Twitch is still the top platform for livestreaming, however TikTok is gaining fast. According to new data from Streams Charts, TikTok Live saw a 23 percent increase in total hours watched last quarter which brings it within 15 percent of Twitch’s total viewing time.
As of Q1 2025, TikTok racked up over 1.4 billion hours watched. Twitch brought in around 1.6 billion. That gap used to be much wider.
Creators are spending more time on TikTok Live
Although Twitch is still ahead in total stream hours, TikTok saw a bigger increase in how many hours creators streamed on the platform. Streamers on TikTok logged over 38 million hours in Q1, up 4 percent from the previous quarter.
Twitch creators streamed more, over 84 million hours, but that number only grew by 1 percent.
More creators are streaming across platforms
The data also shows TikTok streamers are showing up on other platforms more often. Around 75 percent of the top TikTok Live creators also streamed on YouTube, Twitch or Facebook. That’s up from 58 percent last quarter.
Multistreaming is becoming more common, and TikTok is playing a bigger part in those strategies. For creators focused on discoverability, TikTok’s algorithm still offers more potential for organic growth than Twitch. Going live on TikTok, even if it’s not your main platform, can help pull new viewers into your community.
Twitch is still king for longform content
Even though TikTok Live is growing, Twitch still owns longform streaming. Twitch streams averaged 112 minutes, while TikTok Live sessions averaged just 27 minutes.
If you’re focused on deep engagement, longer gaming sessions or community chats, Twitch still makes sense. TikTok’s shorter average stream time also reflects its mobile-first design and fast-scroll culture. Viewers come and go quickly. It’s more about bursts of attention than sustained connection.
TikTok Live is growing fast; creators who start using it now can build visibility while the competition is still catching up.