As a headphone enthusiast who loves gaming streams, I know that subscribing is one of the best ways to directly support your favorite Twitch streamers. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can subscribe to one channel per month for free using your Twitch Prime benefit.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll walk you through how to use your Prime sub to subscribe on desktop, mobile, and every platform as an expert stream supporter. You‘ll also learn about the benefits of Prime subs vs paid subs, tips on using your sub effectively, and troubleshooting solutions.
Let‘s dive in!
What is Twitch Prime and Why Subscribe to Streamers?
Twitch Prime is a perk included with an Amazon Prime membership. It lets you subscribe to one Twitch Partner or Affiliate streamer each month at no additional cost to you.
I subscribe because it‘s the best way to directly support smaller streamers. Subscription revenue is crucial for many full-time streamers. According to StreamElements‘ Q3 2022 report, subscriptions accounted for 25% of streamer revenue overall.
For reference, a paid sub on Twitch costs $4.99 per month for Tier 1. When you use your Prime sub, the streamer still earns the full $4.99 per month from Twitch. So you‘re supporting them at no personal cost.
As a Prime member myself, I make sure to use my free sub thoughtfully each month. I look for streamers in my niche like headphone reviewers, audio engineers, and ASMR creators to support.
Linking Your Twitch and Amazon Accounts
To subscribe to a channel with your Prime sub, you first need to link your Twitch account with the Amazon account that has a Prime membership.
Here are the steps:
- Go to the Prime Gaming website.
- Click "Get Started".
- Sign in with your Amazon account credentials that has Prime.
- Click "Link Account" next to Twitch.
- Sign in with your Twitch username and password when prompted.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to successfully link accounts.
Once your accounts are linked, you‘ll see a "Use Prime Sub" option when subscribing that allows you to use your free monthly sub.
Subscribing on Desktop
Once linked, here is how you subscribe using your Prime sub on a desktop browser:
- Go to the Twitch channel you want to subscribe to.
- Click the purple Subscribe button underneath the video player.
- Check the box next to "Use Prime Sub".
- Click Subscribe to confirm using your free sub.
The "Use Prime Sub" option will only appear if you have an available Prime sub for the current month.
As a heads up, Prime subs auto-renew each month to the same channel. So you need to manually cancel and re-subscribe to use your sub on a different streamer. I try to calendar reminders to swap my sub around.
Subscribing on Mobile
Subscribing on mobile requires slightly different steps for iPhone/iPad vs. Android devices:
iPhone & iPad
The Twitch iOS app unfortunately doesn‘t allow Prime subs directly. Here‘s the workaround I use:
- Go to subs.twitch.tv in the mobile Safari browser.
- Search for the channel you want to subscribe to.
- Select "Use Prime Sub" and click Subscribe.
It‘s an extra step, but allows you to use your Prime sub on iOS.
Android Devices
The Android Twitch app makes it easy. Here‘s how to sub from the app:
- Open the channel you want to subscribe to.
- Tap the purple Subscribe button.
- Choose "Subscribe with Prime".
- Confirm the streamer‘s name and click Subscribe.
As you can see, the Android app has the Prime sub option built right in.
Prime Sub vs Paid Sub Features
Here‘s a comparison of what you get with a paid sub vs using your Prime sub:
| Feature | Paid Sub | Prime Sub |
|---|---|---|
| Support Streamer | Directly supports streamer with $4.99/month subscription revenue | Supports streamer through $4.99/month subscription revenue |
| Sub Badge | Get special badge next to your name in chat | Get special sub badge in chat |
| Ad-Free Viewing | No ads on subscriber-only streams | No ads on subscriber-only streams |
| Emotes | Get access to unique subscriber emotes | Get access to unique subscriber emotes |
| Discounts | Subscriber discounts on merchandise | Same subscriber discounts |
As you can see, Prime and paid subs provide virtually identical benefits. You‘re directly supporting the streamer either way.
The only advantage of a paid sub is the ability to sub to multiple channels per month vs the single Prime sub. But for most, the single free Prime sub is plenty to show support.
Best Practices for Using Your Prime Sub
Based on my experience, here are some best practices to use your Prime sub effectively as a stream supporter:
Check auto-renew status – Prime subs renew to the same channel monthly. To spread support, disable auto-renew and resub manually.
Alternate between streamers – Each month, pick a new streamer to sub to rather than passively auto-renewing.
Prioritize smaller streamers – Your sub makes a bigger difference to channels with lower view counts starting out.
Offer feedback if un-subbing – If you opt not to resub to a creator, provide constructive feedback privately on why to help them improve.
Use reminders to resub – Set calendar reminders so you remember to actively re-sub rather than it auto-renewing.
Troubleshooting Prime Sub Issues
Here are some common Prime sub issues and solutions:
Can‘t find "Use Prime Sub" option
Make sure your Twitch and Amazon accounts are properly linked at Prime Gaming. Re-link if needed.
Check if you already used your Prime sub this month. You can only sub to 1 channel per month.
Prime sub didn‘t apply
Double check you selected the "Use Prime Sub" option, not paid sub.
Contact Twitch support to report the issue.
Want to resub to a different streamer
Disable auto-renew on your current sub. Wait for current sub to lapse.
Manually subscribe to the new desired streamer.
Can‘t cancel auto-renew
Cancel auto-renew directly through your Prime Sub Management page.
If that fails, contact Twitch support.
Hopefully these troubleshooting tips help resolve any Prime sub issues!
Monitoring Your Active Prime Subscriptions
It‘s important to monitor your active Prime subscriptions so you can properly manage them each month.
You can view all active and past Prime subs in your Twitch account Subscriptions page.
Here you can check auto-renew status and cancel existing subs. There is also an option to disable auto-renew for all future Prime subs.
I recommend checking your Subscriptions page at least monthly when re-subbing to swap your support to a new streamer.
Wrapping Up
I hope this guide gives you a good overview of how to fully utilize your Twitch Prime sub to support amazing streamers!
Subscribing is such an impactful way we as viewers can directly contribute to creators we love.
Now you know how to subscribe on all platforms and devices using your free Prime sub. Go support your favorite streamers and enjoy all the perks and emotes that come with being a subscriber.
Let me know on Twitter (@joshuav) if you have any other questions about Prime subs! I‘m always happy to help fellow enthusiastic stream supporters.
