Start Camming — Your Honest Guide to Getting Started

For Women

Your questions, answered honestly

These are the real questions women ask before they start. No sugarcoating.

🔒 Safety & Privacy

Yes, if you take basic precautions. You control your room — you decide what you show, who you talk to, and what you're comfortable with. Every major platform gives you tools to block regions (so people in your city can't find you), ban users instantly, and set your own rules. You're never required to do anything you don't want to.

That said, there are real risks: screen recording exists, and you should assume anything on camera could potentially be saved. That's why anonymity tools matter (more on that below).

Mostly, yes. You pick your stage name, and you never have to show your face if you don't want to. Many successful models only show body, or wear masks, or use creative angles. You can also block entire countries or states from seeing your room.

The one exception: ID verification. Platforms are legally required to verify you're 18+. Your real ID is submitted once during signup, but it's kept private and never shown to viewers. This is a legal requirement, not optional — any platform that doesn't require it is operating illegally and you should avoid it.

Use geo-blocking from day one. Block your home state/country. Use a VPN. Choose a stage name that has zero connection to your real identity. Don't show identifiable tattoos, birthmarks, or your bedroom if it's recognizable.

If someone does find you? Remember — they were also on the site. That's usually enough to keep people quiet.

No. Camming income is reported as self-employment or independent contractor income. Your tax forms say the platform's parent company name (which is generic), not "cam site." Background checks don't search cam sites. As long as you use a stage name and don't link your real social media, there's no trail.

💰 Money & Earnings

It varies wildly. Some models make $50/week as a side thing. Others make $5,000–$20,000+/month as a full-time gig. Your earnings depend on consistency, personality, niche, and how well you engage your audience.

Realistic expectations for the first month: $200–$1,000 if you stream regularly (3-4 times/week, 2-3 hours). It builds over time as you develop regulars. The models who make real money treat it like a business — consistent schedule, audience building, and personality.

Women generally earn more per hour than men on cam sites due to higher demand, but competition is also fiercer.

Viewers send tips/tokens during your stream. The platform converts those to real money. Most platforms pay via direct deposit, wire transfer, Paxum, or check — usually weekly or bi-weekly. Minimum payouts are typically $50–$100.

The platform takes a cut (usually 40–50%), and you keep the rest. So if a viewer spends $10, you typically get $5–$6. It adds up fast with multiple viewers tipping simultaneously.

Yes. In the US, cam income is self-employment income. You'll receive a 1099 if you earn over $600. You can deduct expenses (equipment, internet, portion of rent for your workspace, outfits, etc.). We strongly recommend setting aside 25-30% for taxes and talking to an accountant — a lot of your expenses are more deductible than you'd think.

🚀 Getting Started

To start: literally just a laptop with a webcam and decent internet. That's it. Your phone works too on some platforms. Don't invest in expensive gear before you've even tried it.

To level up later: A Logitech C920 or C922 webcam ($60-80), a ring light ($20-30), and a clean/cute background. Total investment: under $150. Many top models started with just their phone.

No. Some of the highest-earning models do "tease" shows, ASMR, conversation/companionship streams, or dance/fitness content. Nudity can increase tips, but it's absolutely not required. You set your own boundaries — always. Many models use tip menus where specific actions happen at specific tip amounts, so you stay in control.

For women just starting out, here are the top picks:

Chaturbate

Biggest audience. Best for new models. Huge traffic.

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Stripchat

Great discovery features. Strong international traffic.

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Our advice: Sign up on 2 platforms. Try both for a week. See where you get more traffic and feel more comfortable. You can always switch or run both.

For Men

Real talk — here's what to actually expect

The landscape is different for guys. Here's what nobody else tells you.

💡 The Real Talk

Yes — but the audience is different than you might expect. The majority of paying viewers for male cam models are other men. If you're comfortable with that, there's real money to be made. If you're only interested in performing for women, earnings will be significantly lower — the market just isn't there in the same way.

Models who embrace the actual audience and engage authentically do well. Models who fight against it don't.

Generally less per hour than women, but still solid side income. Realistic first month: $100–$500 streaming regularly. Guys who build a following and treat it seriously can hit $2,000–$5,000+/month.

The money is in building regulars — repeat viewers who come back for you specifically. Personality matters more than looks. Consistent schedule is everything.

Not at all, but be realistic about the market. Many straight guys cam successfully for a primarily male audience. You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with — you set your own boundaries. Some straight guys do solo shows only, some do "gay for pay" content, some just chat and flex.

The key is being genuine and not hostile toward your audience. If you're respectful and engaging, your orientation doesn't matter to most viewers.

🔒 Safety & Privacy

Same rules as everyone — yes. Stage name, geo-block your area, don't show identifiable features you don't want seen. Many male models never show face. Some show face but block their region. You choose your comfort level.

ID verification is required (legal requirement to prove you're 18+), but your real name is never shown to viewers.

Cam income is self-employment income. You'll get a 1099 if you earn over $600/year. The parent company names on tax docs are generic and don't scream "cam site." Your employer won't know unless you tell them.

Set aside 25-30% for taxes. Equipment, internet, and workspace are deductible. Talk to a tax professional.

🚀 Getting Started

Laptop + webcam + internet. Start there. Seriously. Don't buy a $200 ring light before your first stream. Your phone camera might even work on some platforms.

When you're ready to invest: Logitech C920 webcam (~$70), basic lighting (~$25), clean background. Done. Under $100.

For men, these are the strongest platforms:

Chaturbate

Largest male model section. Most traffic for guys by far.

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Stripchat

Growing male section. Good discovery algorithm.

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CamSoda

Smaller but less competition. Easier to stand out.

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Best move: Start on Chaturbate — it has the biggest male audience. Add a second platform once you've got your rhythm.

Compare Platforms

All 4 platforms at a glance

Every platform is free to join. Here's how they stack up.

🌀

Chaturbate

The biggest. Most traffic, most viewers, most models.

✓ Highest traffic volume

✓ Huge male section

✓ Token-based tipping

✓ Geo-blocking available

🔼

Stripchat

Fast-growing. Great discovery features for new models.

✓ Algorithm boosts new models

✓ VR cam support

✓ Strong international traffic

✓ Geo-blocking available

🔴

BongaCams

Huge in Europe. Contests and bonuses for new models.

✓ Top European traffic

✓ New model bonuses

✓ Multiple payout methods

✓ Geo-blocking available

🔵

CamSoda

Smaller. Less competition means easier to get noticed.

✓ Less crowded

✓ Innovative features

✓ Easy-to-use interface

✓ Geo-blocking available

General

Questions everyone asks

Regardless of gender — these come up for everyone.

Yes, in most countries. In the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most of Europe, camming is legal as long as all participants are 18+. Some US states and countries have specific regulations — check your local laws. You're an independent contractor, so you're responsible for your own taxes and compliance.

Technically, yes. Screen recording software exists and platforms can't fully prevent it. This is the biggest real risk of camming, and you should be aware of it before starting. Platforms do issue DMCA takedowns on pirated content, and some (like Chaturbate) actively fight recordings.

Mitigation strategies: Don't show face + body together if anonymity is critical. Use a stage name with zero connection to your real identity. Geo-block your region. Never share personal details on stream.

Many models earn tips on their very first stream. Most platforms give new models a visibility boost — you'll appear higher in listings for your first week or so. Take advantage of this. Stream during peak hours (evenings and weekends in your target audience's timezone), have a tip menu ready, and engage with chat.

Consistent income (enough to call it a real side hustle) typically takes 2-4 weeks of regular streaming.

Yes, on most platforms. Chaturbate, Stripchat, CamSoda, and BongaCams all support mobile broadcasting. Phone cameras are often better quality than cheap webcams now anyway. A laptop gives you more control over settings, but your phone works fine to start.

Yes. Signing up is free on every platform, and it lets you compare which one works best for you. Most models eventually settle on 1–2 primary platforms but stream on others occasionally. You can't broadcast on two platforms simultaneously (unless using specific multi-streaming tools), but you can alternate.

Transparency time. When you sign up for a cam platform through our links, we may earn a referral commission. This doesn't cost you anything extra — it's paid by the platform, not you. We only recommend platforms we've actually researched, and we'll always tell you the honest pros and cons. Our goal is to give you the information you need to make a smart decision, not to pressure you into anything.

Thinking about camming?
Let's talk about it.

Your questions, answered honestly

Real talk — here's what to actually expect

All 4 platforms at a glance

Chaturbate

Stripchat

BongaCams

CamSoda

Questions everyone asks

Ready to try it?

Thinking about camming?Let's talk about it.

Your questions, answered honestly

Real talk — here's what to actually expect

All 4 platforms at a glance

Chaturbate

Stripchat

BongaCams

CamSoda

Questions everyone asks

Ready to try it?

Thinking about camming?
Let's talk about it.