Mixer Vs Twitch. Which streaming service is best for you? Either if you’re a viewer or a streamer, you’ve probably wondered what exactly are the pros and cons of each of these services. Do you have to choose one or the other? What are some of the perks they have? Those are questions I’ll try to answer to the best of my capabilities.
I’m old school. I remember a time back when Twitch used to be called Justin.tv. Times were simpler back then, and video resolutions used to go for the 360p and Youtubers would have to put on the titles of their videos whenever the video was HD. During those years, streaming games wasn’t as popular. It was more of an upcoming hobby, but there were still a few channels that would stream full-time the same way a lot do today.
However, everything changed when Justin.tv became Twitch. A lot of gamers started to do their own thing and building their communities, usually with the help of Youtube channels. That’s how I was introduced to the platform.
Twitch Has A Head Start
I used to watch a bunch of compilation videos of funny gaming moments and wondered where did all those people upload that content so I could watch the whole thing. To my surprise, I found out that it was live, and I knew that it would grow to be its own thing.
Today, we have Youtube Gaming, Twitch, Mixer, and even Facebook has jumped into the pool. Youtube and Facebook are their own platforms first and foremost. However, their real focus is not on the streaming service as such. Facebook is a social network, and Youtube is a video sharing platform.
So, this leaves with two popular contestants for people who want to find fun people to watch their favorite games and streamers looking to build a fanbase and have fun doing what they love, playing games with friends.
Each Platform Has Pros And Cons
Twitch is a behemoth right now, with over 70% of the streaming audience as of right now a wider audience, but harder discoverability. You see, most of the viewership of the platform is focused on the main streamers, making it really hard for newcomers to get their foot on the door.
A lot of streamers can spend months with just one or two consistent views per streams, whereas the ones at the top gather hundreds and even thousands. This leaves Mixer with a good discoverability component to it, and I’m willing to bet the platform is going to get more popular with time, considering that its viewership has more than doubled in just one year from 2018 to 2019.
Another point in favor of Mixer is Twich’s moderation policies. This streaming service has become infamous over the double standards and the way it deals with the smaller channels. There have been cases of Twitch outright banning small channels over mundane stuff while allowing bigger streamers do as they please. Suffice to say, the way they deal with their own rules is not the best.
There Are Differences
It’s not all flowers and roses with Mixer, though. Big streamers like Ninja and Shroud have made the jump to the new platform, which caused an increased influx of streamers, but the viewers have remained somewhat stagnant. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mixer saw a huge spike in viewers the moment Ninja started streaming, and that’s not to say that Mixer is on a bad track.
In fact, the viewers have slowly risen over the years as I’ve said before. But with big names coming to the platform, there has been a streamer to viewer ratio that’s not optimal. More streamers but more or less the same amount of viewers, so basically there’s the product, but the demand is not as great.
In this Mixer Vs Twitch tug war, we need to keep in mind that Mixer is owned by Microsoft, therefore making it a better experience for Xbox users, with a native integration system that allows streamers to set everything up easily compared to other platforms. This doesn’t translate well for PlayStation, however, so if you’re a PS4 user, Twitch might just be a better platform for you.
Interface And Monetization
Twitch, on the other hand, has a more intuitive interface, with an easy to navigate and expansive library of games to choose from. The analytics provide a lot of helpful information and is literally the definition of user-friendly. Mixer, however, is more focused on interactivity, with better tools for viewers to interact with their favorite streamers and fellow gamers.
Mixer allows you to co-stream with up to three other streamers in a split-screen, and it’s also been focused on building a friendlier community than its counterpart.
In terms of monetization, it’s easier to monetize on Twitch at the moment, with several tiers and ways that streamers can make a living out of it. You can become an Affiliate, which is easier than becoming a Partner in Mixer. The requirements are to broadcast 500 minutes in the last 30 days, at least three concurrent viewers or more, seven unique broadcasts in that same period of time, and 50 followers. This allows some pretty hefty perks, like giving your viewers the option to subscribe to your channel and paying monthly to support you, allowing them to support you with bits and priority streaming access.
You also have the option to become a Partner in Twitch, though it’ll take a lot longer. You can send a request, and they’ll manually evaluate it before approving it. It’s worth the hassle, though. You get up to 50 subscribers emote slots, the option to run ads, greater revenue split, faster payment and custom cheering emotes.
Final Thoughts
In the short term, maybe Twitch has more of an audience, but Mixer still has a long way to go and evolve, it’s no wonder that its popularity is going to rise, and we’ve seen how Internet popularity can skyrocket in just one day. Mixer has the foundation for a more together community, and a few better features, also the fact that Mixer hasn’t been long enough to become a villain like Youtube or Twitch have in the eyes of many.
So, which platform should you choose? Mixer has a nicer community, better technology, and an easier startup for new streamers, whereas Twitch has a bigger audience, better analytics, and easier payment methods. But this is all subject to change, and while Twitch is still in the lead, the growth of Mixer is not going to slow down anytime soon.
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