Online creators: how to organise your income professionally
Earning on OnlyFans, Fansly or another platform? How payouts work, why banks sometimes make it hard, and how to keep your income, VAT and paperwork in order in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Subscriptions, tips and paid messages on OnlyFans, Fansly or a similar platform are real income for many creators. For the bank and the tax authorities they are too. Treating that income as a business from the start helps you avoid blocked accounts and surprises at tax time.
This article gives general information about Belgium and the Netherlands. It is not tax or legal advice: have an accountant look at your situation.
How the money gets from the platform to you
Platforms collect the money from your fans and then pay you out. According to an overview from May 2026, this is how it works at OnlyFans:
- the platform keeps 20% commission, you get 80%;
- your earnings are pending for about 7 days before you can withdraw them;
- you can withdraw to a bank account via SEPA, usually the cheapest option for creators in the EU;
- PayPal is not an option, because PayPal does not allow payments for adult content.
So count on a week or two between a fan's payment and the money in your account. Also allow for exchange costs if you are paid out in dollars.
Why the bank asks questions
A bank sees monthly deposits from a foreign adult-content platform. If it does not know where that money comes from, it may ask questions or block the account. That follows from anti-money-laundering rules and is not necessarily a judgement on your work. Our article on opening a bank account as a sex worker explains how often this happens and what you can do.
The best protection is a clear file: who you are, what you do and where the money comes from.
Turning it into a professional business
- Use a separate account. Have all platform payouts arrive in one account, separate from your personal one. That keeps bookkeeping simple and gives the bank a clear picture.
- Register. In Belgium, creators usually need a registration in the KBO and a social insurance fund, as self-employed either full-time or alongside another job. In the Netherlands, you register with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) once your income goes beyond a hobby.
- Check your VAT position. In 2023 the EU Court of Justice ruled that OnlyFans owes VAT on the full amount fans pay. Whether and how you owe VAT yourself depends on your situation. Small businesses can often get an exemption: in Belgium up to €25,000 turnover a year, in the Netherlands through the small business scheme (KOR) up to €20,000. Ask an accountant what applies to you.
- Keep your statements. Download each platform's earnings statement every month and keep invoices for costs such as camera, lighting, clothing or software. You need them for your tax return, and they show the bank where your money comes from.
- Set money aside. Taxes and social contributions come later, sometimes all at once. Put a fixed share of every payout straight into a savings account.
- Protect your privacy. Where possible, use a business name and a business e-mail address, and watch what details customers or fans can see.
What GloryPay does for creators
GloryPay was set up for professionals and businesses in the adult industry, and creators on platforms such as OnlyFans are explicitly welcome. You get an account with a Belgian IBAN, usable across Europe, with SEPA payments by QR code and card terminals. You can have your OnlyFans payouts paid straight into that account. Anyone who pays you through GloryPay sees only a neutral reference. Opening an account is free, with no monthly or annual fees.
Sources: Desirely, "How to withdraw money from OnlyFans", 11/05/2026 (updated 05/08/2026); Court of Justice of the EU, press release on case C-695/20 Fenix International, February 2023; Accountable on the Belgian €25,000 VAT threshold. Status: 13/10/2026. Platform rules and amounts may change. This article is not tax or legal advice.