadcast content must comply with the platform's rules, and any forms of violence, discrimination, insults, indecency, and copyright infringement are prohibited.
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The use of any form of fraud, including deceiving viewers, extortion, piracy, etc., is prohibited.
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Promotion of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or other prohibited substances is not allowed.
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Streamers must comply with confidentiality rules and not disclose the personal information of viewers without their consent.
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Streamers should not use cheats, bots, or other programs that can give an advantage in the game.
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The use of any form of violence or threats against other users or platform staff is not allowed.
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The use of religious, political, or racial propaganda in any form is prohibited.
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Streamers must respect copyright laws and not use other people's content without the owner's permission.
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The use of the Kick platform for any illegal activities is not allowed.
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The Kick platform has the right to remove or block a streamer's account if platform rules are violated.
Note that according to the rules of the Kick platform, users must be over 13 years old to register on the site and use its services. However, if a user is under 18 years old, additional permissions from parents or legal representatives may be required to use certain features or services.
These are just some of the rules that streamers must follow on the Kick platform. For more detailed information, please refer to the platform rules.
Famous streamers on Kick
The first known streamer to switch to Kick from Twitch was American Trainwrecks. He started collaborating with the new platform as early as December 2022 and was announced as a "consultant who is not an owner or exclusive streamer on Kick". Trainwrecks helped fix bugs during the platform's beta testing and also wrote about updates and innovations on his social media. Today, he can be called one of the most popular streamers on Kick, combining the roles of ambassador and community manager for the platform.
Following in Trainwreck's footsteps, Adin Ross, one of Twitch's most controversial streamers, began broadcasting on Kick. Among other popular content creators who have started streaming on Kick are ROSHTEIN, Evelone, Buddha, PaulinhoLOKObr, Corinna Kopf, chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, and others. Almost all of them continue to broadcast on Twitch or other platforms — they do not have an exclusive contract with Kick. They usually use multistreaming or, as in the case of Adin Ross, they stream on Kick when they get banned on Twitch.
Earlier rumors surfaced online that Kai Cenat might start streaming on Kick. Other top streamers were mentioned as well, such as Chica, Sodapoppin, IShowSpeed, and even xQc. However, these rumors have not been confirmed yet. Kai Cenat has not switched to Kick and continues to stream on Twitch.
Kick vs Twitch — what is the difference between platforms?
At first glance, Twitch and Kick are very similar, as the latter actively positions itself as an alternative to Amazon's platform. But at the same time, there are several quite important differences between them.
Twitch vs. Kick Comparison
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Twitch
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Kick
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Revenue sharing |
Twitch offers a 50%/50% split of subscription revenue between the platform and streamers. Some top streamers receive a more favorable rate with a 70%/30% split in their favor, but such content creators are very few. |
this platform gives 95% of subscription revenue to streamers and keeps only 5% for itself. This ratio makes Kick the most profitable platform for streaming. At least, in the short term. |
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Policy regarding gambling |
Twitch has severely restricted live streams in categories with gambling and online casinos. The administration has imposed bans on advertising, advocacy, referral links, etc. |
Kick is very loyal to gambling content. Moreover, streams with gambling are among the most popular on Kick — all thanks to Trainwrecks, ROSHTEIN, and other streamers who specialize in such content. |
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Moderation |
Twitch is often criticized for double standards or non-compliance with the rules about sexual and erotic content on streams. However, compared to Kick, moderation on Twitch is much stricter.
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Kick has less strict moderation regarding sexual content in streams. Channels, where sexual subtext is one of the main triggers for attracting subscribers, are very popular on the platform. This is evidenced by the large number of viewers in the Pools, Hot Tubs & Bikinis section. Moreover, semi-naked girls or girls in revealing clothing often appear on Just Chatting streams. |
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Number of users |
Twitch is a much more popular streaming platform than Kick — it has many more viewers and content creators. At the same time, there is more competition on Twitch, which can be a decisive factor for beginning streamers. |
Kick only launched in January 2023 and does not yet boast the same large number of viewers as Twitch. However, the platform is constantly increasing its audience.
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Exclusive content |
Twitch has many content creators who work exclusively with the platform. This also applies to coverage of esports leagues.
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Kick cannot yet compete with Twitch in terms of the volume of exclusive content. Most Kick streamers continue to stream on other platforms and tournament operators do not currently consider Kick as a platform for showcasing their events, but this may change in the future. |
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Relation to streamers |
Twitch has been criticized many times in the past for double standards in its interpretation of the rules, incomprehensible channel bans, and the imposition of various restrictions on streamers. There are really a lot of rules and restrictions on the platform, and sometimes it can be very difficult to keep track of everything. |
Kick positions itself as a platform with "a more fair attitude towards streamers". According to Trainwrecks, there will be no ambiguity in the rules on Kick, no unclear blocking of streamers, or any selective restrictions by the administration.
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How to stream on Kick
To launch broadcasts on Kick, software supporting the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) is required, such as OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) or XSplit. These programs allow for configuring broadcast settings, selecting audio and video sources, and adding various effects and overlays in real time. In addition, a connection to the Kick server must be set up via the server address and transmission key, which can be obtained on the channel settings page.
No special equipment or devices are needed for broadcasts on Kick. A good computer or laptop and a stable high-speed internet connection are sufficient. A microphone with quality sound transmission and a webcam are also required for communication with viewers. This minimum setup is enough to launch a regular broadcast. However, if you want higher-quality sound and video for your viewers, you will need to purchase more professional equipment for live streaming. Keep in mind that this may require significant financial investment.
Kick live stream mobile app
The release of a Kick Live Stream App was one of the first things users requested from the administration. At the end of March, the platform finally released an official free app in the App Store. A similar app will soon be available in the Play Store. The Kick mobile app allows you to watch any broadcasts on the platform, chat with other viewers, access exclusive content, promotions, and offers from partners and sponsors. With the mobile app, you can also send donations to streamers and subscribe to channels.
All information about Kick can be obtained on the official website. The platform also has Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as its own server on Discord.
