OnlyFans Explained

Popularised by sex workers, OnlyFans has taken the internet by storm in recent years. And it’s now used by over 170 million people worldwide – including celebs like Cardi B, Bella Thorne, and Chris Brown.

But if you’ve not used the controversial site yourself before, you might have a few questions. Like, what exactly is OnlyFans? How does it work? And why are so many creators ditching OnlyFans for the scores of fresh alternatives popping up right now, like Fansly, SoSpoilt, and LoyalFans?

Read on to discover the answers to all these questions and more.

What is OnlyFans?

Founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stockley, OnlyFans is described as a “premium social network”.

This is because, unlike on ordinary social networks (such as Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube), OnlyFans allows anyone to post content behind a paywall. This means only fans willing to pay to subscribe to that content creator’s page can access the photos, videos, and text they post.

Content subscriptions are the main way to make money on OnlyFans. But you can pocket extra cash from tips and by sending pay-to-unlock messages to your fans too.

Who uses OnlyFans?

OnlyFans says it welcomes anyone who wants to get paid to create and share exclusive content with their fans. And it pitches itself as an ideal platform for influencers, artists, celebs, models, chefs, fitness trainers, and coaches in particular.

But there’s no denying that – out of the millions now registered with OnlyFans – most use the platform to buy or sell nudes and adult content. So much so, that the OnlyFans name has now become synonymous with online pornography and sex work.

Sex workers popularised OnlyFans during the COVID pandemic. They included those who worked in the adult industry pre-lockdown, and decided to expand their services online. And also ordinary people, with no prior sex work experince, who just needed a new way to make money from home during lockdown.

How much money can you make on OnlyFans?

Exactly how much money you can make on OnlyFans depends on several factors. Like, how big your fanbase is, how effectively you promote yourself, and what kind/what quality of content you create.

But for content subscriptions, OnlyFans lets you charge your fans anything from $4.99 and $49.99 per month. You can also charge a minimum of $5 for private messages and one-off pieces of content. And invite your fans to tip you a minimum of $5.

It’s worth noting that OnlyFans does take a 20% cut of anything creators earn on the platform though. So, let’s say you make £100. OnlyFans would take £20, leaving you with £80.

Why did OnlyFans ban adult content creators?

OnlyFans is no stranger to controversy. But last year proved particularly difficult for the platform.

On August 19 2021, OnlyFans announced it would be banning “sexaully explicit content” from its site, following mounting pressure from banks and payment service providers.

But this announcement triggered a huge backlash. Many accused OnlyFans of turning its back on sex workers, who have played a vital role in making OnlyFans the multi-million pound business it is today.

This backlash was so severe that, by August 25, OnlyFans was forced to perform a sharp U-turn.

“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard,” OnlyFans announced via its Twitter page. “We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change.”

But for many creators, the damage had already been done.

“Do you honestly think that this is going to bring everyone back?” replied Seraphina Lane, an adult content creator. “Because you're wrong. If you are thinking about returning to [OnlyFans], think hard about that. They took our hard work, built their notoriety, and then threw us to the curb.”

What’s more, the platform is still facing pressure from banks to remove sexually explicit content.

So the policy change might have been “suspended” for now. But there’s no telling when OnlyFans will have no choice but to enforce it – spelling disaster for the adult content creators who use the site to make a living.

What’s the best OnlyFans alternative?

These days, OnlyFans isn’t the only platform that allows you to monetize your exclusive online content and social influence. You’ll find hundreds of sites offering creators similar (sometimes even better) features and earning potential.

Popular OnlyFans alternatives include:

Fansly

An American company, Fansly has a similar look and feel to OnlyFans. But it packs in some nice extra features too.

As well as by selling content subscriptions, creators on Fansly can earn by live streaming to their fans.

It’s boomed in popularity since the OnlyFans policy change scandal last year. In fact, in August 2021, the Fansly site crashed due to hordes of ex-OnlyFans adult content creators signing up.

LoyalFans

LoyalFans is an OnlyFans-type site that’s aimed at adult content creators in particular.

Creators can sell access to their content via monthly subscriptions. But there’s also the option to sell individual videos to anyone (including non-subscribers) in their Video Sharing Store.

Just like on OnlyFans, LoyalFans takes 20% of whatever creators earn. But creators can only request to withdraw their earnings twice per month.

SoSpoilt

SoSpoilt was launched in 2020 by Ampay Limited, a UK tech provider with over 20 years’ experience. So while it’s not as well-known as some other OnlyFans alternatives, it’s one of the most established, reliable options for creators today.

Perhaps most importantly, SoSpoilt provides creators of all kinds with much greater earning potential than OnlyFans. Because, as well as earning directly from fans, SoSpoilt allows creators to earn from brand collabs and sponsorship too.

The fees are also much lower. While OnlyFans takes a 20% cut of creators earnings, SoSpoilt takes as little as 15%.