After selling OnlyFans, its cofounder is launching a rival creator platform
OnlyFans cofounder Tim Stokely is unveiling his next act.
Stokely is launching a rival subscription platform called Subs that will house both safe-for-work and adult content under one roof.
So, how will Subs be different from OnlyFans? The company is focused on helping creators build audiences more easily and making it simple for users to move from free to paid content.
Stokely said those efforts include an Instagram-like Explore feed and a YouTube-like Shows feature. These will be ad-free and designed to direct viewers to paid options like subscriptions, private messages, and one-on-one calls. One knock on OnlyFans has been that it's hard for creators to build an audience on the platform, and they often have to rely on platforms like X and Reddit to drive traffic.
While one-on-one calls are available on platforms like Cameo, they don't exist on OnlyFans. Stokely called it a "lucrative new revenue stream" that can garner "premium rates."
'I never really left the space'
Stokely founded OnlyFans with his brother Thomas and father Guy in 2016. They sold the company to the entrepreneur Leo Radvinsky two years later. Stokely, who formerly served as OnlyFans' CEO, stepped down in 2021.
The site, which boomed during the pandemic, has remained a money-making machine and earned Radvinsky more than $1 billion. It has also spawned a number of rivals like Fansly and FanVue.
Stokely said that after leaving OnlyFans, he took some time to recharge.
"I caught up with mates, went to football with my Dad, and travelled a bit. But I never really left the space," he said. "I get messages every day from creators, and so it wasn't long before I got pulled back in."
In the meantime, he's tried his hand at other ventures. Stokely joined an airline startup as a director in 2024, and in April, another creator app startup he cofounded, called Zoop, partnered with a cryptocurrency foundation to submit a bid to buy TikTok, Reuters reported.
'Giving creators everything they need in one place'
Subs faces challenges by featuring both adult and non-adult content. Pornography isn't allowed in either the Apple or Google app stores, so the company has to run a web app instead.
Stokely contended that using a web platform helps creators avoid in-app fees.
However, Subs will have to compete with other platforms like Patreon, Substack, Passes, and Fanfix, which don't allow pornography, and can use web-based billing to avoid fees while still having their own apps. This could limit the platform's appeal to non-adult creators.
Creators take an 80% cut of earnings on Subs — the same revenue split as on OnlyFans — and can also earn referral fees.
Stokely said the company is currently working with agencies and creators on onboarding. He said the platform is built for a wide variety of creators, including podcasters, athletes, musicians, and adult stars. Some early arrivers on the platform include self-described lingerie expert Saterra St. Jean and podcaster Alex Chisnall.
Stokely is betting the platform's mixture of free and paid content will appeal to creators. He called Subs' Shows feature a "game changer" because it places a creator's paid profile directly behind their free content.
"Creators need more than just a paywall," he said. "It's about giving creators everything they need in one place."
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