Becoming a cam girl can help you pay for college, buy a house, or simply inject some sensuality and excitement into your life.

As society progresses, more and more people start seeing the idea of earning via webcam modeling as just another profession — albeit a very sexy one.

It’s also a great way for women (and men) to own their sexuality and make the adult industry work for them, without having to interact with anyone in person like porn stars and nude models do.

If you’d like to learn more about how to become a cam girl, our guide will teach you the following:

What Is a Cam Girl?

If you somehow happen to be a virgin on the topic, a cam girl is an adult performer who puts on a live, erotic show for an audience via webcam, over the internet.

In turn, the viewers express their appreciation by paying for the performance — typically in tokens. These are a virtual currency that they can purchase with real-life money, and that performers can convert back into real-life money when withdrawing from their website balance.

Next, cam girls either earn via tips or per minute, based on the webcam platform in question.

In the former case, viewers award them tokens for doing what they request on stream. In the latter case, viewers are charged per minute of the show they attend, instead.

Speaking of shows, cam models typically swing — correction, stream — two ways: group shows and private shows, both of which support text and voice chat.

Like your typical gangbangs, group shows are generally free, with viewers having the option of voluntary payment. Many choose to partake without spending a dime, but that is generally not a problem.

After all, the more people end up seeing a show, the more famous the performer becomes. That fame, in turn, will pave the way to a larger paying audience down the line.

That’s why we suggest that new models focus on free group shows, and gradually introduce private shows as extras. It’s like working your way toward a larger dildo — except that it brings in money.

With private shows, on the other hand, customers need to pay to see the performance, either via subscription or per minute. This makes private shows reliable money-makers, but they limit the model’s exposure.

Therefore, a balanced approach is generally the best early option — group shows for growth, and private shows for earnings and getting to know one’s clients.

If you still feel like you’re in the dark regarding webcam businesses, we go into a bit more detail here. On the other hand, if you wish to learn more about starting a webcam business, hop over to this guide.

The Pros and Cons of Being a Cam Girl

Like having persistent genital arousal syndrome, being a cam girl comes with pros and cons. Let’s go over them, to help you decide if this is the right career for you.

The Pros of Becoming a Cam Girl

First and foremost, you’ll be well compensated. Sitting in front of a camera and earning more money than your mother and father combined — while getting more action — isn’t the worst job in the world, right?

Next, you’ll be in charge of your job and career. Do you feel like taking an occasional day off, and spending it at the beach? As a cam girl, you’ll have that luxury! You choose when, where, and how much you work, each day.

Third, you’ll take comfort in knowing that you’re desired. If you ever found yourself doubting that, rest assured that being showered with compliments will do wonders for your self-esteem.

In addition, you’ll learn about yourself and your desires. Working as a cam girl will bring you more in tune with your body, and you’ll know what turns you on — greatly improving your sex life.

Finally, anyone can do it. You won’t have to be petite or rock a Jessica Rabbit figure to become a cam performer. Tastes vary, and regardless of gender, skin color, or body type, everyone can become a widely successful cam model.

The Cons of Becoming a Cam Girl

As the career’s first downside, you’ll probably want to keep your identity hidden. Given that you’ll be relying on passionate fans, there’s always a risk of someone getting a little bit too passionate, and finding you on your personal social media — or even in real life!

True enough, the majority of your audience will be cool, but the internet is still home to all sorts. That’s why keeping your private life just that — private — will go a long way in protecting you from stalkers.

Second, this work experience wouldn’t look good on your resume. If you later decide to leave webcam modeling for an office job, you probably won’t want to tell your potential employers about what you’ve been doing over the last year.

On the other hand, you can keep doing webcam modeling on the side, as long as you keep it all tucked away in your pants.

As we all know, everything is stored on the Internet. When and if you decide to quit cam modeling, there’s a good chance that your information and content will still be out there, wiggling through the web like milky little tadpoles.

If you want those pics, videos, articles, social media posts, etc. gone, you’ll have to do some cleaning. Luckily, certain companies specialize in erasing all traces of you from the Internet, and they’re as thorough as an Alabama kid with keys to his sister’s bedroom.

So, this con isn’t nearly as bad as it may seem, and you shouldn’t be too concerned about it.

Lastly, being a cam girl means having a variable income, despite making good money on average ($2,000 to $2,500 for full-time performers). You’ll never be able to foresee just how much a single performance will make you, or when a dry period may come up.

Therefore, planning your finances with any kind of precision is going to be a challenge.

What You Need to Stream Live Shows

Ask anyone about how to become a cam girl, and their first answer — after an awkward silence — will probably be to get a camera. While they’ll be right, there’s actually quite a bit more you’ll require to get your (cam) show on the road.

Laptop

Because streaming is a resource-intensive activity, you’ll need a decent laptop to provide a smooth viewing experience to your fans. Of course, a desktop computer will also do the job, but bigger isn’t always better, as they aren’t exactly easy to move around.

Roughly, you’ll want a laptop with at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor. If you need more help finding one with the right specs, length, and girth, check out OfZenAndComputing.

Camera

While a decent phone may do for a while, nothing will send big tips (and jizz streams) your way like a high-end camera.

At the very least, you’ll want a 1080p webcam that supports 30fps. The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 is a good starter, but if you’re more ambitious, you can instead head over to Camera Decision, and use their tools to pick a high-end one.

Of course, you’ll also require a laptop or desktop to plug the camera into — which won’t be strictly necessary with a phone.

Microphone

Unless you’re going for a full-on amateur vibe, you’ll usually want to get a quality microphone. These go for as little as $50, and will really elevate your dirty talk — or slam it into the gutter, if you prefer.

Good Internet Connection

While speed isn’t exactly a selling point in the sack, you’ll certainly want it from your internet connection. For streaming videos on an Ultra HD-enabled device, you’ll need at least 25 Mbps.

Also, to avoid giving your audience digital blue balls, pick a provider known for its stability.

Private Place

You won’t need a studio or a fancy location for hosting your shows. However, you will require a comfy place where you can relax and let yourself go.

Your bedroom will do, as will another quiet spot with a convenient camera or laptop space.

If you’re not living alone, though, you’ll need to make sure to have a lock on the nearby door. The last thing you want is your parents or roommates barging in while your naughty bits are out.

Clean Background

This might sound weird, but you should be the star of your shows; not your background. The more you’ve got going on behind you during a stream, the more distracted your audience will be from the main attraction.

Therefore, your background should be unintrusive and easy on the eyes, so that you can shine. Also, remember to remove any personal items from the camera’s view — photos, name tags, and anything else that may reveal your identity or location.

Tripod (Optional)

These stands will give your camera some stability, and prevent your streams from going all Blair Witch Project. Phone tripods go for as little as $6, while those for higher-end cameras are just a tad more expensive.

You won’t need one of these if you go for a webcam, though, as they come with their own stands.

Lighting (Optional)

When you’re looking to paint yourself in the most flattering light possible, or shed some light on your streams, you’ll need some professional illumination. Ring lights are a popular choice in this regard, especially considering that you can get cheaper ones for about $20.

Sex Toys (Optional)

Interactive sex toys that sync with your tips are a popular way to spice up your shows. Performers typically use one (or more) of these before (or during) a stream, then let the viewers go nuts.

The stronger the tip, the stronger the toy(s) will vibrate, so get ready for a wild ride!

If that’s not your thing, though, you can still make use of more conventional sex toys.

How to Choose Your Webcam Platform

To pick the best camming platform for you, you’ll want to consider several factors:

  • Website popularity (and audience size)
  • The percentage of your earnings that they’ll let you keep
  • Overall competition on the platform
  • Payout options
  • Payout schedule

Obviously, all of them are important, but not all of them will be crucial for you. To help you make your decision, we’ve gone and researched the hottest webcam platforms on the current market.

3 Best Webcam Platforms for New Cam Girls

You’ll find our top three picks below, followed by other, also worthwhile choices.

Chaturbate

As their average monthly traffic can attest, Chaturbate is, without a doubt, the most popular live cam site today.

This endowment is impressive enough to touch the ceiling — the earnings ceiling, that is. If you’re simply shooting for big potential bucks, then Chaturbate is the platform for you.

Nothing is free, though, and the pimps have to take their toll. In that regard, Chaturbate grabs a 40-50% cut, while models get to keep the rest.

The website has approximately 330 million monthly visitors. On average, a Chaturbate model earns about $6,000 a month, delivered over weekly payouts.

For a more detailed article about how to become a cam girl on Chaturbate, head over here.

BongaCams

If you’re looking for a live cam modeling site that will let you keep a high percentage of your earnings, BongaCams is the best option.

While they normally take a 50% cut, there are several ways to decrease that percentage — and increase yours.

For starters, models who clock in more than a certain threshold unlock a so-called Hot mode, which lasts a period of time. During this period, they earn 10% more.

Also, new models make an additional 25% in the initial three months. Paired with the various limited-time offers and incentives, you can temporarily pump your earnings up to a whopping 90%.

Just keep in mind that that bulging earnings boner will have to come down at some point. So, don’t go around scheduling lip fillers and expecting to pay them with money that’s still not in your pocket.

The site has around 300 million monthly visitors. On average, their models earn about $4,200 a month, via bi-weekly payouts.

LiveJasmin

Founded in Hungary, LiveJasmin has quickly become a heavy hitter in the European — and then global — market.

Today, it is one of the largest camming sites in the world, closely competing with Chaturbate and LiveJasmin for that fancy #1 title. As such, it is a great place for any cam girl to make a consistent income.

Speaking of income, LiveJasmin unfortunately does not pay as well as the previous two sites we listed, or at least not early on. They take a whopping 70% from new models’ earnings, and gradually reduce their cut to 60% and 50% as the models gain followers and experience.

They have approximately 250 million monthly visitors, and their models earn about $4,000 per month on average, with bi-weekly payouts.

Other Worthwhile Webcam Platforms

There’s nothing wrong with starting smaller, both in the bedroom and in business. Depending on your shows’ vibe, some of the following platforms might even prove better choices than the big three.

Check them out, use your judgment, and bring plenty of lube.

Platform Traffic Platform Commission Payout Options
StripChat 38.3M 45% Paxum, ePayService, CosmoPayment, Bitsafe, wire transfers, ACH, Directa24
Cam4 16.6M 50% Checks, wire transfers, FirstChoice
MyFreeCams 4.4M 39% ACH, checks, wire transfers, Paxum, CosmoPayment, ePayServices, ePayments, Skrill, PMI Americas
CamSoda 2.1M 35% ACH, checks, wire transfers, Paxum
JerkMate 1.7M 65% ACH, checks, Paxum, ePayService, CosmoPayment
AmateurTV 1.5M 50% Paxum, Skrill, Bitsafe, CosmoPayment, ePayService, Masspay, wire transfers, bank transfers
XLoveCam 810K 40% Wire transfers, Paxum, Webmoney, ePayments, ePayService, Monese, XLC
Streamate 568K 65% ACH, checks, Paxum, ePayService, CosmoPayment
Flirt4Free 390K 65% Wire transfers, checks, ACH, CosmoPayment, ePayments, Money Network
ImLive 246K 70% Checks, wire transfers, ACH, Paxum, CosmoPayment
LiveHDCams 109K 65% ACH, checks, Paxum, ePayService, CosmoPayment
SkyPrivate 69K 25% Paxum, ePayments, Bitcoin, bank transfers, ACH, SEPA
Cams.com 46.3K 68% Checks, wire transfers, ACH, Paxum
SlutRoulette 26.2K 50% Checks, wire transfers, and international eWallet payments.
CamContacts 22.5K 50% Paxum, CosmoPayment, ePayments, ePayServices
Cherry.tv 5.9K 55% ACH, Paxum, cryptopayments

How Much You Can Earn as a Cam Girl

Across the aforementioned platforms, the queens of camming earn around $315 per hour. On the flip side, the average cam performer makes $58.77 per hour — far and beyond minimum wage.

This means that a typical cam girl who works 15 hours per week will receive a bit over $880, while a model who puts in 35+ hours per week can expect to make $2,000 or more over that period.

So, how much can YOU expect to earn from webcam modeling?

Well, that’s not an easy question to answer, as we don’t know your availability, skills, target audience, and so on.

However, with some minimal investment at about 10 hours a week, spread over two 5-hour weekend sessions, you should be able to earn almost $2,400/month. Not bad for a side hustle, huh?

How to Increase Your Earnings as a Cam Girl

If you’ve ever spent any significant amount of time on a site like Chaturbate, you’ve probably seen the local simp royalty tip their favorite models with ludicrous amounts of tokens.

These acolytes of camming are known as regulars because they consistently show up, tip, talk, and keep things running smoothly in the chat room.

As you’ve probably realized, you’ll want as many of these regulars as you can get. Here’s how to attract more of them.

Always Look Your Best

While this may seem obvious, it’s also the easiest thing to forget when you’re still new to being a cam girl.

So, we’ll say it again: put on some sexy lingerie, paint your nails, style your hair, and wear some makeup.

After all, your career will be all about your looks and seducing your audience.

Give them what they desire — for a price.

Find a Niche and Build a Loyal Following

This choice will have a significant impact on your sex shows’ content.

From traditional performances like dancing and stripping, to kinks like footjobs and candle fetishes, there’s something for everyone, and you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Because fetishists rarely get their deepest fantasies fulfilled, they’ll be willing to pay a high price for content that caters to them. That’s why targeting a specific kink is often a viable strategy, as long as you learn your way around porn niches.

However, just because a niche is profitable, you absolutely won’t want to service it if you’re not comfortable with it.

For instance, you shouldn’t brand yourself as a dominatrix or someone who’s into golden showers if you won’t enjoy (or at least tolerate) doing such shows.

Make Your Streams at Least 3 Hours Long

Think of most of your stream as a long foreplay session. Don’t go all in right from the get-go, and blow your (and everyone else’s) load straight away.

Instead, tease your viewers, and take things slowly. Just like in edging, gradual and extended stimulation will make them cum buckets.

And as you get better and better at sending your audience over that edge, your digital wallet will keep getting thicker.

Create a Streaming Schedule

If your fans don’t know when you’ll be online in advance, a lot of them will end up missing your streams. To avoid leaving them with blue balls, don’t leave them guessing.

Instead, figure out a schedule that suits you, prominently display it, and stick with that plan. And if you can’t make it for a show, make the proper announcement on time.

Plan Your Streams Ahead of Time

While camming pros like Caylin or Purple Bitch may seem spontaneous on stream, you can bet that they carefully plan their shows out.

That being said, you won’t have to be the webcam streaming version of Stanley Kubrick. Just have fun with what you have, and roughly figure out what you’ll want to do at which part of the stream.

Try out different poses, sex toys, and possibly even partners. That way, when and if things start getting quiet or stale, you’ll be able to jumpstart your show within seconds.

Engage With the Chat, Smile, and Flirt

Anyone who considers becoming a cam girl should know that a show is more than just a performance. It’s also a sexy hangout with friendly — and often generous — fans.

Therefore, while your presentation will matter, interaction with your audience will, in fact, be much more vital.

So, keep an eye on what they’re typing in your chat, and pay attention to how often they’re doing it. If they’re getting quiet, it’s probably time for a change of pace, as described above.

Either way, you should talk to them, ask them what they think, and smile — even if their jokes aren’t the funniest you’ve ever heard.

Finally, don’t forget that any interaction, no matter how minor, is a chance to flirt; take it. Their big heads may know that you’re halfway across the world, but that fact will straight up fly over their smaller ones — no matter how erect they get.

And that’s when the biggest tips will come in.

Create a Tip Menu

While generous tips are probably a big part of the reason you’re thinking of becoming a cam girl, you’ll still want to set some boundaries. Having a clear list of what you’re willing (and unwilling) to do on cam will help in that regard.

Not only will such a list weed out uncomfortable requests, but it’ll also remind viewers about what they can order.

As such, you’ll get additional requests, earn more, and wind up with a much more engaging and exciting show.

Use Interactive Sex Toys

As we’ve mentioned earlier, sex toys for cam models are an overall great investment if you’re looking to become a cam girl.

By syncing them up with your tips and creatively placing them on — and into — your body, you can greatly increase your show quality, viewer engagement, and earnings.

They also come in many shapes. From vibrating bullets, dildos, fuck machines, and even kinkier implements, there’s a contraption out there for soothing anyone’s bitch itch.

If you’d like to try a sex toy but can’t afford it at the moment, feel free to mention it on stream. If your fans are into it, they’ll gladly fund it via tips.

And once it arrives, make sure to reward your benefactors with a special performance — or several.

Use Private Messaging

There’s nothing wrong with some public dirty talk during group shows. In fact, many viewers enjoy the idea and find it arousing in practice.

However, most of your audience will find it awkward, whether or not it makes a tent in their pants.

They might be worried about being made fun of if they discuss their kinks on the main channel.

Alternatively, they may have trouble opening up in groups, or simply dislike doing so.

That is why we highly suggest responding to private messages. Doing so will allow you to bond with your more reserved audience members, and warm them up to your future shows.

And once those shy fans become true regulars, you’ll have some big tips to look forward to.

How to Promote Your Webcam Shows

Even though mainstream social media won’t let you post anything raunchy (Twitter excluded), you can reach a gigantic audience on them.

Therefore, as long as you play by the rules, you’ll get a lot of cheap and effective promotion.

You could also join an agency, like FlashModelRecruit, and take the busywork of promotion out of your hands. This will let you focus more on improving the quality of your content.

If you’d prefer to do everything yourself, here’s how to make social media work for you.

Promote Yourself on TikTok

TikTok will get you in front of a huge audience, but the site doesn’t allow actual or implied nudity. Teasing is okay, though, and as a cam girl, you’ll be able to put your wit and personality to good use.

Activity-wise, just do what everyone else does: follow what’s popular (mainly dances), and reproduce them with your own spin. It’s a great and spontaneous way to get fans from all over the world.

Now, while TikTok won’t let you directly link to your camming profile from anywhere on your posts or bio, you can go around the problem by linking that profile on Linktree, then adding the Linktree URL to your TikTok bio.

Unfortunately, you’ll only be able to add links to your bio with a business account, which you’ll need to apply for. And to be eligible for the application, you’ll require at least 1,000 followers — neither impossible nor difficult, but still a speed bump.

Make a Name for Yourself on Sex.com

As TikTok’s naughty brother, Sex.com will let you post explicit content and promote your adult business without having to worry about breaking its policy.

Even better, you can also directly sell content on the platform!

Make a Public Snapchat Account

A public Snapchat account is a great way to open your fans up to the idea of tipping, as long as you don’t open your legs up on the platform. In practice, Snapchat allows you to snap just about anything that’s going on in your life, and the feature is extremely popular.

Did your cat just do something particularly adorable? You should snap it.

Does that new bikini you just purchased fit you perfectly? By all means, snap a photo!

Did your mother just call at a bad time and annoy you? Sweetie, take a picture and vent!

Your fans will feel as if they are watching your life unfold live, which is extremely effective for your online honeymoon period.

Now, while you can’t link to your camming profile in your Snapchat bio, you can get around that problem by using the Linktree trick we’ve explained for TikTok.

Pulling it off here will be even easier, as Snapchat doesn’t require any additional steps before allowing you to add a link to your bio.

Grow a Following on Twitter

Twitter is the go-to social network for adult content creators, as the platform will neither censor nor shadow-ban them.

If you were to become a cam girl, you’ll be able to freely post explicit samples or highlights of your work there, and make them easier to discover via hashtags.

Make Use of Reddit

While Reddit may look like a boring, gray mass, you’ll find countless adult subreddits under that unassuming hood. These cater to more kinks than John McAfee had indulged in, and at least a few will fit your content like a custom condom.

There are plenty of sources for finding these subreddits, so you’ll have quite a bit to choose from. You’ll want to be careful, though, as not all subreddits will allow you to link to your camming platform of choice.

In that case, you can instead add that link to your Reddit profile. That way, coomers who end up enjoying your posts enough to check your profile will inevitably discover your cam shows.

Put Yourself on Instagram

The platform is gigantic, but you won’t be able to show any nudity on it without risking a ban. Instead, you can draw an audience in by showcasing your sexy personality and working that good old art of the tease.

If you need any inspiration, just browse Instagram without any particular search term or pattern. Models are everywhere, and pretty much none of them are nude.

Like TikTok or Snapchat, Instagram won’t let you add your camming platform to your bio. On the plus side, here you can also sidestep that limitation by using the Linktree trick.

And just like with Snapchat, you won’t need a business account to do it.

How to Diversify Your Income as a Cam Girl

If you become a cam girl and put in a decent amount of time, you’ll be making a whole lot of money. Why stop there, though?

In the adult entertainment world, getting a camming career going is just the tip of the dildo. With just a little bit of extra work, you could graduate from well-off to stinking rich.

Remember, the more famous you are, the more everyone will be willing to pay for your content. For a year or two of somewhat engaging work, you could be set for life!

To that end, here are some tips for boosting your income without having to put in much effort.

Create an OnlyFans Profile

As a titan of the adult industry, OnlyFans is a great choice for an adult performer to make some (or a lot of) money. It’s also excellent if you wish to sell your homemade content or sex tape.

We only recommend it once you’ve got a decent cam show audience, though, as the platform won’t promote you in any real way.

If you’d like to commit to this platform, we’ve got a detailed guide on starting an OnlyFans account, getting verified and making money on the platform.

Sell Nudes

Few cam girls take advantage of this option because most are unaware that it exists. Why wouldn’t you, though?

You definitely take dozens of photos each day, and they’re just sitting on your phone, collecting digital dust. By selling them as homemade porn on platforms such as OnlyFans, ManyVids, Pornhub and the like, you can easily earn as much as $100 per day, and that’s not even near the potential ceiling.

Even better — the more content you create, the more you can sell.

Conveniently, many webcam platforms have a feature where you can sell your photos right on the site, without having to worry about payment security.

Sell Used Panties

Back when you googled how to become a cam girl, did you imagine that you’d be reading advice on selling your used panties?

How about thongs, bras, lingerie, and other personal clothing items? Yep, there’s a market for your sweaty undergarments — and the smellier they are, the more dough they’ll net you.

Shocked? Don’t be, as specialized platforms (and even some cam sites) have thriving markets for these musky goods.

For reference, prices start at $1 and go up without any real limit. For best results, include a photo of yourself wearing each item that you list, so that potential buyers know that you’re offering the real thing.

Websites like Kinkie, All Things Worn, or SofiaGray are a good start.

Organize Skype Shows

Believe it or not, the vanilla-looking Skype client is actually a popular medium for lewd, private shows.

In fact, you can make much more money via these shows than on webcam sites because the former will let you set your own price.

Even better, Microsoft won’t be taking any commission, and you’ll keep each cent that you earn.

To arrange them, just put your Skype ID on your bio on any other platform where you perform, and add a note that you’re open to doing private Skype shows. Interested parties will add you at their leisure, and you’ll directly arrange streams from that point on.

Always make sure to get paid ahead of the Skype show. The last thing you want is to put on a great show and your client to disappear before paying.

Of course, we suggest having a special Skype ID, just for these performances. You won’t want friends and family spamming you with messages while you’re in the middle of a stream, sex toys buzzing inside you at full speed.

Otherwise, there’s not much to say, as you should treat these like your regular cam shows.

Guys and gals alike love to feel special, and private Skype performances are just another way of letting them have that.

Earn via a Private Snapchat Account

Snapchat can do much more than serve as a promotion platform for your webcam business. In fact, you can also directly use it as an effective moneymaker.

Wondering how? The answer is simple: a private Snapchat account.

Now, much like anal, this option isn’t exactly plug-and-play. You’ll need to jump through a number of hoops to pull it off, including:

  • Running two accounts — either by having two phones or using a cloning app
  • Regularly uploading SFW content to your public account, to get people warmed up to you
  • Posting NSFW content on your private account
  • Selling access to the private account to users who ask about it
  • Figuring out how to charge customers, as Snapchat doesn’t have a built-in option for it
  • Being ready to create a new public account if your current one gets banned

Once you make it all work for you, though, you’ll be making thick stacks of cash.

Create Your Own Membership Site

Similarly to an OnlyFans account, your own website will require you to have something of an audience before becoming worthwhile. Given that you’re just researching how to become a cam girl, though, feel free to skip this option.

However, with advanced templates such as ModelX and affordable hosting, one of these will be a great choice at some point during your career.

How to Become a Cam Girl — The Conclusion

Now that you know what cam performers are, where they can work, how much they earn, and their promotion and income options, you’re locked and loaded to challenge the adult industry.

Become a cam girl yourself — and win by knockout.