Private cam shows: how one-on-one shows work

What a private show is

In a private show, a performer leaves their public room and spends time with you alone. Other viewers can no longer watch the public stream while the private show runs, and the conversation is between the two of you. It is the closest thing a cam site offers to booking someone's time.

Private shows are paid. On most sites the cost is a set number of tokens per minute, and the performer chooses that rate. The site shows you the rate before you start, and tokens are taken from your balance as the minutes pass.

Why people choose private shows

• Attention. In a busy public room your messages scroll past quickly. In private, the performer is talking to you.
• Conversation. Some people mostly want to chat, and a private show is a paid, focused conversation.
• Requests. What a performer is comfortable doing in private is often different from what they do in public. They set those limits, and a good private show starts by agreeing what you are both there for.

How a private show usually works

Details vary by site and by performer, but the steps are broadly the same:

1. Check availability Performers switch private shows on or off. If it is available, the room shows the per-minute rate.
2. Check your balance You need enough tokens for at least the minimum length the performer sets.
3. Request the show The performer can accept or decline. Accepting starts the timer.
4. End when you want You can usually end the show at any time, and some performers set a minimum length.

Our guide to private shows covers each step in more detail, including what to say at the start and what happens if something goes wrong.

Cam2cam: when the performer can see you too

Some private shows can be two-way: you turn on your own camera and, if you choose, your microphone. That is usually called cam2cam. It can make a show feel much more personal, and it also means sharing your face, your voice and your surroundings. Read cam2cam explained before you switch your camera on for the first time.

Watching someone else's private show

On some sites, other viewers can pay a lower rate to watch a private show without taking part. Names for this differ between sites. If privacy matters to you, check the site's settings and the room's description before you start, and ask the performer if you are unsure.

Group shows

Some sites also offer group shows, where several viewers share the cost of time with one performer. They sit between a public room and a private show: more attention than a busy public room, for less than booking someone alone. Availability varies by site and by performer, so check the room for what is on offer. Our guide to ticket, group and spy shows compares these formats with private shows.

Keeping costs in check

Paying by the minute is simple to understand and easy to lose track of. A few habits help:

• decide the total you are willing to spend before you request the show;
• work out how many minutes that buys at the performer's rate;
• keep an eye on your remaining balance, and end the show when you reach your limit.

Our guide to setting a cam budget has a simple method, and tokens explained covers what you are actually buying when you top up.

Etiquette and boundaries

Paying for a performer's time does not remove their right to set limits. Be clear and polite about what you would like, accept a no, and do not pressure performers to move the conversation off the site. Off-site requests are also one of the first warning signs of a scam, which our guide to cam scams and sextortion explains.

Private shows compared with public shows

If you are not sure yet, spend time in public shows first. You will learn how a performer runs their room, whether you enjoy their style and what their private rate is, all without spending anything.