What kind of sex worker is OnlyFans best for?

OnlyFans has become a lucrative platform for digital Creators, particularly when it comes to adult content.

While the platform hosts a wide range of Creators, from fitness mentors to celebrities, it has particularly resonated with sex workers, offering them unprecedented control over their work and earnings. 

If you’re a sex worker considering starting an OnlyFans, read on for more information on how the platform works for adult content creators. 

Sex work on OnlyFans

What is a sex worker? 

Sex worker is an umbrella term to describe a person who works and makes money through any consensual sexual activity. The term emerged after many years of advocacy for better rights for sex workers.

It replaces derogatory terms used in the past and aims to make clear that sex work is real work and it deserves the same rights, protection, and respect as any other industry.

A pro-sex work demonstration in Las Vegas on June 2, 2019. | John Locher/AP

Can a sex worker start an OnlyFans?

Absolutely. Sex workers can thrive on OnlyFans by creating diverse content and making strategic use of platform features to increase their earnings while maximizing their freedom. 

The platform was designed to help Creators monetize their content directly, bypassing traditional intermediaries. 

This has allowed sex workers to have more control over their work, set their own terms, and build direct relationships with their clients in unprecedented ways.Is OnlyFans good for sex workers?

OnlyFans has proven to be a great tool for sex workers. Here’s why:

• Control and autonomy: Sex workers can decide what type of content to create, when to post, and how to interact with their fans. The online nature of it also represents an extra layer of protection against harassment, which full-service escorts often experience. 

• Income diversification: There are many ways to make money on the platform, including subscriptions, pay-per-view content, tipping, and custom requests. This allows for greater income diversification, which is fundamental for financial stability.

• Direct interaction: Engaging directly with fans helps build deeper relationships, encouraging them to support you long term. 

Types of sex workers who can thrive on OnlyFans

Here’s a look at the types of sex workers who can leverage OnlyFans as a work tool:

1. Escorts: Share content from sessions (with client consent), offer behind-the-scenes glimpses, and keep the connection with clients after or in between in-person sessions. While escorting is limited to the people you can physically reach, OnlyFans opens up your client base significantly. Escorts may have a difficult time transitioning from in-person work to online sex work because they’re accustomed to receiving immediate payment from clients. When you join OnlyFans, it might take months to build up a subscriber base and see financial results. 

2. Cam performers: For sex workers who are already used to live interaction, OnlyFans can be a series upgrade.

3. Porn performers: There’s certainly overlap between traditional porn and OnlyFans. Established performers can leverage their existing fan base to earn directly from their content without industry middlemen while having more control over the type of content they create. 

4. Strippers: Bring the strip club experience to your fans’ living room! Post performances, offer private shows, and sell spicier dance routines as PPVs.

In this interview with Aella, a former sex worker and top 0.04% OnlyFans creator-turned-sexuality researcher, she opens up about camming, escorting, and creating content on OnlyFans. In her experience, camming was too competitive and led her to a burn out. She then turned to OnlyFans for more flexibility with her work hours. 

Navigating policies and legislation

In-person sex work is illegal in many locations around the world, so sex workers may have an easier time navigating OnlyFans’ policies while staying on the right side of the law. 

Still, OnlyFans Creators have to stay informed and adaptable, as changes in platform policies or legislation can impact their ability to earn a living. 

The Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), passed in 2018 in the United States, making online platforms liable for content related to sex trafficking. 

This led many websites to ban or restrict sex work content out of fear of future repercussions.

In 2021, OnlyFans announced a ban on explicit content due to pressure from banks concerned about reputational risks. 

This decision was quickly reversed after enormous backlash from the Creator community, but it left a bittersweet taste in their mouths as it made clear how precarious it can be to have your income and livelihood rely on third-party platforms.

Understanding and navigating these landscapes is essential for sex workers to continue to thrive on OnlyFans. 

They have to play by the rules while taking advantage of the opportunities for income and direct relationships with their community of fans.

How can sex workers earn money on OnlyFans?

Here’s how Creators earn their income on OnlyFans:

1. Subscriptions: You can set a monthly fee for access to your content.

2. Pay-per-view (PPV) content allows Creators to charge for individual pieces of content, adding yet another way to earn from more exclusive material. PPV can be shared on your feed or via DM.

3. Tipping: Fans can tip Creators during live streams or for any content they enjoy. 

4. Custom requests: Offering custom content for an extra fee can be highly lucrative, since fans are often willing to pay more for personalized interactions.

While top earners like Mia Khalifa, who makes $10,000 a day, are exceptional cases, many sex workers can earn a comfortable income through consistent content creation and audience engagement. 

However, competition on the platform is fierce. Established Sex Workers argue that the influx of mainstream influencers can make it harder for new or lesser-known Creators to gain traction.

OnlyFans as a tool for sex workers

OnlyFans offers a unique opportunity for all types of sex workers to thrive. 

By producing diverse content, from selfies to explicit videos, and leveraging platform features like subscriptions, pay-per-view, and custom requests, sex workers can maximize their earning potential. 

Actively engage with your audience and you'll be on your way to a successful presence on OnlyFans.