Should I work for a studio or as an independent?

Each cam site offers you the choice of working as an independent contractor (directly with the site) or being employed by a studio. Studios reserve the right to a percentage or your payout.

The pros of working independently

Obviously, the number one benefit of working on your own is that what you make, you keep. Your host site will, of course, take their specified portion of your earnings, but you will receive the rest of your payment directly to your account or payment method that you opt for. You don't need to work any specified number of hours, follow a schedule, or reach a specified amount of earnings. These are all up up to you.

The cons of working independently

There could be difficulties in working on your own if, say, you have trouble with technical aspects of your job like operating a webcam, uploading content, or managing your page. You may also need some help with taxes or setting up your lighting or “performance” space. Studios could help you out with this, though don't count on it entirely. Doing a little research and learning this kind of stuff on your own will ultimately pay off better for you than depending on (sometimes flaky) studios.

The pros of working for a studio

Occasionally, working for a studio has its benefits. Like we've already mention, they sometimes help sort out the more technical aspects of your job, which makes work as a cam girl relatively easier. They could also be helpful in promoting you or driving traffic your away through advertising. They may offer you a computer or pay for the internet, or even let you work in an actual studio-set up specifically for webcamming. Studios operate by receiving payment directly from the host cam site, and then giving you a portion of the check, while keeping the rest themselves. A really good studio may actually make life easier for you, and may be worth the slight cut in payment.

The cons of working for studio

The most obvious downside of working for a studio is that you won't be able to keep all of your earnings. In addition to this, studies make you follow a specified schedule, work a minimum number of hours, and have a set quota of earnings you must reach. Also, you may be contractually obligated not to work for any other sites or to work independently for a set amount of time after leaving.

Some studios may be very hard to differentiate from a cam site. They may make their website very similar to a cam site and kind of “trick you” into signing up and working for them. You need to be careful and carefully read through a site's information as well as your working contract no to fall victim to these faux-studios.