StreamElements is in Trouble
StreamElements, one of the most popular free streaming tools on the planet, is in acquisition talks after reports surfaced that the platform is preparing to shut down. We break down what happened, who might buy it, and what you should do right now.
StreamElements Might Not Survive
If you stream on Twitch or YouTube, there's a good chance you've used StreamElements. The platform powers overlays, alerts, chat bots, tipping pages, and production tools for over 23 million streamers worldwide. It's been one of the go-to free toolkits in the creator space since it launched in 2016, and alongside Streamlabs, it accounts for the vast majority of alert and overlay setups in streaming.
Last Thursday, reports began circulating that StreamElements was preparing to close. The initial information came from inside the company, with a staffer telling creators in a sponsorship Discord that the platform would remain accessible for 30 days to let people grab their assets. The company's headcount has dropped from around 200 to just 72 over the past seven months, a 64% reduction in staff.
StreamElements responded with a statement on X saying it's engaged in "positive discussions with potential acquirers" and is working to find a path forward for its creators, customers, and staff. So the company isn't gone yet, but the statement didn't deny the financial trouble or offer any kind of timeline.
How Did We Get Here?
StreamElements raised $111 million in VC funding (opens in a new tab) in September 2021. Less than five years later, the company is searching for a buyer to avoid shutting down. So what happened?
StreamElements made most of its revenue through a brand partnership marketplace connecting advertisers with streamers for sponsored content. That model relied heavily on Twitch, and as advertising dollars spread across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and connected TV, the revenue base eroded. The core toolset, overlays, alerts, chat bots, tipping, was always free, and StreamElements never took a cut of donations or tips. That decision built an enormous user base, but it also meant the company had no recurring revenue from the people who used it most.
The layoffs started in 2023 and never really stopped. There were more rounds in 2024 and again in 2025. In January 2026, CEO Or Perry launched a crowdfunding campaign called "Keep It Live" (opens in a new tab), asking creators to contribute $300,000 per month to keep the service running. It raised a tiny fraction of that target.
More recently, the sponsorship dashboard on StreamElements has been emptied entirely, with no active campaigns listed. That matters because sponsorships were the company's primary revenue source. User payouts have reportedly been delayed too, and there are unconfirmed reports that Twitch has been reaching out to other third-party tool developers, presumably to prepare contingency plans in case StreamElements goes offline.
Who Wants to Buy It?
The good news is that there are buyers interested. Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski publicly reached out (opens in a new tab) to the StreamElements team on X, and Kick co-founder Ed Craven has hinted he's in talks (opens in a new tab). Both platforms would gain instant access to StreamElements' 23 million creator user base, which is a significant draw regardless of the tool's financial state.
A Kick acquisition would be the most interesting outcome for the streaming ecosystem. Kick has been aggressively building out its creator tools, and owning the toolset that millions of Twitch streamers already depend on would give them a way to reach creators without asking them to rebuild their entire setup. If Kick buys StreamElements, your overlays and alerts would still work, but the company behind them would be the same one behind Kick. That creates an interesting dynamic where a Twitch competitor quietly powers a huge chunk of Twitch's creator infrastructure.
What Should You Do Right Now?
The most likely scenario is that someone acquires StreamElements and keeps things running. But "most likely" isn't "guaranteed," and the window to act is now, before a shutdown is announced.
If you use StreamElements for overlays, alerts, or widgets, download your overlay assets and export your settings now. If the platform does go dark, those files won't be accessible anymore, so you'll want everything saved locally so you can rebuild elsewhere.
Streamlabs has already launched an importer tool (opens in a new tab) for migrating from StreamElements, and it's the closest alternative in terms of feature parity.
If you use the StreamElements chatbot, look into alternatives like Nightbot (opens in a new tab), Fossabot (opens in a new tab), or Streamlabs' built-in bot. These are standalone services and won't be affected by whatever happens to StreamElements.
And if you have any outstanding SEPay balance from donations, request that payout now.
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Pete’s Content Corner
My weekly picks from across the content creation world.
- Twitch announced three new monetization features (opens in a new tab) today: Creator Badge Drops (design custom badges for events, unlocked via subs or watch time), Custom Power-ups (create your own Bits-powered interactions like overlay effects or gameplay choices), and improved Hype Trains. All available to eligible monetizing streamers now.
- Discord has launched Nitro Rewards (opens in a new tab), bundling Xbox Game Pass (a starter edition with 50+ PC and console games and 10 hours of cloud gaming) into its $9.99/month Nitro subscription at no extra cost. Nitro members also get 15-30% discounts on gaming hardware from Logitech G, SteelSeries, and KontrolFreek.
- YouTube is expanding its Likeness Detection tool (opens in a new tab) to all adult creators over 18. The AI-powered feature, which I first covered when it launched for select creators last October, scans uploaded videos for deepfake uses of your face. It requires a one-time facial verification in YouTube Studio, then works in the background. Audio deepfakes aren't covered yet.
Thanks, as always, for taking the time to read Stream Report.
Pete ✌️
