What Is OnlyFans, And Will I Bring Shame To My Family If I Join?
In the ever-growing world of content creation, there are different ways that people can make money from the comfort of their own home. You could be an aspiring influencer, a freelance writer, a web designer, or something less conventional.
The possibilities for modern-day money-making seem to consist of just about whatever your heart desires, or whatever people are willing to pay for, which is where something like OnlyFans comes into play.
Should You Be A Fan Of OnlyFans?
Well, before you decide whether you're for or against the platform, there are a couple of things you need to know about the pay-to-play subscription service that's popping up everywhere right now.
It's Basically Like Social Media That You Pay For
OnlyFans has a lot of the same functions as regular social media platforms, with creators being able to post 24-hour stories like on Instagram, direct message with subscribers, and post videos or tutorials like on YouTube.
It’s Adults Only, No Matter What The Content Is
Even though OnlyFans can be used by content creators to share any type of content they want, you do have to be 18 or older to register for OnlyFans, so no one can stumble onto any “adult content” unless they’re actually an adult.
Couldn’t You Just Lie About Your Age?
Knowing that their platform is used for more…risqué content, when signing up for an OnlyFans account, the service requires you to submit proof of age with government-issued ID, whether you’re looking to create content or just watch.
So What Kind Of Content Is There To Subscribe To?
There's no point in dancing around it. If you’ve heard of OnlyFans, you quickly learned that it’s not a website for fans of professional sports; it’s primarily used as the Patreon of adult content.
It's Essentially An Adults-Only Patreon
OnlyFans was launched in 2016 as a platform with intentionally loose content restrictions to allow for adult entertainers and sex workers to have a platform for their business, after being shut out of platforms like Instagram & Tumblr.
You Don't Have To Bare It All To Earn Money
While it is primarily used for content you would normally want to clear from your browser history, that's not the only type of content you can find. The purpose of the platform was to give creators of all kinds the opportunity to charge more for exclusive, bonus content.
There's Something For Everyone
Some creators treat it as a more exclusive YouTube channel, with viewers being able to pay for subscriptions to channels filled with fitness routines, beauty tutorials, or even cooking classes.
Do You Have To Pay To Post?
The platform is free to sign up for, and you can start your channel without paying any fees. Rather than contributors having to pay a monthly subscription in order to be allowed to post content, once you start earning money, OnlyFans takes 20% of what you earn, leaving you with the rest.
There's A Reason It's Growing So Quickly
The fact that OnlyFans only takes 20% of the profits is part of the reason creators are such fans of the site, with most other popular cam girl sites taking at least 40% of a creator’s earnings.
The Platform Is Thriving During The Pandemic
While many industries are struggling during the global Covid-19 pandemic, the world of work-from-home employment has been growing, including OnlyFans, which reportedly saw a 75% increase in new sign-ups during the month of March alone.
Even Celebrities Are Getting Into It
While the site has been around for nearly 5 years now, it has recently gained a lot more traction and has become so mainstream that even celebrities are signing up for the platform.
Blac Chyna is a celebrity that charges her fans $50 a month for access to her content after fans inspired her to start the page. Other celebrities like Aaron Carter, the Real Housewives of New York's Dorinda Medley, and The Bachelor's Chad Johnson also have pages on the site.
How Much You Charge Monthly Is Up To You
The advantage to a service like OnlyFans is that creators have complete control over what they charge for their content, with the minimum monthly subscription fee for a channel or creator being $4.99, and the maximum being $49.99.
What Do You Think You're Worth?
The minimum monthly subscription charge is $4.99, with the average fee for a channel usually sitting between $9.99–$14.99. You might be tempted to charge more than that, especially if you’re starting out and want to make money quickly, but you also have to build your following.
What Can You Charge For?
Once your channel is up and running, creators can set the price for any content they’re posting, from photos to videos to sound clips to private messages. On top of the monthly subscription fee, creators can also run promotions for certain times, which usually run between $5.99–$7.99, and charge additionally for pay-per-view content.
Let's Be Realistic: How Much Will I Actually Earn?
If you've been on Twitter literally ever, there's a good chance you've seen at least one or two jokes about people wanting to drop out of school to make their millions as a stripper or a cam girl. OnlyFans creators want you to know it's actually a lot harder than it looks to make a living on the site.
OnlyFans Success Stories
The stories that inspire others to join the platform are the stories of top-earning creators making an actual living off of OnlyFans, like creator Monica Huldt, who earns $100K a year, but is that actually going to happen for you?
OnlyFans Gives You An Estimate
At the lowest monthly subscription rate of $4.99, OnlyFans' site says that with 5,000 fans you could earn up to $1200/month without any extra promotions or tips. If you keep that base subscription fee but bump your subscribers up to 100K, you could be looking at up to $24K/month.
You Have To Be Willing To Work For It
When it comes to a subscription platform like OnlyFans, it all comes down to how much effort you're willing to put in. If you can take the time to create content, listen to what your fans want (and deliver on that), while growing your fan base, you've got yourself a side hustle.
So, Should You Do It?
Anyone who takes the plunge and decides to start an OnlyFans account is going to have to deal with a lot of flack. Especially if you're starting one to share adult content, be prepared to deal with the judgments of those around you (as well as everyone else online).
Forget About Everyone Else, Do What You Want
Sure, your parents might not be thrilled about it when they find out, and their dreams of you becoming a doctor could disappear in an instant, but why not have both? You have to be able to pay your way through medical school somehow!
