How to Become a Gaming Companion: Requirements, Setup and First Orders
What it takes to become a paid gaming companion: requirements, your profile and payout setup, setting your rates, and landing your first orders.
Updated 2026-09-25 · 7 min read
Wondering how to become a gaming companion? You need to be 18 or older, offer at least one service people will book, and build a profile buyers can trust at a glance. On KAKI, you apply in six steps and approval is automatic. Buyers can find you in Browse once you add a real avatar and price at least one game.
For the buyer's side of the same process, read how gaming companion services work.
Key takeaways
- You must be 18 or older and able to offer at least one service category, such as a game or E-Chat.
- Approval is automatic, but you only appear in Browse with a real avatar and at least one priced game.
- Earnings unlock 10 to 15 days after an order completes, depending on your Kaki Level, and payouts go through Stripe.
- Keep chat and payment on the platform, play only on your own account, and report or block anyone abusive.
What do you need before you apply?
A gaming companion is a player who gets paid to play games or voice-chat with someone online. You must be 18 or older, able to provide a service in at least one category, and bring a service mindset. Categories go beyond competitive games, from E-Chat to Study Together, and you can add a custom game.
You'll also want:
- A headset with a clear mic, and a quiet room.
- A stable connection and a device that runs your game smoothly.
- Your own game account, because you'll only play on it.
- Regular hours you can keep, such as weekday evenings (GMT+8).
Voice calls are built into the app, so you don't need Discord. Companions are independent service providers, not employees, so your tax, insurance and legal compliance are your responsibility.
How do you set up as a gaming companion, step by step?
Step 1: Complete the application
The application has six steps:
- Welcome: the requirements above.
- Basic info: avatar, nickname, bio and languages.
- Style: your companion style, gender and voice-type tags.
- Games: in-game username and rank, plus up to 3 optional rank screenshots.
- Services and prices, which you can skip for now.
- Review, accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and submit.
Write your bio for the buyer: which games you play, how you play and when you're online.
Step 2: Get listed in Browse
Approval alone doesn't put you in front of buyers. To appear in Browse and search, you need a real avatar and at least one game with a price. The avatar must be a photo of you or your own character art. Letter tiles, plain colours, scenery and logos don't count.
Step 3: Set your rates
You set your own price in KAKI, per hour or per game, and can change it at any time. The platform doesn't set or suggest prices, so check your game's page first, such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang or Valorant. Start where a first-time buyer will try you, then adjust.
Step 4: Add the optional extras
A voice intro lets buyers hear you before booking. A free trial gives each new buyer 30 minutes free on hourly services, or 1 game free on per-game services. Browse can also filter for companions who offer one.
Step 5: Set up Stripe payouts
This can wait until after you apply. Companions must pass Stripe identity verification before they can withdraw earnings. You add bank details and confirm your identity. Malaysian companions also enter a MY TIN and ID number, and Stripe may ask for a document and a liveness check. Finally, set your Stripe payout schedule to "Manual".
What do buyers look at before they book you?
Profiles show your services, reviews and voice intro. Buyers can filter Browse by game, style, language, price range, online-only and free trial, and sort by rating or price.
| Profile element | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Avatar | No real avatar, no listing | A photo of you or your own character art |
| Games and listed rank | Buyers pick by game | List games you play now, with your honest rank |
| Languages | A Browse filter | Add every language you can chat in |
| Voice intro | Buyers hear you first | Record it somewhere quiet |
| Price | A filter and a sort option | Compare with your game's page |
| Online status and trial | Both are filters | Be online when you say; consider a trial |
| Reviews and rating | Browse sorts by rating | Earn your first reviews |
How do you get your first orders?
Your first reviews do the most work: buyers can review you after each completed order, and Browse can sort by rating. A 2014 field experiment on an online job marketplace, published in the American Economic Review, points the same way. Being hired and publicly evaluated substantially improved newcomers' later employment outcomes. Completed orders and high ratings also raise your Kaki Level, which unlocks your earnings sooner.
To land those first orders:
- Keep your hours. Buyers can filter for companions who are online now.
- Answer fast. Messaging you is free for buyers. You have 30 minutes to accept an order before it cancels itself. An instant order starts about 5 minutes after you accept.
- Offer the free trial to lower the risk for first-time buyers.
- Run a good session. Agree the plan up front and follow Riot's advice to VALORANT players: "keep it about the game, not the person". Never promise a rank, a win or any result.
- Show up. Repeated no-shows lead to formal warnings and possible suspension. A buyer whose session doesn't match your listing can also dispute the order.
An optional Pro Subscription adds priority in search and a Pro badge, but you don't need it to be listed.
How do you stay safe and keep boundaries as a companion?
Keep payment on the platform. The buyer's KAKI stays locked with the platform until the order finishes, and you receive it after completion. Off-platform payment (bank transfer, e-wallet or crypto) is banned, and so is swapping contact details to book elsewhere. Penalties include account termination and loss of pending payouts.
Keep it online. KAKI is an online platform, and sessions happen in-game over voice. Don't agree to meet a buyer in person.
Play only on your own account. Never ask for or accept anyone's login or OTP. As of September 2026, Riot's terms of service say: "You can't share your account or Login Credentials with anyone." Your companion account can't be shared, rented or sold either.
Ranked duo on the buyer's own account avoids account sharing, but not the boosting risk. Riot's terms also ban "activity intended to 'boost' an account's status or rank", and paid carries are what publishers target. Read whether duo boosting is bannable before you offer it. Check the terms of every game you offer: publishers set their own rules on account use and commercial activity, and those rules can change.
Know what's off-limits. Harassment, threats, bullying, hate speech, sexual content and escort solicitation are all prohibited. If a buyer crosses a line, report them from the chat or their profile; they're never told who reported them. You can also block them: they can't order from or message you, and they aren't notified. Existing orders aren't affected.
Guard your details. Staff never ask for your password, bank OTP or full card number, so anyone who does is a scammer. Keep your full name, IC number, address and bank details out of chat.
How much can you earn, and what about fees and tax?
Your earnings are your price multiplied by the hours or games people book, so there's no honest "average". For rates and what drives them, see how much do gaming companions make.
On fees, the Help Center says: "As a companion you keep 100% of the order KAKI — Kaki Gaming takes no commission on KAKI orders."
That line covers orders. Gifts are different: a platform fee applies, and the Payment Policy shows the current rate.
You aren't paid straight after a session. As of September 2026, earnings stay locked after each completed order, then become withdrawable automatically:
| Kaki Level | Lock period |
|---|---|
| KAKI 3 | 10 days |
| KAKI 2 | 13 days |
| KAKI 1 and new companions | 15 days |
A flagged transaction can be held for up to 90 days. You withdraw your earnings through Stripe, one request at a time. The exact fee and limits are always shown on the withdrawal screen before you confirm.
The platform doesn't withhold income tax, so you declare your own earnings. LHDN's guide to individual income tax says gains or profits from carrying on a business are liable to tax. It lists online business (digital economy) as an example, so check with LHDN how yours should be declared.
Ready to apply?
Pick your games, draft your bio and plan your hours, then start your companion application on KAKI. Prices and payouts can come later.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a high rank to be a gaming companion?
No. Companions type in their own rank, and the catalog includes non-game categories such as E-Chat, Language Exchange and Study Together.
How long does companion approval take?
Approval is automatic: your application is approved as soon as you submit it. You still need a real avatar and at least one priced game to appear in Browse.
Do you have to verify your identity to be a gaming companion?
Not to apply. Companions must pass Stripe identity verification before they can withdraw earnings. Malaysian companions also enter a MY TIN and ID number during payout setup.
Can a gaming companion play on the buyer's account?
No. You play on your own account over voice, and nobody hands over a login or OTP. Account sharing breaks most games' terms, including Riot's.