LOS ANGELES—Despite major headlines, adult creator incomes are fairly modest, averaging about $59,000 last year, according to a study by SWR Data.
“While some creators are making millions selling feet pics or bathwater, the average income from adult content sales is closer to $5,000 a month,” said MelRose Michaels, Sex Work CEO and cofounder of SWR Data. “Sex work is work, and at the heart of the adult creator community are hundreds of thousands of small, independent creators building their businesses one clip at a time.”
The new figures come from SWR’s annual State of the Creator report, based on an anonymous survey of more than 550 adult creators conducted in fall 2025 by SWR Data. Creators were asked about their income over the past year, as well as the areas of the industry and platforms in which they work.
Religious groups and anti-porn feminists have repeatedly claimed the average OnlyFans creator earns just $150 per month, accusing the platform of exploitation. But in the report, SWR explores the faulty math behind those numbers and details the various ways creators earn income. According to the data, just a third of creators are entirely dependent on their adult work.
“In state after state, we see politicians use bad data to push even worse policies,” said Mike Stabile, cofounder of SWR Data. “The more we know the community, the better it can advocate for itself. The data show that it’s time to bury outdated myths and work toward policies that help creators thrive.”
SWR Data is set to release additional data about the creator economy in the coming weeks and months. SWR’s most recent report, “How Much Money Do Creators Actually Make?” is currently available free on the SWR Substack. Those who wish to join the SWR Data mailing list can do so here.
