Cam Site Glossary: Webcam Terms Explained from A to Z

How to use this glossary

Terms are sorted A to Z; use the letter list to jump.
Platforms name the same thing differently (a "broadcaster", "host" and "performer" are all cam models), so we note the main synonyms.
Prices quoted are examples from official pages checked in October 2026 and can change by region or with VAT.

A

Age verification

A check that a user is 18 or older, beyond clicking an "I am 18" button. The UK has required it for sites allowing pornography since 25 July 2025, 27 US states have such laws, and Australia's codes apply to porn sites from 9 March 2026. Methods include facial age estimation, card checks and ID matching. Country rules: cam sites by country.

Anonymous tipping

Tipping without your username showing in chat. It is usually a paid perk: Chaturbate Supporters, Stripchat Ultimate members and CamSoda Premium members can tip anonymously, while MyFreeCams allows anonymous tips from 5 tokens. See tipping on cam sites.

Auto refill (auto top-up)

An optional setting that re-buys tokens or credits when your balance runs low. Chaturbate's Auto Refill (credit card only) re-buys your last package when the balance drops below 10% of it; LiveJasmin's SmartBuy buys a 27.99-credit package when you fall below 7 credits. Turn it off in settings; our guide to stopping recurring charges shows where.

B

Billing descriptor

The name that appears on your card or bank statement. Cam sites usually bill through processors, so you see names like EPOCH.COM*Technius or Paymentico.com (Stripchat), JWSbill.com (LiveJasmin) or GRANITY ENTERTAINMENT (Cam4 Gold) rather than the site's name. Full list: how cam charges appear on statements.

Block session

A private show bought as a fixed block of time, usually at a discount. Streamate offers 15, 30, 45 and 60-minute blocks at 5% to 20% off; Cam4 offers fixed-rate blocks set by the performer. Compare with per-minute pricing in private show costs.

Broadcaster

Chaturbate's word for a performer who streams on the site. Other platforms say model, host or performer. Definition and requirements: what a cam model is.

C

Cam model

An adult performer, 18 or older, who streams live and earns from tips, paid shows and content. Every platform verifies ID before payouts. Full entry: cam model meaning, or start with the guide for models.

Cam site

A platform where adult performers stream live video to viewers who chat, tip and pay for shows. Some are freemium (free to watch, paid by tips), others premium (paid private time). Ranked list: best webcam sites.

Cam to cam (C2C, Cam2Cam)

The viewer turns on their own webcam so the performer can see them. Rules differ: on Chaturbate it is video only and needs age verification; on CamSoda it is included in the private rate; on Stripchat it costs 8 to 250 tokens per minute. Details: cam to cam explained.

Chargeback

Reversing a card payment through your bank instead of the merchant. In the US you send a written billing-error notice within 60 days of the statement. Each platform sets its own account consequences, such as bans, so read our chargeback guide before filing.

Club show

A MyFreeCams show with no per-minute cost, open to members of the model's MFC Share Club. It is a fan club perk; see how fan clubs work.

Credits

A site currency used by premium platforms such as LiveJasmin, Flirt4Free and ImLive, usually spent per minute in private shows. ImLive's host agreement values one credit at USD 1; LiveJasmin does not publish a cash price logged out. Tokens vs credits: token sites vs credit sites.

D

DAC7

An EU directive that makes platforms report the earnings of EU-resident sellers of "personal services" to tax authorities. Chaturbate and BongaCams collect tax data from EU models for it. More in cam sites in Germany.

Daily payout

Getting paid every business day instead of on a fixed schedule. Chaturbate offers it Monday to Friday for a USD 3.95 fee once a model has received 2 regular payouts (US) or 4 (international). See payout methods for models.

E

Exclusive private

A one-on-one private show that nobody can spy on. Stripchat, CamSoda and LiveJasmin call it Exclusive Private; Streamate and Jerkmate say Exclusive. Same idea as MyFreeCams' TruePrivate.

F

Fan club

A monthly subscription to one performer that unlocks perks such as exclusive content, a badge or discounts. Chaturbate fan clubs auto-renew monthly; Stripchat has three tiers and LiveJasmin four. Guide: fan clubs on cam sites.

Free chat (public chat)

The free part of a cam room where anyone can watch and, usually, chat. On freemium sites it is where most shows happen; on premium sites it is a lobby, and LiveJasmin's terms keep nudity for private mode. Best options: free webcam sites.

Freemium

The business model of Chaturbate, Stripchat, BongaCams, CamSoda, Cam4 and MyFreeCams: watching is free and money comes from tips and paid extras. The opposite is pay-per-minute premium sites. Explainer: how webcam sites work.

Full-private

BongaCams' no-spy private show, default 90 tokens per minute against 60 for a regular Private Chat. Compared with other sites in true private shows.

G

Geo-blocking

A setting that hides a model from viewers in chosen countries, states or regions, based on IP address. Chaturbate goes down to US states, Canadian provinces and UK regions. Per-platform table: geo-blocking explained.

GOLD

The tipping currency on Streamate and Jerkmate, where one GOLD equals USD 1.00. It is added to your streaming charges. See the Streamate review.

Gold Show

A Streamate and Jerkmate group format: members pledge GOLD toward a goal during a countdown, and are not billed if the performer cancels. A type of ticket show.

Golden Ticket

CamSoda's ticket show: a flat price set by the model for a scheduled or ongoing show. Some fan club tiers include free or discounted Golden Tickets. Compare formats under ticket shows.

Group show

A paid show several viewers watch together, usually each paying a per-minute rate that is lower than a private. MyFreeCams charges 10 tokens per minute per member once 3 members request one; BongaCams defaults to 30. Guide: group shows.

Guest

A visitor without an account. Many freemium sites let guests watch public rooms; others limit them (XloveCam interrupts guest free chat after one minute, Flirt4Free removes guests after a while). How-to: watching without an account.

H

HD cam

A stream in high definition. Chaturbate accepts streams from 240p up to 4K and recommends 10 Mbps upload for HD. Platforms with documented HD: HD webcam sites.

Hidden show

Chaturbate's term for a show that hides the stream from everyone except ticket buyers, run through room apps. Explained under what a ticket show is.

I

Interactive toy

A connected device that reacts to tips, so each tip triggers a vibration of a set length or strength. Lovense is the most common brand; Stripchat also supports Kiiroo. Guide: interactive toys on cam sites.

Invisible mode

Watching without appearing in a room's user list. It is a paid perk on Stripchat (Ultimate), CamSoda (Premium) and LiveJasmin (Pro Membership). More privacy settings: cam site privacy.

K

King of the Room

A title for the biggest spender in a room. On LiveJasmin it goes to the top Surprise or Interactive Toy spender for 24 hours; Stripchat shows a King of the room and top tippers. Part of how cam tipping works.

L

Lovense

The toy brand most cam sites integrate. Its camming tools are free and let toys react to tips, with games such as wheels and dice. See toys that react to tips.

M

Minimum payout

The smallest balance a model can withdraw. Chaturbate's is USD 50 for most methods (USD 200 for crypto), LiveJasmin's USD 100. Compare in model payout methods and minimums.

Minimum show length

A minimum duration a performer can set for private shows. On Stripchat, leaving early still charges the minimum; on CamSoda, if the model ends early you are refunded the rest of the minimum. More on private shows.

Mobile broadcasting

Streaming from a phone instead of a computer. Chaturbate supports it in the mobile browser, Cam4 has the C4 app on iOS and Android, and BongaCams has a BM Broadcaster app. Guide: mobile cams.

Multi-model room

A room with more than one performer on camera. Chaturbate allows up to five, each age-verified. See multi-model rooms.

N

New model tag

A badge and extra placement for newcomers. Chaturbate's NEW tag lasts for the first 80 streaming hours within 30 days; Stripchat uses the same 30 days or 80 hours; LiveJasmin's Newbie program runs 90 days. Growth tips: growing a cam audience.

O

OBS (OBS Studio)

Free, open-source streaming software for Windows, macOS and Linux. Models use it to send a higher-quality stream to cam sites over RTMP. Download it only from obsproject.com; Cam4 has warned about fake download sites. See webcam software for models.

Offline tip

A tip sent to a performer who is not live, for example from their profile. Chaturbate, Stripchat, CamSoda and Flirt4Free support it. Covered in the tipping guide.

P

Party chat

A multi-viewer paid chat. On Cams.com it costs tokens per minute and is cheaper than a private; on Flirt4Free it is tip-based with free entry. A form of group show.

Password show

A Chaturbate show where the room is locked with a password, paid by a tip agreed in advance. Related: ticket and hidden shows.

Pay per minute

Billing by time spent in a paid show. Most sites charge per minute; LiveJasmin bills private chat per second, and SkyPrivate rounds up to the next full minute. Worked costs: what a private show costs.

Paxum

An e-wallet popular for model payouts, run by Paxum Bank Limited (Dominica). Chaturbate charges USD 0.50 per Paxum payout. Other options: how cam models get paid.

Payout

Money a model withdraws from earnings, sent on a schedule by bank transfer, e-wallet, check or crypto. Rates and fees: webcam platform fees.

The part of viewer spending a model keeps. Some sites state it per token (USD 0.05 on Chaturbate, Stripchat and MyFreeCams; USD 0.10 on Cam4), others as a percentage (LiveJasmin 30% to 80% by level, SkyPrivate 70% for new models). Compared side by side in payout shares by platform.

Premium membership

A paid account tier with perks. Chaturbate Supporter and CamSoda Premium cost USD 19.95 a month; Cam4 Gold was EUR 19.99 per 30 days at an EU checkout; MyFreeCams gives Premium for life after your first token purchase. Overview: cam site pricing.

Premium private

Chaturbate's no-spy private show, with its own per-minute price and minimum. See no-spy private shows.

Private show (pvt)

A paid one-on-one show, usually billed per minute at a rate the performer sets. Other members may be able to spy unless it is an exclusive private. Full guide: private shows explained.

PWA (progressive web app)

A website you can install from the browser like an app, without an app store. Stripchat's only official app is a PWA. Apple's App Store and Google Play ban sexual content, so viewer apps for cam sites are web-based. See cam site apps.

R

Recorded show

A recording of a show you paid for, or videos a model sells. Chaturbate records private shows to the buyer's My Collection by default; Stripchat saves private recordings at up to 720p if the model allows. Guide: recorded shows.

Recurring billing

Charges that repeat until you cancel, such as fan clubs, memberships and auto refill. MyFreeCams says it does not use recurring charges. How to cancel: stop recurring billing.

RTMP and stream key

RTMP is the protocol streaming software uses to send video to a cam site; the stream key is the private code that ties the stream to your account. Never share the key. Setup: webcam streaming setup.

S

Sneak Peek

A short paid look into someone else's private show. On LiveJasmin it lasts 25 seconds for 1.99 credits; XloveCam has a SneakPeek at a fixed price per performer; Stripchat gives a free 15-second peek once per show. Related to spy mode.

Spy mode (voyeur)

Watching another member's private show without taking part, at a lower per-minute rate. MyFreeCams charges 20 tokens a minute; Stripchat 4 to 60. Spies usually cannot chat. Guide: how spy shows work.

Studio

A business that manages several cam models and collects their earnings to pay them. Most platforms accept studio accounts. See starting as a cam model.

Supporter

Chaturbate's paid membership (USD 19.95 a month): no ads, private messages, anonymous tipping and a one-time 200-token bonus. Costs in Chaturbate pricing.

Surprise

LiveJasmin's name for a credit tip sent to a model. See the LiveJasmin review.

T

Ticket show

A show you join by paying one fixed price instead of per minute. Stripchat tickets cost 8 to 1,000 tokens. Full entry: ticket shows explained.

Tip

Tokens or credits sent to a performer, in public chat or during a show. Tips are generally final. Guide: tipping explained.

Tip goal

A shared token target for the room; when tips reach it, the performer does what was promised. Full entry: how tip goals work.

A performer's price list of requests paid by tipping a set amount. Streamate calls it a Gold Menu. Full entry: tip menu meaning.

Token

The virtual currency of freemium cam sites, bought in packages and spent on tips and shows. Its price for viewers and its value to models are not the same. Explainer: webcam tokens.

Token package

A bundle of tokens sold at a set price; bigger packages cost less per token. MyFreeCams, for example, ranges from USD 0.10 per token (200 tokens) to about USD 0.079 (7,575 tokens). How to buy: buying tokens.

Token value

What a token is worth in money. For models it is a fixed payout on some sites (USD 0.05 on Chaturbate); for viewers it is the package price, plus VAT where it applies. Try the token to dollar converter.

TruePrivate

MyFreeCams' no-spy private show at 80 tokens per minute (regular private: 60). Full entry: TruePrivate explained.

Two-step verification

A second login check after your password. Chaturbate supports SMS, calls, authenticator apps and YubiKey; Stripchat supports Google Authenticator. Set it up with our account security guide.

U

Ultimate

Stripchat's paid membership: invisible mode, anonymous tips, unlimited private messages and other perks, sold monthly, yearly or as a one-time month. Prices in Stripchat pricing.

V

VAT

Value-added tax on digital purchases. In the UK and EU it can be added to token prices based on your location, so the price may change at checkout. Chaturbate says VAT "may be included in the price shown". See cam sites in the UK.

VIP Show

LiveJasmin's group format: a pre-show and a credit goal, then only members who gave at least the minimum can watch. Compared with similar formats in fixed-price ticket formats.

VR cams

Shows streamed for virtual reality headsets. CamSoda's VR site supports Meta Quest and other headsets, and Stripchat offers VR privates. List: VR webcam sites.

FAQ

What does pvt mean on cam sites?

Short for private show: a paid one-on-one show billed per minute. See private show above.

What does C2C mean?

Cam to cam: the viewer shares their own webcam with the performer, usually during a private show. Some sites charge extra for it, others include it.

What is the difference between tokens and credits?

Both are prepaid site currencies. Tokens are typical on freemium tip-based sites; credits on premium pay-per-minute sites. What each is worth differs by platform.

What is spy mode on cam sites?

Paying a lower per-minute rate to watch someone else's private show without interacting. Exclusive or true private shows block it.

Why do platforms use different names for the same feature?

Each platform brands its own features. A ticket show is a Golden Ticket on CamSoda, a Gold Show on Streamate and a VIP Show on LiveJasmin, so we list the main names together.

Sources we checked

Official pages read for this article (last check 2026-10-14). Links open the source site.

Cam Site Glossary

Term guides

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