Add a Leaderboard Panel to Your Stream

Adding a leaderboard panel to your stream lets viewers see top chatters, followers, or gifters in real time, which encourages engagement and friendly competition. This guide walks you through setting up a leaderboard using a free overlay tool and connecting it to your streaming software. You’ll need your streaming account (Twitch, YouTube, or Kick), a browser, and your broadcasting software (OBS Studio, Streamlabs, etc.).

What You’ll Need

• A streaming account (Twitch, YouTube, or Kick)
• Broadcasting software (OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, or similar)
• A free account with an overlay service (like StreamElements or Streamlabs)
• Internet connection and a browser

Step-by-Step

1. Choose an overlay service. The most common free options are StreamElements and Streamlabs. Both offer leaderboard widgets that update automatically. For this guide, we’ll use StreamElements, but the steps are similar for Streamlabs.
2. Create an account and connect your streaming platform. Go to the service’s website, sign up, and link your streaming account (Twitch, YouTube, or Kick). This allows the service to read chat and event data.
3. Open the overlay editor. After logging in, find the “Overlays” section in the dashboard. Click “Create New Overlay” and give it a name like “Leaderboard”.
4. Add the leaderboard widget. In the overlay editor, click the “+” button (or “Add Widget”) and search for “Leaderboard”. Select it from the list. It will appear on the canvas.
5. Customize the leaderboard. Click the widget on the canvas to open its settings. You can choose the type of leaderboard (e.g., “Chat”, “Followers”, “Subscribers”, “Gifters”), the time period (e.g., “Today”, “This Week”, “All Time”), and the number of entries to show (e.g., top 5, top 10). You can also adjust colors, fonts, and animation effects to match your stream’s theme.
6. Copy the overlay URL. Once you’re happy with the design, click “Done” or “Save”. Then click the “Copy URL” button (or find the overlay URL in the dashboard). This URL points to your leaderboard widget.
7. Add the overlay to your broadcasting software. Open OBS Studio (or Streamlabs Desktop). In the Sources panel, click the “+” button and choose “Browser”. Name the source (e.g., “Leaderboard”) and click “OK”.
8. Paste the URL and set dimensions. In the Browser Source properties, paste the copied URL into the “URL” field. Set the width and height to match your desired size (e.g., 400×600). You can also check “Refresh browser when scene becomes active” to ensure it updates when you switch scenes.
9. Position and scale the leaderboard. Click “OK” to close the properties. Now you can drag the leaderboard source in the preview to position it where you want (e.g., top right corner). Use the red handles to resize it as needed.
10. Test it. Go live or run a test stream. Have a friend chat or follow to see if the leaderboard updates. If it doesn’t, refresh the browser source by clicking the refresh icon next to the source in OBS or by toggling the visibility.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to connect your streaming account. If the overlay service isn’t linked to your Twitch/YouTube/Kick, it won’t have data to show.
• Using the wrong URL. Make sure you copy the overlay URL, not the widget URL or your dashboard URL. The overlay URL usually ends with “/overlay/…”
• Setting the browser source size too small. If the leaderboard is cut off, you need to increase the width and height in the Browser Source properties.
• Not refreshing after changes. If you edit the leaderboard in the overlay editor, you may need to refresh the browser source in OBS to see the changes.
• Overlapping other elements. Make sure the leaderboard doesn’t cover important parts of your game or camera.

Tips

• Use a semi-transparent background. This makes the leaderboard readable without blocking the view.
• Show it only during specific scenes. Add the browser source to a “BRB” or “Stream Starting” scene, or toggle it on during slow moments.
• Set a reasonable time period. “Last 24 hours” resets daily, which keeps it fresh. “All Time” can be dominated by the same people, reducing motivation.
• Highlight the top 3. Use different colors for the top 3 entries to make them stand out.
• Test with a friend. Have a friend send a few messages to confirm the leaderboard updates in real time.

Troubleshooting

• Leaderboard is blank. Check that your streaming account is connected in the overlay service. Also verify that the browser source is visible (not hidden) and the URL is correct. Refresh the source.
• Leaderboard doesn’t update. If it worked but stopped, the overlay service may be having issues. Try refreshing the browser source. If it’s a Twitch extension, check if the extension is active.
• Leaderboard is too small or too large. Adjust the width/height in the Browser Source properties. You can also scale the source in OBS by dragging the corners while holding Shift to maintain aspect ratio.
• Text is blurry. Increase the browser source resolution (e.g., 1920×1080) and then scale down in OBS. This keeps the text crisp.
• Overlay service is down. If the service is having an outage, your leaderboard will not display. Check their status page or Twitter. As a backup, you can use a static image of a leaderboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I show a leaderboard for channel points or bits?

Yes, most overlay services offer a “Channel Points” or “Bits” leaderboard. In the widget settings, choose the type accordingly. For bits, you may need to enable “Bits” events in your streaming platform.

Does the leaderboard work for YouTube or Kick?

Yes, both StreamElements and Streamlabs support YouTube and Kick. Just connect the respective account when setting up.

Can I have multiple leaderboards (e.g., one for chat, one for followers)?

Absolutely. You can create multiple overlay URLs or add multiple leaderboard widgets to the same overlay, each with different settings.

Will the leaderboard slow down my stream?

No, the leaderboard is a browser source that runs separately from your game. It uses minimal resources. However, if you have many browser sources, they can add up, so close any you’re not using.

Can I style the leaderboard to match my stream theme?

Yes, the widget settings allow you to change colors, fonts, background, and even add custom CSS. StreamElements and Streamlabs both have extensive customization options.

How often does the leaderboard update?

It updates in real time, usually within a few seconds of a new chat message or follow. There may be a slight delay of 1-2 seconds due to the overlay service’s polling.

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