OnlyFans PPV: How to Price and Sell Locked Content

If you’re only making money from subscriptions on OnlyFans, you’re leaving serious cash on the table. Your OnlyFans PPV strategy — how you price, package, and sell pay-per-view locked content — can easily double or triple your total revenue. For many top creators, PPV accounts for 50% or more of their total earnings. That’s not a typo. Half their income comes from content sold on top of the subscription.

PPV (pay-per-view) is OnlyFans’ built-in mechanism for selling individual pieces of premium content. Subscribers pay an additional fee to unlock specific photos, videos, or messages beyond what’s included in their subscription. Done right, it creates a win-win: subscribers get exclusive content they genuinely want, and you earn significantly more per subscriber.

But PPV done poorly — spamming locked messages, overpricing, or under-delivering — drives subscribers away faster than almost anything else. You can model how PPV revenue stacks up alongside subscriptions using our OnlyFans earnings calculator. This guide teaches you how to do it right.

How OnlyFans PPV Works

The Mechanics

OnlyFans lets you send locked content in two ways:

PPV Messages: Send locked content directly to subscribers (or groups of subscribers) via DM. They see a preview (usually blurred) and the price. They pay to unlock it.
Locked Posts: Post content to your feed with a price tag. Subscribers see the post with a locked preview and choose whether to unlock it.

Both methods work, but PPV messages tend to convert better because they feel more personal and direct. Locked posts work well for passive, ongoing sales.

Pricing Range

OnlyFans allows PPV prices from $3 to $200 per piece of content. The platform takes its standard 20% cut. Most successful PPV content falls in these ranges:

Low-tier PPV: $5-$10 (quick content, single photos, short clips)
Mid-tier PPV: $10-$25 (full photosets, longer videos, themed content)
Premium PPV: $25-$50 (extensive content, special events, highly exclusive material)
Ultra-premium: $50-$200 (very exclusive, custom-level content sold at scale)

Building Your PPV Content Strategy

The Content Hierarchy

The most successful PPV strategies use a clear content hierarchy:

Subscription content (included): Regular posts that deliver on your subscription promise. This is the baseline value. It should be good enough to justify the subscription price on its own.

Standard PPV ($5-$15): Content that’s a step above your regular posts. More polished, more exclusive, or more personal. This should be available frequently — weekly or biweekly.

Premium PPV ($15-$50): Significant content drops — themed sets, special productions, collaboration content, or milestone celebrations. Monthly or for special occasions.

Ultra-premium ($50+): Rare, exceptional content. Annual events, major productions, or content so exclusive it justifies the high price point.

Content Types That Sell Well as PPV

Full photosets: 10-20+ curated photos with a specific theme
Extended video content: Longer videos that go beyond what you post to your feed
Behind-the-scenes: Raw, unedited footage showing the real you
Themed or seasonal content: Holiday specials, fantasy themes, character content
Collaboration content: Content featuring other creators
Tutorial or educational content: In-depth how-tos in your niche
Personal messages: Voice notes, personalized video messages, intimate conversations

Creating PPV Content Batches

Don’t create PPV content one piece at a time. Batch production saves time and ensures consistency:

Plan your PPV content calendar for the month
Dedicate specific days to shooting PPV content
Create multiple pieces in one session (different outfits, setups, themes)
Edit and prepare content in batches
Schedule releases strategically throughout the month

For more content inspiration, see our 50 OnlyFans content ideas.

Pricing Your PPV Content

The Value-Based Pricing Method

Don’t price based on how long the content took to create. Price based on how much value subscribers perceive it to have. A 30-second video that subscribers desperately want is worth more than a 10-minute video they’re lukewarm about.

Factors that increase perceived value: - Exclusivity: Content available nowhere else - Scarcity: Limited-time availability or limited-quantity “drops” - Personal connection: Content that feels made for the subscriber - Production quality: Professional-looking content justifies higher prices - Theme/novelty: New concepts, requested characters, trending themes

Testing and Optimization

Start with conservative prices and gradually increase as you learn what your audience will pay:

Start most PPV at $8-$12
Track unlock rates (percentage of subscribers who buy)
If unlock rates are above 30%, you can likely increase the price
If unlock rates are below 10%, consider lowering the price or improving the content
A/B test different price points for similar content types

The Conversion Rate Framework

40%+ unlock rate: Your price is too low — raise it
20-40% unlock rate: Optimal zone — good price-to-value ratio
10-20% unlock rate: Acceptable, especially for higher-priced premium content
Under 10% unlock rate: Too expensive, or the content isn’t compelling enough

Use OnlyFans analytics to track these metrics and optimize over time.

Selling Your PPV Content Effectively

Creating great PPV content is only half the battle. You also need to sell it effectively.

The Preview Strategy

Your PPV preview — what subscribers see before they unlock — is your sales pitch. Make it count:

Photos: The blurred preview should clearly suggest what’s behind it. Too blurry and people won’t care; too clear and there’s no reason to unlock
Videos: Use the first few seconds as a teaser. Start with something attention-grabbing
Text: Your message accompanying the PPV should build desire without being manipulative. Describe what they’ll see, why it’s special, and create gentle urgency

Messaging Techniques

The text you send with PPV content dramatically affects unlock rates:

Good approach: “Just finished shooting something special I’ve been planning for weeks. 15 photos in [theme]. I’m really proud of this set and I think you’ll love it too.”

Bad approach: “Unlock this now!!! Limited time only!!!”

The good approach creates desire through authenticity. The bad approach feels desperate and spammy.

Timing Your PPV Sends

When you send PPV matters:

Peak hours: Late evening (8 PM - midnight) tends to have the highest unlock rates
Payday timing: Beginning and middle of the month (when people get paid) converts better
After engagement: Send PPV after you’ve been actively engaging with subscribers — warm audiences buy more
Avoid over-frequency: Sending PPV daily burns out your audience. 2-4 times per week is sustainable for most creators

Mass Messages vs. Individual Sends

Mass messages: Efficient for sending the same PPV to all subscribers. Use for standard and premium PPV drops
Targeted messages: Send specific PPV to subscribers who’ve expressed interest in that type of content. Higher unlock rates but more time-intensive
Individual messages: Personal PPV for your highest-spending subscribers. Most time-intensive but highest conversion rate

For more on DM-based revenue, read our OnlyFans DM strategy guide.

Common PPV Mistakes

The Spam Trap

The fastest way to lose subscribers is bombarding them with PPV messages. If a subscriber feels like they’re paying for a subscription and then being constantly upsold, they’ll leave. Balance is key — your subscription content should stand on its own.

Overpricing

Setting PPV prices too high results in low unlock rates and frustrated subscribers. Better to sell 50 unlocks at $10 ($500) than 5 unlocks at $50 ($250). Volume often beats high prices.

Underdelivering

If your PPV content isn’t noticeably better than your subscription content, subscribers feel cheated. The content behind the paywall must justify the additional expense. Disappointed subscribers won’t buy PPV again.

No Strategy

Random PPV with inconsistent pricing and no pattern confuses subscribers. Develop a consistent approach — regular PPV drops at predictable price points with a clear value proposition.

Ignoring Feedback

If subscribers tell you (directly or through their purchasing behavior) what they want, listen. Track which PPV performs best and create more of that. Track what underperforms and pivot.

Advanced PPV Strategies

Tiered PPV Releases

Release the same content at different price points over time: - Day 1: $25 (early access exclusive) - Week 1: $15 (standard price) - Month 1: $10 (catalog price)

This rewards early buyers and captures revenue from price-sensitive subscribers later.

Bundle PPV

Package multiple pieces of content into bundles at a discount: - Individual pieces: $10 each - Bundle of 5: $35 (30% savings)

Bundles increase average transaction size and feel like better value.

Subscriber Segmentation

Not all subscribers spend equally. Identify your top spenders and tailor PPV offerings to them — they’re your highest-value audience. Some creators create exclusive tiers of PPV only offered to their most loyal subscribers.

Cross-Promotion PPV

When collaborating with another creator, create exclusive content that both of you sell as PPV to your respective audiences. This generates new content and exposes you to new potential subscribers. Learn about collaborations in our OnlyFans collaboration guide.

FAQ

How often should I send PPV on OnlyFans?

2-4 times per week is sustainable for most creators. Sending PPV daily feels spammy. Once a week may not generate enough revenue. Find the frequency that your audience responds to and stay consistent.

What’s the ideal PPV price?

There’s no universal answer, but $8-$15 is the sweet spot for most standard PPV. Premium content can go higher ($20-$50). Use your unlock rates to determine if your pricing is optimal — 15-30% unlock rate generally indicates good pricing.

Should I put all my best content behind PPV?

No. Your subscription content should be genuinely good on its own. If subscribers feel like they need to buy PPV to get anything worthwhile, your subscription value proposition is broken and they’ll eventually cancel. PPV should be a bonus, not the only way to get good content.

How do I know if my PPV is too expensive?

Track your unlock rates. If fewer than 10% of subscribers are unlocking your PPV consistently, the price is likely too high (or the content isn’t compelling enough). Experiment with lower prices and measure the impact on total revenue.

Can I send different PPV to different subscribers?

Yes. You can send PPV to individual subscribers, custom groups, or all subscribers. Segmenting your PPV — sending different content to different groups based on their interests and spending history — can significantly improve unlock rates and revenue.

Maximize Your PPV Revenue

PPV strategy is where real money is made on OnlyFans. Aruna Talent, the world’s #1 creator consulting agency, helps creators optimize every revenue stream — including PPV pricing and strategy. Visit arunatalent.com to start earning more from your content.