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OnlyFans is facing a proposed class action lawsuit that accuses the platform of misleading subscribers by promising “full access” to creator content while allegedly placing most material behind additional paywalls.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by Los Angeles-area resident David Gardner against Fenix International Ltd., which operates OnlyFans. The complaint alleges that the platform engages in a systemic “bait and switch” by marketing paid subscriptions as granting complete access to a creator’s content, while allowing creators to withhold most explicit material unless fans make additional purchases.
According to the filing, when users subscribe to an OnlyFans creator, the checkout screen explicitly promises “Full access to this user’s content.” The lawsuit claims that in practice, many creators post only non-explicit or teaser material behind the subscription paywall, while directing subscribers to purchase videos individually through direct messages for additional fees.
The complaint states that subscribers are often inundated with automated messages soliciting further payments, and that the subscription itself provides little more than access to promotional content. “In essence, OnlyFans promises a buffet, but provides only a menu,” the lawsuit alleges.
Gardner claims he subscribed to two creators in September 2025 based on the promise of full access, only to discover that neither posted the exclusive content he expected. Instead, he says he encountered repeated prompts to pay more for videos via direct messages. He did not renew the subscriptions and alleges he would not have subscribed at all absent the platform’s representations.
The lawsuit contends that OnlyFans knowingly facilitates and encourages this structure, arguing that the company profits from both subscription fees and individual content sales by taking a 20 percent cut of all transactions. The complaint further alleges that the platform has shifted its business model in recent years to prioritize pay-per-view sales over subscription content, while continuing to market subscriptions as comprehensive access products.
The suit specifically calls out Sophie Rain, Skylar Mae, and Mia Khalifa.
Although Sophie Rain’s pre-paywall biography promises “FULLY NUDE CONTENT AVAILABLE!!!,” there is none posted behind the paywall. Instead, her account relentlessly spams paying Fans with DMs that tease her “exclusive” content while offering to sell access to individual videos for additional sums that far exceed her subscription price.
Skylar Mae posts only “teaser” content, and her pinned post (which is behind the paywall) explains that her “exclusive content” is actually sent “to you every day” through endless, automated DMs that solicit extra payments for access.
Mia Khalifa was a world-famous adult film star for years before OnlyFans was founded. Her pre-paywall biography promises “new exclusive content every single day.” But, behind the paywall, she only posts censored content and states that Fans can DM her to buy the real thing. Some of her recent posts advertise, for example, a “45 MINUTE VID” of “UNCENSORED GLASSES ON [CENSORED] OUT” for $100, and a 45-minute compilation of “selects” that she explains is “not for the broke 🧔♂️[men]” and costs $150.
The proposed nationwide class includes all U.S. subscribers who purchased creator subscriptions after being promised “full access” but were required to pay extra to view content reasonably understood to be included. A California subclass seeks additional relief under state consumer protection laws.
The suit asserts claims for breach of contract, unfair competition, false advertising, and deceptive business practices. It seeks restitution, damages, and injunctive relief that would require OnlyFans to change how it markets subscriptions or disclose content limitations more clearly.
The case is Gardner v. Fenix International Ltd., Case No. 2:26-cv-00762.
OnlyFans promotes its subscription model as a direct way for fans to access exclusive content from individual creators. A newly filed class action lawsuit argues that the reality often differs sharply from that promise.
When a user attempts to subscribe to a creator on OnlyFans, the platform presents a checkout screen stating that payment provides “Full access to this user’s content,” along with the ability to direct message the creator and cancel at any time.
The language appears uniform across the platform. The promise of “full access” is not framed as limited, partial, or conditional, and no disclosure is provided at checkout indicating that additional payments may be required to view content.
In standard subscription-based digital services such as streaming platforms or premium news sites, a subscription typically unlocks all content included in that tier. The lawsuit argues that OnlyFans’ language mirrors that expectation.
OnlyFans allows creators to monetize content in several ways:
Creators can operate free pages or paid subscription pages. Notably, OnlyFans does not allow creators to post traditional pay-per-view locked posts on paid subscription pages. Instead, creators who charge a subscription fee must use direct messages to sell individual videos or photos for additional payment.
According to the complaint, this design encourages creators to reserve explicit or high-value content for direct message sales, even after a user has paid for a monthly subscription.
The lawsuit alleges that many creators post little or no explicit material behind the subscription paywall. Instead, subscribers often see:
In these cases, the subscription functions less as an access pass to content and more as an entry point into a separate pay-per-view marketplace.
The complaint argues that subscribers often discover this only after paying, because there is no way to preview how a creator distributes content without subscribing first.
The lawsuit centers on the meaning of “full access.” Plaintiffs argue that a reasonable consumer would interpret the phrase to mean access to all or most exclusive content posted by a creator, not merely the opportunity to buy it again through private messages.
The suit claims that OnlyFans controls the subscription language, platform design, payment flow, and content distribution tools, and therefore bears responsibility for how subscriptions function in practice.
It further alleges that subscription fees increasingly provide little standalone value, while driving users toward higher-margin direct-message purchases that generate additional revenue for both creators and the platform.
The complaint states that OnlyFans does not clearly disclose at the point of sale that:
But will this case really go anywhere?
First, the case will need to survive motions to dismiss before moving into discovery, where internal communications, platform data, and creator guidance could become public. But honestly, I don’t know that it will go that far because the problem is more with the creator than the platform itself.
We’ll keep you updated as this case works its way through the courts.
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