You’ve probably seen the headlines. Stories about OnlyFans creators making millions, escorts charging hundreds per hour, and webcam models earning more than doctors. But what’s the real story behind these eye-catching figures? We’ve crunched the numbers from across the adult industry and compared them with over 30 traditional careers to find out what people are actually earning… and the results might surprise you.
Let’s start with the headline that got everyone’s attention: the average OnlyFans creator earns just £1,032 per year. That’s not a typo. While the platform has 4.1 million creator accounts, the vast majority are earning what amounts to pocket money – about £85 per month, or £1.98 per hour when you factor in the time spent creating content, marketing, and managing subscribers.
To put this in perspective, that’s less than a retail assistant (£9.20/hour), less than a trainee firefighter (£13.91/hour), and dramatically less than the UK median salary of £37,430. In fact, it’s less than every single traditional profession we looked at.
But OnlyFans is just one part of the adult industry story. What about the sectors that seem to offer better money?
According to our 2024 study of over 80 UK cities, escort services average £161.77 per hour. That sounds impressive, right? In London, rates can hit £208 per hour, while even in more affordable areas like Bradford, escorts charge around £104 per hour.
Here’s where it gets interesting though. Female escorts average £156 per hour, male escorts £107 per hour, and transgender escorts command the highest rates at £209 per hour. There are even nationality premiums – Russian escorts average £306 per hour, while UK nationals average £163 per hour.
But here’s the catch: Most escorts work very limited hours. Safety considerations, client acquisition challenges, and market saturation mean that even at £162 per hour, annual earnings typically range from £16,177 to £84,522.
Compare that to a qualified electrician who earns £40 per hour but can work 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, for a reliable £80,000 annually. Or an NHS nurse earning £17.59 per hour on average, but with guaranteed hours, pension contributions worth 14.38% of salary, healthcare coverage, and paid leave.
Webcam models seem to do better than OnlyFans creators, typically earning £30-£60 per hour, with top performers reaching £180+ per hour. Some high-end performers can make £2,400-£5,000 weekly.
But here’s what the hourly rates don’t tell you: for every hour spent on camera, most models spend 2-3 hours on unpaid activities. Content creation, social media marketing, customer service, technical setup, and maintaining their online presence all eat into that attractive hourly rate.
When you factor in the total time investment, that £45 per hour on camera often becomes £15-£20 per hour in reality. Suddenly, that NHS Band 5 nurse earning £17.59 per hour with full benefits doesn’t look so bad.
Here’s what makes the adult industry particularly challenging: it’s a winner-takes-all market. The top 0.1% of OnlyFans creators might earn £570,000+ annually, but that’s fewer than 1,000 people out of 4.1 million accounts. The top 1% earn around £38,000, barely matching the UK median salary.
In contrast, traditional careers offer more predictable progression. That Band 5 nurse earning £17.59 per hour today can reasonably expect to reach Band 7 (£26.19 per hour) within 5-10 years through structured training and experience.
Traditional careers come with benefits that adult industry work simply can’t match:
Financial Security: Regular paychecks, sick pay, holiday pay, and pension contributions. NHS workers get 14.38% employer pension contributions. Teachers get 28.6%. Adult industry workers get zero.
Career Progression: Clear pathways from entry-level to senior positions. A software engineer can progress from £15.34 per hour as a graduate to £51.13 per hour as a lead engineer.
Professional Development: Funded training, conferences, and qualifications. Traditional employers invest in their workers’ growth.
Job Security: Employment contracts, redundancy protection, and industry regulation. Adult industry workers face platform dependency and policy changes beyond their control.
Transferable Skills: Traditional career skills transfer between employers and industries. Adult industry experience has limited transferability.
Yes, some people do very well in the adult industry. High-end London escorts can earn £100,000+ annually. Top webcam performers might make £200,000+. The top 0.1% of OnlyFans creators earn serious money.
But these success stories represent a tiny fraction of participants. For every high-earning escort, there are hundreds earning much less. For every successful OnlyFans creator, there are thousands earning almost nothing.
In traditional careers, while there’s still inequality, the distribution is much more even. Most NHS nurses earn within a predictable range. Most teachers progress through clear pay scales. Most electricians earn decent money.
This analysis draws from multiple sources:
All figures represent 2024-2025 data, ensuring the most current picture of UK earnings across all sectors.
