VTube Studio / App Q&A
Can you monetize VTube Studio for free?
When the paid version is required
You can test the app for free, but monetized use requires a paid version or DLC under the official guidance. The purchase depends on whether you track with a webcam or a phone.
If testing is free,
is monetization free too?
You can test how the app works for free. Commercial use, including advertising revenue and tips, requires a paid version or DLC.
Diagram: free testing lets you check your setup; monetized use has separate purchase requirements.
I want to see whether it works
VTube Studio reads your facial movements to animate a Live2D model. Both the desktop and mobile apps can be downloaded for free, so you can try them before purchasing.
On your own device, check face tracking and whether you can import the model you want to use. Check the model's availability and usage terms separately.
I want to use it in monetized streams
The official FAQ and license require at least one paid version or paid DLC for uses such as monetized YouTube videos and tips.
Commercial use requires a purchase even if you leave the watermark visible. Free testing and permission to monetize are separate questions.
This guide is for individual creators. Companies and agencies have additional licensing conditions. See section 2, License usage, in the official license ↗
Which paid option
should I buy, and where?
Choose according to the device that tracks your face. The official FAQ points webcam users to the Steam DLC and phone users to the mobile app's PRO purchase.
Diagram: webcam → Steam Remove Watermark DLC; phone camera → the mobile app's PRO purchase.
Here, “using a phone” means using the phone's camera for facial tracking. Whether a computer broadcasts the stream is a separate matter.
Tracking with a webcam
Try the desktop app on Steam, then look for VTube Studio - Remove Watermark. DLC is additional content for the app, and this DLC is a paid purchase.
It removes the watermark when using webcam tracking, but does not improve tracking accuracy. Installing the free base app is not a purchase.
View Remove Watermark on Steam ↗Tracking with a phone
Install the free iPhone, iPad or Android app and find PRO in the app's settings. PRO allows tracking data to be sent to a computer for longer than five minutes.
If you only use phone tracking, the official FAQ says that after buying mobile PRO, you do not need an additional Steam purchase.
What if I use both a webcam and a phone?
The official FAQ directs you to purchase on both mobile and Steam. The minimum purchase requirement for commercial use and the paid features for each tracking method are different conditions.
A purchase on one platform does not automatically unlock paid features on the other. Check the price and contents in the store or app you use. Read the official purchasing FAQ ↗
Three more things
to check before paying
Can I crop out the watermark and keep using it for free?
Watermark-free use requires a purchase even for noncommercial activity. The license includes cropping the watermark in software such as OBS among the uses requiring a paid version or DLC.
Does PRO give me unrestricted rights to a model?
The app and the model have separate licenses. Buying the paid app does not automatically permit monetization, merchandise or modifications to a model. Read the model's listing and terms too.
How to check model usage terms →If the free sample works, will my chosen model work?
A working sample is not a guarantee for a different model. Check each product's supported apps, system requirements and included files. A preview on a marketplace is also different from testing on your device.