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VirtualCam vs DroidCam
Both turn your phone into a webcam. They differ in what gets installed, what the free tier costs you, and where your video travels.
Short answer: DroidCam turns your phone into a system webcam through a Windows client plus a phone app; the free tier is SD with ads and an HD watermark. VirtualCam installs a browser extension only — the phone pairs from a URL and video runs directly to your browser, encrypted, no watermark, no account. What you give up: desktop apps like OBS.
| VirtualCam | DroidCam | |
|---|---|---|
| PC install | Browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Brave) — no driver | Windows/Linux client with a camera driver |
| Phone install | None — a web page; Android app optional | Phone app required |
| Free tier | Both modes, 720p, per-site rules, test page | SD quality; ads in the call |
| Watermark / ads | No watermark ever; ads only on this website, never in the call | HD needs the one-time Pro upgrade; ads on free |
| Video path | Direct phone-to-browser, DTLS-SRTP; the pairing server never sees a frame | Phone to PC client over Wi-Fi or USB |
| Works in | Websites in the browser only | Any desktop app, including OBS |
Where each one wins
Choose DroidCam if you also want a system camera for desktop applications — OBS, the native Zoom client, game streaming. That is a real capability VirtualCam deliberately does not have, and DroidCam's one-time Pro upgrade is inexpensive.
Choose VirtualCam if your problem is websites: a camera-gated Meet, Zoom-web, Teams-web or Discord tab; a laptop whose webcam never worked; or a call where you would rather send a clean feed than your face. Nothing installs but the extension, the phone pairs from a URL, and the free tier is the whole core — get it here. How the direct connection works: the video path, explained.
Considering Iriun or Camo too? Read VirtualCam vs Iriun and VirtualCam vs Camo. If a site simply says "camera not found", start with the fix guide.
Competitor facts checked October 2026 — packaging and pricing change often; verify before deciding. Status: the VirtualCam extension is in Chrome Web Store review; the camera test works in your browser today.