Most developers think of chat, video, and feeds as simply baseline user expectations. But implemented well, these tools become revenue drivers for the business.
The math is straightforward.
Engaged users spend more time in your app, and time spent correlates directly with monetizable actions. It could be placing bets, completing purchases, paying for premium features, or even staying subscribed long enough to renew. Stream's real-time communication APIs create opportunities for these behaviors.
This guide breaks down how to use Stream's products—chat, video, activity feeds, and moderation—to monetize your app across different verticals.
Overview: How Does User Engagement Turn into Revenue?
Transaction-based apps (marketplaces, gambling, finance): More time in the app = more transactions. It's often a 1:1 correlation. A gambling app sees users place more bets when those users engage in live chat. A trading platform with active discussion forums sees higher trading volume.
Subscription apps (dating, creator platforms, education): Engagement drives retention. Users who are actively chatting, watching videos, or participating in communities don't churn. They renew subscriptions and upgrade to premium tiers.
Commission-based apps (live shopping, delivery, gig economy): More completed transactions stem from better communication experiences. When buyers and sellers can chat or when delivery drivers can update customers in-app, transactions close faster and customers are more satisfied, leading to repeat business.
We see this pattern across verticals. Features that increase engagement create more opportunities for users to spend money.
Let’s break it down by vertical.
Live Shopping & Commerce
The more engaged viewers are in live shopping apps, the more they buy.
Chat Increases Purchases
In live auction and shopping experiences, in-app chat can facilitate three things:
1) Competition = more bids: Chat gets people vying with each other. When viewers see someone else interested in the same item, they're more likely to bid.
2) Live questions = more buyer confidence: When sellers can answer questions in the moment, buyers feel confident enough to make a purchase.
3) App retention = longer sessions. App retention increases because buyers have no reason to move to external messaging apps. Chat features like image sharing, negotiation threads, and order updates make the process easy in-app.
Example: CollX noticed collectors were already negotiating deals through chat organically, so they leaned in and built a Deals feature on top of it, completing 1,500+ sales within days of launch and achieving a 75% chat user retention rate.
Sneaker trading platform Tradeblock had a similar realization: users were ready to trade but needed to ask one question or request a photo first. Without chat, they were losing transactions. Once they added it, chat became the glue that made trading possible.
Livestreaming Increases Commissions
Video shopping lets hosts demonstrate products in motion. For example, clothing can be tried on and shown from different angles, or a coffee machine can be demoed live to make a latte. This format dramatically outperforms traditional e-commerce.
Example: TikTok Shop enables hosts to showcase products via livestream while answering viewer questions in chat. This interaction builds trust faster than static product pages. Livestream shopping conversion rates reach up to 30%, about 10x higher than traditional ecommerce, and live shoppers have a customer lifetime value nearly 200% higher than standard online shoppers.
Moderation Prevents Revenue Loss
Safe marketplace experiences encourage more transactions. When buyers and sellers trust the platform, they're more likely to complete purchases (and less likely to take transactions off-platform).
Gambling, Finance, & Prediction Markets
Social features in gambling and trading apps keep users engaged longer and reduce hesitation, which means they bet more.
Copy Bets Increase Betting & Trading Volume
Social betting features let users follow and copy expert bettors and investors. This increases bets and trades across the platform.
How it works:
- Laura specializes in tennis betting, so Tim chooses to “follow” her bets.
- When Laura places a bet, her followers (including Tim) get notified and can copy it with one tap.
- This creates cross-betting, where users who only bet on, say, football start betting on tennis because they trust Laura’s picks.
- More bets placed = more revenue for the platform.
Example: Dabble's "Copy Bet" feature loads user one’s selection(s) directly to user two’s betslip. User two only has to input the amount of money they’re betting, and tap “Copy Bet.” PrizePicks and Robinhood take a similar approach, surfacing what others are picking and trading to nudge users toward more activity.
Similarly, eToro built its entire platform around copy trading. Users can browse top-performing traders, see their strategies and returns, and copy their entire portfolio with one click. This feature dramatically increases trading volume; users who might make five trades per month independently could make 50+ trades per month by copying active traders.
Premium Channels Monetize Expert “Signals”
Influencers and expert bettors can run paid chat channels where subscribers get betting tips, live match analysis, and signals on when to place bets or make trades.
Example: Action Network lets users follow professional handicappers and sharp bettors. When these experts make picks, followers get push notifications. This creates immediate betting action. Users see "Sharp bettor John just took the over on Lakers-Celtics" and place their bet right away, leading to more transaction volume for the platform.
Community Discussion Increases Betting Activity
Sports aren’t the only place for predictions. Politics, reality TV, entertainment, and even crypto prices are now betting markets. Group chats let users discuss trades, share insights, and learn from each other, so they trade more frequently and with more confidence.
How it works:
- Users join a group chat to discuss an upcoming election or reality show finale.
- The discussion builds conviction in their predictions, so they place larger bets or make multiple bets on related outcomes.
- Active chat = more betting activity.
Example: Polymarket lets users trade on everything from election outcomes to award show winners. The community effect is real: ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, monthly active traders more than doubled, from 80,000 to over 191,000, and trading volume jumped more than threefold, from $503 million to nearly $2 billion in a single month.
Creator Economy & Live Events
Virtual events platforms that enable creators to monetize their audience through gated features see two revenue streams: subscription fees from fans and platform fees from creators.
Gated Content Increases Subscriptions
Creators offer free public content to build an audience, then charge for exclusive access to premium experiences like private chat rooms, extended video content, or live Q&A sessions.
How it works:
- A creator builds a following with free content (public podcasts, videos, streams).
- They offer a premium tier with exclusive chat access and bonus video content.
- Fans pay monthly subscriptions to interact directly with the creator.
- The platform takes a percentage of subscription revenue.
Example: On Patreon, podcasters Dan and Phil offer free public episodes plus a premium tier. Premium subscribers get access to private chat sessions and exclusive video content with the hosts. Fans pay for the intimate interaction, and Patreon takes a cut of every subscription.
24/7 Livestreaming → Platform Lock-In
When platforms give creators unlimited livestreaming capabilities, creators build their entire business on that platform. This creates long-term recurring revenue for the platform.
Example: Artists like Deadmau5 use Patreon for 24/7 livestream access to build their fanbase and monetize through the platform. Switching platforms means rebuilding everything from scratch, so creators stay and keep paying platform fees.
Tiered Access Creates Multiple Revenue Streams
Different levels of fan engagement justify different price points. Platforms can offer basic follows (free), standard subscriptions (chat access), and VIP tiers (video calls, exclusive content).
For example:
- Free tier: Follow and view public content
- Standard tier ($10/month): Access to creators’ chat community and bonus content
- VIP tier ($50/month): Monthly 1:1 video calls or small group sessions
- App takes 10-30% of all paid tiers
Dating
Dating apps are highly competitive. A modern chat interface keeps users in your app, equating to more revenue.
Modern Chat UX Brings Users
Users want instant messaging, read receipts, typing indicators, and media sharing. If your chat feels outdated, users will switch to an app that feels more responsive, and you lose revenue.
Example: Bumble's time-limited first messages create urgency. Women have 24 hours to send the first message after matching, and men have 24 hours to respond. This messaging mechanic is a core differentiator that sets Bumble apart from competitors and helps them recruit users.
Paired takes a different approach. Rather than urgency, they use chat to keep couples coming back daily. Streak-based quizzes and questions prompt partners to keep the conversation going in-app, driving the kind of habitual engagement that creates long-term subscribers.
Premium Features = Subscription Revenue
Free users get basic messaging. Paying users get features that increase their chances of matching and connecting.
The opportunity here is significant: the dating app market generated $6.18 billion in revenue in 2024, yet only about 25 million of 350 million users pay for premium features. Tinder alone has 60 million active users but just 9.6 million subscribers; every percentage point of conversion is worth hundreds of millions in revenue.
Monetizable features:
- Unlimited likes/messages: Free users hit daily limits; premium users don't
- 1:1 video calls: Users verify matches before meeting in person
- Read receipts: See when matches read your messages
- Priority messaging: Your messages appear at the top of their inbox
- Message before matching: Reach out to people you're interested in without waiting for a mutual like
- Advanced filters: Search by specific criteria and message those matches directly
Moderation Means Retention
The biggest pain point in dating apps is often trust. Users get bored when conversations go stagnant, and they leave when they feel unsafe or harassed. But when an app combines engaging chat features with strong safety guardrails, it creates an environment where users feel confident that the app can actually help them find the right person.
So, they stick around longer and spend more.
Moderation catches harassment, spam, and inappropriate content before it pushes users away. This includes flagging inappropriate messages, photos, and profile content, and allowing users to report problematic behavior.
Gaming
In gaming, players who chat stay in the game longer, which means more opportunities for in-game purchases.
Chat Increases Player Retention & Spend
When players can communicate with teammates, coordinate strategies, and build friendships, they're less likely to leave for another game. Case in point: when Fortnite released its Party Royale mode, average time spent in the game increased by 130%.
Players who stick around longer spend more money, everything from cosmetics to upgrades to premium features.
Example: When Pokémon GO introduced social features (gifting and joint raids), players sent 2.2 billion gifts to friends in just three months. Fortnite takes it even further. By combining social play with exclusive cosmetics and live events, roughly 70% of its players spend money in-game, averaging around $85 each.
Moderation Prevents Toxicity (and Revenue Loss)
When harassment appears, good players leave. And they take their wallets with them.
Example: Rush Street Interactive, one of North America's leading online casino and sports betting platforms, uses chat moderation to protect a player base that generates $1.13 billion in annual revenue, where the average North American player is worth $331 per month. Junglee Games, home to 150 million+ users across Junglee Rummy, Junglee Poker, and Howzat, extends that safety layer to video moderation, ensuring every player interaction reflects the trusted environment their community expects.
EdTech
When students, teachers, and parents feel connected in educational platforms, they stay enrolled longer, which means continued tuition revenue.
Video Makes Learning More Contextual… and Lucrative
Video-based discussions and tutoring sessions create stronger learning experiences than text-based forums or pre-recorded lectures alone.
Students can post video questions showing their work or explaining where they're stuck. Teachers or peers respond with video explanations, walking through problems step-by-step. Better learning outcomes = higher student satisfaction = lower churn.
And when video lives natively inside the app (rather than redirecting students to Zoom or Google Meet) learners stay on the platform after the session ends. That's when the upsell happens: a student who just finished a live tutoring session is the warmest possible audience for a related course, a premium subscription, or a follow-up session.
In fact, 60-70% of profits in the edtech industry come from existing customers rather than new ones.
Off-platform = lost revenue. On-platform = more opportunities to convert.
Activity Feeds Build Communities
Feeds play a large role in building student and parent investment.
How it works:
- Visibility: Through an in-app feed, students get updates on grades, assignment feedback, and upcoming deadlines. Parents see their child's progress, homework assignments, and school announcements.
- Engagement → enrollment retention: When parents see consistent updates and students feel part of a team, they're more likely to stay enrolled. For private schools and paid platforms, this directly translates to continued tuition payments.
- Long-term monetization: This community extends to alumni networks, creating long-term revenue opportunities with donations from engaged alumni.
Healthcare/ Telehealth
Telehealth platforms can see more patients and cut operational costs through video consultations, chat, and AI automation. The result: higher patient volume and better margins.
Virtual Visits Increase Patient Volume
Video consultations let healthcare providers see significantly more patients than traditional in-office visits. No time is lost to patient travel or waiting rooms, providers can schedule back-to-back video appointments, and extended hours become feasible with evening and weekend appointments that wouldn't work for a physical office.
A doctor seeing 20 patients per day in-office might see 30 - 40 patients per day with virtual appointments. More patients = more billable visits = more revenue.
Example: It's Complicated, a therapy community platform based in Berlin, found that reliable video directly unlocked new revenue streams. Multi-participant call capabilities allowed them to expand into family and group therapy markets they previously couldn't serve.
AI Automation Reduces Operational Costs
Chatbots and automated workflows handle administrative tasks that would otherwise require staff, lowering payroll costs and improving profit margins.
What can be automated:
- Intake forms: Patients fill out medical history and symptoms via chat (with the help of voice agents) before their appointment
- Insurance verification: Bots collect insurance information and verify coverage
- Appointment reminders: Automated messages reduce no-shows
- Follow-up care: Bots check in with patients post-visit and schedule follow-ups to create additional billable touchpoints
Moderation Creates Safer Environments
Patients need to feel comfortable opening up to healthcare providers. Secure, private, HIPAA-compliant communication tools are preferred over cell phone calls or crowded waiting rooms.
When patients trust their provider, they come back for follow-up care and recommend the platform to others. The result? Lifetime patient value.
Delivery & Logistics
Delivery apps with direct communication between drivers, customers, and support teams create revenue opportunities.
Anonymous Chat Protects Privacy and Enables Upselling
In-app chat improves communication, leading to better delivery experiences, meaning users choose your app for repeat orders (= increased revenue).
How it works:
- Drivers can send updates ("Running 5 minutes late" or "Can't find your building entrance").
- Customers can provide special instructions without a phone call.
- Both parties stay anonymous; no personal numbers exchanged.
- Drivers can offer upsells through chat at optimal moments ("Want to add drinks to your order? I can grab them now").
In-App Chat Reduces Support Costs
When drivers and customers can resolve issues directly through chat, fewer problems escalate to expensive customer support calls. Automated responses can handle common questions like “Where's my order?" and chat history provides context if a support ticket does get opened.
The impact on revenue: chat automation cuts operational support costs by approximately 30% and reduces response times by 69%. Klarna took it even further. Their AI assistant handled over 2.3 million conversations, doing the equivalent work of 700 full-time agents and saving an estimated $40 million annually.
Marketplaces
The more transactions that happen on a marketplace platform, the more revenue you generate.
Trust Increases Transactions
Safe chat experiences increase the likelihood of a sale.
If buyers can ask questions about product condition, sizing, or shipping before purchasing, the sellers can respond quickly with photos, measurements, or additional details. More trust means more completed purchases, which means more commission revenue for your app.
This is especially true in real estate, where the stakes are higher and the sales cycle is longer. The common objection is that email and text work just fine, but 45.8% of consumers actually prefer messaging apps over email when communicating with a business, and email conversion rates in real estate sit at just 1.4%. When conversations happen off-platform, you lose visibility into where deals stand, you can't surface relevant listings at the right moment, and you have no way to step in if a conversation goes cold.
Example: Furnished Finder saw a 10% increase in unique daily users interacting with chat after keeping conversations on-platform. Buyers and sellers could exchange screening details, coordinate move-in dates, and finalize lease terms all within the app.
Keep Transactions On-Platform
If your chat supports everything buyers and sellers need (read: image sharing, offer negotiation, shipping updates), they have no reason to move to external messaging apps and negotiate payment out-of-app — which, would lead to lost revenue for you.
Make sure you’re providing chat features like image sharing, negotiation tools (offer/counteroffer buttons), and order tracking and shipping updates. Then, use moderation to flag and prevent users from sharing contact information
The Bottom Line
Chat, video, feeds, and moderation are revenue infrastructure.
They directly drive monetizable actions: more bets placed, more purchases completed, more subscriptions renewed, more transactions kept on-platform.
We see this same dynamic in every vertical. Engaged users generate more revenue. This applies to marketplaces, betting platforms, creator economy apps, telehealth services, you name it.
Ready to monetize your in-app communication? Get in touch with our sales team.