7 Best Donation Alert Apps for Indian Streamers in 2026: Complete Comparison

1. Why Indian Streamers Need a Dedicated Guide

India's live streaming ecosystem looks nothing like the rest of the world. Over 300 million Indians use UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm for everyday payments — yet most global donation alert platforms only accept PayPal and credit cards. That mismatch creates a massive problem: your viewers want to support you, but the popular international tools won't let them pay the way they prefer.

On top of that, Indian streamers face challenges that Western creators never think about. Bank freezes on personal accounts receiving frequent small payments. The need for Business UPI accounts to stay compliant. Hindi text-to-speech for audiences that speak India's most common language. These aren't niche concerns — they affect tens of thousands of Indian creators every day.

This guide covers every donation alert app available to Indian streamers in 2026 — from purpose-built UPI alert tools to international platforms to YouTube's built-in Super Chat. We've tested each one, compared their features head-to-head, and ranked them based on what actually matters for creators streaming from India.

2. How We Evaluated Each App

We scored each donation alert app across six criteria that matter most to Indian streamers:

• UPI payment support: Does it work with GPay, PhonePe, Paytm, and other UPI apps? This is the #1 requirement for any tool targeting Indian audiences.
• Business account support: Can it detect payments to Google Pay Business or Paytm Business accounts? Business accounts protect streamers from bank freezes and are essential once you cross ₹10,000-₹15,000/month in donations.
• Transaction fees: What percentage does the platform take from each donation? Zero-fee UPI is a huge advantage over platforms that skim 5-30%.
• Text-to-Speech (TTS): Does it support Hindi TTS? Over 60% of Indian streamers have Hindi-speaking audiences, and Hindi TTS is a massive engagement driver.
• Alert customization: Can you customise GIFs, sounds, fonts, colours, and tiered alerts? Professional-looking alerts increase repeat donations.
• Platform compatibility: Does it work with OBS, Streamlabs Desktop, StreamElements, and across YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook?

3. Master Comparison Table

Here's the complete side-by-side comparison of all seven donation alert options available to Indian streamers:

4. #1 Stream Alert — Best Overall for India

Stream Alert is the only donation alert app built from the ground up for Indian streamers. It detects incoming UPI payments on your Android phone — from GPay, PhonePe, Paytm, GPay Business, Paytm Business, BHIM, and more — and instantly triggers professional on-screen alerts in your stream through OBS, Streamlabs, or StreamElements.

What sets Stream Alert apart from every other tool on this list is the combination of three features no one else offers: Business UPI account support (critical for avoiding bank freezes), Hindi text-to-speech (a massive engagement booster for Hindi-speaking audiences), and broad UPI app compatibility that covers more payment apps than any competitor. All of this is included at a flat ₹249/month with zero transaction fees — meaning you keep 100% of every donation.

Stream Alert also integrates directly with Streamlabs and StreamElements via their APIs, so UPI donation alerts can appear through the same alert system you already use for other notifications. Setup takes about 5 minutes: install the Android app, link your streaming account, add a browser source URL to OBS, and you're live.

Stream Alert Pros

• Only tool with Business UPI account support (GPay Business & Paytm Business)
• Only tool with Hindi TTS (including Hinglish — Hindi in English characters)
• Broadest UPI app support (6+ apps including BHIM)
• 0% transaction fees — you keep every rupee
• Bank freeze protection via Business accounts
• Full alert customisation: GIFs, images, sounds, fonts, colours, tiered alerts
• Works with OBS, Streamlabs Desktop, & StreamElements
• Streamlabs & StreamElements API integration
• Simple flat pricing — all features included
• 5-minute setup

Stream Alert Cons

• Android only (no iOS app)
• No free tier with full features
• Doesn't include overlays or chatbot (focused on donation alerts)
• Phone must stay on during streaming
• No international payment support (PayPal/card) — use alongside Streamlabs for international viewers

Best For

Any Indian streamer who receives UPI donations. Especially recommended if you earn ₹10,000+/month, need bank freeze protection, or have a Hindi-speaking audience. Stream Alert is our #1 pick for a reason: it solves the exact problems Indian streamers face better than anything else on the market.

Read detailed comparisons: Stream Alert vs Streamlabs vs StreamElements • Stream Alert vs DonatorApp • Stream Alert vs StreamTipz

5. #2 StreamTipz — Basic UPI Alerts

StreamTipz is another Indian-made UPI donation alert app that competes in the same space as Stream Alert. It reads UPI payment notifications on your Android phone and displays on-screen alerts during your stream. The core concept is identical to Stream Alert, but the execution falls short in several key areas.

StreamTipz supports the basics — GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm personal accounts, on-screen alerts, English TTS, and OBS browser source integration. It also offers a free tier, which makes it accessible for complete beginners who want to test UPI alerts without spending money. The free tier includes basic alerts with StreamTipz branding.

Where StreamTipz falls behind is in the features that matter most as you grow. There's no Business account support, so you're exposed to bank freeze risks once your donation volume increases. There's no Hindi TTS — only English. Custom alert designs are locked behind paid plans. And the overall polish and reliability of the alert system trails Stream Alert.

StreamTipz Pros

• Free tier available for beginners
• Supports GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm
• Basic on-screen donation alerts
• English TTS
• OBS integration via browser source
• 0% transaction fees on all plans

StreamTipz Cons

• No Business account support — personal UPI only
• No Hindi TTS — English only
• Custom alerts require paid plan
• Limited UPI app support (no BHIM, Amazon Pay, etc.)
• Limited Streamlabs integration
• No bank freeze protection
• Smaller community and less frequent updates
• Free tier includes branding/watermark

Best For

Casual streamers who stream occasionally and want to test UPI donation alerts at zero cost. The free tier is functional enough for very small channels, but most streamers outgrow StreamTipz quickly once they start receiving regular donations.

Read our detailed comparison: Stream Alert vs StreamTipz

6. #3 DonatorApp — Simple UPI Option

DonatorApp is a solid UPI donation alert tool and one of the earliest Indian-made options in this category. Like Stream Alert and StreamTipz, it runs on your Android phone and detects UPI payments to trigger on-screen alerts. It has a slightly more established user base than StreamTipz and offers a reasonably polished experience.

DonatorApp supports GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm personal accounts with on-screen alerts, English TTS, and integration with both OBS and Streamlabs. It offers a free tier with basic functionality (including branding), and paid plans that unlock advanced alert customisation, additional features, and branding removal.

The biggest gaps compared to Stream Alert are the same as StreamTipz: no Business account support and no Hindi TTS. DonatorApp's premium plan at ₹499/month is also significantly more expensive than Stream Alert's ₹249/month, yet it offers fewer features. If you need the advanced features that DonatorApp locks behind its premium tier, Stream Alert gives you all of them — and more — at nearly half the price.

DonatorApp Pros

• Free tier available for beginners
• Supports GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm
• On-screen alerts with customisation
• English TTS
• OBS and Streamlabs integration
• Established Indian user base
• 0% transaction fees

DonatorApp Cons

• No Business account support — personal UPI only
• No Hindi TTS — English only
• Premium plan (₹499/month) is expensive for what you get
• Limited UPI app support (no BHIM, Amazon Pay, etc.)
• No bank freeze protection
• Free tier has branding/watermarks
• Advanced customisation locked behind expensive paid plan

Best For

Beginners who want a free UPI alert tool to get started. DonatorApp's free tier is functional for small streamers with under 20-30 regular viewers. However, most creators switch to Stream Alert once they need Business accounts, Hindi TTS, or better value on a paid plan.

Read our detailed comparison: Stream Alert vs DonatorApp

7. #4 Streamlabs — Best International Suite

Streamlabs (formerly Streamlabs OBS) is one of the biggest names in streaming worldwide. It offers a full streaming suite: a desktop streaming application, advanced alert system, chatbot (Cloudbot), overlay editor, donation page with PayPal & Stripe integration, merch store, and loyalty points. If you're looking at the global streaming tool landscape, Streamlabs is one of the most feature-rich options available.

For Indian streamers, however, Streamlabs has one critical problem: it does not support UPI. The Streamlabs donation page only accepts PayPal and credit/debit card payments via Stripe. Since fewer than 5% of Indian viewers use PayPal for small transactions, and many don't have international credit cards, this effectively blocks the vast majority of your Indian audience from donating.

That said, Streamlabs is still a valuable tool for Indian streamers — just not as a standalone donation solution. The recommended approach is to use Stream Alert for UPI donations alongside Streamlabs for streaming and overlays. Stream Alert integrates directly with Streamlabs via its API, so UPI donation alerts appear seamlessly within the Streamlabs alert system. This way, you get the best of both worlds: UPI support for Indian viewers and PayPal/card support for any international viewers you may have.

Streamlabs Pros

• Full-featured desktop streaming app
• Advanced alert editor with animations and variations
• Built-in chatbot (Cloudbot)
• Overlay editor and widget themes marketplace
• International payment processing (PayPal & Stripe)
• Merch store and loyalty system
• Large global community with tutorials and support
• Custom CSS support for advanced users

Streamlabs Cons

• No UPI support — cannot accept GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm payments
• Blocks 90%+ of Indian viewers from donating
• PayPal fees (~4-5%) eat into donations
• Premium plan (~₹1,580/month) is expensive for Indian streamers
• No Hindi TTS
• No Business UPI account support (not applicable)
• Heavier on system resources than OBS Studio
• Pricing in USD — subject to exchange rate fluctuations

Best For

Indian streamers who want a complete streaming suite with advanced overlays and chatbot features, AND who have some international viewers. Use Streamlabs as your streaming software and add Stream Alert as a browser source for UPI donation detection.

Read our detailed comparison: Stream Alert vs Streamlabs vs StreamElements

8. #5 StreamElements — Best Free Overlays

StreamElements is a cloud-based streaming platform that competes directly with Streamlabs. It offers overlays, alerts, a chatbot, tipping page, loyalty system, and merch — all managed through a web dashboard without needing a separate desktop app. Many streamers prefer StreamElements because its free tier is more generous than Streamlabs' free tier, and the cloud-based overlay editor is powerful and easy to use.

Like Streamlabs, StreamElements does not support UPI. Its tipping page accepts PayPal and credit/debit card payments only. The same problem applies: your Indian viewers overwhelmingly prefer UPI, and StreamElements cannot process those payments. However, StreamElements works well as a complement to Stream Alert — you can use StreamElements for overlays, chatbot, and loyalty while Stream Alert handles all UPI donation detection.

StreamElements' cloud-based approach means everything runs in your browser — no desktop app to install. This can be an advantage for streamers with lower-end PCs who want advanced overlays without the resource overhead of Streamlabs Desktop. The widget gallery and community themes are extensive, giving you professional-looking overlays without design skills.

StreamElements Pros

• Generous free tier with most features included
• Cloud-based overlay editor (no desktop app needed)
• Powerful chatbot with moderation tools
• Widget gallery with community themes
• Custom CSS & JavaScript for power users
• International tipping via PayPal & cards
• Loyalty points and engagement system
• Lighter on system resources than Streamlabs Desktop

StreamElements Cons

• No UPI support — PayPal and cards only
• Blocks most Indian viewers from donating
• PayPal fees (~4-5%) on donations
• No Hindi TTS
• No Business UPI account support (not applicable)
• Requires constant internet for overlay management
• Less intuitive initial setup than Streamlabs

Best For

Streamers who want advanced, free overlays and a chatbot without paying for Streamlabs Ultra. The ideal setup is Stream Alert + OBS + StreamElements: Stream Alert for UPI donations, OBS for streaming, and StreamElements for overlays and chatbot — total cost ₹249/month.

Read our detailed comparison: Stream Alert vs Streamlabs vs StreamElements

9. #6 DonationAlerts — Popular in CIS/Europe

DonationAlerts is an international donation alert platform that's hugely popular among Russian-speaking and European streamers. It supports a wider range of payment methods than Streamlabs or StreamElements — including bank cards, e-wallets, and various regional payment systems — but UPI is not among them. Indian viewers cannot donate through GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm via DonationAlerts.

The platform offers on-screen alerts, TTS in multiple languages (including Russian, but not Hindi), custom alert designs, and integration with OBS and other streaming software. It also has a unique "media alerts" feature where viewers can attach videos or images to their donations, which can be entertaining but also requires careful moderation.

For Indian streamers, DonationAlerts occupies an odd position. It's more niche than Streamlabs or StreamElements, doesn't support UPI, and its biggest strengths (CIS payment methods, Russian TTS) are irrelevant for Indian audiences. Unless you have a significant Russian-speaking or European viewer base, there's little reason to choose DonationAlerts over Streamlabs, StreamElements, or — for UPI support — Stream Alert.

DonationAlerts Pros

• Wide range of international payment methods
• Media alerts (viewers can attach videos/images)
• On-screen alert customisation
• TTS in multiple languages (not Hindi)
• OBS browser source integration
• Popular in CIS region with large community

DonationAlerts Cons

• No UPI support — no GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm
• No Hindi TTS
• Platform takes a ~5-8% cut of donations depending on payment method
• Not optimised for Indian payment infrastructure
• Smaller community outside CIS/Europe
• No Business UPI account support (not applicable)
• Media alerts can be abused without careful moderation settings
• Interface and documentation primarily targeted at CIS users

Best For

Indian streamers who have a significant Russian-speaking or European audience. For purely Indian audiences, DonationAlerts offers no advantage over Stream Alert, Streamlabs, or StreamElements. Most Indian streamers can safely skip this option entirely.

10. #7 YouTube Super Chat — Built-In but Costly

YouTube Super Chat is the built-in donation feature on YouTube Live. Viewers pay for highlighted, coloured chat messages that stay pinned at the top of chat for a duration based on the amount. The streamer receives 70% of the payment — YouTube keeps a 30% cut. There's no separate setup required; it's built into YouTube Live for channels that meet the YouTube Partner Program eligibility requirements.

Super Chat is convenient because it requires zero setup and viewers are already familiar with it. However, the 30% fee is brutal. A viewer who sends ₹100 through Super Chat means only ₹70 reaches you. And Super Chat doesn't use UPI — viewers pay through Google Play balance, credit cards, or gift cards. Many Indian viewers find this inconvenient compared to simply scanning a UPI QR code and sending money through GPay.

The other major limitation is that Super Chat only provides chat highlighting — there are no on-screen alerts, no TTS, no custom sounds or GIFs. Viewers see a coloured message in chat, but there's no dramatic visual or audio notification on the stream itself. This significantly reduces the "wow factor" and engagement that proper donation alert tools provide.

The Earnings Problem

Super Chat Pros

• Zero setup — built into YouTube Live
• Viewers already familiar with the feature
• Coloured chat highlighting (pinned messages)
• Works on all devices (mobile, desktop, smart TV)
• No separate app needed for viewers

Super Chat Cons

• 30% fee — ₹100 Super Chat = only ₹70 for you
• No UPI — viewers must use Google Play balance, cards, or gift cards
• No on-screen alerts — only coloured chat messages
• No TTS (Hindi or English)
• No custom sounds, GIFs, or alert designs
• YouTube-only (doesn't work on Twitch, Instagram, Facebook)
• Delayed payouts (monthly via AdSense, ₹1,000 minimum)
• Requires YouTube Partner Program eligibility

Best For

YouTube-only streamers who want a zero-effort supplementary income source alongside UPI donations. Super Chat works best as a secondary option — keep it enabled for viewers who prefer chat highlighting, but use Stream Alert for the bulk of your donations to avoid the 30% fee.

Read our detailed comparison: YouTube Super Chat vs UPI Donations

11. Which App Is Right for You?

With seven options to choose from, here's a decision guide based on your specific situation:

For more in-depth tool recommendations, read: Best Donation Tools for Indian Streamers in 2026

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use multiple donation alert apps at the same time?

Yes, with caveats. You can run Stream Alert (for UPI) alongside Streamlabs or StreamElements (for international payments) without any conflict — they handle completely different payment methods. You can also keep YouTube Super Chat enabled alongside any UPI tool. However, do not run two UPI alert apps simultaneously (e.g., Stream Alert + DonatorApp), as both read the same phone notifications and would create duplicate alerts.

Q: Do I really need a Business UPI account?

If you receive more than ₹10,000-₹15,000/month in donations, we strongly recommend it. Personal UPI accounts receiving frequent small payments can get flagged by banks, potentially leading to account freezes. A Business account (like Google Pay Business or Paytm Business) is designed for receiving payments and won't trigger fraud alerts. Only Stream Alert supports Business accounts among UPI alert tools. Read more: How to Avoid Bank Freezes on Streaming Donations.

Q: Why don't Streamlabs and StreamElements add UPI support?

UPI is fundamentally different from PayPal or Stripe. UPI payments happen directly between bank accounts through phone apps — there's no centralised API that a web-based tool can plug into for instant payment detection. UPI alert tools like Stream Alert work by reading payment notifications on your Android phone, which requires a native mobile app. Streamlabs and StreamElements are web/desktop platforms that can't access your phone's notifications, which is why they can't support UPI.

Q: What about DonationAlerts — is it worth trying for Indian streamers?

Only if you have a significant Russian-speaking or European audience. For Indian viewers, DonationAlerts offers no UPI support, charges a 5-8% fee on donations, and doesn't offer Hindi TTS. Streamlabs or StreamElements are better choices for international payment processing, and Stream Alert is better for Indian UPI payments.

Q: Is Hindi TTS really that important?

If your audience speaks Hindi, absolutely. When a donation message is read aloud in Hindi during your stream, it creates an instant connection between the viewer and the streamer. Viewers hear their name and message spoken on stream, which is a huge motivation to donate again. Streamers who switch from English-only TTS to Hindi TTS consistently report significant increases in repeat donations and average donation amounts. Stream Alert is the only tool that offers Hindi TTS.

Q: What's the cheapest way to get started with UPI donation alerts?

The cheapest option is the free tier of DonatorApp or StreamTipz, which gives you basic UPI alerts with branding. However, the free tiers lack Business accounts, Hindi TTS, and full customisation. Stream Alert at ₹249/month gives you all features with no restrictions — and it pays for itself with just 2-3 donations. For most streamers, the ₹249 investment is well worth the upgrade in quality and safety.