Quick Links
There are a handful of content-sharing platforms that allow creators to earn money online.Patreonand OnlyFans are popular options, but OnlyFans is by far the most controversial – because, for several years, it has let creators upload any kind of content, including porn, and lock it behind a paywall.
OnlyFans has been around since 2016 and is best known for being used by sex workers, though celebrities like Cardi B and Bella Thorne have also used it at one point to earn an income. SomeTikTokand Instagram creators also point their followers to OnlyFans, where they promise exclusive content in exchange for money.
OnlyFans – which has amassed a base of more than 190 million – caused quite a stir in the only community when it announced it wouldban sexually explicit contentin late 2021. However, it only took a few days forthe company to backtrack.
Here’s what you need to know about OnlyFans.
What is OnlyFans?
OnlyFans is a content-sharing platform, based in London. Founded by Timothy Stokely, it is a website only with no official apps. Creators can use it to offer videos, photos, and even chances to chat one-on-one for a price. It is popular in the adult entertainment industry.
The New York Timeseven ran a story in early 2019 that claimed OnlyFans had changed sex work forever, dubbing OnlyFans “the paywall of porn.”
Who uses OnlyFans?
OnlyFans is used by all sorts of creators. Models, musicians, actors, physical fitness experts, and influencers all use OnlyFans to generate extra revenue. They can receive money directly from fans on a monthly basis or from tips and the pay-per-view feature. Blac Chyna, for instance, charged fans $10 a month to access her OnlyFans page (now deleted), and rapper Rubi Rose made $100,000 on OnlyFans in two days by posting photos from her Instagram.
Actress Bella Thorne alsoclaimed to make more than $2 millionon OnlyFans in one week. Here’s a small selection of notable people on OnlyFans:
How to join OnlyFans
Go to theOnlyFans websiteto create an account. You can create an account from scratch, or you can join with your Twitter or Google account. Once your account is created, you should be routed to the Home page. We recommend going to yourAccount settings pagefirst if you want to change your username, email, and other preferences. The sidebar on the left lets you access your Profile, Security, and Notification settings.
Go to Profile to change your display name, set a subscription price, and more.
How does OnlyFans work?
On desktop, when you log in toOnlyFans.com, you are greeted with a left rail with these options: Home, Notifications, Messages, Bookmarks, Lists, Subscriptions, Add Card, My Profile, and More. (On mobile, you see the bottom navigation bar has Home, Notifications, Create post, Messages, and More.) Most of these pages are self-explanatory, but the main ones are detailed below.
Home is where you can see your feed – a stream of content shared by those you follow, including your close friends. You will also see suggestions for more people to follow on OnlyFans. At the top of the Home page, there is a search bar, so you can look for other creators and users to follow.
Ready to start sharing? Go to the Home page to compose a new post and share it with your fans. you’re able to even add media or start a poll. On mobile, to share, just hit the + in the navigation bar.
Notifications
The More menu slides out, and this is where you can see your display name, username, and the number of fans and followers. You can also access your profile from Menu, as well as bookmarks, lists, settings, cards, bank info, and enable a dark mode. You can log out, too.
How to earn subscription money with OnlyFans
To start earning on OnlyFans, you need to add your payment information, verify your account, and set your subscription price. After you’ve done all that, you’ll be free to start creating posts and locking them behind your paywall.
Add payment info and verify your account
Once you’re logged into OnlyFans, go to the Menu and select Add Bank. You need to be 18-years-old and you will need to verify your account. OnlyFans will ask for your personal data, like your name, address, date of birth, and your ID documents such as a passport or driver’s license. It also asks if you plan to post porn. US creators will also need to complete their W-9 form (learn more about this from theOnlyFans Help hub here).
Set subscription price
To set your subscription price, go to the Menu, select Profile, click the Edit Profile button, and look for Subscription Price and Bundles. There, you can set an amount per month. You must add your bank account or payment information before you can set your price or accept tips.
How to earn from pay-per-view messages
There are additional tools you can use to make money on OnlyFans, including pay-per-view messages or PPVs. This is content that you share, via message, with your fans, but they have to pay to view it!
You can send PPVs to individual accounts by going into your messages, composing a message to the account, attaching your media, and clicking the price tag in the bottom right to set your price.
How to become a fan and subscribe to creators
OK, so let’s say you don’t want to be a creator and instead you want to be a fan on OnlyFans. Create your OnlyFans account and then go to the Home page and start looking for someone to follow. Once you find them, you can tap the star icon on their profile to favourite them or save them to a list.
You will also see their subscription tiers on their profile. Bella Thorne, for instance, charges $7.50 a month. For many OnlyFans accounts you can see when owner is online because the profile will say “available now.” Often profiles will also say when the owner was last seen.
Is there an OnlyFans app?
No, there is no fully-fledged OnlyFans app for iPhone or Android.
There is an OFTV app. It’s a paired-down version of OnlyFans that is free to access on Android, iOS, Apple TV, Roku, FireTV, and Android TV. You won’t find any adult content there. It primarily serves up content from creators “spanning a wide variety of genres including fitness, cooking, comedy, music, and more.”
Don’t forget you may also access the OnlyFans website from your mobile web browser on your phone.
Is OnlyFans a true alternative to Patreon?
OnlyFans andPatreonare both platforms that allow creators to monetize their content, but they cater to different types of content and audiences.
More OnlyFans FAQ
Q. Why did OnlyFans try to ban porn?
The UK-based company announced on 30 June 2025 it planned to ban the posting of any content containing sexually explicit conduct, citing a need to comply with “banking partners and payout providers,“according to a statement provided to the media.The statement elaborated: “In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.”
Let’s not forget that, because OnlyFans has hosted X-rated content, the service is available only on the web, not on mobile app platforms including iOS and Android.Axiosclaimed OnlyFans has struggled to find outside investors because it allows creators to post explicit content. Perhaps app stores and potential investors were all unable to get past the porn issue? If so, it’s no surprise then that OnlyFans thought it needed to “clean up” to secure funding.
Keep in mind OnlyFans has already tested banning porn. It recently launched OFTV, a free streaming service that doesn’t allow sexually explicit material. Instead, it features original content from more than 100 creators. OFTV currently streams over 800 videos – from fitness to cooking – on its platform.
Now, OnlyFans has reversed the ban. It said it’s no longer required “due to banking partners' assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators.”
Q. Can you mention OnlyFans on your socials?
There’s been an interesting trend regarding OnlyFans on other platforms.
In 2020, Instagram updated itsTerms of Useto tighten up the rules so that Instagram users could no longer share “…links to external pornographic websites” on its platform. The result of this was that several users found themselvesbanned from Instagramfor encouraging their fans to also follow them on OnlyFans.
If you’re trying to market yourself on Instagram and get people to visit your OnlyFans page, you’ll need to tread carefully.
At the time, a Facebook spokesperson explained that:
“We want Instagram to be a safe environment for everyone, and have strict rules against nudity, sexual activity, and sexual solicitation. Under these rules, we don’t allow people to share links to porn websites on Instagram. While OnlyFans isn’t a porn website, we know it can be used in that way, so we take action on accounts that share OnlyFans links when paired with other sexually suggestive content.”
It’s not just linking either, as you’ll need to be careful with the hashtags you’re using, too.
Q. Can you sell merch on OnlyFans?
As you’re able to see there are several ways for creators to earn money on OnlyFans. Another one is to connect aSpring store with your OnlyFans account. This allows you to sell your merchandise right on OnlyFans with ease.
With this Spring integration, you can sell everything from stickers to notebooks, backpacks, t-shirts and much more besides. If you haven’t already done so you’ll need toset up a Spring accountand start creating products that you can sell that your fans will love. Once that’s done you can then connect the two accounts together and show products on your OnlyFans page.
