YouTube tests Memberships Gifting with limited creators

Memberships Gifting is a monetization tool for creators on YouTube that enables channel members to buy a set number of channel memberships for other viewers in a live stream that a member can "gift" to other viewers.

A small group of creators will be a part of the beta tests for Channel Memberships Gifting, the feature would be expanded to more YouTube creators in the coming months and interested creators can also request access via a form.

One month of access to channel membership perks like loyalty badges, custom emoji, and more would be accessible to viewers who receive a gift membership. Creators would receive the usual revenue share through this monetization tool, and viewers who receive the gift would not have to pay any charges.

Gift memberships apply the same 70/30 (Creator/YouTube) revenue split where revenue share is calculated after App Store fees on iOS (if applicable) and other charges like sales tax.

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Existing channel members can't receive a gifted membership, it would only be receivable by potential new channel members. Existing channel members click the $ button next to the live chat to purchase gift memberships on live streams. Memberships Gifting is only available for viewers to purchase on desktop live streams and will be available on mobile soon.

Viewers opt-in to be eligible to receive gifts on a channel. During the Beta, the only way to opt-in is either to click ‘Allow Gifts’ on a gift membership announcement that shows in the live chat when someone has purchased gift memberships OR by clicking the gift icon that is pinned at the top of the live chat.

YouTube distributes gift memberships to viewers based on how much they interact with a channel. For example, loyal viewers who are always watching and interacting with the content are more likely to receive gift memberships.

Viewers get notified with a personal live chat message and email if they receive a gift membership! Gift memberships are non-recurring and viewers who receive gift memberships don’t have to pay anything to get access to the benefits.