TikTok coins are the in-app currency of the video-sharing app. You can purchase TikTok coins by entering your bank card information or a PayPal account.

But once you have a bank of coins, what do you use them for? Here are the ways you can spend these coins within the TikTok app.

1. Sending Gifts on TikTok Live

One of the cheapest things you can buy with your TikTok coins is a gift for a TikTok creator. TikTok gifts vary in price, and are represented by different emoticons. Once a creator has stocked up enough gifts, they can exchange them for money. Sending gifts on TikTok is essentially a virtual tip.

One of the places you can send gifts to a creator is on their TikTok Live. When you purchase a gift to send on a TikTok Live, a notification will appear on the screen for everyone, including the creator. This allows the creator to see who is sending them gifts and typically thank them in real-time. Sending gifts to a creator on TikTok Live is a good way to get a shoutout.

To send a gift to a creator during their TikTok Live, follow these steps:

  1. Join the TikTok Live of the creator you would like to send a gift to.
  2. Tap the gift box icon in the bottom-right corner
  3. Select the gift you would like to send, depending on how many coins you want to spend.
  4. Tap Send.

Once you have sent a gift, you will see the icon corresponding to your gift appear on the screen as well as a comment that says you have sent a gift to the creator.

Beyond sending gifts to the creator, there are a few other ways you can improve your TikTok Live viewing experience.

2. Sending Gifts in a Creator's Comment Section

Another way you can support your favorite creator is by sending gifts to them through their comment section. Some creators don't utilize the TikTok Live feature, so if you want to show your support, the comment section would be the place to do that.

To send a gift to a creator using the comment section, follow these steps:

  1. Find a TikTok video from the creator you wish to send a gift to.
  2. Open the comment section of the video.
  3. Tap the gift box icon in the bottom-right corner.
  4. Choose the gift you would like to send, based on how many coins you are willing to spend.
  5. Tap Send in the bottom-right corner.

3. Buying a TikTok Promotion

Another way you can spend your TikTok coins is through TikTok Promote. TikTok Promote is a feature that allows you to boost a TikTok video over a set amount of days. TikTok promotions cost more money depending on how long you choose to run your promotion and how many views you wish to get.

If you would like to purchase a TikTok promotion, follow these steps:

  1. Find the TikTok video you would like to promote. Note that TikTok videos containing certain sounds won't be eligible for promotion, due to copyright limits. Use copyright-free audio, or create your own original audio, to ensure you can use the Promote tool.
  2. Tap the three dots.
  3. Tap on the fire icon.
  4. Choose the goal of your promotion. TikTok gives your three options: more engagement, more website visits, or more followers.
  5. Choose your audience. You can either let TikTok choose your target audience or customize your own. Customizations include gender, age, and interests.
  6. Set the budget and duration of your promotion. Note that this step appears in dollar amount, but you still have to purchase the promotion using TikTok coins converted from this price point.
  7. Purchase your promotion. If you don't have enough coins, you can recharge them and then purchase the promotion.

TikTok promotions can cost as little as $5 (approximately 506 coins) and up to as much as $7,000 (approximately 707,072 coins).

Are TikTok Coins Useful?

TikTok coins can be used in a few different ways. If you are someone who likes to show their support financially, coins are a good way to virtually tip your favorite creators.

But if you don't want to send gifts to creators or use the promotion feature, you won't need to use coins on TikTok unless the platform introduces more uses in the future.

If you are someone who is trying to grow their account on TikTok, coins can be used to boost your posts to reach a wider audience.