Fansly

Fansly is an 18+ creator subscription platform, run by Select Media LLC in Maryland, where fans follow creators for free and pay for subscription tiers, pay-per-view content, tips and livestreams. Creators keep 80% of revenue from subscriptions, sales and tips, according to Fansly's terms. Our verdict: one of the strongest OnlyFans alternatives, especially for free discovery and flexible creator tiers.

How Fansly works

Fansly is a subscription platform where creators, many of them adult creators, sell access to photos, videos, messages and livestreams. It's owned and operated by Select Media LLC, a Maryland company, and is strictly 18+. Fans pay creators directly through Fansly, which handles billing and payouts. It's best known as the main OnlyFans alternative, and the two biggest differences are free follows and multiple subscription tiers per creator.

Key features

• Free follows. Fans can usually follow a creator for free and see their free posts, unless the creator requires a payment method or turns following off.
• Subscription tiers. Creators can offer several tiers at different prices, each unlocking different content.
• Trials and bundles. Creators can run discounted trials and sell pay-per-view (PPV) posts and bundles.
• Livestreams. Streams can be public, ticketed, or limited to followers, subscribers or specific lists.
• Messaging and tips. Fans can message creators, buy content à la carte and tip.
• Wallet. Fans can preload a wallet to pay for subscriptions, PPV and tips.

Fansly pricing

Creating a fan account and following creators is free. Fansly doesn't charge for registration; you pay only for what you buy. Each creator sets their own subscription, PPV and tip prices. Subscriptions renew automatically until you switch off Auto-Renew on the creator's profile; after that, you keep access until the end of the billing period. Trials renew at full price unless you cancel before they end. For creators, the terms state that they earn 80% of revenue from subscriptions, sales and tips.

Is Fansly safe and legit?

Yes. Fansly is a legitimate, established platform with detailed published terms. Creators must be approved and verified, written consent is required for anyone appearing in content, and content is pre-screened and moderated. The terms also ban photorealistic AI-generated content presented as real people. Things to know as a fan: purchases are normally final and non-refundable, wallet funds are typically non-refundable, and disputes go to individual arbitration unless you opt out by email within 30 days. Billing errors must be reported within 30 days.

Who Fansly is best for

Fansly suits fans who like to try a creator's free posts before paying, and creators who want tiered pricing, livestreams and better discovery than a link-in-bio model. It's less suited to fans who want refunds on impulse purchases.

How Fansly compares

• Fanvue is a newer creator platform with a strong focus on creator tools, and the main rival for creators thinking of moving.
• MYM is a European creator platform with subscriptions and paid media, popular in France.
• SextPanther focuses on paid one-on-one texting and calls with creators rather than feed subscriptions.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Free follows let you sample creators before paying
• Multiple subscription tiers give fans and creators more choice
• Ticketed and audience-restricted livestreams
• Creators keep 80% of revenue
• Creator verification, consent rules and content pre-screening

Cons

• Purchases and wallet funds are normally non-refundable
• Subscriptions and trials renew automatically until you cancel
• Disputes go to arbitration unless you opt out within 30 days
• Accounts inactive for a year are charged $5 a month from any remaining balance

Verdict

Fansly is a mature, well-documented creator platform. Free follows make it easy to try a creator before paying, and the tier system gives creators more control than a single-price subscription. Turn off Auto-Renew on any subscription you don't want to keep, since purchases are normally non-refundable.