Home › Glossary › What is a subathon?
A subathon is a stream with a countdown attached to it, where each subscription or donation adds time to the clock.
The streamer sets a starting timer and a conversion rate — so much time per subscription. Support extends the clock, so the audience collectively decides how long the stream runs.
It turns individual support into a shared, visible goal, and gives lapsed viewers a reason to check in on something already in progress.
A successful subathon can run for days or weeks. Streamers who set no cap have found themselves sleeping on camera to keep a promise, which is where the format shades into a health problem.
Search a streamer's whole archive by the second →