Is OnlyFans Being Taken Over by a New Brand of Pimp?

Words: Aaron Mills

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In early September, prominent OnlyFans creators Levi (@levicoralynn) and Robbi (@meeposaurus) weighed in on an issue that’s been gaining serious traction for some time now, yet is largely slipping under the mainstream radar: the rise of OnlyFans management companies. Levi, Robbi, and many others argue that these companies are exploitative, undermine creator autonomy and are a threat to the authenticity that the platform is built on.

Founded in 2016, OnlyFans exploded in popularity throughout the pandemic in particular because it gave adult content creators unprecedented ownership over their image, their content, and their bag. Though women continue to dominate the platform - representing around 70% of all creators - these male-led management companies are sparking a shift in the power dynamic. 

Faye Evette – a successful UK-based-creator who goes by the alias Faye Delphine – explains, “Across my various platforms, I have probably between 10 to 15 agencies a day messaging me.” Their pitch is undeniably tempting -  we’ve all seen the podcasts and TV interviews where creators claim to be earning more than your annual salary in a month (see Rebecca Goodwin on Saving Grace, or Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich). If you haven’t got an OnlyFans you’ve probably questioned, as you’re pushed into another stranger’s armpit on your commute, why you haven’t. If you do have an account, you might be wondering why you’re not seeing the same success.

The majority of these management companies offer the same ambiguous laundry list of services: data-driven ‘strategy’, social media support, brand deals, daily briefs, account recovery and marketing. But what’s most important, they say, is their tailor-made approach. Every plan is as unique as you are, girl! The truth is, many of them aren’t companies at all, often ranging from small-scale operations staffed by 1-2 failed online traders to outright fraudulent scams. A stream of Reddit threads, YouTube videos and memes are an insight into the glaring misogyny behind this growing management industry: Money-hungry entrepreneur bros are seeing women making their own fortunes and feel entitled to a cut, because they think they know better, even when they have no qualifications whatsoever.
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A quick internet search reveals a seemingly endless stream of these companies, all of whom are constantly recruiting. Allegedly, some high-profile celebrities and influencers are getting involved in this recruitment process - along with Levi and Robbi, Faye Evette confirms the practice. “I have tons of blue ticks [in my inbox], ranging from around 500k into the millions.” She notes, “I think that’s a bit shocking on their behalf. They know what they're doing. So many impressionable people want [their] lifestyle.” 

When asked if she had ever, or would ever, be tempted to advertise for recruiters, she added, “I get girls messaging me all the time. I wouldn't be happy recruiting girls and never have done it. It's not something I condone. It doesn't matter what industry it is; if you know that it isn't particularly healthy, you’re not going to offer it.”

Without some kind of existing following, it’s incredibly difficult to break into the industry – agency or not. Faye Evette continues, “You need to transfer from somewhere, whether that be X, Instagram; you need to have something else. Who are you going to tell that [your OnlyFans] exists?” Faye had been a model for around 12 years and had about 12,000 Instagram followers when she joined the platform in 2019. Today, in an oversaturated, post-pandemic market, it’s even more difficult.

The opportunities these management companies present are incredibly misleading. The reality is, according to a 2020 report by TechReport, the top 1% of Only Fans accounts make 33% of all income on the platform, while the top 10% earn 73%. The actual average monthly income for an OnlyFans creator at this time was $180. 

After OnlyFans’ 20% cut and your manager’s 30–50% cut, you’re left with about enough for one Hailey Bieber smoothie at Erewhon a month. This is, obviously, not enough for anyone to live on -  it needs to be supplemented, yet by putting sexual content out on a stigmatised forum, you can put other employment opportunities at risk. Management companies glaze over other inherent risks of online sex work, too, like image leaking, identity theft, stalking and more.

“You’re being pimped out. They’re using your image and everything about you,” Faye says. “These are like tech experts. They know what to do. They hack into algorithms.” She explains that when big agencies have control of multiple popular accounts simultaneously, they also have the ability to manipulate trends. One example is, “They'll get all the creators at the same time of day posting to the same song, which [generates] a false trend.” 

Management companies have other ways of using tech to offer explosive growth at scale: many, including US-based NEO Agency, use AI Chatbots like FlirtFlow to speak to users on behalf of creators. According to the agency CEO Luc Jaris, of their agency’s 70 creators, around half use chatbots, and “so do dozens more creators at 20 or so other agencies”. 

Yet OnlyFans CEO Kelly Blair told the Wall Street Journal back in May this year, that this is the antithesis of the platform’s ethos and what she believes is required for real, lasting success. “It’s hard work, and it requires a lot of effort and originality. I think the most successful content creators are the people who can engage an audience, who can grow a fanbase, and who can really think about what it is that they bring that’s unique to the fan or greater experience.” 

There needs to be better regulation and protection of sex work in a digital landscape that presents a perpetually growing list of issues on an ever-expanding scale. Many of these agencies pose legitimate threats to the lives of young women in particular with zero consequences. OnlyFans management companies should be subject to the same legal processes as other entertainment and management companies – signing with one should not be something that can be done in minutes on a whim, and neither should joining OnlyFans itself. For those thinking of starting out as creators in this industry, be aware of the risks, and remember, at a time when we’re craving connection in a half dead social media landscape, your key to success is you, not some wannabe marketeer’s filtered, homogenised idea of who you should be.