How to get donations on TikTok LIVE: Gifts vs real money
Gifts are bought with Coins and paid out by TikTok. Share a donation link or QR code for direct card, iDEAL or Bancontact payments and keep both totals apart.
Quick answer: on TikTok LIVE, viewers support you with Gifts bought with Coins; you receive Diamonds, which TikTok pays out under its own rules. For direct money, share a donation link in your bio if your account can show one, or show a QR code: viewers pay on your page with a method you enabled, such as card, iDEAL, Bancontact, Apple Pay or Google Pay, without an account.
How viewers send Gifts and donations on TikTok LIVE
During a LIVE, a viewer taps the gift icon, picks a Gift and pays with Coins bought in the TikTok app. A direct donation happens outside the app: the viewer opens the link in your bio or scans the QR code on screen, chooses an amount and pays on your donation page.
Gifts and donations are different
Gifts are bought with Coins and converted through TikTok's creator economy. Their displayed value is not the same as cash revenue. A direct donation is processed by the donation platform and appears in that platform's transaction and payout records. DonoLink charges 3.5% per donation. Stripe charges processing fees separately: at standard rates, €0.29 for iDEAL and €0.35 for Bancontact. Cards and wallets can have different rates. For a €10 iDEAL donation you keep €9.36.
Step 1: create your donation page
Use your TikTok name and profile image, explain what the support funds and offer mobile-friendly payment methods. Keep the URL short enough to recognise when it appears outside the app.
Step 2: put the link in your TikTok bio
If your TikTok account shows a website field in your profile, add your donation page there with a short explanation. If it does not, share the link through a channel you point to from TikTok, or show your personal QR code on screen. Mention clearly that the link opens an external website.
Step 3: show donation alerts during your LIVE
Streaming your LIVE through OBS or TikTok LIVE Studio? Add the DonoLink alerts browser source and send a test alert; paid donations then appear on stream. TikTok Gifts, follows and subscriptions currently do not appear as DonoLink alerts. Gifts never count as DonoLink donations, goals or revenue.
Step 4: make support visible and normal
Pin a short explanation, use readable alerts and thank supporters without promising special treatment. Always test how the external page opens from TikTok's in-app browser; if it cannot finish a payment, viewers can open the link in their normal browser.
In short
Use Gifts as TikTok-native interaction and a donation page for direct payments. Keep their totals separate, offer a familiar mobile checkout and show paid donations with a DonoLink alert. Other TikTok income, from LIVE subscriptions to Creator Rewards, is covered in how to make money on TikTok.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a donation link for TikTok?
Create a DonoLink donation page and connect Stripe to receive payments. Share the link wherever your TikTok account can show external links, or use your personal QR code. Viewers pay on the external page; these donations are separate from TikTok Gifts.
Which donation platform works with TikTok?
DonoLink gives TikTok creators a fixed donation link and QR code for card, iDEAL and Bancontact donations. The link works outside TikTok; TikTok Gifts stay available inside TikTok LIVE.
Can I receive iDEAL donations via TikTok?
Yes. Share your DonoLink in or around your TikTok profile, or as a QR code during your LIVE. The viewer opens the link and pays with iDEAL without creating a DonoLink account.
Do TikTok Gifts count as DonoLink donations?
No. Gifts are bought with Coins inside TikTok and paid out by TikTok. Gifts never count as DonoLink donations, goals or revenue; only payments through your DonoLink do.
How do I donate to a creator during TikTok LIVE?
Send a Gift with Coins through the gift icon in the LIVE, or open the donation link in the creator’s bio or scan the QR code on screen and pay on their donation page. Only the link is a direct payment to the creator outside TikTok.