A creator monetization platform is a service that lets creators turn audiences into recurring revenue through subscriptions, paywalled content, tips, and direct payments. On a $10K month, Fanvault's 8% fee pays out $9,200 to the creator; OnlyFans' 20% fee pays out $8,000. That is a $14,400/year delta. But fee math is only half the story. OnlyFans wins on installed base and adult-content permissiveness, while Fanvault wins on fee economics, payout speed, and the breadth of monetization surface.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- Fanvault charges 8% (creators keep 92%); OnlyFans charges 20% (creators keep 80%).
- On $10K/month gross, the fee gap is $14,400/year. On $25K/month, it is $36,000/year.
- The typical OnlyFans creator has about 21 subscribers and earns $150 to $180/month after fees, per Variety.
- OnlyFans holds funds for a mandatory 7-day pending period (21 days in some regions); Fanvault uses Stripe Connect's standard 2-business-day cycle.
- OnlyFans has 377.5M fans and 4.634M creators; Fanvault is invite-gated, brand-safe, and built for streamers, athletes, fitness, and AI creators.
- Fanvault adds revenue streams OnlyFans does not offer: authenticated memorabilia auctions, buy-it-now drops, wishlists, and a Telegram automation layer.
How do Fanvault and OnlyFans actually compare?
Fanvault launched in 2025 as an AI-native creator platform for streamers, athletes, fitness creators, and AI personas. OnlyFans launched in 2016 and is the largest single creator-monetization platform on the internet, with 377.5M fan accounts and 4.634M creator accounts as of fiscal year-end 2024, per Variety. The two platforms compete for different creators. Here is how the dimensions stack up.
| Dimension | Fanvault | OnlyFans |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 8% (creators keep 92%) | 20% (creators keep 80%) |
| Founded | 2025, AI-native from day one | 2016 |
| Revenue streams | Memberships, paywalled posts, paid DMs, tips, wishlists, memorabilia auctions, buy-it-now drops, social feed | Subscriptions, PPV, paid DMs, tips |
| Payment processing | Stripe Connect (standard low-risk) | High-risk processors; some mainstream banks decline payouts |
| Payout hold | Standard Stripe Connect timing (about 2 business days) | Mandatory 7-day pending period (21 days in some regions) |
| Content rules | Brand-safe, two-strike policy, 18+ verified, supports human and AI creators | Permits adult content; verified-creator-only; AI allowed only as the verified creator |
| Storefront | Built-in auctions, buy-it-now drops, authenticated memorabilia, Shippo fulfillment | None native |
| Automation | Conversational interface in-app and on Telegram for storefront, listings, DM triage | None native; creators manage manually or via third-party agencies |
What does the fee math look like at $1K and $10K per month?
Fees only matter when you can see them in real dollars. Here is what each platform pays out on the same gross creator revenue.
| Gross monthly revenue | Fanvault take-home (92%) | OnlyFans take-home (80%) | Annual delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $920 | $800 | $1,440 |
| $5,000 | $4,600 | $4,000 | $7,200 |
| $10,000 | $9,200 | $8,000 | $14,400 |
| $25,000 | $23,000 | $20,000 | $36,000 |
For a creator clearing $10K/month, the 12-point fee gap is real money. At $25K/month, it is $36,000 a year that stays with the creator on Fanvault instead of going to platform take.
Who actually earns money on OnlyFans?
OnlyFans' public earnings stories are not representative. IBTimes UK reports Bhad Bhabie earned $52M in her first year after joining in April 2021. LADbible reports Bella Thorne earned $1M in 24 hours as her opening haul. Both are real numbers and both are statistically extreme.
OnlyFans' own FY2024 disclosure implies a very different median experience. The typical creator has about 21 subscribers and earns roughly $150 to $180/month after the 20% fee, per Variety. About 70% of creators clear less than $200/month. The top 1% capture roughly one-third of all platform revenue, averaging about $49K/year. The OnlyFans median is closer to a side hustle than a career.
Why are payouts faster on Fanvault?
OnlyFans holds every creator's earnings for a mandatory 7-day pending period before withdrawal is even possible, per Infloww. In high-fraud regions including Russia and Romania, the hold extends to 21 days. The minimum direct-deposit threshold is $20; wire transfers require a $200 minimum and can take 5 to 10 days to clear, per Semiocast.
The hold exists because adult-platform payouts are classified as high-risk by mainstream banks and card networks. Many creators have to rebank to specialized processors, per Paymentcloud. Fanvault avoids this entirely by routing through Stripe Connect, the same standard-risk processor used by hundreds of mainstream marketplaces. Payouts follow Stripe's standard cycle, usually about 2 business days.
The friction adds up across a year for any creator who needs predictable cash flow:
- OnlyFans: 7 to 21 day pending period, then 1 to 10 days clearing time depending on payout method.
- Fanvault: Stripe Connect standard timing, typically 2 business days.
- OnlyFans wires: $200 minimum, 5 to 10 days end to end.
- Fanvault: no platform-imposed hold beyond the standard Stripe cycle.
Which platform is right for which creator?
The honest answer is that they are built for different creators. Pick based on your content, your audience, and your tolerance for banking friction.
| Creator type | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Adult-content creator with an existing OnlyFans audience | OnlyFans | 377.5M-fan installed base, established discovery, content permissiveness |
| Streamer, gaming talent, esports personality | Fanvault | Brand-safe profile, memorabilia auctions for stream-worn gear, Telegram automation for DM triage |
| Athlete, fitness creator, combat-sports talent | Fanvault | Authenticated memorabilia drops, Stripe-standard banking, 8% fee on subs and tips |
| AI creator or virtual persona | Fanvault | AI-native onboarding via sister platform Content Capital; OnlyFans restricts AI to representations of the verified creator |
| Mid-tier subscription creator at $5K+ monthly gross | Fanvault | The 12-point fee gap translates to thousands per year in retained earnings |
OnlyFans wins on raw installed base and on permissiveness for adult content. Fanvault wins on fee economics, payout speed, banking standards, and breadth of monetization surface (subscriptions plus paid DMs plus tips plus a full storefront with auctions, drops, and authenticated memorabilia, plus a conversational automation layer). For non-adult creators in 2026, the math favors Fanvault.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does OnlyFans really take 20% of every dollar?
Yes. OnlyFans charges a flat
How much does the typical OnlyFans creator actually make?
Far less than the headlines suggest. OnlyFans' FY2024 disclosure implies the typical creator has about
Is Fanvault a direct OnlyFans alternative?
Not for adult creators. Fanvault is a brand-safe, 18+ platform with AI content moderation via Sightengine and a two-strike policy. It is not an adult-content host. It is, however, a strong alternative for the streamer, athlete, fitness, and AI-creator verticals that want subscription plus storefront economics without the adult-platform fee tax or the banking friction that comes with OnlyFans-classified payouts. The 8% fee, 2-day Stripe Connect payout cycle, and built-in memorabilia auctions are the main draws.
Why does OnlyFans hold payouts for 7 days?
Adult-platform payouts are flagged as high-risk by mainstream banks and card networks, so OnlyFans imposes a mandatory
Can AI creators use OnlyFans?
Only in a limited way. OnlyFans permits AI-generated content only when it represents the verified human creator on the account. A fully synthetic AI persona is not allowed. Fanvault is AI-native by design and supports virtual creators end-to-end through its sister platform Content Capital, which can generate on-brand photos and video, publish across Instagram, TikTok, and X, and plug into a Fanvault storefront for monetization. For an AI creator building a brand from scratch in 2026, Fanvault is the more workable platform.