What is OnlyFans and can you use it in India?

What is OnlyFans?

OnlyFans is an internet content subscription service and is one of the fastest-growing platforms owing to its creator-friendly friendly approach. Unlike other platforms that rely on advertising revenue or take a large cut of creators’ earnings, OnlyFans lets creators keep 80% of their income and offers them various features to earn more, such as paid subscriptions, pay-per-view messages and posts, tips, live streams, and fundraisers.

The platform has grown rapidly in popularity and profitability, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many people turned to online platforms for entertainment and income. As of April 2023, OnlyFans has over 3 million creators and 150 million users worldwide, generating more than $5 billion in revenue per year.

Who is OnlyFans for?

From the creators’ end, OnlyFans is primarily used by celebrities, models, and sex workers who share their explicit images and other erotic content on the platform, locking it behind paywalls. They’re not the only kind posting on the platform, though, as some writers, artists, fitness trainers, musicians, and chefs are also quite active.

Here are some of the most notable people on OnlyFans:
Bella Thorne – actress, model, singer
Cardi B – rapper, singer, songwriter
Tyga – rapper, singer, songwriter
Blac Chyna – model, reality star, influencer
Sarah Jayne Dunne – actress, singer, dancer
Jessika Power – reality star, influencer
Angela White – adult film actress, director, producer
Bhad Bhabie – rapper, internet personality
Tana Mongeau – YouTuber, influence
Mia Khalifa – former adult film actress, media personality

Many creators on TikTok and Instagram also direct their fans to OnlyFans, where they offer exclusive content for a fee.

How much do OnlyFans accounts make?

An OnlyFans subscription starts out at $4.99 per month and can go up to $49.99 per month. While most OnlyFans creators make less than $200 per month, top earners make $100,000 per month or more. Actress Bella Thorne, for instance, claimed to make over $2 million in just one week. Meanwhile, Rubi Rose made $100,000 on OnlyFans in two days by posting photos from her Instagram.

The OnlyFans web interface (Express photo)

But subscription isn’t the only way OnlyFans accounts make money. Creators can also set up tips or paid private messages starting at a minimum of $5, use the pay-per-view features, or raise fundraisers.

Is OnlyFans available/legal in India?

Several nations have outlawed OnlyFans entirely but India isn’t one of them. The OnlyFans website is freely accessible in the country and you can create an account to view posts and other free content.

However, if you are looking to use OnlyFans as a creator then know that anyone who posts sexual content online is regarded as breaking the law per Indian legislation, and there’s no exception on the platform.

Is there an OnlyFans app?

There’s no official OnlyFans app for both Android and iOS, so if you do come across one, then it’s definitely a fake. The only way you can access OF is through its website, which can be opened up on both mobile and desktop. The website has a very Twitter-like interface. An OFTV app exists but it isn’t built for adult content and is more of a streaming service.

Did OnlyFans try to ban porn?

Back in August 2021, OnlyFans announced that it was planning to ban all sexually explicit content, citing a need to comply with its banking partners. The announcement invited severe backlash, from not just creators and subscribers, but also the media which alleged that OF had used sex workers to grow popular – and is now rooting them out.

But mere days after that announcement, OnlyFans followed with another announcement saying it does not plan to ban pornographic after all. “We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators,” said the platform in a tweet.