Dear Reader: Should You Choose Patreon or OnlyFans to Monetize Your Content?

I want to start our conversation by congratulating you on taking the leap to turn your creative passions into a business! As an industry analyst focused on emergent internet business models, I‘ve seen incredible innovation around direct creator-to-audience monetization tools over the past decade.

With your distinctive talents and perspective, you now have the opportunity to bypass gatekeepers, leverage social platforms to find your niche and even earn a full-time living from producing the content only you can create.

But as you start weighing options to monetize your efforts – whether around podcasts, video, photography, adult content or something totally unique – choosing the right financial and community building platform becomes essential.

I‘ll cut through the hype in discussing the top two contenders – Patreon and OnlyFans – by directly comparing capabilities, fees and ideal use cases. My aim is to help you evaluate differences based on first-hand creator experiences and platform data, determining the best fit between:

• Patreon: Funding platform for all types of creators since 2013
• OnlyFans: Adult subscription site for creator-fan interactions since 2016

First, let‘s briefly recap each to ensure we‘re on the same page before diving into details.

At a Glance: Patreon vs OnlyFans

Patreon bills itself as "a membership platform that makes it easy for creators to get paid." Co-founded by current CEO Jack Conte, who also hosts a popular YouTube channel, Patreon enables creators to offer exclusive experiences and content to paying supporters.

"Patreon powers membership businesses for creators by providing them with the tools they need to acquire, manage, and energize their paying patrons."

OnlyFans positions itself as a subscription social platform, focused squarely on connecting adult creators with fans willing to pay for provocative content. CEO Tim Stokely founded OnlyFans in 2016 after a career marketing adult entertainment sites.

"OnlyFans provide tools & technology to revolutionize creator and fan connections. The site is inclusive of artists and content creators from all genres and allows them to monetize their content while developing authentic relationships with their fanbase.”

Now that you understand the high-level positioning of each platform vying for creator monetization, let‘s analyze some key factors in determining what‘s best for your brand.

Business Models and Revenue Splits

Patreon and OnlyFans monetize transactions between creators and subscribers differently, which greatly impacts payout.

Patreon bases fees on total monthly earnings per creator, charging 5-12% based on feature tier. These incremental fees allow creators to retain 80-95% of revenue, with payouts deposited to integrated payment platforms.

Conversely, OnlyFans takes a flat 20% fee on all monthly subscription earnings. However they also facilitate creators selling individual posts, videos, photos and other content to subscribers via pay-per-view or messaging engagement.

This business model provides more monetization options, but a smaller cut of revenue. Yet for top earners on OnlyFans charging higher prices, the 20% fee proves more profitable than Patreon’s sliding fee scale.

Let’s compare that breakdown for hypothetical Creators A & B:

So while Patreon takes a smaller cut, your payout depends greatly on size of your audience and their willingness to pay.

82% of Patreon creators actually earn less than $500 monthly according to analysis by Plate IQ. Yet the top 10% of creators make 6-figure salaries. This imbalance stems from patrons funding a few top creators the most – not distributing payments evenly.

Whereas on OnlyFans, creators can directly market niche content to dedicated fans willing to pay more for exclusive access and interactions. Top OnlyFans performers can earn 7-figures annually by actively engaging audiences around kinks or fetishes largely taboo elsewhere.

So while each platforms take a transactional cut, your audience appetite becomes the biggest revenue factor.

Now let‘s compare how content policies and audiences differ.

Content and Audiences

In line with its premium positioning around adult content, OnlyFans focuses exclusively on facilitating direct creator/fan interactions.

The platform provides an array of tools to create subscriptions, sell pay-per-view content, create sales promotions and communicate directly with subscribers via chat, audio messages and video messages.

OnlyFans allows essentially any legal content – with an understandable bias towards adult material given its heritage marketing adult entertainment sites.

Comparatively, Patreon maintains strict restrictions around adult content to enable creators access to payment partners, app stores, investors and sponsors less receptive to risqué material.

Patreon‘s content policy explicitly prohibits pornography and other obscene content. However certain types of erotic photography, recreational drug usage, simulated sexual acts or revealing costumes maybe permitted if tagged appropriately to enable parental control filtering. Any content found in violation risks permanent removal without refund or appeals.

Most successful Patreon creators tend to focus on sharing either exclusive general purpose content or access member benefits through paid communities and subscriptions. For example popular Patreons offer bonus podcast episodes, sneak peeks into creative process, forums and merchandise discounts rather than one-to-one fan interactions.

This dichotomy means OnlyFans provides the ideal environment for individual adult creators already comfortable marketing themselves through social platforms. Whereas Patreon serves a wider variety but suits creators focused on community over exclusive content given restrictions dictating scope.

Now let‘s explore how functionality and third-party integrations differ.

Platform Tools and Integrations

As a streamlined platform specifically built enable content sales and messaging around adult services, OnlyFans unsurprisingly offers limited functionality beyond those core options.

Instead OnlyFans focuses member communications and transactions, while leaving marketing, sales management, fulfillment and community building to creators or third-party solutions.

Conversely as a platform tailored to all types of creators, Patreon aims to support funding success through array of built-in tools:

• Payment processing via Stripe and PayPal
• Membership management and access control
  -CRM and messaging to engage patrons
  -Creation of gated content and private groups
  -Metrics and reporting on earnings
  -Integrations with mailing lists, communities, events and merchandising

For example, Patreon creators can easily offer patron-only perks like:

• Early access for patrons on new podcast episodes
• Exclusive Zoom events, meetups or AMA sessions
• Discounts for merchandise through Teespring
• Shoutouts, names in credits and votes on direction
• Private channels, chatrooms and forums

Not only does Patreon natively support more creator needs, but the platform also enables connections with external services:

• Email marketing via Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Substack
• Live streaming on YouTube, Twitch and Facebook
• Community on Discord, Slack and private WordPress sites
• Payouts via Stripe and PayPal
• Merchandising through Teespring and Shopify

This focus on interoperability markedly contrasts OnlyFans’ closed, content-centric ecosystem.

For creators already managing multiple tools across media production, engagement, communication and sales – Patreon simply offers another convenient option to integrate into existing workflows.

However those new to building audience relationships may find OnlyFans‘ singular focus best for acquiring patrons interested exclusively in special content or interactions around specific kinks – not just supporting a creator’s career.

Now let’s outline some clear pros and cons of each platform.

Pros and Cons Comparison

Neither platform objectively proves “better” or “worse” than the other universally. The ideal option completely depends on your goals, audience and content strategy.

For example, OnlyFans works best when creators:

• Already attracted an audience for their persona across social media
• Produce adult content or offer intimate interactions at a premium
• Aim to earn income directly from dedicated fans

Whereas Patreon suits creators who:

• Rely on various media to engage wider interest communities
• Deliver value via consistency and transparency
• Seek to sustain creative careers through audience funding

So be honest about your strengths, business objectives and willingness to self-market niche material or interactions when choosing between these specialized platforms.

Conclusion: Align Goals and Content to Choose

I hope mapping core differences between OnlyFans and Patreon provides clarity deciding between these two dominant fan funding platforms.

Remember:

There‘s no universally "superior" option – OnlyFans outperforms for individual adult creators given content flexibility and direct user payments. Patreon better serves creators with existing followings and community infrastructure to amplify.

But by understanding divergent business models, fees, tools and audiences in depth – then matching personal goals, content plans and your definition of community – you can determine the most viable path towards sustainable creator independence.

I‘m rooting for your success and can‘t wait to see what you create when empowered to share your passions directly with the perfect audience!

Sincerely yours,
[Your Name]