Since launching in 2016, OnlyFans has amassed over 170 million registered subscribers, and OnlyFans creators earned over $3.86 billion in 2021 alone. One of the most appealing things about OnlyFans is that you can turn your passion into profit no matter the size of your following.
We researched how successful creators make money and found that the top four ways to make money on OnlyFans are:
- Monthly subscriptions
- Pay-per-view (PPV) content
- Private messages
- Tips
Those aren't the only ways to make money on OnlyFans either. Savvy content creators have found even more ways to monetize their content, and we're diving into all of it, including how to make money without showing your face.
It's worth mentioning that OnlyFans offers more than you'd expect. And you'd be surprised by the kind of safe-for-work content that's on this London-based platform — there’s a Wingstop OnlyFans, one dedicated to burping, and there’s even an account about fungi. Seriously, there's something for everyone.
But first, if you're looking for a super easy way to make money, check out Survey Junkie and Branded Surveys. These are free survey sites that pay up to $3 per survey!
7 Ways to Make Money on OnlyFans in 2023
1. Subscriptions
The most popular way to make money on OnlyFans is with paid subscriptions, which can range from $4.99 to $49.99/month. Your content goes behind a paywall, and it’s only accessible when someone signs up as a paid subscriber. The premise is simple and easy, which is why it’s so popular. Viewers must pay your monthly subscription fee to see your stories, posts, and streams.
Brand new creators can take advantage of built-in promotional campaign features to increase their subscriber count even while using a paywall. Creators can offer discounts of 5% to 70% off subscription periods of three, six, and 12 months. It’s a good way to reward loyal subscribers and encourage new ones.
Tips from OnlyFans creators:
2. Paid Posts
Because many new creators are wary of hiding all of their content behind a paywall, paid posts (or PPV posts) let you gate some of your content while offering the rest of it for free. The idea is that you charge for the choicest content, and anyone who pays to see it gains access to it.
You can upload and charge for pictures, video, or voice notes. OnlyFans says that if subscribers are already excited about your free content, paid posts stand out!
What OnlyFans creators have to say about charging for posts:
3. Direct Messages
Direct messages are exactly what they sound like — these are messages sent directly to your fans, and you can charge up to $100 per direct, private message. Fans look at this as very exclusive content sent personally from you.
Think of direct messages as texting someone personalized and uncensored videos or photos. You understand how powerful that is in space like OnlyFans.
The messaging feature can be used for more than PPV content. Savvy creators send personalized welcome messages to their fans and mass messages with content updates. Sure, that’s free content, but it builds a loyal audience. No one ever said making money on OnlyFans was going to be easy!
4. Tips
In a “Bustle” article, one OnlyFans creator described tips as their “bread and butter.” Viewers can tip on individual posts or your overall content. There’s a $100 cap on tips for a user’s first four months. After that, tips can increase to $200.
You need at least five posts on your page to monetize with tips, and you can create a tip menu that shows how you’ll deliver different content or engagement based on the tip amount.
5. Live Streaming
Live streaming paid content is another option for free accounts who want to monetize some of their content. You sell access to these PPV streams, and ticket prices can start as low as $5. OnlyFans says streaming creates “a sense of authenticity, intimacy, and community between creators and fans.”
Similar to going live with another creator on Instagram, you can co-stream on OnlyFans. This is a great way to partner with other creators and grow your audience together.
6. Ghostwriting for OnlyFans Accounts
Don't want your face or body out on the internet? Then ghostwriting is a very creative way to make money on OnlyFans! Ghostwriters are hired by creators to respond to private messages. Fans criticize the practice, but outsourcing is the way many content creators manage their workload.
There are currently listings on Freelancer and Upwork for OnlyFans ghostwriters. This is a very interesting niche for freelance writers.
7. OnlyFans Management Services
Here’s what you need to remember about OnlyFans creators — they are business owners! These are online entrepreneurs who need help managing their businesses, especially as they grow. Similar to the last idea, creators can also benefit from:
How OnlyFans Pays Creators
OnlyFans takes 20% of anything you make on the platform so they can cover referral payments, payment processing, hosting, support, and any other platform-based services.
There is a minimum withdrawal amount of $20 for creators in most countries, and you can cash out manually or set up automatic recurring payments on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. It takes approximately two business days for payments to hit your account.
Creators are required to link their bank accounts to their profile when signing up. You can select your payout option when you link your account, and you can always go back and adjust it as needed.
Don’t forget about taxes!
OnlyFans creators are considered independent contractors, so you’re required to pay taxes at the end of the year. And if you make a certain amount (varies by state), you’ll need to pay estimated quarterly taxes.
It’s recommended that you save around 30% of your OnlyFans pay for tax time.
Tips for Making Money on OnlyFans
Since 2020, some new creators have complained that the site is oversaturated. But like any platform, there are tips and best practices that still help new creators rise to fame.
Here are some tips for OnlyFans creators:
- Decide if you want to create your account under a fake name: In a YouTube video created by That ER Nurse, she shared that because she wanted to take every precaution in preventing her family and work from seeing her OnlyFans account, she chose to start from scratch with her social media accounts. Carefully consider if you want to anonymize your account, and take every precaution in doing so.
- Take advantage of social media: One way to drive traffic to your OnlyFans page is to utilize platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These platforms do not allow uncensored content, so be careful what you share.
- Find a niche: Niches help your content stand out, and you can get creative! Remember the fungi account mentioned at the beginning of this article? You can use your hobbies (baking, cosplay, cooking, sports), your occupation (banker, nurse, student), as well as physical attributes.
- High-quality content is key: This rule applies to all types of content. With so much out there, people have high expectations. Think about sound quality and lighting! Every creator will have their own style, but you must deliver on the quality.
- Don’t expect too much in the beginning: Your first week, or even month, will be disappointing if you go in with high expectations. It’s a long-game, like blogging and other social media platforms.
- Be willing to put in the work: Setting up your account, taking photos, pricing your content, researching what viewers want, creating the content, interacting with followers… That’s a lot! Just like other gigs, learning how to make money on OnlyFans takes a lot of hustle.
How to Make Money on OnlyFans Without Showing Your Face
Many OnlyFans creators want to stay anonymous and go to great lengths to hide who they are on camera. Here are the top tips and strategies for making money on OnlyFans without revealing your identity:
- Use a fake name. It's 100% okay to create an account using an alias. Think of this as your brand persona. You will still need to set up your account using your real name and information (a must to receive payments), but the name that's displayed can be fake.
- Hide tattoos, birthmarks, and scars. Identifiable marks can be covered up using makeup or bandages. You can also photoshop out those marks.
- Shoot from discrete angles. One option is to shoot your videos or stills from angles that hide your face and identifying marks. It can even give the illusion of mystery.
- Hide your face with props. Masks or props are a fun alternative to blurring out your face or shooting from different angles.
- Don't forget your surroundings. Just like identifiable markings on your body, specific landmarks, buildings, restaurants, and signs may giveaway your identity. They can also give viewers clues as to where you are, which isn't good for anonymity either.
How to Make Money Off Camera
Getting in front of the camera and making money on OnlyFans isn't for everyone. So if you've read through this article and decide you're interested in learning about other ways to make money, we've got you covered.
Here are our top recommendations for flexible side hustles:
- DoorDash: This is our #1 recommendation because there's very little commitment required — you can drive when you have the extra time and need money. Drivers are paid every week, and there are very few requirements. Learn more in our full DoorDash Driver Review.
- Run Facebook and Instagram ads: This is a proven online side hustle that pays upwards of $2,000/month per client. Learn more in How to Become a Digital Marketer.
- Proofreading: If you have an eye for spotting grammar and punctuation errors, proofreading is a side hustle you can do from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Check out this FREE proofreading seminar to learn more.
- Bookkeeping: This flexible, work-from-home job is for detail-oriented people who are good with numbers. Learn more in Virtual Bookkeeping: What It Is & How to Get Started in 2023.
- Online surveys: This is the lowest-paying option, but taking paid online surveys with a company like Branded Surveys is an incredibly mindless way to make a few bucks from your sofa. For more paid surveys, check out Best Surveys That Pay Cash Instantly.
The Final Word on Getting Paid With OnlyFans
The bottom line is that OnlyFans is work. The platform itself gives you a handful of ways to make money, and you’re not going to get rich overnight with any of them. You’re running a legitimate business, and you’ve got to treat it that way.
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not OnlyFans is for you, check out our list of best side hustles.
FAQs
Creators say tips are their “bread and butter,” and you can create custom tip menus to encourage your viewers to tip certain amounts of money. You need at least five posts to monetize with tips.
Beginners average less than $200/month. Those first couple of months shouldn’t be an indication of long-term success. Like any online side hustle, you’ve got to stick with it make it work.
OnlyFans isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. You have to learn how the platform works to gain followers, and more followers equals more money. If OnlyFans is your dream gig, check out our list of other side hustles to supplement your income as you learn more about making money on OnlyFans.
About Millennial Money Man
Bobby Hoyt is a former band director who paid off $40,000 of student loan debt in 18 months on his teaching salary and then left his job to run Millennial Money Man full-time. He helps other Millennials earn more through side hustles, save more through budgeting tools and apps, and pay off debt. He is a personal finance expert who has been seen on Forbes, Reuters, MarketWatch, CNBC, International Business Times, Business Insider, US News, Yahoo Finance, and many other personal finance and entrepreneurship media outlets.
