“If you’re really thinking about starting Onlyfans, I recommend you really think about the consequences for your future,” says Laura Lux. Courtesy of Laura Lux
Laura Lux transitioned to online sex work while MySpace was popular.
Lux earns around $30,000 a month with Onlyfans, but she doesn’t recommend it to everyone.
“It’s hard work,” she says, “the market is oversaturated, and I’m only so successful because I already had a fan base.”
This article is based on a conversation with Laura Lux, an Onlyfans founder. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was one of those kids who developed early – really early. I think I was eleven or twelve when I got breasts. And where I grew up, in the rural outback of Australia, it was a really difficult experience.
I was bullied at school and sexualized at a young age – before I had even kissed a boy. I was labeled a tart and a slut before I had a chance to develop my own identity.
When I was 18 I walked into a strip club, it was incredible
I saw these stunning girls dancing so beautifully, in amazing costumes that were almost burlesque. I remember thinking, “This is the best place I’ve ever been.”
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I started working as a stripper and it felt like a ‘how you do it, you’re doing it wrong’ situation. If you’re a woman who looks a certain way, you’re definitely being sexualized. I thought I might as well turn this into something that would give me a fun, financially secure life.
I transitioned to online sex work when MySpace became popular
I exploded on MySpace posting photoshoots with local photographers. From there I moved on to the latest social media platforms.
Finally I used a combination Patreon, a website that allows supporters to donate a certain amount of money per month to a creator, and Snapchat to earn around $20,000 (18,500 euros) per month. Then in 2018, a friend who does similar work told me about a new website called Onlyfans that would take over a lot of the time-consuming administrative work. I was immediately interested.
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Luckily, I joined Onlyfans before the creator count exploded
I treat Onlyfans like any other job. I have a desk where I sit and work, and I earn about $30,000 a month from it.
I also usually work from 9 to 5. Even if my job involves sending photos to strangers via the app.
In my best month on Onlyfans, I made $98,000
And that’s how I came up with the equivalent of around 91,000 euros: For five dollars per month, subscribers have access to my timeline, where I post a topless photo or at least a provocative photo every day. If followers want more explicit content, they have to pay more.
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I don’t do hardcore content though. My content is not purely sexual, and it is tame compared to other content. In order for me to still earn enough, I have to offer subscribers a personal experience. And that’s why I really try to make time to respond to messages.
I usually post a message to my subscribers in the morning – something like “What are you up to for the week?” or “I hope you have a great Monday!” – and then spend some time chatting with those who follow me answer. Then I take some photos or edit some content and keep an eye on my inbox.
That only creepy guys are on Onlyfans traveling is a prejudice
But in reality we are talking about all sorts of things. My subscribers know that I am very interested in Formula 1 racing, so they ask me about the latest races.
I even post about trying to quit caffeine and they ask me how I feel about it. Most of the time our conversations aren’t even sexual.
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I’ve had a lot of success on Onlyfans, but it’s not for everyone
The thing is, if you’re thinking about opening an Onlyfans account, I would really think about what consequences it might have for your future. Online sex work is glorified as easy money when in reality that is not true. It’s hard work on Onlyfans money to deserve.
The market is oversaturated, and the reason I’m so successful is because I already had a following on MySpace, then Instagram and Patreon. I have over 2.1 million followers on Instagram and 856,000 on twitter. So I didn’t start from scratch.
The images you post on Onlyfans will always exist online
You can delete something, but you can never truly remove it from the internet. So if you’re not sure whether you want explicit photos and videos of yourself to be published, leave it alone.
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It’s unlikely you’ll make a lot of money, even if some creators tell you so. To be successful on Onlyfans, you first have to be active on social media. And that means having to deal with people calling you names for doing sex work.
I’m used to it because I’ve been in this industry for 17 years. But for someone who is just starting out and has no guarantee of income, it may not be worth it.
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