Every successful content creator had to start somewhere. Whether that’s reading about how to get started in the adult industry, turning on their camera for the first time, or rewatching scenes to improve their performance…
According to accountant Jason Ding, it takes around 3 years to become a profitable business, and 7+ years to become truly successful (with consistent income month over month). However, content creation is in its golden era! And many creators have found fame within a year, so you never know how your journey will evolve.
Whether you’ve only ever sent a sexy picture to your partner or you’ve already seen some positive engagement on a few of your online videos, here’s a breakdown of the best strategies to start making money off porn and build your creator legacy.
How to make money off porn in 6 simple steps
1. Start a fan subscription page
In 2024, OnlyFans hosted around 190 million registered users, with around 70% of the platform used to promote X-rated content. These figures alone show the huge demand for adult content! It’s also proof that people are willing to pay to support their favorite content creators.
Although OnlyFans might be the most well-known fan subscription page, there are many others like Fansly and JustForFans that allow creators to monetize their content through subscriptions. These sites also come with different Terms of Service than OnlyFans, such as allowing more explicit content, permitting certain kinks and fetishes, and offering greater flexibility in payment processing and promotional tools.
When choosing where to post your content, analyze each platform to decide what’s best for you. Once you have an engaged audience, this can be a great income stream where you:
- Consistently build your fanbase through exclusive content like custom fetish requests (think feet pics or specific roleplay scenarios), personalized chats, custom videos, and direct messages.
- Develop pricing strategies, like offering monthly discounts to retain current fans or limited-time bundles to attract new ones. Because both are important!
- Engage with your audience by offering interactive experiences like live streams, Q&A sessions, and polls to create a stronger connection and encourage ongoing support.
2. Create and promote pay-to-view content
Subscriptions are great, but one-time purchases can be just as profitable—if not more. Selling individual videos gives your fans the freedom to buy exactly what they want, while allowing you to charge premium prices for exclusive content.
Where to sell homemade porn videos:
- Clips4Sale – Great for niche fetish content and pay-per-view clips.
- iWantClips – Ideal for selling clips, sexting, and custom content.
- FanCentro – Sell premium content and offer subscription-based services.
- Fansly – Allows pay-per-view content alongside subscriptions.
- JustForFans – Creator-friendly platform where you can sell clips through a dedicated movie store, subscriptions, and offer sexting services.
- ManyVids – Ideal for selling explicit videos and custom content.
To promote your paid content, share enticing teasers with links to your latest videos on social media like X and Reddit, or free creator platforms like Pornhub, OnlyFans and Fansly.
Creamy Spot is the perfect example of posting teasers that get fans excited for more:
3. Join creator sites to earn ad revenue
Uploading a 2-10 minute porn scene can be nerve-wracking. It’s natural to wonder if people are going to like it…if your performance looks authentic and the filming feels real.
The first few uploads will always be the most daunting. Maybe they’ll also be the most exciting! But once you get started, you might be surprised at how quickly momentum builds.
Platforms like Pornhub, XVideos, and XHamster are a great place to get discovered by fans and access revenue-sharing models where creators either get paid per video view or paid through ad revenue. Either way, more traffic means more opportunities to make money off your homemade porn.
Average earnings on free videos range from $180/month to over $2000/month, depending on content popularity. Some creators can earn up to $25,000/month with consistent uploads and steady views.
Here are a few tips to increase traffic and make money off your porn:
- Adopt SEO strategies with trending and relevant keywords like public sex to get more visibility on your content. To find out what’s popular, you can visit Trending Now on TikTok, use platforms like Google Trends, and also analyze user stats like Pornhub’s Year in Review.
- Use translations to reach more people. For example, you can tag your video #big penis, alongside the Spanish equivalent #pene grande.
- Test thumbnails to see which gets people clicking, like a boob thumbnail for 2 weeks followed by a cumshot thumbnail.
- Promote your videos on platforms like X and Reddit. (You can also promote them on safe-for-work social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Just make sure you follow the correct rules and community guidelines to prevent your account from being suspended.)
- Collaborate with another creator in a similar niche or style to increase your reach and borrow each other’s fanbase to build your own.
- Enter contests on Pornhub (more on this below).
4. Enter contests on pornhub
From monthly campaigns like Model of the Month, to annual celebrations like the Pornhub Awards, creators can add thousands of dollars to their monthly earnings. These contests not only boost your income, but also increase your visibility. For example, winners can have their video featured on the Homepage and sometimes get mentioned in major publications!
This is also where a dedicated community can help you make money off porn, as you can ask fans and friends to vote for your videos to help you win! A great example of this is Viewers’ Choice Content winner Eva Keks, who used X (formerly known as Twitter) to push more daily votes!
5. Become a webcam model or phone sex specialist
Like the intimacy of private chats? Camming and phone sex can be one of the fastest ways to make money off porn since it’s live and immediate. It also allows you to adapt the experience based on the personal needs of your customers, making sure they’re satisfied with the overall service!
Platforms like Chaturbate, Stripchat, and MyFreeCams gives creators the chance to earn through tips, private shows, and premium memberships. For phone sex and sexting, Nite Flirt and SextPanther are popular options and offer a range of categories from Girlfriend Experience to Female Domination.
Unlike pre-written content, these mediums are all about real-time interaction, making it easier to build authentic connections and maximize your earnings. Just make sure you set up a high-quality chat space without background noise or interruptions. The key is to stand out, create an unforgettable experience, and keep your fans coming back for more.
6. Sell merchandise (or personal items like panties and bed sheets)
Your brand doesn’t have to live in a box. It can be expanded as much or as little as you like.
Once you’ve started to build a bit of a following, you’ll find there’s lots of fans who like to buy merch from their favorite performers. Whether it’s starting small with stickers and a sexy calendar, going big with clothing and sex toys, or even selling personal items like used bras and panties, adult-themed products are another way to diversify your income stream.
Dropshipping also means it’s possible to sell products without holding inventory. An example of this is content creator Kayley Gunner, who uses her personal Shopify website to sell branded hats, as featured below.
Final thoughts on how to make money off porn
The adult industry isn’t just about making content—it’s about building a brand, a business, and a legacy. As a creator, you’re not just a performer; you’re a marketer, an entrepreneur, and the CEO of your own success.
It might feel overwhelming at first, but every top earner sat exactly where you are now at some point in their career. The key? Consistency, creativity, and clever marketing. By following these six powerful strategies, you can start turning your passion into a thriving, sustainable business in one of the most profitable industries in the world.
Ready to start? Create an account today so you can share videos, scale content, and manage your marketing in one place.