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Sub-Only vs Open Giveaways: What Works Better on Kick?

Compare sub-only and open giveaways for Kick streamers. Learn when to use each type, the pros and cons, and how to balance growth with subscriber rewards.

6 min read

One of the biggest decisions you'll make when running a giveaway is who gets to enter. Do you open it up to everyone in chat, or do you restrict it to subscribers? Both approaches have real advantages, and the right choice depends on what you're trying to achieve with that specific giveaway.

Let's dig into the pros, cons, and strategic use cases for each.

Open Giveaways: The Growth Engine

Open giveaways let anyone in your chat enter, regardless of whether they follow, subscribe, or have ever watched your stream before. The barrier to entry is as low as it gets: be in chat, type the keyword.

Why open giveaways drive growth:

  • Maximum participation. More entries means more chat activity, which makes your stream look alive and engaged to anyone browsing the category.
  • New viewer hook. Someone who stumbles into your stream and immediately gets to participate in a giveaway has a reason to stick around. They might not win, but they've now invested time in your stream and are more likely to follow.
  • Discovery boost. On Kick, higher engagement signals can push you up in category rankings. An open giveaway with 300+ entries creates a visible engagement spike that the platform's algorithm notices.
  • Community building. When everyone can participate, it creates a shared experience that bonds your community. Nobody feels excluded.

    • The downsides:

  • Subscribers might feel like their financial support doesn't earn them anything special
  • You may attract "prize hunters" who enter and immediately leave
  • No direct revenue connection — the giveaway costs you money without directly generating sub revenue

    • Open giveaways are your best tool for growth-focused streams. If you're trying to build your audience, reach new viewers, or create a big community moment, open is the way to go.

    Sub-Only Giveaways: The Loyalty Reward

    Sub-only giveaways restrict entry to your paid subscribers. Only viewers who financially support your channel get a shot at the prize.

    Why sub-only giveaways work:

  • Rewards loyalty. Your subscribers are your biggest supporters. Exclusive giveaways make them feel valued and appreciated.
  • Drives subscriptions. When viewers see that subs get exclusive giveaway access, some will subscribe to get in on future ones. This directly generates revenue.
  • Higher winner quality. Sub-only winners are already invested in your community. They're more likely to be on stream, more likely to have a genuine reaction, and more likely to create a memorable moment.
  • Better odds for participants. Fewer entries mean better odds, which makes the giveaway feel more exclusive and valuable to subscribers.

    • The downsides:

  • Legal gray area — requiring a purchase to enter a random drawing can be classified as an illegal lottery in many jurisdictions (see our legal guide for details)
  • Excludes the majority of your viewers, which can create a two-tier community feel
  • Non-subscribers may feel alienated or disengaged during the giveaway
  • Smaller entry pools mean less chat activity and less of an engagement spike

    • The Legal Question You Can't Ignore

    Before running sub-only giveaways, you need to understand the legal implications. In the United States and many other countries, a random drawing that requires payment to enter is technically a lottery — and private lotteries are illegal.

    A Kick subscription is a purchase. If you require a subscription to enter a random giveaway, you could be running an unlicensed lottery. The risk of enforcement against a small streamer is low, but it's not zero, and the legal framework is clear.

    The safest approaches:

  • Run open giveaways with bonus entries for subscribers (e.g., subs get 2 entries, non-subs get 1)
  • Run sub-only giveaways as appreciation gifts rather than random drawings (choose a subscriber to spotlight)
  • Offer a free alternative entry method — for example, "subs are automatically entered, non-subs can type !join"

    • Option 3 is the most common workaround. It technically provides a free entry method while still giving subscribers the convenience of automatic entry.

    When to Use Each: A Strategic Framework

    The best streamers don't pick one approach and stick with it forever. They alternate based on their goals for that specific stream or week.

    Use open giveaways when:

  • You're trying to grow your audience
  • You just received a raid and want to convert those new viewers
  • You're streaming in a crowded category and want to stand out
  • You're doing a special event or milestone celebration
  • You want maximum chat engagement and energy

    • Use sub-only giveaways when:

  • You want to reward your existing community
  • You're running a subscriber appreciation stream
  • You have a high-value prize and want to keep it within your community
  • You want to incentivize subscriptions during a sub goal push
  • You're doing a smaller, more intimate giveaway

    • The Hybrid Approach

    Many successful Kick streamers use a hybrid model that gets the best of both worlds:

    Weekly open giveaway + monthly sub-exclusive giveaway. The weekly open giveaway drives growth and engagement. The monthly sub giveaway rewards loyalty and incentivizes subscriptions. Each serves a different purpose, and together they create a complete engagement strategy.

    Tiered entry system. Everyone can enter, but subscribers get multiple entries. This keeps the giveaway open and legal while still giving subscribers a tangible advantage. It's a soft incentive rather than a hard gate.

    Open giveaway with sub-only bonus round. Run the main giveaway open to all, then do a smaller bonus drawing exclusively for subscribers right after. Everyone gets to participate in the main event, and subs get an extra shot.

    What the Data Says

    Streamers who run primarily open giveaways tend to see:

  • Faster follower growth
  • Higher peak concurrent viewers
  • More volatile audience (bigger spikes, bigger drops)

    • Streamers who lean toward sub-only giveaways tend to see:

  • Steadier subscriber retention
  • Higher revenue per viewer
  • A more stable but slower-growing core audience

    • The highest-growth Kick streamers typically run 70-80% open giveaways and 20-30% sub-exclusive events. That ratio maximizes discovery while still giving subscribers meaningful exclusive benefits.

    Making Your Choice

    There's no universally "better" option. The right choice depends on your current priorities. If you're a newer streamer focused on building an audience, lean heavily into open giveaways. If you have an established subscriber base and want to increase retention and revenue, sub-only giveaways are a powerful tool.

    Most streamers benefit from a mix. Experiment, track results, and adjust based on what the numbers tell you. For more on tracking your giveaway outcomes, check out our guide on how strategic giveaways can grow your channel.

    And no matter which approach you choose, make sure you're running your giveaways with clear rules and fair randomization. Head over to our FAQ if you have questions about how the process works.

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