Explainer / What is OnlyFans – and how are some creators making millions? Despite controversy, the adult content platform boomed during the pandemic, with even celebrities like Bella Thorne and Bhad Bhabie joining
- Founded in 2016, the online platform is popular with adult content creators who often make up to US$10,000 a month, steadily growing their subscriber base and selling ‘connections’ via private messaging
- Some sex workers accused actress Bella Thorne of ‘gentrifying’ the platform, and now the rise of AI and chatbots could erode trust with fans
You may have heard of it – or not.
OnlyFans exploded during the pandemic, reporting a 75 per cent increase in sign-ups between March and April 2020. But what is it exactly, and why is it controversial?
At its core, OnlyFans is an online platform where creators can publish paywalled content and chat with subscribers. A creator’s followers can access the content by subscribing to their account. Most subscriptions cost a few dollars a month, but some accounts are free.
The platform has grown exponentially since it was founded in 2016 – and there’s a lot of opportunity for creators. For example, model Bryce Adams made history as the first star on the platform to reach 10 million likes out of her 1 million subscribers.
The company’s most recent tax filings show that OnlyFans users spent over US$5.6 billion on the platform in 2022, and there were over 3 million registered creators for almost 250 million fans.
Why is OnlyFans controversial?
