Online sex work

Your income can vary a lot. It often grows slowly. At first, it takes time to make sure clients can find you. It often helps to be active on multiple platforms. Think about having a set time when you're online on Chaturbate, posting dressed-up photos on Instagram, and having a Telegram group where you announce when you're going online.

The number of people who watch you or subscribe to your account often varies. Some months you will have more viewers than others.

Many platforms require you to give them a portion of your income. For example, OnlyFans takes 20%. You also have to pay income tax on your 80% share to de Belastingdienst (Tax and Customs Administration). De Belastingdienst may conduct random checks to verify that you are reporting this correctly. Because all payments are made to you digitally, it is easier for de Belastingdienst to check whether you are reporting everything correctly. Do you require assistance with this? Consider consulting a bookkeeper.

There are various sites where you can do sex work online.

You can post videos/photos on platforms such as:

• OnlyFans
• JustForFans
• Friends2Follow
• Fansly
• Patreon
• PornHub

You can make live videos (camming) on, for example:

• Chaturbate
• CamSoda
• MyFreeCams (only for women)
• Cherry.tv (only for (trans)women)

You can chat with people via, for example:

• Telegram
• Signal
• Whatsapp
• Snapchat

You can also sell specially made videos and photos to individual clients, for example by mentioning their name in the video. You can send the photo or video to the client via Telegram, for example. Please note that the client can then easily save your video. This allows them to forward it to others. If you do not want this, select the option that allows the client to view the video or photo only once.

It is good to promote yourself on non-sex work websites. You often cannot be naked on these sites. You also often have to be careful not to let the platform know that you are a sex worker. For example, do not use certain words.

You can promote yourself on these non-sex work platforms:

• TikTok (no nude images)
• Instagram (no nude images)
• Snapchat
• Reddit (nude images allowed, depending on the subreddit)
• Twitter/X (nude images allowed)
• Bluesky (nude images allowed)

You do not need a licence to engage in online sex work. Please note: do you also meet with clients in person? If so, you will need a licence in most municipalities. 

If you are 18 years of age or older, you are permitted to do online sex work. You are also required to pay tax.

Advantages:

• You can do it from anywhere in the world. For example, from home. Or from a holiday destination.
• You can do it at any time of the day.
• You can have clients from all over the world.
• There is less chance of certain types of violence.
• You have a lot of control over what you do.
• You can often set your own prices.
• Are you specialised in a particular fetish or kink? Then you can often find more clients than if you can only meet people in your vicinity.‌
• You can combine working alone with collaborating with others.

Disadvantages:

• Online sex work often takes a lot of time. Think about editing videos,
  • being active on multiple platforms,
  • chatting with clients,
  • coming up with new, original ideas.
• Clients can save your photos and videos. This allows them to share your images with others without your knowledge. Has a client saved your images? Then the client may also try to blackmail you. For example, by saying that the images will be sent to your family if you do not give them money or meet them in person.
• Not all platforms are sex work-friendly. Your profile can suddenly be deleted. In that case, you will often not get paid.
• Starting out with online sex work can be quite expensive. Think of buying a good camera, a good laptop to edit the images, a microphone and a daylight lamp, and more.
• You often have to promote your work on many platforms. Think of TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky. This takes a lot of time and effort.
• You have to keep posting at regular times. Haven't posted anything for a week? Then you can already lose followers.
• You can be hacked. So always make sure you have a password that is difficult to guess!

When working online, you may encounter an unpleasant client. For example, someone may save your videos or photos and forward them to others. It is advisable to be cautious about what you share and display.

Do not use your real name, not even just your first name. Also, make sure that the images do not reveal the street you live on or other details that could help people recognise or locate you, such as distinctive tattoos.

Also beware of “reversed image search”. Clients can use a photo from your profile to find more photos of you. For example, photos on your personal Instagram profile.

Clients often pay more for good quality images. Things that can help you create good images are:

• One or more good cameras
• A tripod for the camera
• A microphone
• A good daylight lamp
• A fast laptop to edit the images
• Software to edit the images (such as Adobe Premiere and Photoshop)

Before you start working as an online sex worker, it is a good idea to have already taken a number of photos and videos. What if you are ill for a week? Or on holiday? Then you will still have material that you have not yet posted. That way, you can continue posting.

Please note!

Are you working with others? Then it is very important that you make clear agreements. And that you record these in a contract. For example, how you will be paid. And where the video will be posted.