How to Start an Emote Design Business: From Hobby to Income (2026)

If you've ever designed emotes for your own stream or helped a friend with theirs, you might have wondered: "Could I actually make money doing this?" The answer is absolutely yes. The streaming industry continues to grow, and every new streamer needs custom emotes. Someone has to make them—why not you?

I've watched countless emote artists go from hobbyists to full-time professionals. The path isn't always straightforward, but it's definitely achievable. Here's what I've learned about turning emote design into a real business.

Is There Really Demand for Emote Artists?

Let's start with the market reality:

• Twitch: Over 9 million active streamers, many reaching Affiliate/Partner status monthly
• YouTube Gaming: Growing creator base with membership features
• Kick: Newer platform actively recruiting creators who need emotes
• Discord: Millions of servers wanting custom emoji

Every day, new streamers hit Affiliate and unlock emote slots for the first time. Most have no design skills. They need someone like you.

Skills You Need (And Don't Need)

Essential Skills

• Digital illustration basics: You don't need to be a master—emotes are tiny and stylized
• Understanding of emote constraints: Designing for 28×28 pixels requires specific techniques
• Color theory fundamentals: Limited palettes, high contrast, readable at small sizes
• Basic client communication: Understanding what clients want and managing expectations

Nice to Have (But Not Required)

• Animation skills (for animated emotes—higher prices)
• Art degree or formal training
• Years of professional experience
• Massive social media following

Some of the most successful emote artists I know are self-taught and started with minimal followers. What matters is consistent quality and good business practices.

Building Your Portfolio

Before you can sell emotes, you need to show people what you can do. Here's how to build a portfolio from scratch:

Option 1: Create Spec Work

Design emotes for imaginary clients or for your own use. Create a set of 5-10 emotes that showcase your range: different expressions, styles, and subject matter.

Option 2: Offer Discounted Work

Find small streamers willing to work with a new artist in exchange for reduced rates. Be upfront that you're building your portfolio. Many will be happy to help—they get cheap emotes, you get real samples.

Option 3: Community Giveaways

Offer free emotes in streamer communities or Discord servers. Choose recipients whose content aligns with your style. The goodwill generates referrals.

What to Include in Your Portfolio

• At least 10-15 finished emotes
• Different styles (chibi, realistic, mascot, text-based)
• Both static and animated examples (if you do animation)
• Before/after showing your process
• Emotes displayed at actual size AND enlarged

Where to Showcase Your Work

Essential Platforms

• Twitter/X: The streaming community lives here. Post your work with relevant hashtags (#emoteartist, #TwitchEmotes)
• Fiverr/Etsy: Marketplaces where clients actively search for emote artists
• Personal website/portfolio: Even a simple Carrd or Notion page works

Secondary Platforms

• DeviantArt: Still active for digital art
• Instagram: Good for visual portfolios
• TikTok: Process videos can go viral
• Discord servers: Many have self-promotion channels for artists

Pricing Your Emotes

Pricing is where most new artists struggle. Here's a framework:

Research the Market

Check what established artists charge on Fiverr, Twitter, and artist directories. You'll find a range from $5 to $200+ per emote depending on style, experience, and turnaround time.

Starting Rates (New Artists)

• Static emotes: $10-25 per emote
• Animated emotes: $25-50 per emote
• Bundle deals: Offer 5-pack or 10-pack discounts

Established Artist Rates

• Static emotes: $30-75 per emote
• Animated emotes: $50-150+ per emote
• Rush fees: 50-100% extra for fast turnaround

Premium/Specialist Rates

• Static emotes: $75-200+ per emote
• Animated emotes: $150-400+ per emote
• Full branding packages: $500-2000+ (emotes, badges, panels, alerts)

Don't Undersell Yourself

It's tempting to charge rock-bottom prices to get clients. Resist this. Ultra-low prices attract difficult clients and undervalue your work. Charge fairly from the start, even if you're new.

Finding Clients

Passive Methods

• Fiverr/Etsy listings: Clients come to you
• SEO on your portfolio: Rank for "Twitch emote artist"
• Referrals: Happy clients tell their streamer friends

Active Methods

• Networking in Discord servers: Many have "looking-for-artist" channels
• Twitter engagement: Interact with streamers, share your work regularly
• Reaching out to new Affiliates: They just unlocked emote slots and need help

Building Recurring Business

The best clients come back for more. When a streamer's channel grows, they unlock more emote slots. If you did great work the first time, you're their obvious choice for the next batch.

The Commission Process

A smooth process builds trust and encourages referrals:

1. Initial Inquiry

Client reaches out. Ask about their channel, what expressions/themes they want, deadline, and budget. Share your pricing and terms.

2. Quote and Agreement

Provide a clear quote. Many artists use a simple contract or terms-of-service document. Include revision limits, usage rights, and payment terms.

3. Deposit

Request 50% upfront before starting work. This protects you from clients who disappear.

4. Sketches

Provide rough sketches for approval before detailed work. This saves time if the client wants changes.

5. Final Artwork

Complete the emotes, get approval, request final payment.

6. Delivery

Provide all sizes properly formatted. Using a tool like StreamEmote to generate all platform sizes from your source file makes this effortless.

7. Follow-Up

Check in after a week. Ask if they're happy. Request a testimonial or portfolio permission.

Tools of the Trade

For Creation

• Procreate (iPad): Popular for digital illustration, $13 one-time
• Photoshop: Industry standard, subscription required
• Clip Studio Paint: Great for illustration, affordable
• Aseprite: Perfect for pixel art style emotes, $20
• Photopea: Free Photoshop alternative in browser

For Resizing

• StreamEmote: Free, generates all platform sizes instantly

For Business

• PayPal/Stripe: Payment processing
• Notion/Trello: Project management
• Google Drive: File delivery and backup
• Canva: Quick mockups and social graphics

Scaling Your Business

Raise Prices as Demand Increases

When you have more inquiries than you can handle, it's time to raise rates. This is a good problem to have.

Create Packages

Offer "Starter Packages" (5 emotes + badges) or "Full Brand Kits" (emotes, panels, alerts, banner). Packages increase average order value.

Consider Passive Income

• Pre-made emote packs: Generic designs sold multiple times
• Tutorials/courses: Teach others your techniques
• Templates: Sell editable emote bases

Stay Consistent

Post regularly on social media. Consistency beats virality for long-term client acquisition.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Working Without a Deposit

Always, always get paid upfront. Clients who refuse deposits are clients who won't pay.

Unlimited Revisions

Specify revision limits (2-3 is standard). Unlimited revisions lead to scope creep and undervalued work.

No Written Agreement

Even a simple email confirming scope and price protects both parties. "We agreed I'd make 5 static emotes for $100, payment split 50/50."

Underpricing to Get Clients

Low prices attract low-quality clients who are hard to please. Charge what your work is worth.

Final Thoughts

Starting an emote design business doesn't require a massive investment or formal credentials. What it requires is consistent practice, professional behavior, and the willingness to put yourself out there.

The streaming industry isn't slowing down. Every month, thousands of new streamers reach Affiliate status and need their first custom emotes. That's thousands of potential clients looking for someone exactly like you.

Start small. Build your portfolio. Charge fairly. Deliver quality. The rest will follow.

And when you're ready to deliver perfectly sized emotes to your clients across every platform, StreamEmote handles the resizing so you can focus on what you do best: creating great art.