OnlyFans glossary: creator and agency terms in plain words

New words arrive quickly when you start on a subscription platform or read an agency’s presentation. This OnlyFans glossary gives each one in plain words, in four groups: the platform, money, privacy and protection, and working with an agency. Names and limits of platform features can change, so treat these as general definitions. For the bigger picture, start with how OnlyFans works for creators.

The platform

Creator: A person who publishes content on a page and sets what people pay to see.
Fan or subscriber: A person with an account who pays to see a creator’s content.
Account holder: The person the platform has verified, and to whom the account is tied.
Verification: A private check of age and identity that the platform asks of the account holder.
Subscription: Paid access to a page for a period, usually a month.
Free trial: A short period of access at no charge, where the platform allows it.
Tip: A voluntary extra payment from a subscriber.
Paid message: A message that a subscriber pays to open, often shortened to PPV, for pay per view.
Mass message: One message sent to many subscribers at once.
Custom content: A piece made at one subscriber’s request, usually for a separate payment. Agree your limits for these requests in advance.
Scheduling: Preparing posts so that they go out at a planned time.

Money

Commission: The percentage the platform keeps from each payment, which it sets in its own terms.
Gross: The full amount paid by subscribers, before anything is taken.
Net: What remains after a deduction such as the platform commission.
Payout: The transfer of what remains to the account holder, on the platform’s schedule.
Split: The agreed way of sharing what remains between creator and agency. See the split explained.
Deduction: An amount taken off before a share is calculated, for example a tool or a cost. Ask for the full list.
Renewal: When a subscription continues for another period, often automatically unless the subscriber stops it.
Retention: How many subscribers stay from one period to the next.
Churn: The opposite of retention: subscribers who leave.

Ink spreading through water, black and white photo for a glossary of creator terms

Privacy and protection

Faceless: Content that keeps the face and other identifying details out of the frame. See faceless content, explained.
Anonymized content: Content prepared so that it cannot easily be linked to a person.
Stage name: A public name used for work, different from your legal name.
Geoblocking: A platform tool that keeps a page out of chosen countries or regions. See how geoblocking works.
Watermark: A mark on an image or video that ties it to your page and discourages reposting. See watermarks and anonymity.
Metadata: Hidden information inside a file, such as the place or the device.
Two step verification: An extra check when you sign in, such as a code, that protects an account. See securing your account.
Doxxing: Publishing someone’s private information in order to expose them. See doxxing: how to protect yourself.
Takedown notice: A formal request to a website to remove copied content. Such requests are often called DMCA notices or copyright complaints.
Sharing without consent: Passing on intimate images without the person’s agreement, which is a serious abuse and can be a crime. See what to do when content is leaked.

Working with an agency

Agency: A business that does work around an account in exchange for a share.
Full management: An arrangement in which the agency handles the daily work: planning, posting, conversations and protections.
Chatter: A person who writes replies to subscribers. See who answers your subscribers.
Weekly theme: The mood chosen on Monday out of three suggestions, for the week’s six photos and two videos.
Onboarding: The first training and setup with an agency. At SOMAS Management it is free: sixteen fifteen minute modules over four weeks.
Trial period: A first stretch of work after which either side can decide not to continue. See the first month.
Exclusivity: A clause that stops you from working with others for a period.
Notice period: The time between saying you will stop and the end of the agreement.

Where to go next

If a word turns up in a written agreement, read what to look for in an agency contract before you sign. When a term is missing from this page, ask the person who used it to explain it in plain words. A good agency never minds being asked.