In this guide
- Why I tell creators not to choose on fees
- The quick comparison
- OnlyFans: the biggest audience and brand
- Fansly: same split, different rules
- Fanvue: the platform that welcomes AI
- What about Patreon?
- Payouts and the small print
- How I would choose
- The real answer: do not depend on one platform
The most common question I get from people starting as creators is, “Which platform pays the most?” My honest answer surprises them: on the standard split, they pay the same. OnlyFans, Fansly and Fanvue all keep 20% and give the creator 80%.
So if the percentage is the same, what actually matters? The rules on what you can post, how and when you get paid, how big the audience is, and how much risk you are taking by putting your whole business on one company. Let me compare them using only what each platform publishes about itself.
The quick comparison
| OnlyFans | Fansly | Fanvue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Fenix International Limited (UK) | Select Media LLC (Maryland, US) | Fanvue |
| Standard creator share | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Platform fee | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Promotional rates | Not described in terms | Not described in terms | Temporary promotional rates possible |
| Fully AI-generated creators | Check current rules | Photorealistic AI prohibited | Allowed if labelled and verified |
| Creator ID verification | Yes | Yes, approval required | Yes |
Sources: OnlyFans Terms, Fansly Terms, Fanvue creator earnings policy, Fanvue AI rules.
All three take the same 20%. The fee is not the decision. The audience, the rules and the risk are.
OnlyFans: the biggest audience and brand
OnlyFans’ terms say its fee is 20% of the total User Payment. Creators earn from subscriptions, pay-per-view, tips and paid messages. To open a creator account you upload ID and two photos and complete identity verification, and anyone else in your content must be verified with written, informed consent (OnlyFans Terms). I explain the whole system in how OnlyFans works.
Its biggest advantage is scale. In its fiscal year to November 2025, OnlyFans reported 132 million active fan accounts and paid creators $6.3 billion, according to Variety and the BBC. The name itself sells: fans already know how it works and many already have accounts and cards saved. I broke down those results in OnlyFans by the numbers.
The downside is competition. With 2.5 million active creators, standing out is hard, and OnlyFans is known for giving creators little discovery inside the platform; most traffic has to come from your own social media.
Fansly: same split, different rules
Fansly is operated by Select Media LLC, a Maryland company. Its terms state clearly: “Creators earn eighty percent (80%) of the revenue generated on all subscriptions, sales, or tips related to their content and User profile” (Fansly Terms).
A few details from Fansly’s terms that every creator should know:
- Creators must be approved by the company, add a verified bank account or approved payout method, and submit tax information (a W-9 for US residents).
- By registering as a creator, you authorise Fansly to collect certain biometric information, such as face geometry from verification documents or content.
- Strict AI rules. Fansly prohibits photorealistic content substantially generated by AI, including deepfakes and face swaps, AI systems that interact with users “without human oversight,” and AI material passed off as authentic human performance.
- An inactivity fee. If you do not log in for twelve consecutive months, the account becomes inactive and Fansly deducts $5 a month from your balance until it reaches zero.
- Co-authored content requires tagging or identifying each person, with ID showing they are 18+ and written consent to publication.
- Chargebacks can be deducted from your earnings.
My reading: Fansly is a serious alternative with the same split and clearly written rules. The AI restrictions are good news for real creators who do not want to compete with synthetic accounts. But read the content rules carefully; its list of prohibited material is long and specific.
Fanvue: the platform that welcomes AI
Fanvue’s creator earnings policy sets a standard Creator Earning Rate of 80% of gross revenue from paid services, subscriptions, tips, pay-per-view messages, bundles and custom content, with 20% retained as platform fees (Fanvue).
What makes it different:
- Promotional rates. Fanvue says it may offer a temporary “Promotional Earning Rate,” for example a higher share for newly onboarded creators during an introductory window. The rate and duration are published on the platform and can change.
- Payout timing. Funds must clear a pending period of seven days as standard, which can be extended up to 28 days depending on verification and risk checks, and withdrawals must meet a minimum threshold.
- AI creators are welcome. Fanvue’s help centre says it welcomes AI creators, including fully AI accounts, as long as content carries the AI label, the owner verifies their identity, and no real person is depicted without that person’s verification and documented consent (Fanvue AI rules). In 2024, Fanvue even organised a “Miss AI” contest for AI-generated influencers, reported by NPR (NPR).
My opinion as a real performer: AI accounts are a business reality, and Fanvue’s labelling and consent rules are the right approach. But if you are a human creator, understand that on a platform that welcomes AI, you may be competing with accounts that never sleep. Make your human connection your selling point.
What about Patreon?
People sometimes ask about Patreon. Its pricing page says it takes 10% of the income you earn, plus payment processing, currency conversion, payout fees and taxes (Patreon pricing). The headline fee is lower, but Patreon is built for general creators and memberships, and its rules on adult content are much stricter than the three platforms above. For adult creators it is usually not a real alternative.
Payouts and the small print
On every platform, three things affect what you really take home:
- Pending periods and minimums. Money is not instantly yours. Each platform has its own clearing time and withdrawal threshold.
- Refunds and chargebacks. All three say chargebacks or refunds can be deducted from creator earnings.
- Currency and bank fees. Payments are usually in US dollars; if you are paid in another currency, conversion and bank charges reduce the amount.
If you work with an agency, its commission comes on top of the 20%. That is often the biggest cost of all, and I explain how that industry works in OnlyFans chatters and agencies.
How I would choose
If I were advising a friend starting today, this is how I would think about it:
- You already have a following on social media? OnlyFans’ brand recognition makes it easiest for fans to pay you.
- You want clear rules and a platform that bans photorealistic AI? Fansly is worth a serious look.
- You are building an AI persona, or want a promotional rate as a new creator? Fanvue is the most open to that, as long as you follow its labelling and consent rules.
- Privacy is your top priority? Read each platform’s verification and data rules carefully, especially Fansly’s biometric clause, and follow my guide on creator privacy and safety.
The real answer: do not depend on one platform
The biggest lesson from my years in this industry is that platforms change. Rules, payment processors, owners and policies change, sometimes overnight. OnlyFans’ owner died in March 2026 and a 16% stake in the company was sold in May, as I explained in my piece on the numbers, and nobody outside the company can tell you what that means for creators in five years.
So my real advice is: own your audience. Build social media, a mailing list or a website that you control, and treat any platform as a shop window, not your home. Many smart performers, like Riley Reid with her exit plan and new ventures, think in exactly this way.
To follow my career, visit maximogarciaworld.com, and for the 18+ side of my work, fuckingpornstars.net. If you want to know what creators really earn, read how much OnlyFans creators really make.
This comparison is based on each platform’s published terms and help pages at the time of writing. Terms change; always check the current version before signing up. General information, not financial or legal advice.
Sources
- OnlyFans (Fenix International Limited). Terms of Service.
- Fansly (Select Media LLC). Terms of Service. Last updated July 21, 2026.
- Fanvue. Creator Earnings & Payouts Policy.
- Fanvue Help Centre. AI content on Fanvue: what’s allowed.
- Patreon. Pricing.
- NPR. The Miss AI beauty pageant ushers in a new type of influencer. June 2024.
- Todd Spangler, Variety. OnlyFans Millionaires: Site Says 5,076 Creators Have Earned More Than $1 Million to Date. August 25, 2026.
- Emer Moreau, BBC News. OnlyFans owner was paid over $700m before his death. August 25, 2026.
