As giant platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram become ever more omnipresent, it’s refreshing to see new players out there for young digital natives like us to explore. If there is one platform that stands out from the rest, it’s got to be OnlyFans.
You probably heard of OnlyFans from your friends or news feed. Even Beyonce mentioned it on Megan Thee Stallion’s song Savage Remix. This content platform breaks the norms of social media sites thanks to its thirsty, juicy, adult-only, pornographic content. However, contrary to a lot of people’s perceptions, OnlyFans is far from just another replacement for PornHub.
If you’re thinking about starting an account, here’s some basic info you need to know before jumping on the bandwagon, including how to set up the account, to whether I think it’s worth the trouble.
What is OnlyFans?
OnlyFans is a content subscription service founded by Tim Stokely in 2016. Basically, it’s like YouTube and Instagram combined with a Netflix business model that allows users to post both photos and video based on your interests and expertise – all while being able to get paid directly from the viewers.
Take Bella Thorne, a Disney actor who has earned over $1 million in the first 24 hours from the site, according to Variety. Even Cardi B, yes THAT Cardi B, is on OnlyFans. But don’t expect to see nudity on her account. Instead, she uses the platform to address ongoing rumors, to show exclusive clips from her latest music video, and to allow fans to sneak into her personal life.
How to use it
First things first, you need to sign up on the homepage and it’s free just like any other website, requiring you to enter yourr email, password, and username. You can join directly if you already have Twitter or Google accounts. The user interface is pretty easy to use. However, access to the pages of individual creators does require a monetary fee and the transaction is via credit card processed through the main site.
How to support your favorite creator
You’ll have to pay a monthly subscription to see what your favourite creators are posting. Content creators set their own subscription fee prices. These range from $4.99 to $49.99 per month.
For instance, If you want to see a pre-recorded behind-the-scenes of a WAP music video from Cardi B, you have to pay $4.99 monthly. For me, the first account I subscribed to was the account of Daniel Donigan, a.k.a. Milk, a drag queen and a former contestant from RuPaul Drag Season 6. My subscription costs me $9.99 monthly to see his adult-only videos. This doesn’t include the minimum $5 tip.
If you’ve signed up for an account, just remember this: Please don’t screen-grab and record the creators’ content for your own use. It goes against the ethos of OnlyFans, and is considered disrespectful, not to mention it could also lead to a nasty lawsuit.
Is OnlyFans really worth it?
Well, if you’ve signed up to support your favorite creator, it could be worth it for you. Just remind yourself not to max out your credit card because there are plenty of creators to enjoy.
If you’re ready to show the world what you got and want to be a creator yourself, OnlyFans could be a new business opportunity for you. And it doesn’t have to be porn: It could be cooking, playing music, doing a Q&A session on your specialised subject – whatever you are passionate about.
Set up some boundaries for yourself and do whatever makes you happy. Some creators are comfortable with just showing their cake baking skills, even if most of the creators on the site are there to give their fans a front seat view of their bedroom skills.
That’s it! Now grab some popcorn, roll up your sleeves and enjoy whatever you came here to do. Just as the last thought, unless you really know that you’re the next Brent Corrigan in waiting, it’s probably better not to give up the desk job just yet.
