If you’re looking to make it big in camming, checking out Chaturbate — the industry’s biggest player — is definitely the way to go. On that quest, finding the answer to the question, How does Chaturbate work? should be your priority.

Luckily, we are here to make your journey easier. In the following guide, you will find out:

Let’s begin!

What Is Chaturbate?

Having started as a small webcam business back in 2011, Chaturbate wasn’t always the giant it is today. It’s definitely a grower, though, and now it’s the 6th most visited adult site in the US.

Chaturbate operates like other camming platforms, letting cam models perform lewd streams for a horny audience.

If they like what they see, users can follow models, send them tips using tokens (more on them later), or buy any pics or videos that they might be selling.

Millions of different people frequent Chaturbate each day, so there truly is something for everyone. Some models perform alone, others show off their partners, and some do group streams.

Combine this variety with the fact that camming offers the kind of intimacy one just can’t find in conventional porn, and you get why the site is popular.

To illustrate, Abella Danger won’t switch to reverse cowgirl in a porn flick when a viewer hits the tip button, but a cam girl will. The feeling is unmatched, and regulars are, for lack of a better word, hooked.

With the basics out of the way, let’s do a deep dive on how Chaturbate works and why it should be your first choice when starting a webcam business.

How Does Chaturbate Work for Models and Viewers?

To give you the full picture on this camming giant, we’ll cover all there is to know about it, from its currency to the add-on features it offers. Stay tuned!

Making an Account

To begin your Chaturbate journey, you’ll need to make a broadcaster’s account on their registration page. The whole thing is over quicker than most first-timers take putting on a condom.

First, you’ll have to choose a username and come up with a password — that’s the easy part. The next one is a bit trickier.

Namely, you’ll need to provide a pic of your ID. If it has a back side, you must take a photo of it as well, and they have to be clear and in high resolution.

Also, Chaturabte asks for a pic of you holding that same document with your face clearly visible. Take your time with these shots to make sure that the lighting and exposure are as good as possible.

With the pics done, all that’s left is to upload them and hit the Submit button. Chaturbate will then check everything out, and your account will be verified within 48 hours if all goes well.

In case you need to resubmit the photos or resolve any other issue, they will let you know.

Now that you have everything set up, you’ll be ready to start streaming and collecting tokens.

Chaturbate Tokens

As we already mentioned, users pay and tip Chaturbate models in tokens. These are the platform’s official currency, and you’ll have to exchange yours into actual money before every payday.

Each token costs around $0.10, and the price goes down the more they buy. For example, while 100 tokens cost $10.99, $79.99 gets a user 1,000.

Naturally, Chaturbate takes a percentage for themselves (50%), so the model earns about $0.05 per token. To put things into perspective, you’d need 100 tokens to earn $5 and 1,000 to earn $50.

Before you can get paid, you’ll need to convert your tokens to real money. The process is pretty quick, and you can get everything done directly on your profile (more on that later).

Models usually earn the bulk of their tokens from private and spy shows, as well as through selling pics or videos. We will cover all of that later.

Types of Chaturbate Shows

Speaking of cam shows, Chaturbate differentiates between 3 different types:

  • Public shows — all users can join for free
  • Private shows — arranged between a model and an individual user
  • Spy shows — private shows that others can pay to spy on

The first type is the most common, and it’s where most of your tips will come from.

When people follow you, they’ll automatically receive a notification whenever you start a public show. So, you’ll always have a chance to get tips and interact with your audience.

On the other hand, private and spy shows are both paid per minute, and you get to set the price. As such, they have the potential to bring you a lot of dough once you gain a steady fanbase.

User Color Codes

To help you sort users on the sliding scale of daddy to cheapskate, Chaturbate has an elaborate color-coded recognition system.

It works by assigning every member a specific username color based on how many tokens they have, what their role is, how frequently they visit the site, and so on.

The codes are as follows:

  • Orange — for models (broadcasters)
  • Red — moderators (there is one in every stream chat room)
  • Grey — a user with no active tokens
  • Green — a fan who frequents a model’s chat room
  • Light blue — a user who spent between 1 and 50 tokens in the last two weeks
  • Dark blue — a user who spent at least 50 tokens in the last two weeks
  • Light purple — a user who spent at least 250 tokens in the last two weeks
  • Dark purple — a user who spent at least 1,000 tokens in the last two weeks

With these colors, spotting spenders will be easy. As soon as a purple patron enters the chat, you’ll be able to give them some special attention.

Of course, you shouldn’t exclusively focus on them. Instead, try to find a balance where you make everyone feel welcome and appreciated while still giving a nod to the biggest potential tippers.

On a side note, the colors can help you choose reliable chat moderators from your most loyal regulars. As we’ll explain later, these are essential for keeping your comment section naughty but safe.

Profile Customization

If you asked models what separates Chaturbate from other camming platforms, most would mention its customization possibilities.

In essence, you can completely personalize your profile’s appearance. The site lets you do so by:

  • Creating a page template and pasting it into your bio
  • Tinkering with the page’s HTML code

The former is much easier, which is why we recommend it. The approach involves using a free page template maker (such as Designurbate), to create a look you love for your page.

When you’re done, Designurbate generates a code that you can paste into your bio to apply the new design to your actual Chaturbate profile.

The second option requires quite a bit of work, which is why we don’t recommend it. Namely, it includes making direct changes to your profile page’s code.

Unless you know your way around HTML, the only way to do this right is to hire a designer. And since those can be more than a little expensive, you may just want to go with a template.

Still, if you can swing it, making direct code changes can lead to a spectacular-looking profile. We suggest considering the option as your business takes off.

Safety Moderators

The moderator role is pretty simple: they monitor the chats and report or remove any violent or potentially dangerous comments from the stream.

The line between naughty and creepy is sometimes quite thin, and moderators guarantee that no one crosses it. In short, they keep models safe and ensure that everyone has a great time.

More experienced models usually choose their moderators from regulars, and these users’ accounts are often several years old.

In case of new models, Chaturbate assigns a random mod. So, someone will always be moderating your streams and making sure you’re safe.

Of course, creeps can always pop up, but at least you know that you have an additional line of protection from them.

Aside from safety tasks, moderators can also encourage others to tip, talk to the models directly, and have any other privileges the broadcaster gives them.

Split-Camming

Like most other camming platforms, Chaturbate gives you the option of split-camming for all your public shows.

The feature lets you broadcast your streams on several different platforms, from your own site to OnlyFans. That way, you can maximize your reach and make more money every time you go online.

To use this feature, though, you’ll have to get split-camming software. Luckily, the online world is brimming with options.

Most models use Splitcam, as it’s easy to navigate and supports a bunch of popular adult platforms. If you opt for it, here is a guide you can use to connect it to your Chaturbate account.

Of course, you can also go with an alternative solution. Most are just as good as Splitcam, although you may have a bit more trouble finding guides and other documentation for them.

Making Money on Chaturbate

With all the features out of the way, let’s do a deep dive into what probably interests you the most: making money on Chaturbate.

Below, we’ll go over everything from token conversion to the payment methods you can use.

Token Conversion and Payment Schedules

As you already know by now, you’ll have to convert your Chaturbate tokens to real money before you can get paid.

Depending on what you choose (and how much you make), you can pick between two payment schedules:

  • Bi-monthly
  • Every day

Conveniently, Chaturbate lets you convert your tokens and select your payment schedule on the same page. Just log in, go to Token Stats, and use the options there.

The whole thing takes just a few minutes, and Chaturbate does most of the work for you. All you’ll have to do is enter the exact amount you want to convert and select either bi-monthly or daily payouts.

The bi-montly payment is automatic, and you can cash in your tokens as soon as you earn at least 1,000 (or $50). With this option, you can expect the money in your account on the 7th and 23rd, every month.

As for the latter option, it’s reserved for Chaturbate’s big earners. Namely, daily payouts have a minimum transfer amount — $20 in most cases or $500 if you pick wire transfer as your payment method (more on those below).

The platform also takes a small fee if you opt to get paid daily — $3.95 per day.

Before you can access this feature, though, you will have to complete two (if you’re from the US) or four (elsewhere) bi-monthly payments. Therefore, it definitely won’t be an option during your first month.

And lastly, daily payouts are not automatic. If you want to use them, you’ll have to submit daily requests on the Token Stats page.

Note: No matter what method you pick, keep in mind that you’ll have to convert your tokens every time you want to get paid.

Payment Methods

In terms of the payment methods you can go for, Chaturbate offers a bunch of options:

  • Direct bank deposit
  • Check by mail
  • Wire transfer
  • Paxum
  • Cosmo Payment
  • Canada EFT
  • Skrill
  • Crypto

With all these, you’ll be able to find a viable method no matter where you live and what you prefer.

To pick the option you want, head over to Broadcast Yourself > Token Stats > Payout Information. Once you’re there, fill out the personal info form, and pick your payment method.

We go into a lot more detail on all your options and everything else you should know in our Chaturbate payment methods guide. Check that out to get the full scoop.

How Can You Make Money?

There are countless ways to make good money on Chaturbate.

We’ve already mentioned tips and paid-per-minute streams. Those will likely make up the biggest chunk of your paycheck.

You can make the most of them by adding a bit of creativity to your work. Examples include playing games, setting up tipping goals for specific requests, and so on.

If you’re up for an even more interactive performance, you can also get a special vibrator that your fans can control by tipping.

The more they tip, the more the toy will vibrate. Even better, the bigger the tip, the stronger the vibrations will be.

So, you get off and are paid good money, while they enjoy watching you collapse into a gooey mess at their hands. What’s not to like?

Besides streams, you can also earn tokens by selling nudes or your homemade porn. These are a great way to earn a passive income even when you aren’t streaming.

Conclusion

After this guide, you can proudly say that you know how Chaturbate works. Now, all that’s left to do is get some recording equipment, lay back, and get your camming career off the ground!