OnlyFans Fees Explained: Keep More of What You Earn

I’m MaTitie, editor at Top10Fans. If you searched “how much do OnlyFans take?”, you’re probably trying to answer one practical question: what will I actually keep—and how do I stop my income flattening when I’m ready to upgrade your life properly (without burning out).

You’re in the UK, you teach barre, and you make feminine, intentional content. That mix is a strength: your audience buys mood, routine, elegance, and consistency—not just “more”. So the money mechanics matter, because they shape what you can sustainably create.

How much does OnlyFans take? (The headline number)

OnlyFans takes 20% of most creator earnings made on the platform. You keep 80%.

That 20% is commonly described as the platform’s commission for hosting, payment handling infrastructure, discovery tools, messaging features, and general platform operations.

Quick example

If a subscriber pays £10:

• Gross: £10
• OnlyFans cut (20%): £2
• Your share (80%): £8 (before any other adjustments that may apply)

If you’re planning lifestyle upgrades—studio lighting, pilates/barre wardrobe, better editing workflow—start by anchoring on that 80% share, not the headline price.

What else can reduce what you take home (beyond the 20%)?

Creators often feel confused because their statement doesn’t always match “80% of everything”. The missing bit is usually one of the items below.

1) Refunds and chargebacks

If a fan disputes a payment, platforms can reverse it. That means money you thought was earned can be removed later.

Why it matters for you: when you’re trying to avoid plateauing, you’ll likely experiment with promos, bundles, PPV drops, and limited-time offers. Any friction or misunderstanding increases refund risk.

Practical moves

• Be painfully clear in message previews: what it is, how long it is, whether it includes nudity (if relevant), and whether it’s a one-off or series.
• Avoid “mystery bundles” unless your audience already trusts you.
• Keep receipts: a simple content log (date, title, what was sent) helps you spot patterns if disputes spike.

2) Free trials and discounted offers (it’s not “lost” money, but it changes your net)

Discounts are a tool, but they can create a “cheap audience” if used too often.

Better approach for a barre/feminine brand

• Use discounts as onboarding, not your core pricing.
• Offer a lower entry for a defined “welcome week”, then move people to your normal price with a clear reason: ongoing series, routine drops, behind-the-scenes, etc.

3) Tips and PPV are still subject to the platform cut

Some creators mentally treat tips as “extra”, but the same commission logic usually applies.

Your takeaway: tips are fantastic for motivation and retention, but don’t budget essentials off tip-heavy weeks. Use them for “nice-to-haves” (props, sets, a new lens), not rent.

4) Currency conversion and payout timing

Because you’re in the UK, you may see small differences based on:

• currency conversion (if fans pay in other currencies)
• the timing of payouts and banking processes

These aren’t usually huge, but if you’re running tight monthly targets, they can make one week feel “odd”.

Practical move: track your income weekly in a simple spreadsheet as:

• Gross earned (platform dashboard)
• Expected net (x0.8 baseline)
• Actual paid out
• Notes (refunds/chargebacks/promos)

After 6–8 weeks, you’ll have your own “true average net”.

A UK-focused way to think about pricing: “£1 earned” is not “£1 kept”

Here’s the mindset shift I want you to adopt:

Price for your creative energy, not for the headline subscriber count.
Plateau fear often comes from chasing more people instead of building a calmer, higher-value structure.

The simplest net calculator you’ll actually use

1. Pick a subscription price (say £12).
2. Multiply by 0.8 → baseline net per subscriber (£9.60).
3. Estimate retention (how many stay 2+ months).
4. Add realistic PPV/tips per subscriber (start conservative).

If you’re teaching barre, you already understand progressive overload. Apply the same logic:

• don’t increase intensity (posting volume) forever
• increase efficiency (content that sells repeatedly)
• increase value (packaging, series, narrative)

What “high earners” can teach you (without copying their content)

A UK creator can feel whiplash reading huge public claims. For example, mainstream coverage has highlighted a creator (Sophie Rain) claiming more than $101 million in lifetime earnings on OnlyFans. That sort of figure isn’t a blueprint—but it does confirm one important thing:

There is real money on the platform when monetisation is systemised.
Not luck. Systems.

So let’s talk systems that fit your style.

The income mix that reduces plateau risk (and protects your net)

If you rely on one revenue lever, you’ll feel stuck the moment growth slows. A more stable model usually combines:

1) Subscription as your “studio membership”

Position it like barre:

• access, consistency, community
• a predictable cadence (e.g., 3 posts + 2 stories per week)

This helps: your subscription becomes your baseline; PPV becomes upside, not survival.

2) PPV as your “performance set”

Your best-performing content often isn’t your most explicit—it’s your most complete:

• clear theme
• consistent lighting
• beginning/middle/end
• strong cover image
• a reason to rewatch

Tactical tip: build PPV in “chapters” so new subscribers can buy the back catalogue without you doing more work.

3) Tips as “patron energy”

Make tipping easy and specific:

• “Tip £5 to choose tomorrow’s outfit colour”
• “Tip £10 for a custom voice note prompt (from a menu)”

Menu-based custom requests are especially good for a grounded, feminine brand: it keeps boundaries clean and reduces awkward back-and-forth that drains you.

The creator expense checklist people forget (and why it makes OnlyFans’ cut feel bigger)

When creators say, “OnlyFans takes too much,” sometimes they mean: my margins are thin because my costs and time are uncontrolled.

For your niche, the common hidden costs are:

• lingerie/activewear rotation (especially if you value quality)
• lighting/backdrops
• editing apps and cloud storage
• nails/beauty (if it’s part of the brand promise)
• time cost: filming + messaging + planning

Fix: treat your brand like a micro-studio.

• Pick 2 “hero looks” per month (higher spend)
• Rotate 6–8 “support looks” (lower spend)
• Film in batches to protect your nervous system (and your schedule)

Safety and privacy: protect the asset you’re building

Two pieces of news worth learning from (without panic):

• A report about hackers targeting a major media Facebook page to post OnlyFans-related images is a reminder that online identity and images can be misused.
• Separate reporting on an OnlyFans creator found alive after a frightening incident reminds us that personal safety and location privacy matter, particularly when audiences blur boundaries.

You don’t need fear—you need a process.

A simple safety baseline for UK creators

• Separate creator socials from personal socials (no cross-tagging)
• Avoid posting real-time location info (especially class schedules, studio names, and recognisable streets)
• Use strong unique passwords + two-factor authentication everywhere
• Keep work email/phone separate if possible
• If you collaborate, use check-ins and keep first meets in controlled settings

This isn’t about paranoia. It’s about keeping your creative expansion sustainable.

The most common “OnlyFans takes too much” trap: underpricing

Underpricing looks kind in the moment, but it forces you into volume. Volume is where plateau and fatigue breed.

A grounded pricing approach that suits a refined brand

Instead of racing to the lowest price:

• set a subscription price that matches consistency and quality
• offer periodic value moments (mini-series, themed week)
• use PPV for your highest-effort drops
• reward long-term subscribers with occasional “loyalty messages” (not constant discounts)

Rule of thumb: if you feel resentful filming it, it’s priced too low or packaged incorrectly.

How to plan your month so your earnings feel predictable

Try this structure (adjust to your schedule):

Week 1: Acquisition + onboarding

• Welcome message that sets expectations
• One “signature” post that defines your vibe (graceful, feminine, intentional)

Week 2: Community + consistency

• Polls, Q&As, light interaction
• Keep posting cadence stable

Week 3: Monetisation week (without spam)

• One premium PPV drop (your “performance set”)
• One smaller add-on (behind-the-scenes, alternate edit)

Week 4: Retention + restock

• Tease next month’s theme
• Batch-shoot 1–2 hours to refill your pipeline

This pattern reduces the emotional rollercoaster that makes creators think the platform fee is the main problem—when the real issue is inconsistent packaging and timing.

So, how much do OnlyFans take—really?

• OnlyFans’ platform cut: 20%
• What can still reduce your net: refunds/chargebacks, promos, payout timing, currency conversion, and your own production costs
• What you control: pricing, packaging, retention, boundaries, and safety processes

If you want, tell me your current subscription price, your average monthly subscriber count, and whether you rely more on PPV or tips. I’ll help you estimate a realistic “true net” and suggest one pricing tweak that fits a graceful, premium UK brand.

Light CTA (only if it’s useful): if you’re ready to push beyond a plateau with more predictable discovery, you can also join the Top10Fans global marketing network.

📚 Further reading

If you’d like to explore the stories referenced above, here are the original pieces.

🔸 Sophie Rain claims $101m+ OnlyFans earnings
🗞️ Source: Usmagazine – 📅 2026-01-26
🔗 Read the article

🔸 Hackers hijack ABC Facebook to post OnlyFans images
🗞️ Source: Pedestrian.tv – 📅 2026-01-27
🔗 Read the article

🔸 OnlyFans creator Nicole Pardo Molina found alive
🗞️ Source: International Business Times – 📅 2026-01-27
🔗 Read the article

📌 A quick note on accuracy

This post blends publicly available information with a touch of AI assistance.
It’s for sharing and discussion only — not all details are officially verified.
If anything looks off, ping me and I’ll fix it.