Ways to support a creator on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook

Memberships, subscriptions, gifts, Stars and free ways to help. The main ways fans can support a creator on each platform in 2026, and what each one does.

September 16, 20265 min readFor fans

The short version: Most platforms now let fans pay creators directly. YouTube has channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks. Twitch has subscriptions, gift subscriptions and Bits. TikTok has LIVE Gifts and subscriptions. Instagram offers subscriptions and gifts for eligible creators, and Facebook has Stars. Availability depends on the creator's eligibility and country. Free support, like watching, commenting and sharing, still matters too.

You want to back a creator you love. Good news: it's never been easier.

The trick is knowing what each button actually does.

Platforms offer different paid features, and not every creator has every one switched on. What follows reflects each platform's features as of September 2026, with the free options first.

Free ways that genuinely help

Before spending anything:

Watch, and watch fully. Time spent with a video or stream is what platforms notice
Like, comment and save. Engagement helps content reach more people
Share with someone who'd enjoy it. A personal recommendation beats any ad
Turn on notifications so you catch live streams and new posts
Report impersonators when you see fake accounts using a creator's name

YouTube

YouTube groups its fan-funding tools into a few products. Which ones you see depends on what the creator has enabled.

Channel memberships: a recurring monthly payment for perks such as badges, emoji or members-only content, at price levels the creator sets
Super Chat: a paid message that stands out in chat during a live stream or Premiere
Super Stickers: paid animated stickers shown in live chat
Super Thanks: a one-off tip on an uploaded video, with no live stream needed

Twitch

Twitch expanded its monetization tools to all eligible streamers worldwide in May 2026, so more channels now accept these than before.

Subscriptions: a monthly subscription that gives you the streamer's emotes and badges, at three tiers
Gift subscriptions: buy a subscription for another viewer or for the channel's community
Bits: a virtual currency you use to Cheer in chat during a stream

Some streamers also share an official donation link. Use the one they post on their own channel.

TikTok

LIVE Gifts: virtual gifts you send during a creator's live stream
Subscriptions: a monthly subscription to a creator for perks such as badges and subscriber-only content, where the creator offers it

Eligibility requirements apply to creators, so not every account can receive these.

Instagram

Subscriptions: a monthly subscription for exclusive content, available to eligible creators in supported countries
Gifts: gifts you can send on eligible Reels

Look for the subscribe button or gift option on the creator's profile or Reels. If you don't see it, the feature isn't available for that account.

Facebook

Stars: buy Stars from Facebook and send them to participating creators on live videos, on-demand videos and Reels. Look for the Stars option next to the comment box

The best support is the kind the creator can actually receive. Use the button on their profile, not a stranger's payment link.

Stay safe while supporting

Use the platform's own features or a link the creator posts on their verified profile
Be wary of DMs asking for money from accounts claiming to be a creator. Impersonators use this trick. Our guide to verified badges helps you tell official accounts apart
Check what you're buying. Memberships and subscriptions renew until you cancel

One more way: put them on the board

On TopInfluencers.io, you can pay to list a creator you follow on their platform's leaderboard. It's a public, playful nod rather than money in their pocket, and the listing page says plainly that a fan listed and paid for it. The creator can have it removed if they'd rather not be there.

Fan listings, explained covers how it works, and you can see who's already listed on the Twitch board.

Questions about supporting creators

What's the best way to support a YouTuber?

It depends on what they've enabled. Channel memberships give recurring support, Super Thanks tips an uploaded video, and Super Chat or Super Stickers work during live streams. Watching, commenting and sharing also help, and they're free. Look for the Join button on the channel or the Thanks button under a video to see what's available.

How do Twitch Bits work?

Bits are a virtual currency you buy on Twitch and use to Cheer in a streamer's chat during a live stream. Streamers earn from Cheers. Since Twitch's May 2026 update, Bits and subscriptions are available to eligible streamers worldwide, including those who aren't Affiliates or Partners.

Can I support a TikTok creator without going live?

TikTok's LIVE Gifts are sent during a live stream. Some creators also offer subscriptions with perks such as badges and subscriber-only content. Free support, like watching, liking, commenting and sharing, helps any creator whether or not they go live.

Does listing a creator on TopInfluencers.io give them money?

No. A fan listing is a paid spot on our leaderboard, not a payment to the creator. The page says a fan listed and paid for it. To support a creator financially, use the paid features on their own platform.

Most paid features depend on the creator's eligibility, account settings and country. If you don't see a button, that feature isn't turned on for that account. Check the creator's profile for the support options they do offer.

Back your favourite

Browse the YouTube board to see who's listed, or put a creator there yourself from the join page.