I’ve been delaying writing this updated article for years.   Each month I start it and it just becomes a burden to write, as it’s so negative … so I procrastinate.  I’ve promised to get a 2026 edition, and as we’re still in the first week of the year – I made it a priority, so here goes.

The State of the Trans Porn Industry

Ignore everything else you may have read or heard, these are the facts.  Trans porn does sell – and is popular.  It’s not as popular and doesn’t sell as well as some outlets would lead you to believe.

Pornhub, Xhamster and other free outlets (or freemium) release their data often showing trans porn to be performing well, and that may be true on their sites but that doesn’t mean there is a healthy/wealthy group of people willing and able to buy trans porn.  All it confirms is that people are willing to consume trans porn for free – their reasons for not paying is that they may be in countries where they can’t pay or it’s unaffordable (but that would match the same on cis/gay porn) but the main reason is that while they are happy to watch it on a site which also shows cis content, they want the deniability that they didn’t pay for trans porn and ‘stumbled upon it’.

If trans content was so successful and in demand, there would be far more companies around producing far more trans porn.  Instead there are only a handful of sites, mostly supported by bigger companies – and that means the opportunities for new and existing trans performers are limited.  Grooby is by far the largest producer of trans porn in terms of the number of shoots we do – but we are turning down more new models and returning models than ever before.  We just don’t have the budgets to shoot everyone as much as they’d like – and the amount of trans women looking for work has increased, while the amount of shoots as decreased.

Most of the current studios producing trans porn are working from the same pool of about 20 performers – all great models, all gorgeous and all very professional – so it makes it difficult for new girls to break into those companies talent pool.   TransAngels (ran by Pornhub’s parent company), Transensual, Kink,  TransFixed/Oopsie (Gamma),  Gender X and Evil Angel tend to use a similar pool of performers, and who would blame them?  The models they use are reliable and sell well and if you are a performer invited to work with them, then (after you read the contract) you should.   There are a few smaller outlets, but many seem to work on a content share  arrangement and as I’m sure the majority of them are legitimate,  please make sure you check exactly who you are working with and watch for your own safety.  If they aren’t paying you – then you should question it.   Talk to other models who may have worked with them.

Working solely as a performer for other companies in trans porn isn’t a career.   It’s probably not even a short term gig after the first few months.   It should be seen as a side-gig, something you enjoy doing and gives you extra income, or as part of an overall working job in trans porn which would include as well as studio work;  shooting content yourself/with others for resale on sites like Clips4Sale, Adult Empire, having a fan site (OnlyFans/JustFor.fans), cam work, being an affiliate, etc.   It’s a full time job, and you have to wear many hats to do it – but those who do it well, seem to do okay …

… but back to trans performing.

So What Is Available?  And the Pitfalls

As far as I am aware, Grooby is the only company currently shooting solo content as well as hardcore content, and trans VR.   We’re the only company actively recruiting new models.   We’re the only company that shoots specifically with black models, BBW performers, mature trans performers, post-op models – and we shoot for multiple sites we run.   We’re only going to be talking about N.America/Europe for this and that adds up to an incredible 312 hardcore scenes, and 454 solos a year .   It seems a lot right?  Enough that there should be enough space for YOU?

We worked with almost 400 unique North American/European models in 2025.  Many of these we needed to appear on multiple sites.   So you can see how few shoots there actually are.   The other companies I mentioned above update 1-2 a week (mostly 1x) so just take an estimate at under 300 scenes, and we are looking at about 1000 studio shoots a year across the industry in 2025,  to be shared between 400 performers.   Some of the most popular performers get dozens of shoots a year, but many first timers or more niche models, maybe only one or two.

One of the common pitfalls I see – a new performer can enter the industry and we’d quickly want to shoot them for say, GroobyGirls in a solo shoot, and hardcore, and then a VR hardcore and maybe Tgirls.porn.  At the same time other studios may come knocking, along with all the bottom feeders – content creators who talk a new model into doing an unpaid scene which seems more for that creators ego than a business proposition, and then publish it to their 30,000 followers for sale, while the new model loves the attention but makes next to nothing.    It’s all very heady for a new girl.  In her first few months she’s made a few thousand dollars or more, and worked with talent she’s only ever seen on the screen, she makes plans to quit her day job, move to Vegas and be a professional porn star, as with this amount of work she’ll easily be able to live well.  And then the studio work slows down, and the bottom feeders have moved onto the newer girl – and she can’t afford the new rent.    It’s not just a problem with the trans industry, it’s a problem with porn – the newer faces sell well – and only the cream of performers get invited for reshoots and longevity.

I Applied and You Rejected Me?  What is wrong with me?

It’s a case by case basis and everyone is different, but for the vast majority of trans women applicants there is absolutely nothing wrong with you.  We’re just unable to accommodate you and give you a shoot.   We test a lot of models (through Femout mostly) and try to work with as many models as we can, but at the end of the day we’re a business and we’re beholden to the members of our sites and what they pay us for.   With a limited budget, and only so many slots a month that need filling we need to ensure we’re working with performers who either bring new/returning members back into the site, or keep the member on that site happy, and therefore rebilling and we have to prioritize the best models for that.  We looked at your application and a handful of photos to make a decision on, taking our 30 years of experience into account – and we just feel we have models more likely to please the members for that slot/budget.

Often a girl is a little too early in transition even for Femout and we ask them to reapply when they’ve developed further (we’d generally be looking for some breast development no matter how small, nice facial skin and some development/softening taking place from the hormones).  Many girls have reapplied at a later date and successfully worked through our sites once they’re a little further along that path.   If we’re unable to work with you, you are in the 90% of prospective performers who applied and whom we were unable to work with for various reasons.

We’re not a company that discriminates on models for body shape/size, age, ethnic background, disabilities, scarring or anything else physical – if you have a good look, we have spaces for models with those traits.  We are the only trans company which have those spaces.

I do understand and empathize with you if we’re unable to offer you work.  It’s impossible to say ‘don’t take it personally’ because what could be more personal?   But please try and see it from our point of view.   We’re one company, we don’t have the support of a big parent company and we’re competing in a difficult space – digital porn in 2026 – and niche porn.   We have to make hard decisions to be able to survive and continue to put a large amount of income back into the trans adult community, to continue to shoot, to continue to run the TEAs and keep trans porn running.  If we weren’t looking for, recruiting or giving many girls their first shoot – there would be a lot less content out there.

Try creating your own content and selling it on clip sites.  Try camming.  Get yourself a fan site.  Talk to other trans girls on what they do best.   There is an online porn industry out there where you can be successful, as yourself.

I’m a Returning Performer and You Have No More Shoots For Me?

There is nothing we love more than returning performers who are popular.  But we have to base our choices on multiple factors.  If a shoot or a model has had a great response from members, including requests for return then we’d likely have them back.  If a model is the current flavour of the month then there would be more work.  If a model has appeared on every other companies sites within the last few months there would be less.   The most successful returning models usually have their own fan base, they change their looks between shoots, they are always awesome and professional to work with and they love being in front of the camera.  But even all of that is not enough sometimes.   Sometimes, models just have a shelf-life and there appearances have run their course.   Other times, we just feel there are better returning or new models to spend that budget on, and fill those slots with who will keep the members happier.   It’s fickle, it’s not an exact science and I recognise it’s a problem with the overall industry but at the end of the day, there was never any guarantee to give ongoing work, and this is a paid position and we need to pay the best person for that role.

If we’ve no shoots for you right now, then we’ll probably ask you to hit us up again at a specific time window.  If we do not have any future work, then I’m genuinely sorry we can’t offer you more – I thank you for working with us – you’ll always be welcome at any of our events (and get free access to The TEA Show), get merchandise, and be part of the Grooby Girl family … we just do not have those spaces.

Why Did I Write This?

Nobody should feel put down because they’re unable to get a professional shoot.   The majority of applicants don’t get a shoot.  There seems to be an expectation amongst some girls  that just because they transitioned, porn work will open up for them – and that’s just not true.  You transitioned for you – not to be a porn star – and while I understand wanting that validation and attention, there are ways I’ve mentioned to get this.

I also want people to be aware that there are bad players out there – the companies I’ve mentioned here I’ve not experienced any issues with but you should still read a contract fully and know what to expect.  Other companies, and content creators; please talk to other models to get their feedback – while many performers will happily help elevate you, there are plenty who have their own motives not to.  Just because someone is a trans girl does not make them a good player (most of the bad accusations of recent years have been against a few trans girls).

I want you to be aware that trans porn isn’t as big as you may have been led to believe.  If it was there would be far more companies producing far more content, and I would have retired long ago, rather than continuing to run this company (which I love to do … but you can see my point).

You should be aware that appearing in porn is not validity of you as a trans person or who you are as an individual.   Not all jobs or positions are for everyone.  Find what you love to do, and are good at – and do it.

If you applied to work with us, and you were directed here, I sincerely thank you for the application.  This post is set up to help me explain to you why we were unable to work with you – and I trust you will take it in the spirit it was intended – to inform and give you the realism of the trans porn industry.