StripChat Review

StripChat is the world's most-visited cam site. In fact, it's the sixth most visited adult site in the world—period.

The only other cam site that comes close is Chaturbate, the freemium rival whose mantle StripChat snatched away in a dramatic rise to the top of our charts.

We can look back at the Covid-19 pandemic as one of the primary drivers of StripChat's popularity. More users at home and more models looking for income opportunities led to a doubling of traffic in the space of 12 months.

Still, the data shows that StripChat enjoyed a significant amount of growth relative to its rivals during this time. We put that down to a few factors: one of the slickest platforms in the business, superior user experience, and some perfectly executed PR campaigns.

The CamsRank system currently ranks StripChat at #1. It scores higher than any other cam site and has several favorable category recommendations. 

Model Selection

9

StripChat is absolutely stacked with active models. 

We found anywhere from 5000 to 9000 live streams available at any given time. When you land on the homepage, you'll be presented with models located in your country. This is different to the other freemium platforms, but StripChat can get away with it since it has such vast international coverage.

We tested the site through a VPN and accessed from various countries including: United States, France, United Kingdom, Japan and India. In all cases, the homepage filled up nicely with live, local models. Very impressive indeed.

Of particular note was the current focus on Ukrainian models. The sidebar has a select group of 'Specials', which includes some popular categories - including Ukrainian girls. As the Russia/Ukraine war rumbles on, this is a nice way of supporting models who have been directly affected by the conflict.

(Not to mention, holy fapballs, those girls are smoking hot.)

Female Performers

The girls on StripChat represent over 80% of the total model roster, and they come from all over the world. 

We find many free cam sites are dominated by one particular region, but the demographics are less noticeably skewed here. Sure, you'll find Latina girls are the most prolific (Colombia never disappoints!), but we were pleasantly surprised by the number of ebony and asian models. There's even a small but active Arab sub-section -- extremely rare on other cam sites.

One thing you'll note is that the type of shows differ according to the region.

Step inside the Arab or Indian streams and it's very common to find girls broadcasting with their faces hidden from the screen. Asian girls tend to put out much less explicit shows in public than their Western rivals.

While this contributes to a platform that isn't quite as sexually explicit as BongaCams or Cam4, we can appreciate the freedom of choice and the diversity of models.

In terms of age distribution, teens and younger models dominate the site, but not to the extent that you won't find mature ladies on the prowl. 

Around 10% of the active shows are tagged MILF, Mature or Granny.

We're not entirely convinced by the accuracy of the tagging system. The MILF category, in particular, is full of younger-looking models. While it may technically be correct - maybe they're moms?! - you'll want to use the Mature category for watching women in the 40+ bracket.

Male Performers

Around 10% of StripChat's huge database is male cams. The majority of these are 'bisexual', but we're not buying those numbers.

During our most recent visit, 555 men were online. Of these shows, 422 were tagged bisexual, 59 gay and 74 straight. A closer inspection of the top 20 shows revealed that nearly all of them were dominated by men in the chat. Maybe there are some women tuning in, but we didn't spot any!

It's safe to say this is a happy hunting ground for gay cam action.

Trans Performers

With a surprising lack of diversity in coverage, the trans section is dominated by LATAM models.

This is a theme we are familiar with from other freemium sites. We didn't even need to check the country flags to guess that the majority of performers would be from Colombia. And we were right.

You can expect around 100-120 active TS shows, representing around 2% of StripChat's total shows.

Couples

It's not just a haven for couples. StripChat hosts full-blown orgies, too!

This platform has an excellent selection of 200+ live couple shows, from all over the world. Couples is not quite the right term for many of the streams that appear in this category. There's a bizarre number of multi-girl Asian shows (which we really enjoyed!), as well as some really strange roleplay settings.

A recent example: we saw a receptionist banging her boss in a makeshift office.

It's an absolute riot in the couples section. This is one category where StripChat appears untouchable.

Live Shows

9

Cam sites don't grow as quickly as StripChat without offering a lot of hot content for free. 

StripChat is pitched as a freemium cam site. Most of the models spend their time performing for tips in front of a large and active audience. That's not to say you can't go private with your favorite models, or even Cam2Cam -- you can. 

Public Free Shows

StripChat is packed with free-to-watch shows, albeit with a lower ratio of explicit content than some freemium sites. 

We noticed the availability of fully explicit content varies according to the local market. Models in Europe and South America appear much more likely to broadcast nude and uncensored to the wider public. Models in Asia were noticeably more reticent, probably due to cultural norms, and preferred to save the good stuff for private shows.

The sheer number of active models on StripChat means you never have to look far for free live action.

One thing to note: while you can find models from all over the world, they will typically attract a lot of viewers from their home countries. Some may not even speak English. This can detract from public tip-based shows, since the live chats are difficult to follow in a foreign language.

Here was the exact breakdown during our last visit:

Private Shows

The majority of models on StripChat are available for private chat. 

Some freemium sites (like MyFreeCams) attract models who are solely interested in public tip-based shows. That's not the case here. 

Models get to set their own prices, with the full spectrum of shows ranging from $0.64 – $16.00 per minute. 

This view is heavily distorted by the small handful of models charging top dollar. If we're looking at the realistic average, most shows fall between $0.96 – $1.92 per minute. 

Excellent value and much lower than most rival sites.

Note that these private shows are not truly private. Other users can 'spy' on the model as part of a Spy On Show (unless the feature has been deactivated by the performer).

This is not the kinkiest roster, but most 'mainstream' fetishes are covered.

StripChat gives prominence to the BDSM specials on its sidebar. It's not particularly active, though. Only 10-20 shows were available during our visits. From a total live model count of 6000+ shows, that's slim pickings.

The full Category page offers shows like Humiliation, Jerk-off instruction, Facesitting, Pegging and Foot Fetish. These are dubbed 'Activities on Request', meaning you will have to request them in a paid private chat.

StripChat also has a Recordable Privates feature. 

For an extra charge, you get to keep the video. This raises the average cost considerably with most models charging at least $4+. There are still some bargains to be had, particularly with newer "unproven" models.

Video Call (Cam2Cam)

StripChat offers two-way interaction where you can enable your own cam in a video call. This also inflates the average price.

At the low end, video calls start at around $3 per minute. Expect to pay $7-$12 for the proven performers.

Group Shows

Group Shows are basically crowdfunded Private Shows -- where the models charge a lower fixed fee for a group of viewers.

These seem to be very popular with Asian models. We spotted a lot of group show incentives in the Japan, India and China categories.

Unfortunately there is no way to search for live group shows or upcoming tickets.

Voyeur / Spy On Shows

StripChat has Spy On Shows where you can watch private shows purchased by other users, without being able to chat or interact with the model.

Not every private show has the voyeur mode enabled, and it's difficult to gauge the exact percentage since the number of private shows in progress is never disclosed. We typically found 250-300 spy shows online at any given time.

StripChat has an excellent 15 seconds-free trial option. You can get a quick teaser of what's happening in the private show, and whether it's worth joining. You need to have tokens deposited to use this feature.

Stream Quality

7

StripChat has a unique Ultra Low Latency Mode, a useful feature for users who suffer from lag on other cam sites.

We assessed several streams - around half went up to 1080p. Bitrates averaged 3-4 MB/s, which is very good, if not quite up to the standard of Streamate or LiveJasmin. 

Of course, StripChat pulls in a lot of amateur performers -- including many broadcasting directly from their mobile phones -- in countries that we wouldn't typically associate with flawless Internet. This leads to some major variability in stream quality.

For users in said countries, StripChat makes it possible to switch between 720p, 480p, 240p and 160p. A nice addition for those with patchy connections.

StripChat has an HD tag that isn't visible from the homepage. This area is reserved exclusively for models streaming in OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). Quality here is excellent.

Site Design

8

We'll start with the negatives: 

Normally when we head to a cam site homepage, it's pretty obvious which shows the algorithm is trying to surface: those with the most viewers.

If a model is putting on a show-stopping performance, you'd expect it to hit the homepage. That's not always the case on StripChat. Here the primary focus is on showcasing performers from your country.

We can't imagine StripChat has failed to split-test the effectiveness of this approach, but our preference is for putting the most viewed shows front and center. 

There is a section for 'trending' or 'top live cams', but it's never explained what metrics a model has to tick off to appear in these sections. StripChat throws multiple category views on to the homepage. It's all a bit messy.

Another quirk we don't like is the decision to add live thumbnail previews for Ultimate members only. These are useful discoverability tools. They shouldn't be tucked behind a paywall.

The positives: 

The StripChat interface does a phenomenal job of showcasing the features you need, in exactly the places where you'd expect to find them. It looks, feels and works like a modern cam site.

The tagging and category system is extensive. 

You can scroll a huge sidebar to filter models by age, ethnicity, body type, private show rates, and specialist fetish services. StripChat also has an excellent search system with intuitive auto-complete, a feature that really comes in handy on mobile devices.

Mobile UX

8

StripChat works really well on mobile devices. The live shows load seamlessly with lightning fact connection times.

Unlike many free cam sites, StripChat allows models to broadcast directly from their mobile phones. In these streams (clearly marked by a mobile phone on the thumbnail), the pillarboxing disappears and we're left with an elegant full-screen view -- like a dirty video call. It works and looks great.

You can cam2cam directly using your mobile phone, but it was buggy when we tested it. The feature currently only works with Safari on iPhones or Chrome on Androids. 

When you're viewing a non-mobile stream, the standard vertical view gives a lot of screen real-estate to the chat window. Too much:

 
We suggest you flip your phone horizontally, which overlays the most essential UI elements and refocuses on the video itself. 

Extra Features

9

StripChat is selective in rolling out new features. There's a clear desire not to clutter up the interface with too many distractions. 

Here are a few standout features that caught our eye:

Leading Source of Virtual Reality Cams

StripChat has one of the best collections of VR cams on the planet. Highly recommended.

While other sites have discontinued (or dramatically reduced) their VR cam selections, StripChat has doubled down and typically has between 100 and 150 VR shows live throughout the day. The platform has voice interaction enabled, so you can chat with the model in real-time while seeing her virtually transported into your headset.

The experience is not as seamless as VR porn (be prepared for disappearing limbs), but it's about as good as it gets with the technology currently on offer.

It's safe to say that StripChat dominates the virtual reality camming space.

High Ratio of Interactive Shows

StripChat is an excellent choice of interactive shows, tip-controlled vibrators and mini-games.

Almost 50% of the performers have interactive toys available. You can narrow down the options with their helpful tagging system: from fuck machines to Lovense (very popular) and Kiiroo (not so much).

StripChat has a purpose-built interface for tip menus, unlike some of its freemium rivals. For example, models can configure their Lovense Toy activation thresholds - a few seconds of low vibration for a small time, a minute-long 'earthquake' for a large tip.

Models with interactive sex toys are clearly marked in the thumbnail previews, or you can head over to the Interactive category page.

"Activities on Request"

OK, nothing particularly innovative about this feature. Pretty cool though - it's like a live-updated menu of services:

We like that StripChat makes it clear that the special interests are available on request, and not part of the typical public shows. 

This is a common complaint on other tag-friendly freemium cam sites. ("Boohoo! My foot fetish model didn't have her feet out when I tuned in!")

StripChat Ultimate Membership

StripChat Ultimate is a $19.99 recurring subscription that unlocks some extra features to dedicated menus.

Take a look:

We can't say we're overly inspired to hand over $20 for any of these features. The most practical bonus is the model stream preview, which lets you roll over a show and catch a snapshot of the live action.

This is included as default on many cam sites, though, so... uhh, show me the spicy emoji?!

Action-to-Spend

10

When we talk about our Action to Spend ratio, we're referring to the amount of action you can see on the site without a) reaching for your wallet and/or b) breaking the bank once you've reached for it.

You can see a lot for free on StripChat. The site is comparable to Chaturbate for the sheer volume of explicit cams.

As for private shows, models can set their own rates. The market effects are in full order -- most performers settle at around $0.96 – $1.92 per minute. Yes, you'll find outliers, but the majority of shows are excellent value.

To summarise, StripChat is stacked with free cams. And it's stacked with cheap private cams. We're giving it a straight 10 here.

Payment Options

6

The true cost of a StripChat token depends on how many you buy -- and what payment method you choose.

Sounds like a cluster, and yes, it is.

Throughout this review, we've estimated the cost of 1 StripChat token is $0.079. This is based on the most popular package, which is currently 200 tokens for $15.99 (a 25% discount) when paid for by credit or debit card.

Here are the available packages, and how much they cost using different payment methods:

As you can see, PayPal gives you less tokens for your money... but the way this is illustrated is kinda stealthy.

We're really not fans of credit systems where the value is designed to obfuscate how much you are actually spending.

What about those bulk buys? 

StripChat offers a maximum 40% discount for horny whales, which is way above the 20% average we're used to seeing. However, the package is $999.99, and the full discount is only available if you pay by crypto.

To be fair, the 30% bonus on the $199.99 when paying by card is very good value. Take note of the Ultimate membership upsell though.  

StripChat allows refunds for unused tokens purchased in the last 30 days, but only if you paid by PayPal, credit or debit card. Crypto transactions are non-refundable. 

We placed several orders using both card and PayPal and we're pleased to report that billing is fully discreet.

CamsRank on StripChat

The CamsRank system currently places StripChat at #1 - right at the top of the list.

We think this is the best cam site in the world today, and it's reflected by solid-to-high scores in every department.

Not only does it top the charts in our core metrics, it also dominates several category-specific rankings (VR, interactive toys, couples). 

StripChat's position as the undisputed king of VR cams speaks to the company's innovation. It's not getting left behind. The platform is right at the edge of the latest camming trends.

Slick, modern and packed full of features, the competition has its work cut out to dethrone StripChat anytime soon.