Though this platform is widely known for adult content, you can also make a name for yourself in the mainstream categories like fitness routines, ASMR or even psychic readings! X-rated content enthusiasts have other interests too, you know.
Today we’ll review the basics of how to make money on OnlyFans for beginners and share tips and tricks to help you grow your following base and earn big and consistently. No matter what path you choose – innocent or provocative, public or anonymous, we’ll explore how to turn your OnlyFans account into a profitable side-hustle or a full-time business. Don’t be shy, let’s go!
What is OnlyFans?
Launched in 2016, OnlyFans has turned a lot of heads by now, with around 320 million monthly visits. Surely, this mass appeal is no accident as most of the content on the platform involves the creators getting undressed. You can put yourself out there and show your face or do it anonymously – it’s your call. The majority of OnlyFans stars are predictably girls, but you can make it as a man or as a couple and turn it into a lil’ family business (sorry, couldn’t resist making this joke!).
However, it’s not only about 18+ content. You’d be surprised to know how many things you can do on OnlyFans with your clothes on. It can still be in the adult niche, like podcasts on x-rated topics or intimacy counselling for couples with a licensed sex therapist or something in general interest areas such as cosplay or music.
But why would you want to join OnlyFans with mainstream content? First of all, it offers a subscription-based model which means you can receive money directly from your audience. It can be much more profitable than ad-oriented income on other platforms. Besides, on platforms like Youtube and Instagram so-called ‘socially acceptable’ niches are rather saturated so you can as well try and make cooking or art videos on OnlyFans. Nevertheless, it doesn’t have to be your first choice.
With that noted, today we are going to focus more on how to make money with OnlyFans in a predictable way, expected by its content consumers.
How to Create Content That Sells
Before we elaborate on the ways and angles to create content that will mesmerise your followers, let’s briefly discuss where to start.
How to set up an OnlyFans account to make money, you might ask? That’s easy! The process is pretty straightforward: you need to fill in your account details (email, username, password), select the account type (free or premium) and currency in which you’d like to accept payments. Then you can pass over to customising your profile: add bio, pictures, videos and welcome messages to greet subscribers. Additionally, you can set up special fan clubs with exclusive content or a merchandise store page. But more on that later.
Above all, make sure you meet the following requirements:
Did you tick all the boxes? Great! Let’s proceed with how to find your voice on this platform and profit from it:
- Find Your Edge. Research what other successful creators are doing and think about what makes you unique. What can you offer that others can’t? It can be anything from a specific skill, particular style or some fresh perspective.
- Choose Your Personality. There is plenty of room for creativity. Decide how you want to be perceived: a shy girl or a guy, a naughty teacher or a dominant type who bosses everyone around – whatever feels authentic to you.
- Create High-Quality Content. You won’t need expensive equipment for it, just make sure you have good lighting and clear audio. It’s equally important to stay updated with the latest trends, continuously improve your skills and learn how to present yourself in an intriguing way.
- Engage with Your Audience. Creator’s attention is a currency on OnlyFans, so explore the ways to make your followers come back for more: respond to comments and direct messages, host private live streams and address their suggestions and needs.
- Analyse and Adapt. Regularly review your performance metrics to see what's working and what's not. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on this data.
Ways to Monetize Your OnlyFans Account
When it comes to monetisation, we’ve prepared some in-depth answers to the questions you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. Here we go!
- How to make money on OnlyFans without showing your face? There are plenty of ways to do your thing and remain anonymous on this platform. As for your disguise, feel free to use masks and special costumes, it’s not only logical for privacy reasons but also typically encouraged in this niche (e.g. role play, dress-up scenarios and so on). You can also take pictures, make videos and run live streams with clever angles to keep your face offscreen. Another tip is to hide everything that can expose you: tattoos, birthmarks or your college diploma hanging on the wall behind you. To make sure none of your close ones finds out about what you do online, set up relevant privacy settings so that your profile isn’t shown in certain countries and regions.
- How to make money on OnlyFans with feet? This is one more thing you can do incognito. Of course, if you don’t have a set of 6 toes on each foot which is quite a unique peculiarity and it might make you recognisable. But who knows, maybe that will be “your thing” and you’ll find a lot of admirers. Anyway, the secret to earning here is to build up your following base on other dedicated sites like FeetFinder and then refer them to your OnlyFans account for exclusive paid content.
- How to make money on Onlyfans as a guy? Though creators here are predominantly women, you can work your way to the top as a man too. You can choose a niche, like fitness, cooking, dating advice, comedy and then just add the word “sexy” to it and explore. There are also many personas you can try to take on: a firefighter, a sexy professor, a criminal, a sensitive poet… You got the gist.
- How to make money on OnlyFans as a couple? Guys can also choose to team with their lady friends as flying solo can feel lonely and take longer to earn substantial profit. Many subscribers crave a voyeuristic thrill, that’s why watching real intimate moments between couples is in high demand.
- How hard is it to make money on OnlyFans? Earning money on this platform demands creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. If you thought that crafting exceptional content is enough, that’s not exactly true. It is only a part of the equation. To multiply your earnings, consider using social media to cultivate an online persona that attracts followers to your OnlyFans account. Always try to think outside the box and get inventive to stand out among the others.
- How long does it take to make money on Onlyfans? Entering with high expectations might lead to disappointment in your first week or even month. Remember, this is a long-term effort, much like blogging and other social media platforms.
Subscription Fees
Subscription-based content is the primary method for earning money on OnlyFans – it's the main reason people sign up and visit in the first place. This way of earning is plain as day: you hide your content behind a paywall and charge monthly fees for exclusive access. The content may include behind-the-scenes photos or videos, live streams, voice recordings, etc.
The amount can range from $4.99 to $49.99. However, if you plan on sharing more pay-per-view content (read on to learn about it), we recommend charging less for monthly subscriptions. Don’t be shy to explain all the perks your followers will get from subscription to your account and keep your content fresh and exciting to maintain the intrigue. You can also offer discounts to your loyal followers for a longer subscription period (3, 6 months or annual), varying from 5% to 70% off.
Pay-Per-View Posts
The difference from the previous method is that you hide your content only partially, offering the rest of it for free. In the end, PPV content can turn out to be even more profitable than monthly subscriptions. Excited followers who already enjoy free posts are likely to pay for exclusive, premium content separately, which will potentially generate higher monthly revenue as payments accumulate.
The more desirable your exclusive content is, the higher the price you can set for it. For instance, if you sell non-nude or light-nudity photos, highly explicit content should be way more expensive. As for video format, it can either be GIF-length or full-length (in this case, you can charge per minute). Apart from offering pre-made videos, you can host live streams for in-the-moment authentic communication and sell tickets. Voice notes are another alluring way to engage with your followers, these can be high-priced one-to-one sessions or more accessible mass message voice notes. The same rule applies to direct messaging.
Tips and Donations
They work as a token of gratitude and appreciation from subscribers to OnlyFans creators, and this form of payment is indeed their bread and butter. The minimum tip amount is $3 and the daily cup is $100 for new subscribers and $200 once they’ve been on the platform for at least 4 months. Users can leave tips for separate posts, direct messaging, live streams or your entire profile.
To launch monetisation through tips, you need to add your bank account and have at least 5 posts on your page. You can offer a tip menu with suggested amounts for various types of content on your account. Moreover, you can set tip goals for specific posts and provide additional content as a reward when these goals are reached.
Exclusive Content Packages
Creators have the opportunity to cater to their subscribers' diverse interests and needs by offering exclusive content bundles. For example, a subscriber who enjoys visual content might appreciate a package of themed photo and video sets, while another might value the intimacy of direct messaging and personalised voice notes. If you thoughtfully curate these bundles, you will not only fulfil your audience’s desires but also foster deeper engagement and loyalty. Another cherry on top is that it’s a more affordable option compared to buying exclusive content separately. This will sky-rocket your sales, as subscribers are more likely to purchase when they feel greater value for their money.
Merchandise Sales
Selling custom merchandise is another great way to earn additional income on OnlyFans. It can be any item, like T-shirts or mugs, just something tangible for the loyal followers who want to support you way beyond simple subscription fees and tips. You can link e-commerce platforms where people will be able to order your products and have them shipped directly so that you don’t need to hold any inventory. It won’t hurt to integrate merch promo in your content strategy to motivate your dedicated fans to purchase “souvenirs” associated with you.
Affiliate Marketing
Sure thing, we can’t but talk about affiliate marketing options! For newcomers: this is when you partner with brands to promote their products and services in exchange for a commission from each sale.
There are two things you need to keep in mind, though. Before you choose to promote a certain offer, make sure the brand doesn’t prohibit the leads coming from the traffic sources in the adult niche, which OnlyFans obviously is. Otherwise, you risk not getting any reward for the conversions you generate. Another important thing: products or services you decide to showcase in your account should be relatable to your audience so they consider making a purchase based on your recommendations. That’s why it’s important to do some research and learn about the preferences of your followers beforehand.
Strategies for Growing Your Subscriber Base
Now that you know how relatively easy it is to make money on OnlyFans, let’s explore the ways to grow your following base on this platform:
- Keep Up with Trends. To stay on top, you need to keep an eye on the latest tendencies in your niche. You can check out what other creators do, use tools like Google Trends or research social media insights and industry news to be the first to know and implement.
- Use Fresh Ideas. You should regularly brainstorm new content ideas and “reinvent” yourself to keep your followers engaged. Think about unique angles, interactive elements or creative formats that set your content apart from others.
- Offer Exclusive Content. We thoroughly covered it in previous sections, however, it’s not only about getting rewards for PPV content. All these behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, early access to new uploads or special private events are an irresistible lure helping you with follower retention.
- Respond Promptly. Don’t take too long to answer your followers’ comments and messages. This shows that you value their input and makes them feel comfortable and seen.
- Collaborate with Fellow Creators. This strategy not only lets you experiment with new formats for your content (guest or co-created posts, joint live streams, etc.) but also improves your visibility.
- Cross-Promote on Other Platforms. Try promoting your content across multiple social media channels to reach a broader audience. This will help you tap into different target groups and drive traffic to your OnlyFans account.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
No matter how attractive OnlyFans opportunities may seem, every rose has its thorn. Let’s discuss the pitfalls every creator should be aware of and how to avoid them.
- Privacy. As the niche is quite sensitive, the fear of being exposed can be very stressful. Apart from clever disguise we discussed before, make sure not to share any personal details within your content and protect your account with strict privacy settings and two-factor authentication.
- Safety. To avoid unwanted messages, harassment and threats, use security features available on the platform to shield yourself, involve moderators to manage abusive users and share your experience and seek support in groups for OnlyFans creators.
- Content Theft. Unfortunately, your exclusive content isn’t safe from being shared on other platforms without your consent. You can watermark your materials so that if your content was stolen you would still get some credit for it. Stronger measures will be to use services to scan the internet for copies of your content and take them down through copyright infringement claims. In more serious cases, you can even take legal action and hire a lawyer to protect your intellectual property.
- Market Saturation. Over time, OnlyFans is becoming a pretty crowded place which makes it difficult to attract and retain subscribers. We’ve shared some ideas to deal with it in the previous section but there is one more universal rule that applies to OnlyFans as well – always choose quality over quantity. Top-notch content offers value that can’t be easily found elsewhere so invest your time to produce it.
- Workload. Content creation, marketing strategies, community engagement – all these can quickly become overwhelming. To avoid burnout, create a content calendar to plan your posts, use time management tools and don’t be afraid to outsource the tasks that don’t require your personal input.
- Financial Instability. It can be hard to predict your monthly earnings when you have subscription-based income. However, we’ve already explored other ways to keep you afloat, like pay-per-view content, tips, merchandise sales and affiliate offers. Besides, you don’t have to limit yourself with earning only through OnlyFans, it’s a good idea to cross-post your content on other platforms as well. To be on the safe side, you can also develop a budget that includes savings for leaner months, that will help you manage your earnings more effectively and give you peace of mind.
Conclusion: Your Path to Success on OnlyFans
Congrats! Now you have all the answers and tools on how to earn money on OnlyFans. It requires a well-thought strategy and precise focus on creating mesmerising content and connecting with your audience on a deeper level. If you understand and cater to their interests and needs, building a loyal subscriber base won’t take too long. Stay adaptable, innovative and committed to delivering top-level content and it will bring you consistent revenue. Good luck!
