Best case scenario?
You earn more than anyone you know, buy a house outright, travel the world full time and retire before forty.
Worst case?
Your failed OnlyFans brings in less than minimum wage, your boss finds out and fires you and now you can’t get a new job because your reputation is ruined.
Morbidly curious classmates and coworkers subscribe without you even knowing it’s them and share screen shots in group chats.
Look, I’m not attempting to deter you. Really, I’m not.
This blog is full of OnlyFans advice:
- The Only OnlyFans Guide You Need
- 53 Tips For New OnlyFans Creators
- How To Remain Anonymous On OnlyFans
- The Ultimate Guide To Reddit For OnlyFans Creators
- The Ultimate Guide To Twitter For OnlyFans Creators
You get the picture.
I’m certainly no prude and I’m sure you’re more than capable of making your own decisions but this honest conversation has to happen.
OnlyFans isn’t for everyone.
I talked a little bit about this in a previous post, 6 Signs OnlyFans Isn’t For You.
Today, I wanted to go over some more cons of pursuing this path, especially after coming across this video earlier today.
The creator in questions makes some valid points, though some aren’t entirely relevant or significant.
Let’s start with the mildest cause for concern, shall we?
You won’t last forever in this industry
It should come as no surprise that most sex workers don’t remain in the industry until the regular retirement age.
Mind, MILF (40+) is an extremely popular category.
If a creator works from 18-40, that’s twenty two years in the industry.
That’s more than enough time to make more than enough money if you play your cards right.
Although, it would be wise to wait until twenty five, which is when our brains are fully developed.
So let’s say 25-40. That’s fifteen years.
It’s not forever job but it’s not as bleak as professional swimmers, who reach their peak at 21.
Generally speaking, pro athletes start to decline at age 26.
Would those proposing OnlyFans isn’t worth it because its temporary also advocate abolishing athletics?
I hope not.
A lot of things in life are temporary.
If anything, limited opportunities inspire us to take advantage while we can.
I think this is the case with OnlyFans.
One issue worth noting, however, is over spending.
The issue pro athletes often run into when it comes to early retirement is that they weren’t sensible spenders and squandered their millions.
It isn’t unheard of for millionaires, especially lottery winners, to go broke.
If you are going to pursue this, seriously consider saving a good chunk of your money to invest in other entrepreneurial endeavours.
Remember, your reputation will be tarnished by existing in the industry so the option to get a regular job later down the line is limited, taking us to our next point.
Reputation destruction
OnlyFans is heavily stigmatised in society.
We’re often seen as sub human and nothing we do or say seems to dispel stigmatising misconceptions.
It’s odd, really.
Consider a healthcare professional who is capable of saving lives, who is no longer allowed to practice because strangers saw her naked.
Nurses losing their jobs due to OnlyFans is nothing new, which is why I’m very surprised to see this practicing nurse and PHD candidate candidly speak about her experience on the platform.
It’s the only way to avoid future discrimination, unless you remain completely anonymous, which isn’t as easy as you may imagine.
One of the worst cases of reputation destruction I’ve came across is a creator who’s kids were kicked out of school because of a pack of Karens.
Even if your profile is tame with no nudity or pornography, employers may still take an issue with you using the platform.
Arguably, the connotations attached to OnlyFans are now attached to the company.
I mean, it’s not as if creators wear a ‘SUBSCRIBE TO MY ONLYFANS’ sticker on their forehead while at work.
Most customer interactions are one offs and it’s unlikely employees are discovered without the company trying to dig up dirt.
If a deep dive is required to find a profile, can you really call it a risk?
I wouldn’t say so but of course, it all depends on the job. Obviously, some jobs are incompatible with OnlyFans.
Being on OnlyFans if you work in a bar is considerably different to being a school teacher and your students finding out.
Unfortunately, most employers aren’t going to entertain the idea that it’s not damning so there’s a high chance you’ll be booted.
What annoys me most are the double standards.
Hollyoaks are fine with their actresses posing scantily clad in lad mags if it makes them money but insist OnlyFans is unacceptable.
Odd how much money makes a different to morals, isn’t it?
It’s straight up discrimination.
As unfair as it may be, this path is best suited to those who plan on remaining self employed beyond OnlyFans.
Remaining Anonymous Isn’t Easy
Although it’s possible to remain anonymous, it isn’t simple.
Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way.
I was in a desperate situation when I created my first account. I didn’t have a penny to my name and had ran out of essentials.
I’m talking toilet roll, toothpaste and heaven sent coffee beans that uplifted me when I lived in poverty.
I signed up to OnlyFans under a pseudonym and created an Instagram account to promote on.
I didn’t show my face once.
The first person to follow me was my boyfriends ex.
I kid you not.
If you’d like to learn why this happened and how to actually remain anonymous, check out this post.
Maybe open it in a new tab.
Long story short, you’ll need a new number, a new device if you can, a VPN and a Reddit account, rather than an Instagram.
OnlyFans isn’t a get rich quick scheme
Forget the sensationalised stories shared by main stream media.
Sure, some OnlyFans models are rolling in it.
This, however, is not the case for most creators.
The platforms top 1% take 30% of the money and most aren’t earning enough to cover basic bills.
The harsh reality? Most creators make less than minimum wage.
Why? Well it’s definitely not due to over-saturation.
You can’t blame your profile failing on not winning the genetic lottery, either.
I’ve seen so many creators who aren’t conventionally attractive succeed on the platform.
I’m talking earning $10,000+ per month without coming close to being considered model material.
On the other hand, there are women who are model material who aren’t making a tenth of what they could be.
Why? They’re getting a part of the process wrong.
I realise I’m running the risk of sounding harsh here but too many people severely underestimate the work this job entails.
Unsuccessful creators rarely take the time to learn necessary skills.
You need to master every part of the process.
If your profile is failing right now, you can definitely turn things around.
Be sure to check out Reasons Your OnlyFans Is Still Small.
OnlyFans Isn’t Easy
OnlyFans isn’t easy.
Running a successful profile takes time and consistent effort. It’s extremely time consuming.
Unless you’re willing to put the work in, your profile will flop.
I recall a bitter YouTuber claiming the hardest part of the OnlyFans process is turning on your ring light.
Oh, please.
Sweetie, it isn’t that simple, though I wish it was.
What is it with hating on easy jobs, anyway?
Let’s say OnlyFans was as simple as switching on a ring light. So what?
I certainly wouldn’t complain if I was paid well to perform easy tasks. Would you?
Sounds like resentment to me.
The harsh reality is that creating content that converts free followers to paying subscribers takes considerable time and effort.
There’s hair and makeup, outfits, lighting, posing, shooting, editing, promoting, customer care, sales and more.
Not to mention the emotional toll of handling ongoing hate and harassment.
Content creation isn’t easy but it’s the smallest part of the process.
When I was posting, I’d spend about 20% of my time creating and 80% promoting.
Honestly? Promoting isn’t particularly difficult but there’s definitely a learning curve, especially when it comes to Reddit.
Marketing is by far the most time consuming part of the process.
Related:
Non-Nude Doesn’t Mean Non-Sexual
Don’t be fooled by lewd creators who claim to make £20,000+ per month.
While they aren’t exactly lying, they aren’t quite telling the truth.
Lewd content can be lucrative, it’s just not as safe for work as it’s sometimes made out to be.
Non-nude creators often have the most sexually explicit captions, more so than those shared on pornographic profiles.
Nude creators can get away with innocent captions and the content speaks louder.
Lingerie models might say something extremely explicit to compensate for the fact that more is left to the imagination.
Of course, that’s not to say non-nude profiles all function this way but I have seen it a fair few times now.
It is the minority but they’re the ones making hundreds of thousands.
It’s a slippery slope
OnlyFans really is a slippery slope.
Where you start may not be where you exit the industry.
Countless non-nude creators have progressed to porn.
I’m talking creators who once said they’d NEVER go nude, creators who wouldn’t even show nipples when they started.
I once subscribed to a profile to see ‘softcore nudity’ only to be greeted by hardcore pornography.
I like to think it was a conscious choice, that the creators weren’t pushed into it but time and time again, subs push boundaries.
Take a look at the interview below, where Beth admits to progressing to porn because her subscribers asked her to.
Never forget you have complete creative control.
Your boundaries will be tested
I highly recommend setting and enforcing strict boundaries, regardless of the nature of your content.
It would even be worth clarifying your rules in your automated welcome message to be abundantly clear on what is allowed, as well as what is prohibited.
Ban any user who breaches your boundaries.
Just get it out of the way. No second or third chances. Goodbye!
If you have a bad feeling about someone, trust your gut.
Never let anyone dictate the direction of your content, even if they offer you a large sum of money, especially if they offer you a large sum of money.
You can’t put a price on your dignity.
If it isn’t in your comfort zone, no amount of money should persuade you to leave it.
Breaking your boundaries to appease demanding fans will put you on a fast track to trauma
Politely decline and if they persist, kick them.
Bye, bitch.
You’ll be victim blamed
Unfortunately, some insist OnlyFans creators ask for the hate and harassment hurled at them.
In actuality, we’re providing a service in exchange for money.
Being berated isn’t in the job description but it is part of the job, due to no fault of the creators on the receiving end.
No matter how nice you are to your subscribers, some of them will say awful things and to top it off, online strangers will say you asked for it.
Do not internalise this mentality.
You are a human being, as equal as anyone.
Unless you have a kink for being belittled and welcome subscribers to make unkind comments, you definitely don’t deserve it.
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.
You’ll be villainized
Even if you run your page ethically (without scams or leading lonely men to think you’re into them) your decision will rub some people the wrong way.
We’re talking religious folk, feminists, fuck boys, Karens, the lot.
As an autistic, I’ve had more than my fair share of social rejection.
I’m certainly no stranger to being excluded from society so rejection doesn’t bother me one bit.
Nothing anyone says is going to alienate me because I’m already an alien.
I refuse to feel like a villain because I don’t exist as a stranger expects me to.
So long as your page is operated ethically, you’ve no reason to bend to peer pressure.
You aren’t a villain, you’re a hottie and they hate you for it.
Let them say what they want to say. Why should you be affected in any way?
There’s no knowing who your subscribers are
Here’s a fun one!
There’s no knowing who you subscribers are.
User3645 could be your boss, your ex or your little brother’s best friend.
Truth be told, they could be anyone.
I watched a YouTube video a while back from a creator who was having a long, drawn out conversation with a subscriber who later revealed he knew her from her previous place of work.
You’ll see the worst in people
‘My wife is sleeping beside me and I’m getting off to you.’
This was one of the first messages I ever received on Reddit.
Anonymity really does bring out the worst in people and it’s all too easy to start seeing everyone around you in a paranoid light.
You’ll see a part of humanity that might just destroy your faith in our kind.
You may begin to wonder how many people are actually like Reddit rats and your scummy subscribers.
Even if the majority of your followers and fans are respectful, the handful who use anonymity to hide the ugliest parts of themselves will stand out the most.
My advice?
Don’t let the worst destroy the best.
You can’t characterise everyone around you by an anonymous avatar.
Good people exist and aren’t a myth.
They’re out there, I swear.
Body image issues can be exacerbated
Existing in the sex industry can be a recipe for disaster for those who are suffering from or recovered from eating disorders and/or body dysmorphia.
Although image isn’t everything on OnlyFans, there’s no sense in denying the role our physical form plays.
Our bodies absolutely play a part in getting followers to pass our paywalls.
One surgery which is on the rise, as I’m sure you’re aware, are BBLs.
Brazilian butt lifts can be lethal if they go wrong.
I’m talking sudden death on the operating table.
Not cute.
Then there’s overdone lips and filler that migrates, making you look fifty when you’re thirty.
One of the first OnlyFans creators I subscribed to went on a break a week into my subscription, sharing she was struggling with body image issues.
I felt immediate guilt, as though I was to blame for her body issues.
Then again, I was feeling pretty bad about my own body after admiring hers.
The sick irony is that she’s recently been tweeting about super skinny bodies coming back, sharing how she’ll never crash diet again because it’s dangerous.
To put her look into perspective, she’s as plastic as it gets.
I’m talking fake boobs, fake hips, fake waist, massive fake bum, fake lips, a lot of botox and a face full of fillers.
How can someone who has had SO many life threatening procedures complain about life threatening diets?
It’s absurd.
I often wonder if I’d be able to resist cosmetic procedures if I had the money to fund them.
I’m kinda glad I don’t have that level of freedom in all honesty.
Can you honestly say your mental health and relationship with your body won’t be affected by OnlyFans?
Come back in a few months time and let me know how you get on.
Genuinely curious.
I’ve heard a handful of creators share how OnlyFans has been a huge confidence boost.
Sounds great but there’s a serious issue with this.
If external validation can affect your self esteem, so can external invalidation.
How you feel about your body must come from within to be healthy.
It’s best to avoid being boosted by compliments if you want to remain resistant to insults, which will happen.
Body shaming happens as frequently as slut shaming.
If you’re used to scrutinising your body, it’s unlikely you’ll be unaffected by scrutiny from strangers.
Romantic relationships may be strained
There’s bound to be ups and downs, disagreements and downfalls.
If you’re in a relationship, for OnlyFans to work, you’ll needed to be on the same page.
Your motivations may be questioned.
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence and it’s a reasonable concern.
It may be helpful to clarify your motivations for wanting to start an OnlyFans.
Personally speaking, more than anything, I wanted to fund travel, our wedding, a forever home, more animals, maybe kids.
I see OnlyFans as an extremely lucrative endeavour I’d be mad to miss, especially considering my God given GGs!
I don’t blame any boyfriend with worries.
I can’t speak for all women but most of us want one man.
Men are more inclined to polygamy so projection can occur in these discussions.
They may think we want what they want, which often isn’t the case!
Obviously, not everyone is in a long term relationship and from what I’ve heard, OnlyFans creators have a hard time being taken seriously.
Men sometimes assume OnlyFans models are easy, which isn’t usually the case, believe it or not.
Others are reluctant to enter relationships with OnlyFans creators as they wouldn’t want to introduce them to their families.
Check out the video below from a creator who took her man on holiday to Hawaii only for him to pretend he was there all alone because he didn’t want his friends knowing who he was dating.
Nobody wants to be a shameful secret but the shame is theirs, not ours.
Your partner/potential partners will need as much gumption as you do, making is twice as difficult.
Under age creators slip through the cracks
It isn’t unheard of for under creators to slip through the cracks.
Even creators who are of age are often mentally underdeveloped.
Think neurological conditions and learning disabilities.
I said this earlier and I know not everyone will agree but I think it’s wise to wait until you’re at least twenty five, which is when your brain is fully developed.
I’m sure 18 year old me would’ve wanted to dive in at the deep end with content I’m so glad I haven’t released as a 29 year old.
That’s just me, though.
If you’ve of legal age, you can legally go for it but that doesn’t mean you should, or that it’s a decision you won’t regret later down the line.
You’ll need to invest to evolve
If you’re serious about succeeding on OnlyFans, you can’t just turn up with a few selfies taken in your messy bedroom.
It doesn’t work that way.
You’ll need to invest in your look.
Related:
It would also be worth investing in a DSLR camera and some lighting.
You know, a ring light, the ‘hardest part of the job.’
If and when you can, consider renting apartments on air b n b to shoot from or even booking a hotel for a couple of nights to create next level quality.
Remember, OnlyFans expenses are tax deductible.
For legal purposes, I must now inform you that I’m not a legal expert and advice on this blog is not legal advice.
I’m simply suggesting you consider keeping your receipts so you can ask your accountant about tax right offs.
Gaining subscribers is easier than maintaining them
Gaining your first thirty subscribers is relatively easy but keeping them is another story.
Understandably, curiosity is what pushes the majority of free followers past your OnlyFans paywall.
Once they’re in, the curiosity will wear off as your profile is no longer a mystery.
One thing I’ve seen occur time and time again are the testing of boundaries.
Subscribers are often insatiable.
Fans are satisfied for five minutes then they want more.
They’re like kids who want more candy. They want to feel a rush and you’re their drug.
How will you keep them entertained without bypassing your boundaries?
How will you maintain self respect?
OnlyFans isn’t so black and white
Main stream media outlets tend to highlight success stories and tragedies.
Same goes with social media.
Most viral stories have some sort of dramatic hook.
The OnlyFans creators hitting headlines are either hyper successful or facing some sort of trauma. There’s usually no in-between.
OnlyFans isn’t so black and white but ‘I make a normal amount of money with my nudes’ doesn’t sell.
It’s best to ignore most representations of OnlyFans and OF creators and see for yourself first hand.
If you’re still sitting on the sidelines, I suggest subscribing to a handful of profiles to see what its all about.
I’ve found most creators are more than happy to answer questions about this line of work if you’ve paid for their time.
Speaking from experience, creators tend to be pleasantly surprised when you pop in to ask non sexual questions.
The grass is always greener
It’s easy to look to successful OnlyFans creators and assume they’ve achieved everything you want and more.
However, there’s often more to it than meets the eye.
For one, popular creators face far more criticism and come up against levels of verbal abuse most small creators are never subjected to.
In extreme circumstances, they’re living in fancy prisons.
One Twitch streamer shared how her husband was abusing her and forcing her to perform, threatening to kill her dogs if she didn’t do a twenty four hour stream.
As one of OnlyFans top creators, she was raking in millions per month.
That doesn’t make the abuse okay or worth it.
Rather than admiring or envying those who are more successful than yourself, try seeing things from an alternative perspective.
Ask what if?
What if they hate this job and feel stuck?
What if they’re spending on their earnings on an addiction?
What if their boyfriend pushed them into it and refuses to give them access to their account, keeping the passwords, like Leo here.
This creator is completely shameless about trafficking women, who he worries will become ‘too arrogant’ and assume they’ll be able to operate their OnlyFans on their own, like he does.
Ultimately, everything isn’t as it appears on the surface.
Some creators are non-consenting
The unfortunate reality is that OnlyFans cannot control intimate relationships.
If a creator has verified their ID and passed security, they’re good to go.
Controlling partners are capable of be pulling the strings and subscribers are none the wiser.
This happens more than we can know.
The high wears off after a while
Exhibitionism is exhilarating, isn’t it?
I’ll never forget how I felt skinny dipping, or how I used to change at my bedroom window before school when I knew the paper boy was passing by.
I can recall first posting to Reddit and being up a height but that high didn’t last forever.
The OnlyFans high will wear off eventually, unfortunately.
Then again, I wouldn’t go so far as to say stability is unfortunate.
Going up and down and up and down isn’t ideal on a work day, or any day really.
Sometimes OnlyFans work will feel fun, but it’ll often be boring.
Making content while horny helps but you can’t always be horny, can you?
You’ll need to turn up when you’re not in the mood.
OnlyFans requires creators to perform and sometimes the show must go on, even when you don’t want it to.
That’s not to say you should’t take breaks when you need them.
If you need to take a break or completely quit, you should do so.
Put yourself first!
I just mean to say that smiling showgirls aren’t always happy on the inside.
TV presenters and news anchors have bad days but they’re required to push through for profit.
It’s the name of the game.
Don’t be disheartened if you’re not feeling it. If you’re comfortable to continue, carry on.
Just don’t break your boundaries.
Conclusion
Hopefully by now you can see OnlyFans really isn’t for everyone, nor is it always as it appears on the surface.
This is not a get rich quick scheme or an easy way to make money.
OnlyFans takes time and consistent effort and there’s no real way to know who you’re talking to, or who’s group chats your screen shots are shared in.
There are unique circumstances I’m sure I’ve failed to include in this post so please do share any other points you may have.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with OnlyFans, whether past or present, positive or negative.
Let me know in the comments section down below.
I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Please stay safe! xxx
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