How to Show Buy Me a Coffee Donations on YouTube Live (2026)
Step-by-step guide to displaying real-time Buy Me a Coffee donation alerts on your YouTube livestream using Stream Alert and OBS — with only a 5% BMAC fee versus Super Chat's 30% cut, plus memberships and extras that Super Chat cannot offer.
To show Buy Me a Coffee donations on YouTube Live, connect BMAC to Stream Alert via webhook and add the browser-source overlay in OBS. Buy Me a Coffee's 5% fee is far lower than Super Chat's 30% cut, and BMAC supports memberships for recurring revenue that Super Chat cannot offer. You don't need YouTube Partner Program status, you don't need 1,000 subscribers, and you can start accepting BMAC donations from your very first livestream.
Buy Me a Coffee is already a go-to platform for over a million creators worldwide. By pairing it with Stream Alert's webhook-based detection, you can turn every BMAC donation, membership payment, and extras purchase into a professional on-screen alert — complete with the supporter's name, amount, and message — in as little as 2–5 seconds.
TL;DR — Buy Me a Coffee Donations on YouTube Live
- BMAC charges 5% vs Super Chat's 30% platform cut — you keep $9.50 per $10 donation instead of $7
- Webhook alerts trigger in 2–5 seconds — faster than email-based detection
- BMAC offers memberships & extras for recurring revenue that Super Chat cannot provide
- Works for international audiences — viewers worldwide can donate via card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay
- No YouTube monetization or Partner Program required to accept BMAC donations
Why Use Buy Me a Coffee Instead of Super Chat?
YouTube's built-in monetization tool for livestreams is Super Chat. It lets viewers pay to highlight messages in chat, and it works well enough — but it comes with serious limitations that cost you money and restrict your revenue options.
Super Chat Takes 30% of Every Dollar
For every dollar a viewer spends on Super Chat, YouTube keeps 30 cents. On mobile purchases through the App Store or Google Play, Apple and Google take an additional cut, which can push the total platform fee above 40%. A viewer who sends you a $20 Super Chat on an iPhone might only put $12 in your pocket. With Buy Me a Coffee, the platform fee is just 5%. That same $20 donation leaves $19 in your account — a massive difference that compounds over time.
Memberships & Recurring Revenue
Super Chat is a one-time payment. Once the message fades from chat, the transaction is over. Buy Me a Coffee, on the other hand, offers memberships — monthly recurring support tiers that give you predictable income. You can create multiple membership tiers with different perks (exclusive Discord access, behind-the-scenes content, early access to videos, monthly game sessions), and every membership payment triggers an alert on your stream through Stream Alert.
No Monetization Requirements
Super Chat is locked behind the YouTube Partner Program, which requires at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours (or 10 million Shorts views) in the past 12 months. If you're a newer creator or haven't hit those thresholds yet, Super Chat simply isn't available to you. Buy Me a Coffee has no requirements — any creator can set up a page and start accepting donations immediately.
International Payment Support
Buy Me a Coffee accepts payments from viewers worldwide via credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Unlike CashApp (US only) or Venmo (US only), BMAC works for your entire global audience. Viewers in Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond can all support you without creating new accounts or dealing with region restrictions.
Extras & Digital Products
Buy Me a Coffee lets you sell extras — digital products like custom emote packs, wallpapers, overlays, personalized shoutouts, and exclusive content. This creates an additional revenue stream on top of donations and memberships. When a viewer purchases an extra, Stream Alert can trigger an alert on your YouTube stream so you can thank them live.
Step-by-Step: BMAC Donation Alerts on YouTube Live
Follow these six steps to go from zero to fully automated Buy Me a Coffee donation alerts on your YouTube livestream. Total setup time is about 5 minutes.
Step 1: Create a Buy Me a Coffee Account
If you don't already have one, go to buymeacoffee.com and sign up. Choose a page name (e.g., buymeacoffee.com/YourChannelName), set your currency, and connect a payout method (bank account or PayPal). You can customize your page with a profile picture, bio, and suggested donation amounts.
Time: 2 minutes
Step 2: Sign Up for Stream Alert
Go to streamalert.gg/register and create your account. The 30-day free trial requires no credit card, so you can test everything before committing. Stream Alert is the bridge that connects Buy Me a Coffee to your YouTube livestream — it receives BMAC webhooks and renders them as on-screen alerts.
Time: 1 minute
Step 3: Connect Buy Me a Coffee in Stream Alert
In your Stream Alert dashboard, go to Apps. Find Buy Me a Coffee and click Connect. Stream Alert will generate a unique webhook URL for your account. Copy this URL — you'll paste it into Buy Me a Coffee in the next step.
Why Webhooks?
Webhooks are direct server-to-server notifications that trigger in 2–5 seconds. Unlike email-based detection (which can have 10–30 second delays), webhooks deliver donation data to Stream Alert almost instantly for the fastest possible alerts.
Time: 30 seconds
Step 4: Configure the Webhook in Buy Me a Coffee
- Open Buy Me a Coffee Studio → Webhooks (log in if needed)
- Paste your Stream Alert webhook URL into the webhook endpoint field
- Select Support Created (or Donation Created) as the trigger event
- Click Save
Time: 1 minute
Step 5: Customize Your Alert Design
Head to Alert Customization in the Stream Alert dashboard. Choose from pre-made templates or build your own design. Configure the alert animation, sound effect, duration (5–8 seconds recommended), text-to-speech settings, and color scheme. Preview each change in real time before saving. You can set different alert styles for one-time donations versus membership payments to distinguish them on screen.
Time: 2–5 minutes (optional but recommended)
Step 6: Add the Overlay to OBS & Go Live
Copy your unique overlay URL from the Stream Alert dashboard. Open OBS Studio, add a new Browser Source, paste the URL, and set dimensions to 800 x 600. Position the source above your webcam and game capture so alerts display on top. Connect OBS to YouTube via Settings → Stream → YouTube - RTMPS, paste your stream key, and go live.
StreamYard & Restream Users
In StreamYard, go to Overlays → Custom Overlay and paste your Stream Alert URL. In Restream Studio, click Overlays → Add custom overlay and paste it there. Both require a paid plan for custom overlays.
Time: 2 minutes
Setup Complete!
Total time: 5 minutes
Every Buy Me a Coffee donation, membership payment, and extras purchase will now trigger a professional on-screen alert during your YouTube livestream. The supporter's name, amount, and message are all displayed automatically.
Buy Me a Coffee vs YouTube Super Chat: Full Comparison
Here's a detailed side-by-side breakdown of Buy Me a Coffee donations (via Stream Alert) versus YouTube's native Super Chat feature.
| Feature | BMAC (Stream Alert) | YouTube Super Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Fee | 5% | 30% |
| $10 Sent: You Get | $9.50 | $7.00 |
| $50 Sent: You Get | $47.50 | $35.00 |
| Memberships | Yes (monthly tiers) | No |
| Extras / Digital Products | Yes | No |
| Requirements | None | 1,000 subs + 4,000 watch hours |
| Alert Speed | 2–5 seconds (webhook) | Instant (chat highlight only) |
| On-Screen Alert | Yes (custom OBS overlay) | No (chat only) |
| International Support | Global (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay) | Global (limited countries) |
| Minimum Payout | $1 (weekly payouts) | $100 threshold |
The Revenue Difference
If you receive $1,000/month in viewer support, switching from Super Chat to Buy Me a Coffee saves you $250 every month — that's $3,000 per year. And that's before counting the additional revenue from BMAC memberships and extras, which Super Chat doesn't offer at all.
Buy Me a Coffee Features That YouTube Streamers Love
Buy Me a Coffee is more than a simple donation button. Here are the features that make it especially powerful for YouTube Live creators.
Monthly Memberships
Create multiple tiers ($3, $5, $10/month) with exclusive perks. Every renewal triggers a stream alert so you can thank members live on air.
Extras Marketplace
Sell digital products — custom emote packs, wallpapers, presets, and more. Each purchase triggers an alert on your YouTube stream.
Custom Donation Amounts
Viewers choose how many "coffees" to buy, with each coffee worth $1–$25. Suggested amounts reduce friction and encourage larger donations.
Support Messages
Donors can include a personal message with their contribution. Stream Alert forwards these messages to your on-screen alert for live reading.
Global Payment Methods
Credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay — viewers worldwide can donate without creating new accounts.
Custom Page Branding
Match your BMAC page to your YouTube channel branding with custom colors, images, and descriptions for a cohesive creator identity.
Memberships Are a Game-Changer
One-time donations are great, but recurring monthly memberships provide predictable income you can count on. If you convert just 50 viewers to a $5/month BMAC membership, that's $250/month in guaranteed revenue before a single one-time donation. Super Chat has no equivalent feature for YouTube Live creators.
How to Promote Buy Me a Coffee on YouTube
Setting up the alerts is only half the battle. You also need to make sure viewers know they can support you via Buy Me a Coffee. Here are six proven strategies for maximizing BMAC visibility on your YouTube channel.
1. Add Your BMAC Link to Every Video Description
YouTube doesn't have Twitch-style channel panels, so your video and livestream descriptions are prime real estate. Include a dedicated "Support the Stream" section with your Buy Me a Coffee link, a brief explanation that donations appear live on screen with alerts, and a note that BMAC supports memberships for monthly perks. Save this as a default description template in YouTube Studio so it auto-populates for every new stream.
2. Pin a Chat Comment with Your BMAC Link
As soon as you go live, post a comment listing your Buy Me a Coffee page URL (along with any other payment methods) and pin it. Pinned comments stay at the top of YouTube Live chat, so viewers who join mid-stream can immediately see how to support you without scrolling through hundreds of messages.
3. Use Community Tab Posts
If you have 500+ subscribers, create a pinned Community tab post listing all your support options, including your Buy Me a Coffee page and membership tiers. This reaches viewers who browse your channel outside of livestreams — many of whom may want to support you but don't know how.
4. Set Up Chat Commands
Use Nightbot (which works on YouTube) to create commands like !support, !donate, or !bmac that automatically post your Buy Me a Coffee link in chat. Example response: "Support the stream! Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/yourchannel — memberships start at $3/month!"
5. Use CTA Overlays
Add a subtle, persistent overlay graphic to your stream showing your BMAC URL. A small banner at the bottom of the screen or in a corner works well. You can also create "starting soon" and "be right back" screens that prominently feature your Buy Me a Coffee info and membership tiers so viewers see them during downtime.
6. Thank Supporters Live on Air
When a BMAC alert pops up on your YouTube stream, take a moment to say the supporter's name, read their message aloud, and give a genuine thank-you. This public recognition encourages more donations — viewers see that their support gets acknowledged, which motivates others to contribute. Avoid scripted responses; a few seconds of authentic gratitude goes much further than a rehearsed line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need YouTube monetization to accept Buy Me a Coffee donations?
No. Buy Me a Coffee donations are completely independent of YouTube's monetization system. You do not need the YouTube Partner Program, you do not need 1,000 subscribers, and you do not need 4,000 watch hours. Anyone with a BMAC page and a YouTube livestream can accept donations from day one using Stream Alert.
Can I use both Super Chat and Buy Me a Coffee at the same time?
Absolutely. If you're in the YouTube Partner Program, keep Super Chat enabled for viewers who prefer tipping directly within YouTube. Offer Buy Me a Coffee as an alternative for viewers who want more of their money to reach you (95% vs 70%) or who want to subscribe to monthly memberships. Different viewers have different preferences, and offering both options always outperforms limiting yourself to a single method.
How fast do BMAC alerts appear on my YouTube stream?
Buy Me a Coffee alerts typically appear on your YouTube livestream within 2–5 seconds of the donation being sent. BMAC uses webhooks, which are direct server-to-server notifications — significantly faster than email-based detection methods. This means your viewers get nearly instant on-screen acknowledgment for their support.
Do BMAC membership payments trigger stream alerts?
Yes. Each membership payment from Buy Me a Coffee — including initial signups and monthly renewals — triggers a webhook that Stream Alert converts into an on-screen alert. This means you can publicly thank members on every renewal, which reinforces the value of their subscription and encourages others to join.
Can international viewers donate through Buy Me a Coffee?
Yes. Buy Me a Coffee accepts credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay from viewers worldwide. Unlike CashApp (US only) or Venmo (US only), BMAC has no geographic restrictions on the supporter side. This makes it an ideal donation platform for YouTube creators with international audiences — a viewer in Germany, Brazil, or Japan can support you just as easily as one in the United States.
Start Showing BMAC Donations on YouTube Today
Stop giving YouTube 30% of every donation. With Stream Alert and Buy Me a Coffee, you keep 95% of every dollar your viewers send — and every donation, membership, and extras purchase triggers a professional on-screen alert that encourages even more support. Setup takes 5 minutes, no coding required, and the 30-day free trial lets you test everything risk-free.
No credit card required