How to Show PayPal Donations on Kick (2026)
The complete guide to accepting PayPal donations on your Kick stream with on-screen alerts. Works worldwide, pairs with CashApp & Venmo, and takes under 10 minutes to set up.
To show PayPal donations on your Kick stream, use StreamElements or StreamLabs (both free) with their built-in PayPal integration, or use Stream Alert for PayPal plus CashApp and Venmo support. Kick has no native tipping system, so PayPal donations through third-party alert tools are essential for monetization beyond Kick subscriptions.
PayPal remains the most widely used online payment platform in the world — with over 430 million active accounts across 200+ markets. For Kick streamers who want to accept donations from international viewers, PayPal is the go-to option. And unlike Kick's subscription system (which requires partnership), PayPal donations are available to every streamer from day one.
This guide walks you through every step: connecting PayPal to an alert platform, adding the overlay to OBS, reducing fees, and maximizing your donation revenue on Kick.
TL;DR
- Kick has no native tipping system — PayPal via StreamElements or StreamLabs is free
- Stream Alert adds CashApp & Venmo alongside PayPal for full US payment coverage
- Pair PayPal tips with Kick's 95/5 subscription split for maximum revenue
- PayPal works for international viewers in 200+ countries — essential for global audiences
- Use “Friends & Family” to reduce fees, or pair with CashApp/Venmo for 0% fee US donations
Why PayPal Is Important for Kick Streamers
Kick has positioned itself as the creator-friendly alternative to Twitch, offering the industry's best subscription revenue split at 95/5. But there's a critical gap: Kick has no built-in donation or tipping system. No Bits, no Hype Train, no Super Chats. If a viewer wants to send you money directly during a stream, the platform itself offers no way to do it.
That's where PayPal comes in — and here's why it remains indispensable for Kick creators in 2026:
International Coverage
CashApp and Venmo are US-only payment apps. If you have viewers in Europe, Latin America, Asia, or anywhere outside the United States, PayPal is often their only option for sending you a donation. With 430+ million active accounts across 200+ countries and support for 25 currencies, PayPal ensures no viewer is locked out of tipping you because of geography.
No Native Kick Alternative
Unlike Twitch (which has Bits and Hype Train) or YouTube (which has Super Chat and Super Stickers), Kick provides zero mechanisms for one-time viewer payments. Subscriptions are the only built-in monetization method — and those require Kick partnership. For new and growing streamers, PayPal donations may be the most accessible revenue stream available.
Established Trust
PayPal has been the default online payment platform for over two decades. Your viewers already have accounts. They already trust the platform with their financial information. There's no friction in asking someone to donate via PayPal — they don't need to download a new app, create a new account, or learn a new system. That familiarity translates directly into higher conversion rates.
Pairs Perfectly with Kick Subscriptions
Kick's 95/5 subscription split means you keep $4.74 of every $4.99 sub — excellent for recurring revenue. PayPal donations complement this as a one-time payment channel. A viewer might subscribe monthly for $4.99 and also drop a $25 PayPal donation during an exciting stream moment. Running both revenue streams means you capture recurring support and spontaneous generosity.
Important Note on PayPal Fees
Standard PayPal “Goods & Services” transactions charge 2.9% + $0.30 per payment. A $5 donation nets you $4.56 after fees. Later in this guide, we cover strategies to reduce or eliminate these fees entirely.
Setting Up PayPal Alerts on Kick
Since Kick doesn't support donation alerts natively, you'll need two things: an alert platform that connects to PayPal and OBS Studio to display the alerts on your stream. The most common setup uses StreamElements as the alert layer — it's 100% free and integrates directly with PayPal.
Method 1: StreamElements + OBS (Free)
- Create a StreamElements account
Sign up at streamelements.com. It's 100% free — no premium tier, no hidden charges. You can log in with Google, Twitch, or YouTube, or create a standalone account.
- Connect your PayPal account
In the StreamElements dashboard, navigate to “Tipping Settings” and link your PayPal email address. StreamElements will create a custom donation page where viewers can send PayPal payments directly to you.
- Configure your tipping page
Set a minimum donation amount (e.g., $1 to avoid micro-spam), customize the donation page appearance, and optionally enable a message field so viewers can include notes with their tips.
- Set up alert overlays
Go to “Overlays” in the StreamElements dashboard. Create a new overlay, add a “Tip Alert” widget, and customize the animation, sound, duration, and text-to-speech settings. Copy the overlay URL when finished.
- Add the Browser Source in OBS
Open OBS Studio. In your scene, click + under Sources → select “Browser” → paste your StreamElements overlay URL → set Width to 1920 and Height to 1080 → click OK.
- Stream to Kick via OBS
In OBS, go to Settings → Stream → select “Custom” → paste Kick's RTMP URL and your stream key from the Kick dashboard. Click “Start Streaming.” Share your StreamElements tipping page URL in your Kick bio and chat — when viewers donate via PayPal, alerts appear on screen automatically.
Method 2: StreamLabs + OBS (Free Tier)
- Create a StreamLabs account
Sign up at streamlabs.com. A free tier is available with basic alert functionality. StreamLabs also offers a desktop streaming app (SLOBS) if you prefer an all-in-one solution.
- Connect PayPal under “Donation Settings”
Link your PayPal account via OAuth. StreamLabs generates a custom donation page URL that routes PayPal payments directly to your account.
- Customize your alert box
Configure alert animations, sounds, and text-to-speech from the StreamLabs Alert Box settings. StreamLabs has a large theme library if you want pre-made designs.
- Add the Alert Box as a Browser Source in OBS
Copy the StreamLabs Alert Box widget URL, add it as a Browser Source in OBS (same process as Method 1), and position it in your scene.
- Share your donation page link with Kick viewers
Add the link to your Kick bio, use a Botrix chat command (e.g.,
!donate), and mention it during stream. Viewers click the link, pay via PayPal, and your alert fires on screen.
Method 3: Stream Alert (PayPal + CashApp + Venmo)
If you want PayPal and CashApp/Venmo support in a single tool, Stream Alert is the only platform that covers all three. It detects PayPal payments via Gmail monitoring (the same way it handles CashApp and Venmo), so all your donation alerts — regardless of payment method — fire through one unified overlay.
- Register at streamalert.gg/register (30-day free trial, no credit card)
- Connect your Gmail — Stream Alert monitors for PayPal, CashApp, and Venmo payment emails
- Add your payment info — PayPal email, $cashtag, @venmo handle
- Customize alerts — choose designs, sounds, TTS, and tip tiers
- Copy your overlay URL and add it as a Browser Source in OBS
- Stream to Kick — all payment methods trigger alerts through one overlay
Which Method Should You Choose?
If you only need PayPal and want a completely free solution, StreamElements is hard to beat. If you want PayPal, CashApp, and Venmo in one setup — which means US viewers can tip with 0% fees while international viewers still have PayPal — Stream Alert provides the most complete coverage for Kick streamers.
PayPal Tips vs Kick Subscriptions
Kick's subscription model is generous, but PayPal tips serve a fundamentally different purpose. Understanding how they compare helps you build a smarter monetization strategy.
| Feature | PayPal Tips | Kick Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 2.9% + $0.30 (or 0% F&F) | 5% Kick cut |
| You Keep (on $5) | $4.56 (G&S) / $5.00 (F&F) | $4.74 |
| Payment Type | One-time (any amount) | Recurring ($4.99/mo) |
| Requirements | None | Kick partnership |
| Payout Speed | Instant to PayPal balance | Monthly |
| International Support | 200+ countries | Kick-supported regions |
| On-Screen Alert | Yes (via SE / SL / Stream Alert) | Yes (Kick native) |
| Viewer Account Needed | PayPal account | Kick account |
The key insight: PayPal tips and Kick subscriptions are not competing revenue streams — they're complementary ones. Subscriptions provide predictable monthly income, while PayPal tips capture spontaneous one-time donations with no ceiling on amount. The most successful Kick streamers run both simultaneously.
Revenue Math
A streamer with 50 Kick subs earns ~$237/month from subscriptions alone. Add 20 PayPal donations averaging $10 each, and that's another $182 after fees (G&S) or $200 (F&F) — nearly doubling total monthly revenue. If you also accept CashApp and Venmo tips (0% fees via Stream Alert), the math gets even better.
Reducing PayPal Fees on Kick
PayPal's standard 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee is the biggest drawback of using PayPal for stream donations. On small tips, the flat $0.30 fee is especially painful — a $1 donation costs you $0.33 in fees (33%!). Here are proven strategies to reduce or eliminate PayPal fees on your Kick stream.
Use Friends & Family Payments
PayPal's “Friends & Family” payment type has 0% fees for domestic transactions (within the same country, funded by PayPal balance or bank). Instead of using a StreamElements/StreamLabs donation page (which processes payments as “Goods & Services”), you can share your PayPal.me link or PayPal email directly and ask viewers to send as Friends & Family. The trade-off is that you lose the automated donation page experience — but you keep 100% of the money.
F&F Caveat
Friends & Family payments can't be disputed or refunded through PayPal's buyer protection, which is why they're fee-free. This actually benefits streamers — it reduces the risk of chargebacks. However, international F&F transactions may still incur a currency conversion fee (typically 3–4%).
Pair PayPal with CashApp & Venmo for US Viewers
The smartest fee-reduction strategy is to route US viewers to CashApp or Venmo (0% fees on personal payments) and reserve PayPal for international viewers. This way, your domestic audience sends tips with zero fees, while your global audience still has a way to donate via PayPal. Stream Alert is the only platform that supports all three payment methods in a single overlay, making this strategy seamless.
Example Setup for Maximum Savings
- US viewers: CashApp ($cashtag) or Venmo (@handle) — 0% fees
- International viewers: PayPal (email or PayPal.me link) — 2.9% + $0.30, or free via F&F
- All alerts: Unified through Stream Alert in OBS — one overlay, all payment methods
Set a Minimum Donation Amount
PayPal's $0.30 flat fee disproportionately affects small donations. A $1 tip costs you $0.33 (33%), but a $10 tip only costs $0.59 (5.9%). By setting a $3–$5 minimum donation amount on your tipping page, you ensure that every PayPal donation is worth processing. Both StreamElements and StreamLabs let you configure this in their tipping settings.
| Donation Amount | PayPal Fee (G&S) | You Keep | Effective Fee % |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.33 | $0.67 | 33.0% |
| $3.00 | $0.39 | $2.61 | 12.9% |
| $5.00 | $0.45 | $4.56 | 8.9% |
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | 5.9% |
| $25.00 | $1.03 | $23.97 | 4.1% |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | 3.5% |
As the table shows, setting a $5 minimum brings the effective fee down to under 9%. For amounts above $25, PayPal fees are comparable to credit card processing rates and are generally acceptable for most streamers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kick have built-in PayPal donation support?
No. Kick has no native tipping, donation, or PayPal integration of any kind. The only built-in monetization method is subscriptions (which require Kick partnership). To accept and display PayPal donations on Kick, you need an external tool like StreamElements, StreamLabs, or Stream Alert paired with OBS.
Is PayPal safe for accepting stream donations on Kick?
PayPal is generally safe and is used by millions of creators worldwide. The main risk is chargebacks — viewers can dispute “Goods & Services” payments and potentially reverse them. To mitigate this, encourage viewers to send donations as “Friends & Family” (which cannot be disputed), or pair PayPal with CashApp/Venmo for US viewers, since personal CashApp transactions cannot be charged back.
Can international viewers donate to Kick streamers via PayPal?
Yes — this is one of PayPal's biggest advantages. PayPal operates in 200+ countries and supports 25 currencies. An international viewer simply needs a PayPal account to send you a donation. Currency conversion happens automatically, though there may be a small conversion fee (typically 3–4%) on the sender's side.
Do I need a PayPal business account for Kick donations?
Not necessarily. A personal PayPal account works fine for receiving donations. However, if you're using StreamElements or StreamLabs (which route payments through their donation pages as “Goods & Services”), the standard 2.9% + $0.30 fee applies regardless of account type. A business account becomes useful if you want to invoice sponsors or accept credit card payments directly.
Can I use PayPal and CashApp/Venmo at the same time on Kick?
Yes. Stream Alert supports PayPal, CashApp, and Venmo simultaneously through a single OBS overlay. This is the recommended setup for Kick streamers: US viewers tip via CashApp or Venmo (0% fees), international viewers tip via PayPal, and all donations trigger the same on-screen alert regardless of payment method.
Start Showing PayPal Donations on Kick Today
Kick has no built-in tipping — but that doesn't mean your viewers can't support you. Set up PayPal donation alerts in under 10 minutes with Stream Alert, and add CashApp & Venmo for 0% fee US donations. One overlay, every payment method, every platform.
Try Stream Alert free for 30 days →No credit card required