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Are you an aspiring content creator? Whether you’re a comedian, documentary maker, gamer, foot model, or adult star, you can make money online by signing up to a crowdfunded fan site.
The reality is many platforms are demonetizing creators. If you make the wrong move on platforms like Instagram or YouTube, it will demonetize your account. Or, at worst, having your channel or account removed from the platform.
Many content creators assume this will never happen to them, but this complacency could cost you your career as a creator. What would you do if you suddenly lost your ability to post on social media or YouTube? How would that affect your monthly cash flow?
Joining a crowdfunded subscription platform like Patreon, OnlyFans, or Fansly can help you mitigate the risk of putting all your income streams in one basket. Diversify your strategy and create multiple streams of income.
There are dozens of options available, so which offers you the best deal for your new online business?
This indepth guide unpacks the differences between Fansly vs. OnlyFans vs. Patreon.
| Feature | Fansly | OnlyFans | Patreon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 | 2016 | 2013 |
| Content Focus | All types, including adult | Primarily adult content | Non-adult content |
| Commission Rate | 20% | 20% | 5%, 8%, or 12% |
| Minimum Withdrawal | $20 | $20 | Varies |
| Payment Options | Skrill, Paxum, crypto, bank transfers | Bank transfer, e-wallet, Venmo, Paxum | Apple Pay, Venmo, Sofort, PayPal |
| Adult Content Allowed | Yes | Yes | No |
| Monetization Options | Subscriptions, tips, PPV, custom content | Subscriptions, tips, PPV, custom content, eCommerce | Subscriptions, PPV events |
| User Discovery | Better for new creators | Challenging for new creators | Limited search function |
| Brand Reputation | Growing adult-content platform | Established adult-content platform | Established platform for creators |
| Key Advantage | Flexible content policies | Largest adult-content platform | Lower commission rates |
What is Fansly?
Fansly is the youngest of all three content platforms. Launched in 2020, it’s a great place for all content creators, regardless of the content you want to publish. Fansly offers hosting of all content, including adult-themed videos and pics.
However, it’s not just an adult-themed site. While it’s a top competitor to OnlyFans in adult content, Fansly hosts all types, from gaming to comedy, to documentaries. Select Media LLC owns Fansly, and it’s building a reputation as one of the biggest online destinations for creators.
Fansly operates on a similar model to Patreon and OnlyFans, giving creators the chance to create subscription tiers for their fans. You have several options for revenue streams on the site besides subscriptions.
Creators can use monetization strategies like accepting tips, pay-per-view content, and more, allowing your fans to send you money in many different ways.
What is OnlyFans?
Founded in 2016, OnlyFans is the top destination online for adult content creators. OnlyFans blew up in 2020 during the onset of the global lockdowns. Many people found themselves without jobs, forcing them to search for earning opportunities online.
As a result, many young people decided to take to OnlyFans to post adult-themed content. You’ll find all types of adult-themed content on the site, from something as innocent as foot fetish videos to hardcore porn. As of Q2 2022, OnlyFans had 178 million registered users on the site, making it the biggest crowdfunding platform for adult-themed creators.
OnlyFans is owned by Fenix International Limited, with headquarters in London. The site offers creators several ways to monetize their content; you can accept tips, custom content requests, subscriptions, and more. While OnlyFans hosts content of all kinds, it has a reputation and stigma around it as an adult-themed site.
What is Patreon?
Patreon is the veteran of the three platforms in this review. Founded in 2013, it has nearly a decade of operations. Patreon is the top choice for content creators on YouTube that want to create private audiences they can monetize off the YouTube site.
Creators can list subscription tiers, allowing fans or ‘patrons’ to choose the content they want to see from the creator. Patreon doesn’t allow adult-themed content on its site, or you’ll get banned from the platform. It’s a great place for musicians, comedians, podcasters, and YouTubers to extend their business, mitigating the risk of using one platform like YouTube alone.
It’s a very similar model to the YouTube ‘Join’ button, offering fans different subscription tiers. However, YouTube charges creators 30% of their earnings for using this service, whereas Patreon is only a third of that.
How Much Can Creators Earn on These Platforms?
So, let’s get down to brass tacks. How do you earn on these platforms, and what are the policies surrounding fees? These platforms make money by charging the creator a commission on the funds they generate on the site and subscription fees.
- Fansly
Fansly operates on a 20% commission on all earnings on its site. You can withdraw from your account when you have a minimum of $20 available. - OnlyFans
OnlyFans is a similar model to Fansly. You’ll have to pay a 20% commission on everything you make through the platform. There is a $20 minimum withdrawal threshold, and you can withdraw daily. - Patreon
Patreon has the best rates of the three. They operate three different tiers, charging creators 5%, 8%, or 12% on the earnings you make on the platform, depending on the amount you generate through the site. According to user reviews, most creators will pay the 12% commission, but that’s still 8% lower than the other platforms and 18% less than the YouTube ‘Join’ feature.
Which Platform Has the Best Support for Creators?
Regarding support for creators, all three platforms have their benefits and drawbacks. The on-site support for all three platforms is lackluster, giving you some basic FAQs and a support email to reach out to the team for assistance. However, all three platforms run social media support channels, and you’ll find decent service on their accounts.
What are the Key Differences Between Fansly vs. OnlyFans vs. Patreon?
The primary difference between Fansly, OnlyFans, and Patreon is the markets they support. OnlyFans is the best choice for adult content creators wanting to produce and sell adult-themed content ranging from soft-core to hardcore.
There are no limitations to what you can post on the site. However, the stigma surrounding the site’s reputation is not the best choice for publishing other general content, like podcasts. If you run a surfing channel on YouTube and direct your fans to OnlyFans for additional content, your fans expect nudes and porn, not surfing tips.
Patreon goes in the other direction. There is no option for posting adult-themed content on the site. You can post mature content, such as stories about serial killers, but your content will receive an 18+ rating, driving down your available audience.
Fansly is the in-between of the three. It accepts mature and adult-themed content without age-restricting it on the site. However, it has more of a reputation as an adult-themed site, and most users think of it as a platform for posting adult-themed content, similar to OnlyFans.
Fansly vs. OnlyFans vs. Patreon – Lowest Processing Fees and Pricing Structure
Patreon offers users the best deal when it comes to paying the site commission. It structures its commission tiers at 5%, 8%, and 12%, depending on how many patrons you have on your account. Most users will pay 12%, with only the top percentile of Patreon users receiving the 5% tier.
If you’re starting a new account on the site, you can expect to give up 12% of your earnings in commissions. Patreon also charges a 3% transaction processing fee, equating to a 15% overall commission on the money you make on the platform, but that’s still 5% lower than what Fansly and OnlyFans offer their creators.
The issue with Patreon is that there are only two ways to make money on the platform, okay, maybe three. The first is through the patron subscription tiers, and the second is through offering Pay-Per-View events. You can also leave links in your video subscriptions to other platforms, like your merch vendor.
In contrast, OnlyFans and Fansly have a much more diverse earnings model. Fans can choose to support their favorite creators through subscription tiers, PPV content, and other options like tips, custom content requests, and private chats. OnlyFans also allows creators to set up an eCommerce platform to sell merch and other items on-site.
All three sites work with different payment processors to accept payments from your fans. OnlyFans works with Bank transfer, e-wallet, Venmo, and Paxum, but there’s no option for PayPal due to the adult-themed nature of the site.
Fansly works with Skrill, Paxum, crypto, and bank transfers, but there’s no option for PayPal. Patreon accepts Apple Pay, Venmo, and Sofort, and there’s PayPal as an option.
Fansly vs OnlyFans vs Patreon – Best Flexibility For Creators
Creators that want the best flexibility from their content platform will get the best deal from OnlyFans. The company offers a diversified income model where creators can set up several income streams. Fansly is a close second, with almost all the revenue options as OnlyFans, less the eCommerce model.
Patreon is the weakest of the three, with Pro and Premium creators able to set up multiple membership tiers for their fans but no other means of diversifying their income. In contrast, OnlyFans and Fansly creators can earn through monthly subscription plans, introducing free pages and charging their fans who access their content on a PPV basis, and they have the option of accepting tips.
OnlyFans and Fansly offer discount bundles for creators, providing flexibility to introduce content. For example, can offer a discount for a week to the first 10 subscribers on OnlyFans. This structure gives creators more flexibility in managing sales on OnlyFans than on Patreon, which only offers ‘special offers’ and multi-level bonus features.
OnlyFans and Fansly allow creators to engage with their fans through multi-channel methods like texting, voice notes, and emails. However, Patreon only offers messaging services to fans. Since engagement is everything in the online world, OnlyFans and Fansly offer better communication channels, resulting in higher follower retention.
What are the Pros and Cons of Patreon?
Pros of Patreon
- Patreon has the best customer support of the three platforms. They’re easy to work with and get back to your support tickets in under 24 hours in most cases.
- Patreon is an established platform with a growing community. There’s no chance of this site being removed from payment processors.
- Patreon doesn’t censor its creators, which makes it a great way for YouTubers to diversify their income from their fanbase without the threat of being demonetized for discussing controversial topics.
- Patreon has a smooth payment process, and creators are guaranteed to receive their funds within 48 hours of withdrawing from the platform.
- The site integrates with other websites, allowing you to connect it to your website or your social media accounts to draw new fans to your content.
Cons of Patreon
- Patreon’s search function on the site isn’t as good as OnlyFans and Fansly, and many users complain that it’s challenging to locate new creators they want to follow.
- Patreon takes two days to process most new membership payments.
- Patreon doesn’t have as many ways to earn money as OnlyFans and Fansly.
- Patreon doesn’t permit adult-themed content on its site.
What are the Pros and Cons of OnlyFans?
OnlyFans Pros
- OnlyFans is the top destination and the biggest brand in online adult entertainment for independent creators. The platform doesn’t care what content you create, as long as it’s not CP or beastiality.
- The site integrates with other websites, allowing you to connect it to your website or your social media accounts to draw new fans to your content.
- Creators get good flexibility in structuring their membership tiers.
- There’s a huge diversity in adult content, from soft-core stuff like foot fetish to hardcore porn.
- The site offers the most options for monetizing your content, with plenty of opportunities to receive money from your fans.
- OnlyFans allows creators to sell items like bathwater and panties through the site.
OnlyFans Cons
- OnlyFans charges a 20% commission on all funds generated through your account.
- OnlyFans allows other content genres outside of adult. However, the stigma involved with the site’s reputation keeps content creators from different niches away.
- OnlyFans has millions of registered creators on the site. So, it’s more competitive. Most creators earn an average of $180 per month, with many not making anything through their efforts.
- OnlyFans is challenging to crack, with most new creators required to build their business on social media to gain a following on OnlyFans.
- Since OnlyFans is an adult-themed site, it doesn’t have as many payment processing options as Patreon. Fans can’t use traditional payment processors like credit cards and PayPal when paying for services on OnlyFans.
What are the Pros and Cons of Fansly?
Fansly Pros
- Fansly allows creators to structure free content on the site, making it available for users. So, finding new content creators to follow on the site is easier.
- Due to the free content model, there’s a better chance of new creators building an audience on the site than on OnlyFans.
- Fansly allows creators to use emojis to self-censor content for free followers, eliminating these tools if the follower decides to take a paid membership.
- Creators can use the above method and charge a one-time fee for removing the censored material instead of having the fan take a subscription.
- Fansly has a referral system for fans. If the fan recommends your account to others and they sign up with their referral code, they receive a 5% commission for the first year the fan remains subscribed to your account.
Fansly Cons
- Fansly doesn’t have the market presence of OnlyFans. While it’s the biggest competitor to the site, it falls behind due to OnlyFan’s reputation as the go-to platform for adult-themed content.
- Fansly also suffers from the stigma of adult-themed content published on its platform. While it allows content from all genres, most people see it as just an adult-themed site.
- Like OnlyFans, there are no options for traditional payment processors like PayPal and credit cards.
- There’s no eCommerce option for the site, limiting how you can receive money from your fans.
OnlyFans FAQs
Q: Can I use OnlyFans if I don’t have a bank account?
A: If you live in the United States, you need a valid bank account to receive your money. There’s no support for PayPal, so the only way to receive your cash is through a nominated bank account.
Q: Will I have to pay taxes on the money I make through my OnlyFans account?
A: Yes, you’ll need to pay income tax on your earnings, just like any other job. If you’re an OnlyFans creator, you can register as a self-employed individual. That means you get tax breaks that are not available to general employees. It’s a good idea to hire a tax accountant to get the advice your need around deductibles for your tax return.
Q: Where do I promote my OnlyFans account?
A: Most top OnlyFans creators promote their accounts on social media. While you can’t post adult-themed content on these platforms, you can post teaser material to your OnlyFans. Just make sure it falls within the community guidelines.
Fansly FAQs
Q: Does Fansly operate internationally?
A: Fansly is an international site, but it’s unavailable in the following countries.
Belarus, Balkans, Burma, Cote, D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Iraq, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Syria.
The company states it intends to add more regions as it expands its member base.
Q: Does my Fansly payment appear on my bank statement?
A: Your monthly Fansly withdrawal will appear on your bank statement as a secret media LLC, not as ‘Fansly.’ You don’t have to worry about being caught by your partner or snooping bank execs if you want to keep your activities away from prying eyes.
Q: Will Fansly ever implement the black screen feature to prevent screenshots and screen recording?
A: Fansly is working on DRM blocking, and they intend to add it to the platform in the future.
Patreon FAQs
Q: Can I gift a friend or family member a Patreon membership?
A: Unfortunately, there’s no way for users to gift friends and family a Patreon membership. The management states they’re working on a solution to the issue and should offer this service in the future. However, there’s no information on when this feature will be available.
Q: Can I connect my WordPress website to my Patreon account?
A: Using a WP plugin, you can connect your WP website to your Patreon account. Before you start, log into your Patreon creator account before launching the setup wizard.
Q: Are membership payments to Patreon accounts tax deductible?
A: In most cases, your payment doesn’t qualify as tax-deductible on your tax return. The only exception is if the company is a non-profit.
Fansly vs OnlyFans vs Patreon – The Verdict
So, which platform is the best choice for creators? Well, it depends on what kind of content you’re publishing and your social media presence.
If you’re a podcaster or YouTuber looking to further monetize your audience, Patreon is your best choice. It’s a popular choice for clean content, and it beats using the ‘Join’ feature on YouTube.
Patreon allows you to diversify your content strategy, spreading your risk. It’s a particularly popular option for creators posting controversial content, like conspiracy theories.
You can publish the tamer version of videos on YouTube and direct your fans to your Patreon for content that would otherwise be demonetized or banned on YouTube.
Patreon allows you to circumvent censorship and break your reliance on YouTube as your sole income stream.
However, Patreon isn’t an option for adult-themed content. Posting nudes and porn clips on the site will get you banned fast.
OnlyFans is the top destination for adult content creators. However, it might not be the best choice for a newcomer to publishing adult-themed content online.
Unless you’re a celebrity or a well-known porn star with a huge social media following, you will not go anywhere on this site.
However, if you meet those criteria, you could earn a fortune. Blac Chyna, one of the top creators on the platform, earns $20 million per month from her fans on the site.
If you’re new to the adult industry and have few fans, Fansly is the better option. While you don’t have the eCommerce option, you get better exposure as a newcomer, thanks to the free content option allowing better discoverability for new creators.
So, it’s up to you to decide where you want to create your accounts. Use the information in this review to choose the right platform for your content strategy, good luck!
Stay Ahead of the Market with Benzinga Pro!
Want to trade like a pro? Benzinga Pro gives you the edge you need in today's fast-paced markets. Get real-time news, exclusive insights, and powerful tools trusted by professional traders:- Breaking market-moving stories before they hit mainstream media
- Live audio squawk for hands-free market updates
- Advanced stock scanner to spot promising trades
- Expert trade ideas and on-demand support
