Live cam glossary

Tokens / credits

The prepaid virtual currency a platform sells in packages and that viewers spend on tips, private shows and other paid features. Different platforms use different names (tokens, credits, gold) and different exchange rates, so a "100-token" tip is not worth the same amount everywhere. Always convert to your own currency before comparing prices.

See also: Tip, Private show

Tip

A voluntary payment of tokens to a broadcaster during a public stream. Tips often trigger actions listed on a tip menu or count toward a goal. Tipping usually requires a registered account and a token balance.

See also: Tip menu, Goal, Tokens / credits

Tip menu

A price list set by the broadcaster that pairs token amounts with requests or actions. It is shown in the room or the broadcaster's profile and is set by the performer, not the platform.

See also: Tip

Goal

A token target set by the broadcaster for a public show. Viewers tip collectively toward it; when it is reached the broadcaster performs the announced action. Goals are the main mechanic of tip-based ("freemium") platforms.

See also: Tip, Freemium vs premium platforms

Freemium vs premium platforms

On freemium (tip-based) platforms, public rooms are free to watch and revenue comes from tips and optional private shows. On premium platforms, the public view is a preview or free chat and the main experience is a paid per-minute private show. Most large platforms sit somewhere between the two.

See also: Goal, Private show

Private show

A one-to-one paid session billed per minute in tokens or credits. Depending on the platform, other viewers may be able to "spy" on it for a lower rate unless the show is exclusive.

See also: Exclusive private, Spy show (voyeur mode), Cam2cam (C2C)

Exclusive private

A private show that no other viewer can spy on. It usually costs more per minute than a standard private show.

See also: Private show, Spy show (voyeur mode)

Spy show (voyeur mode)

Paying a reduced per-minute rate to watch a private show that another viewer is paying for, without being able to interact. Not every platform offers it and broadcasters can often disable it.

See also: Private show

Ticket show / group show

A show that many viewers can join for a fixed ticket price or a shared per-minute rate, instead of one viewer paying for a private session. Sometimes called a group show or a hidden show.

See also: Private show, Goal

Cam2cam (C2C)

Sharing your own webcam with the broadcaster during a private show so they can see you. It is normally a private-show feature, sometimes charged extra, and is never required. Check the platform's privacy documentation for how your stream is handled.

See also: Private show

Interactive toys

Connected devices (often referred to by brand names) that react to tips. The platform or a third-party app maps tip amounts to vibration patterns; the broadcaster decides whether to use one.

See also: Tip

Public room / free chat

The stream everyone can see, including visitors without an account on many platforms. What happens in public rooms depends on the platform's content rules and the broadcaster's own settings.

See also: Freemium vs premium platforms

Fan club / membership

A recurring monthly payment to a specific broadcaster that unlocks perks such as private media, badges or discounts, separate from the platform's own premium memberships.

See also: Tokens / credits

Billing descriptor

The merchant name that appears on a card or bank statement after a purchase. Platforms typically bill through a payment processor whose name, not the platform's, appears on the statement. The descriptor is documented in a platform's help centre or purchase page when it is available; we record it in reviews only when it is published.

See also: Tokens / credits

Age verification

Checks that confirm a visitor is an adult before adult content is shown. Requirements vary by country and, in the United States, by state; some platforms respond by blocking access from certain regions, others by asking for verification. We describe published policies only and do not explain how to bypass them.

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