Understanding Twitch Emote Slots
Emote slots are one of the most valuable perks for Twitch streamers. Your custom emotes become a core part of your channel's identity—subscribers use them across all of Twitch, spreading your brand and building community. According to Twitch's official Subscriber Emote Guide, the number of emote slots you unlock directly correlates with your subscriber point total.
The emote slot system incentivizes community growth: as your channel gains more subscribers, you unlock more slots to reward your community with additional emotes. This creates a positive feedback loop where better emotes attract more subscribers, unlocking more slots for even more emotes.
How Subscriber Points Work
Twitch calculates subscriber points based on subscription tier. According to the Twitch Creator Camp Affiliate documentation, the point values are:
| Subscription Type | Monthly Price | Subscriber Points |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Subscription | $4.99 | 1 point |
| Tier 2 Subscription | $9.99 | 2 points |
| Tier 3 Subscription | $24.99 | 6 points |
| Prime Gaming Sub | Free (with Prime) | 1 point |
| Gift Subscriptions | Varies by tier | Same as tier (1/2/6) |
Your total subscriber points determine which emote tier you've unlocked. Twitch recalculates these points at the beginning of each month based on your active subscriber count at that time.
Affiliate Emote Slots
Twitch Affiliates start with 1 base emote slot and can unlock up to 8 total slots (including animated emotes) through subscriber points. Here's the breakdown based on Twitch's documentation:
| Subscriber Points | Static Slots | Animated Slots | Total Slots |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (Base) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 points | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 points | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 35 points | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 50 points | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 75 points | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 100 points | 6 | 2 | 8 |
For Affiliates, the maximum of 8 emote slots provides a solid foundation for building your emote library. Focus on creating high-quality, versatile emotes that your community will love using.
Partner Emote Slots
Twitch Partners have access to significantly more emote slots, with the potential for 60+ total emotes at higher subscriber counts. Partners receive additional base slots and continue unlocking new tiers well beyond the Affiliate cap.
According to Twitch's Partner Program documentation, Partners unlock slots at similar subscriber point thresholds but receive more slots at each tier, plus additional tiers beyond 100 points that Affiliates don't have access to.
Partner Advantage
Partners with 10,000+ subscriber points can unlock the full 60+ emote slot potential, allowing for extensive emote libraries with themed emote sets, seasonal emotes, and sub-exclusive animated emotes that really make a channel stand out.
Emote Design Best Practices
With limited slots, especially for Affiliates, choosing which emotes to create is strategic. Learn more in our comprehensive Twitch Emotes Guide.
Prioritizing Your Emote Slots
When you have limited slots, prioritize emotes in this order:
- Universal reaction emotes: LUL/laugh emotes, POG/hype emotes, love/heart emotes
- Your brand emote: An emote featuring your logo, mascot, or signature element
- Engagement emotes: Wave/hello emotes, goodbye emotes, lurk emotes
- Meme/inside joke emotes: Community-specific references that build culture
- Animated emotes: Save these for your most impactful, attention-grabbing designs
Emote Size Requirements
Twitch requires emotes in three sizes to display properly across different contexts:
- 28x28 pixels: Standard chat size
- 56x56 pixels: Larger displays
- 112x112 pixels: Emote picker and full-size views
All emotes must be PNG format (or GIF for animated). Design at 112x112 first, then scale down to ensure your emote remains readable at smaller sizes.
Growing Your Subscriber Points
To unlock more emote slots, you need to grow your subscriber base. Here are effective strategies:
Incentivize Higher Tiers
Since Tier 2 and Tier 3 subs contribute more points, consider offering additional perks for higher-tier subscribers. Some streamers offer special Discord roles, additional emote input on new designs, or personalized content for Tier 3 subscribers.
Use our Subscription Revenue Calculator to understand how tier distribution affects both your income and emote slots.
Promote Gift Subscriptions
Gift subs count toward your subscriber points. Encourage viewers to gift subs during Hype Trains or special events. Check our Gifted Sub Value Calculator to understand the full impact of gift subscriptions.
Maintain Subscriber Retention
Points are calculated from active subscribers, so retention matters. Engage with subscribers regularly, use Channel Points effectively, and create content that makes the subscription feel valuable. Our Twitch Subscriptions Guide covers retention strategies in detail.
Third-Party Emote Extensions
While Twitch's native emote slots are limited, third-party services like BetterTTV (BTTV) and 7TV allow channels to offer additional emotes that viewers can access by installing browser extensions.
These services are free and widely used in the Twitch community. However, they require viewers to install extensions to see the emotes, unlike native Twitch emotes which work universally. For a balanced approach, use native slots for your most important emotes and BTTV/7TV for supplementary options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many emote slots do Twitch Affiliates start with?
Twitch Affiliates start with 1 base emote slot. They can unlock up to 8 total slots (6 static + 2 animated) by earning subscriber points through their subscriber base.
How many emote slots can Twitch Partners have?
Twitch Partners can have up to 60+ emote slots depending on their subscriber point total. Partners receive more base slots and unlock additional tiers at higher thresholds than Affiliates.
How are subscriber points calculated for emote slots?
Subscriber points are based on subscription tier: Tier 1 = 1 point, Tier 2 = 2 points, Tier 3 = 6 points. Prime and gift subs count based on their tier level. Points are recalculated monthly.
What happens if my subscriber count drops?
If your subscriber points drop below a threshold, you don't lose existing emotes. However, you won't be able to upload new emotes to slots above your current tier until you regain those subscriber points.
What are animated emote slots?
Animated emote slots allow you to upload GIF-format emotes with movement. These are unlocked at specific subscriber point thresholds (35+ points for Affiliates) and are highly valued by viewers for their visual appeal.
Can I use third-party emote services alongside Twitch emotes?
Yes, services like BTTV and 7TV provide additional emote slots, but viewers must install browser extensions to see them. Native Twitch emotes work universally across all of Twitch without any extensions.
