Tim Stokely, the visionary behind the wildly popular subscription platform OnlyFans, has unveiled his latest venture: a new subscription platform called Subs. Positioned as a versatile space that will host both safe-for-work and adult content under a single umbrella, Subs promises a fresh take on how creators engage with their audiences and monetize their work. The announcement marks an intriguing new chapter for Stokely, who founded OnlyFans back in 2016 and remained a key player in the creator economy landscape even after stepping away from the company. With Subs, he aims to address some of the key challenges creators have faced, while introducing innovative features designed to enhance both creator and user experiences.
One of the main ways Subs will distinguish itself from OnlyFans is through its user-friendly design and unique discovery tools. Stokely has highlighted an Instagram-like “explore” feed and a YouTube-like “shows” feature as central pillars. Unlike OnlyFans, which many creators have criticized for making audience-building difficult and forcing them to rely heavily on external platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, Subs aims to keep users engaged within the platform itself. The explore feed will help consumers discover new content and creators easily, while the shows feature will bring a fresh dynamic, much like episodic video content on YouTube. Importantly, Subs’ interface will be entirely ad-free, focusing on guiding users toward paid engagement options like subscriptions, private messages, and one-on-one calls—a function that OnlyFans currently lacks but which Stokely positions as a “lucrative new revenue stream” capable of commanding premium pricing. This focus on seamless transitions from free to paid content could be a game changer for creators whose main challenge has been converting casual followers into paying customers.
Stokely, who sold OnlyFans to entrepreneur Leo Radvinsky in 2018 and stepped down as CEO in 2021, has had quite a journey since leaving the platform he built. Despite technically stepping away, he admits he never fully left the creator space. Over the past years, he has stayed connected through daily interactions with creators and dabbling in new ventures, such as the startup Zoop, which at one point made headlines for collaborating on a bid to buy social media giant TikTok. Reflecting on his time off, Stokely shared a glimpse into his life beyond tech entrepreneurship—catching up with friends, spending time with family, and traveling. This period away from running a major platform seems to have reignited his enthusiasm, fueling the conception of Subs. His deep understanding of the creator economy, shaped by years of experience and personal interactions, arguably positions him well to tackle the ongoing challenges faced by digital content creators today.
However, launching Subs isn’t without its hurdles. A significant one stems from the hybrid nature of the platform, which aims to host both adult and non-adult content. The strict policies of Apple and Google, which prohibit apps featuring pornography from their app stores, mean Subs must operate primarily as a web app. While this choice circumvents app store restrictions, it also means the company will not have the visibility and convenience that come with mobile app presence in official stores. On the upside, this web-based model allows creators to avoid hefty in-app fees, which can often be a sticking point on other platforms. Still, Subs faces competition from other web platform services such as Patreon, Substack, Passes, and Fanfix. These competing services don’t allow adult content but can offer their own apps alongside web billing solutions, potentially making them more attractive to creators who focus solely on non-explicit content. It remains to be seen how effectively Subs can carve out a unique space that appeals across this content spectrum.
Subs is launching with an 80% creator revenue share, mirroring the split from OnlyFans, alongside referral incentives. Stokely and his team have been actively collaborating with agencies and creators to onboard a diverse array of talent, including podcasters, musicians, athletes, and adult stars alike. Early adopters include well-known figures like Saterra St. Jean, a lingerie expert, and podcaster Alex Chisnall, showcasing the platform’s wide creative appeal. Stokely is betting heavily on Subs’ mixed-content model and innovative tools like the shows feature, which places a creator’s paid profile directly behind their free content—a strategy designed to blur the lines between discovery and monetization. His vision emphasizes that creators need more than just paywalls; they need an integrated ecosystem providing all essential tools in one place. As the creator economy continues to evolve rapidly, Subs could emerge as a groundbreaking addition, potentially reshaping how audiences interact with and support the growing ranks of digital content makers.
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