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Subathon guide

How to Start a Subathon

A subathon is a stream that gets longer each time viewers support it. Every sub, gift, cheer or tip adds time to a subathon timer on screen, and the stream ends when it hits zero.

See the subathon timer

Pick a style and a starting time

  • Open-ended

    No end time. It runs until the timer hits zero, which can take days.

  • Capped

    You pick the latest it can end. The safer choice for a first run.

Pick a starting time you are happy to stream even if nobody subs. A new Blerp timer starts at 12 hours.

Set how much time each event adds

These examples start from a new Blerp timer's rates. Change the numbers to fit your channel.

  • Example: Blerp's starting rates

    Tier 1 sub 5 min, Tier 2 10 min, Tier 3 25 min, gifted sub 5 min, 100 Bits or KICKs 1 min, $1 tip 1 min, follow 30 s.

  • Example: a short first run

    The starting rates with follows off. Start at 4 hours, cap at 12.

  • Example: a week-long run

    Half the starting rates: Tier 1 sub 2 min 30 s, 100 Bits or KICKs 30 s, $1 tip 30 s. Start at 24 hours, cap at 7 days.

A long run needs smaller numbers or the clock outruns you. Ko-fi, StreamElements, Streamlabs and PayPal tips can add time too.

Try your numbers in the subathon calculator

Blerp subathon timer rules adding 5 minutes for each Tier 1 sub on Twitch, Kick, TikTok, Rumble, X and YouTube

Set a cap and plan sleep and breaks

A cap is the latest your subathon can end. In Blerp it is a date and time: time past it still counts, but the timer on stream stops at the cap.

Pick a sleep rule and tell chat before you start. Blerp can pause the timer when your stream ends and resume it when you go live, following one platform: Twitch, Kick or X.

Blerp subathon timer settings with auto pause following Twitch and a subathon cap on a set date and time

Add the timer to OBS

Signing up is free; the subathon timer is part of Blerp Unlimited.

  1. 1

    Make the timer

    In Blerp, open Goals & Events, then Subathons.

    Blerp's Set up your subathon form with a subathon name and a starting time of 12 hours
  2. 2

    Copy the widget URL

    Press View All Widgets, then Copy Widget URL.

    Blerp Subathon Widgets window with Copy Widget URL buttons for the Subathon Timer and Timer Additions browser sources
  3. 3

    Add a browser source

    In OBS, add a Browser source and paste the URL.

What the subathon timer counts on each platform

Announce it and set goals

  • Post the date, start time, rules and cap a few days ahead.
  • Add the Timer Additions widget so viewers see what a sub or a tip adds.
  • Set milestone goals, like a challenge or a giveaway. A goal overlay shows how close you are.
Blerp Timer Additions widget showing viewers how much time platform currency, follows and raids add

During the run

  • Pause, resume, or add and remove time from the Subathons page.
  • Time counts on Blerp's servers, so events still add time if OBS restarts.
  • If the timer hits zero too soon, Add Time & Resume starts it again.
  • After the run, History keeps the time each rule added, for better numbers next time.
Blerp Resume This Subathon window for adding days, hours, minutes and seconds to a subathon timer that ran out

Kick, TikTok LIVE, YouTube and X

  • Kick

    Subs, gifted subs, follows and KICKs add time. Kick subathon timer

  • TikTok LIVE

    Gifts (per 100 Coins), follows, subscriptions and shares add time; likes do not. Press Start on TikTok Live in Integrations each stream. TikTok LIVE alerts

  • YouTube

    Memberships, Super Chats, Super Stickers, Jewels and new subscribers add time. Auto pause follows Twitch, Kick or X, not YouTube.

  • X

    Subs, follows, reposts and quotes add time, and auto pause can follow your X stream. How to go live on X

Questions

How long should a subathon be?

For a first run, a cap of a day or less keeps it manageable.

Can I sleep during a subathon?

Yes. Pause the timer while you sleep, or stay live on a sleep scene while it runs.

Can one timer count every platform?

Yes. One Blerp subathon timer can count Twitch, Kick, YouTube, TikTok LIVE, X and Rumble, plus Ko-fi, StreamElements, Streamlabs and PayPal tips.

Is the Blerp subathon timer free?

Signing up is free. The subathon timer is part of Blerp Unlimited. See plans

Updated October 30, 2026