In an era where online platforms have become goldmines, OnlyFans creators are raking in staggering amounts of money — so much that they reportedly out-earned NBA players by a jaw-dropping $1.7 billion in 2023. According to a report by Basketball Forever, OnlyFans content creators collectively earned $6.6 billion, surpassing the $4.9 billion total earnings of NBA players for the 2023/24 season, per Unilad.
The numbers have left many people in disbelief, particularly since the highest-paid NBA player, Stephen Curry, took home a salary of $51,915,615 last season. However, OnlyFans, known for its explicit content, has enabled some creators to make fortunes even greater than that of elite athletes.
OnlyFans’ astonishing rise
While the sheer volume of creators on OnlyFans explains the higher overall earnings compared to NBA players, the platform’s top earners have been making headlines for the eye-watering sums they pull in. Former Disney star Bella Thorne is estimated to rake in $11 million per month, which would see her eclipse top NBA earners like LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Even lesser-known creators have found remarkable success. Bonnie Blue, for instance, disclosed how she earned $250,000 in just 21 days during a Spring Break challenge (wild). And Bryce Adams, another top creator, revealed how she transformed her 10-acre property into a content empire, telling The Washington Post, “People don’t understand the scale of the opportunity. You can make your own world.”
Despite the collective earnings of OnlyFans creators surpassing NBA salaries, it’s important to note that the average salary of an NBA player far exceeds what most individual content creators on OnlyFans make. Still, the top earners on the platform are competing with — and sometimes surpassing — professional athletes.
Comparing the numbers
In 2023, the average salary for an NBA player was around $9.6 million, a significant gap when compared to most OnlyFans creators. However, some of the biggest names on OnlyFans far outpace even NBA superstars. While Curry topped the NBA salary list, creators like Bella Thorne have found even greater success monetizing their online presence.
NBA stars, including LeBron James ($47.6 million) and Kevin Durant ($47.6 million), still command impressive figures, but the revelation that an online platform could collectively generate more than the entire NBA was a wake-up call for many.