Answers to the most common questions from adult content creators. Use the search or category filters to find what you need.
It depends on what kind of content you want to make. For live cam work, Chaturbate is the most beginner-friendly with the largest existing audience. For fan subscription content, Fansly currently has better creator terms and a growing user base as an OnlyFans alternative.
Most experienced creators multi-platform early — typically starting on one cam site plus one fan platform simultaneously, then expanding as income grows. Use the Platform Comparison tool to filter by payout rate, content type, and features side-by-side.
Most creators earn very little in months 1–3 while building an audience. A rough benchmark:
Cam sites (Chaturbate, Stripchat, CamSoda, etc.) are live streaming platforms. You go live, viewers watch in real time, and earn primarily through token tips. Income is immediate but requires being actively online.
Fan platforms (OnlyFans, Fansly, Fanvue, etc.) are subscription + content stores. Subscribers pay monthly for your content library, plus pay-per-view for custom or premium content. Income is more passive — content posted today earns indefinitely.
Most successful creators run both: cam sites for audience building and real-time income, fan platforms for recurring subscription revenue. The cam audience frequently converts into fan platform subscribers.
Yes — and most professional creators are. There are no exclusivity requirements on any major platform. Common setups include Chaturbate + OnlyFans/Fansly, or Stripchat + Fanvue. For live streaming to two platforms simultaneously, tools like Restream.io or OBS multi-output work well.
See the OBS Tutorial for multi-stream setup instructions.
Cam platforms use a virtual currency. Viewers buy tokens from the platform using real money, then spend tokens tipping or accessing private shows. There's a platform spread — you earn less than the face value of each token.
On Chaturbate, viewers pay $0.08–$0.11 per token. You earn $0.05 per token — roughly 50%. So 1,000 tokens ≈ $50 to you. Payout minimums are typically $50, with bi-weekly or weekly payout schedules.
Lovense makes Bluetooth interactive toys that vibrate in real time when viewers tip. The bigger the tip, the stronger the vibration — creating direct physical interactivity. It consistently increases tip amounts and session earnings. The most popular device is the Lush 4 (~$119), which is wearable and compatible with all major cam platforms.
You don't need it to start, but it's considered standard equipment for serious cam creators. See the Lovense section of the Equipment Guide for full device comparisons.
Yes. All adult content income — tokens, subscriptions, tips, custom content, and affiliate commissions — is taxable. In the US, you're typically treated as a self-employed independent contractor, meaning:
If you treat your creator work as a business, many expenses are deductible. Common deductible expenses include:
Keep receipts for everything. Use the Income Tracker to log income and expenses together for easier tax prep.
Most major platforms support: ACH/bank transfer (US), check, Paxum (adult-friendly e-wallet), SEPA/Cosmo Payment (Europe), wire transfer, and some crypto options. PayPal is not available for adult content — their terms prohibit it and accounts are frequently frozen.
Affiliate income is commission you earn when viewers or other creators sign up through your unique tracking link. Chaturbate pays 20% of all token purchases made by viewers you refer — for life. BongaCams pays 25% lifetime revshare. You promote your link in your bio and social media.
Even a modest following generates consistent passive income through affiliate commissions. See the full Affiliate & Referral Programs guide for a complete breakdown.
You have legal options. Under the DMCA (and equivalent laws internationally), you can issue a takedown notice to the hosting platform requiring removal.
Use the DMCA Dashboard to draft and track your takedown notices.
18 U.S.C. § 2257 is a US federal law requiring producers of sexually explicit content to maintain records verifying all performers are 18+, and to display a specific recordkeeping statement. As a primary producer of your own content you must collect and keep a copy of a government-issued photo ID for every performer (including yourself) and keep records at an inspectable address.
In most Western countries — including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most of the EU — creating and selling adult content between consenting adults is legal and protected expression. However, age verification requirements, obscenity definitions, and platform content rules vary significantly by jurisdiction. Some countries criminalize consensual adult content entirely.
Using a stage name is standard practice and strongly recommended. You never need to use your real name publicly. However, platforms will require your real legal name and government ID for verification and payment — this is kept by the platform and not shown publicly.
When choosing a stage name: verify it's not taken on major platforms, check it doesn't conflict with existing performers, and register matching usernames across social platforms immediately. Keep your performer identity completely separate from any personal social media or professional profiles.
True minimum to get started:
Total starter budget: $150–$250 if you have a decent computer. See the Equipment Guide for starter bundles and upgrade paths.
Streaming quality depends on upload bandwidth (not download). Minimum: 5 Mbps upload for 1080p. Test your upload at fast.com or speedtest.net.
See the OBS Tutorial for recommended bitrate settings by quality level.
OBS Studio is free, open-source streaming software used by the majority of professional streamers. You don't need it to start — platforms provide a basic browser stream. But OBS enables custom overlays and tip alerts, multiple camera angles, multi-streaming to several platforms at once, better audio processing, and local recording while streaming.
See the OBS Tutorial for a full setup guide specifically for cam creators.
A dedicated space is strongly recommended, but size isn't the issue — a corner of a bedroom works for many creators. What matters more: controlled lighting (block natural light that shifts throughout the day), acoustic treatment (carpet and soft furnishings reduce echo), a consistent appealing background, and a lockable door for privacy if you share living space. A dedicated room also qualifies for the home office tax deduction.
Identity separation is the most important safety practice for adult creators. Essential steps:
Yes — most major cam platforms and fan sites support geo-blocking, which prevents viewers from specific countries, states, or regions from seeing your profile or content. Common uses: blocking your home country for privacy, blocking regions with high chargeback rates, or blocking countries where local laws create risks for you.
On Chaturbate: Dashboard → Broadcast → Geographic Restrictions. On OnlyFans: Settings → Privacy → Blocked Countries. Most platforms have equivalent settings.
Block and report on the platform immediately, and document everything (screenshots with timestamps) before blocking. Enable geo-blocking if location-based. For sustained campaigns, escalate to the platform's trust and safety team. For threats involving personal information, stalking, or physical threats — contact law enforcement and consult a lawyer.
"Outing" is when someone reveals your adult work to your personal life — family, employer, or social circles — without consent. It's one of the most significant risks creators face. Protection: maintain strict identity separation, periodically reverse-image-search your performer photos, Google both your performer name and real name to check for crossover, and consider a DMCA/data removal service for proactive monitoring.
IndustryHub is a free resource hub for adult content creators — cam models, OnlyFans creators, clip sellers, and multi-platform performers. All tools are free with no account required:
All tools are completely free — no account, no paywall, no subscription. IndustryHub is supported through affiliate commissions: when you sign up for a platform through a link on this site, IndustryHub may earn a small commission at no cost to you. These commissions support site maintenance and keep everything free.
All affiliate relationships are disclosed. Platform data and ratings reflect genuine research and are not influenced by commission amounts.
No server-side storage. IndustryHub is a static site with no backend database. Any data you enter — income figures, DMCA records, preferences — is stored exclusively in your browser's localStorage on your own device. It never leaves your computer and is never sent to IndustryHub.
The one exception is the AI assistant in the Studio Builder, which sends your questions to Anthropic's API using your own API key. Your key is stored only in localStorage and never sent to IndustryHub. See the Privacy Policy for full details.
Platform fees, payout rates, and policies change regularly. IndustryHub aims to review and update platform data quarterly, but rates may drift between updates. Always verify current rates directly on each platform's creator or affiliate pages before making decisions. Platform Comparison cards link directly to each platform for verification.
Most answers are built into the tools themselves — the Platform Comparison, Equipment Guide, and Advocacy pages go deep on their respective topics.
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