How to Show UPI Donation Alerts on Twitch (2026)

Why Indian Twitch Streamers Need UPI Donations

Twitch is growing rapidly in India, especially for gaming content. However, Twitch's built-in monetization has a significant barrier for Indian streamers — viewers need to purchase Bits with international payment methods, and the Affiliate/Partner program requires specific milestones.

UPI solves this problem entirely. With over 300 million UPI users in India, almost every one of your Indian viewers already has GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm on their phone. They can send you ₹10, ₹50, or ₹500 with a single tap — no need to buy Bits or use international cards.

Key advantages of adding UPI donations to your Twitch stream:

• Zero platform fees — Keep 100% of every donation
• Instant payments — Money arrives in your bank account immediately
• No minimum requirements — Works even if you're not a Twitch Affiliate
• Familiar to Indian viewers — Everyone uses UPI daily
• Works alongside Bits/Subs — Add it as an additional option, not a replacement

Twitch Bits vs UPI Donations: A Comparison

The bottom line: Bits are great for international viewers, but for your Indian audience, UPI is far more convenient and you earn more per donation.

Prerequisites

Before setting up UPI donation alerts for Twitch, ensure you have:

• An Android phone with Stream Alert installed
• A UPI app (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm) with an active UPI ID
• OBS Studio or Streamlabs Desktop on your PC
• A Twitch account (Affiliate status not required)
• Your Twitch stream key (from Twitch Dashboard → Settings → Stream)

Step 1: Install and Set Up Stream Alert

Stream Alert is a free Android app that reads UPI payment notifications and converts them into stream overlay alerts.

1. Open the Play Store on your Android phone
2. Search for "Stream Alert" or visit the Play Store listing
3. Install and open the app
4. Complete the initial setup by selecting your preferred UPI apps

The app is lightweight and works on Android 8.0+. No root access is needed.

Step 2: Configure Notification Access

Stream Alert needs permission to read notifications from your UPI apps. This is how it detects incoming payments.

1. Open Stream Alert → Settings
2. Tap "Notification Access"
3. Enable notification access for Stream Alert in Android settings
4. Return to the app and select which UPI apps to monitor:
   • Google Pay
   • PhonePe
   • Paytm
   • BharatPe (if you use a merchant account)

Privacy note: Stream Alert only reads payment-related notifications from the apps you select. It doesn't access messages, calls, or other app notifications. All processing happens locally on your device.

Important for Xiaomi/Realme/Oppo users: These phone brands aggressively kill background apps. Go to Settings → Apps → Stream Alert → Battery → set to "Unrestricted". Also add it to your "Autostart" list in device settings.

Step 3: Choose Your Integration Method

There are two ways to show UPI donation alerts on your Twitch stream. Choose the one that fits your setup:

We recommend the Direct OBS Browser Source method for most users. It's simpler and works reliably without any dependencies.

Step 4: Add to OBS Browser Source (Direct Method)

This method adds your UPI donation alerts directly to OBS as a browser source.

1. In the Stream Alert app, copy your unique alert URL from the dashboard
2. Send the URL to your PC (via WhatsApp, email, etc.)
3. Open OBS Studio
4. In the Sources panel, click + → Browser
5. Name it "UPI Donation Alerts"
6. Paste your alert URL in the URL field
7. Set Width to 800 and Height to 600
8. Enable "Refresh browser when scene becomes active"
9. Click OK

Position the browser source where you want alerts to appear. For Twitch streams, top-center is the most popular position since it doesn't interfere with the Twitch chat overlay on mobile viewers' screens.

Step 5: Forward to Streamlabs (Alternative Method)

If you already use Streamlabs for managing your Twitch alerts (follows, subs, bits), you can integrate UPI donation alerts into the same system.

Setting Up Streamlabs Integration

1. Open Stream Alert on your phone
2. Go to Settings → Integrations
3. Select "Streamlabs" as the forwarding destination
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Streamlabs account
5. UPI donations will now appear in your Streamlabs alert queue alongside Twitch events

With this method, all your alerts — Twitch follows, subs, bits, AND UPI donations — go through the same Streamlabs alert box. This means a consistent look and feel, and donations follow the same queue as other alerts.

Note: If you use this method, you don't need to add a separate browser source for UPI alerts. Your existing Streamlabs alert box handles everything.

Step 6: Test and Go Live on Twitch

Testing Your Alerts

1. In Stream Alert, tap the "Test Alert" button
2. Check your OBS preview — the test alert should appear
3. Verify the position, size, and visibility are correct
4. If using TTS, confirm the audio is routed through OBS
5. Ask a friend to send ₹1 via UPI to confirm the end-to-end flow

Going Live

1. In OBS, go to Settings → Stream
2. Select "Twitch" as the service
3. Connect your Twitch account or paste your stream key
4. Click "Start Streaming"
5. Make sure Stream Alert is running on your phone with the screen on

Sharing Your UPI ID on Twitch

Twitch provides several places to share your UPI ID with viewers:

• Channel panels — Add a "Donate via UPI" panel below your stream with your UPI ID and QR code
• Chat commands — Set up a !donate or !upi command using Nightbot or StreamElements bot
• Stream overlay — Add a small UPI ID text or QR code on your stream layout
• Channel point redemption — If you're an Affiliate, create a "Show UPI QR" redemption

Using UPI Alongside Twitch Bits and Subs

A common question is: "Should I replace Bits with UPI?" The answer is no — use both. Here's how they complement each other:

For Indian Viewers

UPI is the clear winner. Most Indian viewers don't have international credit cards, and buying Bits through the Play Store adds Google's cut on top of Twitch's cut. A direct UPI payment is instant, free, and familiar.

For International Viewers

Keep Bits and Subs enabled for your international audience. They can't use UPI, and Bits/Subs are the standard way to support streamers on Twitch globally.

Recommended Setup

• Keep Twitch Bits and Subs enabled (if you're an Affiliate/Partner)
• Add UPI donations as an additional option in your panels
• Mention both options during your stream: "You can cheer with Bits or donate via UPI — both show up on screen!"
• Use different alert sounds for Bits vs UPI so you can distinguish them

Best Practices for Twitch UPI Donations

1. Create a Professional Donation Panel

Design a Twitch panel image that includes your UPI ID and a QR code. You can use free tools like Canva to create a clean, branded panel. Include text like: "Support the stream via UPI — all donations appear on screen with your name!"

2. Set Up a Chat Bot Command

Using Nightbot, add a command like:

This gives viewers easy access to your UPI details without you having to repeat it during the stream.

3. Thank Donors Consistently

React to every donation on stream. Read the name out loud, thank them, and interact with the donation. This creates a positive feedback loop — when other viewers see the reaction, they're more likely to donate too.

4. Use a Business UPI Account for Safety

If you're receiving more than 30 donations per stream, switch to a Business UPI account. This prevents your personal bank account from being flagged for unusual activity. Read our GPay Business vs Personal guide for details.

5. Enable TTS for Hindi and English

Text-to-Speech donations are hugely engaging on Twitch. When a viewer donates via UPI, hearing their name and amount read aloud in Hindi or English makes the experience interactive and fun for everyone in chat.

Troubleshooting

UPI Alerts Don't Appear on Stream

• Confirm Stream Alert has notification access enabled
• Check that the browser source URL in OBS matches the one in the app
• Right-click the browser source → Properties → Refresh cache
• Ensure the Stream Alert app is not being killed by battery optimization
• Verify your phone has an active internet connection

Alerts Overlap with Twitch Alerts

• Position UPI alerts and Twitch alerts in different areas of the screen
• Or use the Streamlabs forwarding method so all alerts go through one queue
• Adjust the alert duration in Stream Alert settings to avoid overlaps

Stream Alert Stops Working Mid-Stream

• Disable battery optimization: Settings → Apps → Stream Alert → Battery → Unrestricted
• Lock the app in recent apps (swipe down on the app card to pin it)
• Keep the phone plugged in during streams
• On Xiaomi/MIUI: Enable autostart and lock the app in memory

Twitch Stream Dropping Frames

If your stream is dropping frames after adding the browser source, the issue is likely not related to Stream Alert. Browser sources use minimal resources. Check your overall OBS settings, bitrate, and internet upload speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Twitch allow external donation methods?

Yes. Twitch does not prohibit streamers from accepting external donations. Many Twitch streamers worldwide use PayPal, Ko-fi, and other donation platforms alongside Bits. UPI is simply the Indian equivalent. Twitch's terms of service do not restrict this.

Do I need to be a Twitch Affiliate to use UPI donations?

No! That's one of the biggest advantages. Twitch Affiliate requires 50 followers, 500 minutes broadcast, 7 unique broadcast days, and 3 average viewers. With UPI donations via Stream Alert, you can start accepting donations from your very first stream.

Can I use Stream Alert with Twitch Studio instead of OBS?

Twitch Studio has limited support for custom browser sources. We recommend using OBS Studio or Streamlabs Desktop for the best experience with Stream Alert. Both are free and offer full browser source support.

Will UPI donations show the donor's Twitch username?

UPI donation alerts show the UPI name (the name registered with the UPI app), not the Twitch username. These may be different. Some streamers ask viewers to include their Twitch username in the UPI note/remark.

Can I set a minimum donation amount?

Yes, Stream Alert allows you to set a minimum amount for alerts to trigger. For example, you can set it to ₹10 so that very small amounts (like ₹1 test payments) don't clutter your stream with alerts.

Is there a daily limit on UPI donations I can receive?

UPI has a per-transaction limit of ₹1,00,000 and typically no daily receiving limit for personal accounts. However, if you receive a very high volume of transactions, your bank may flag the activity. Using a Business UPI account removes this concern entirely.