$100 million says fans of all types want to connect with creators

Fanfix, which bills itself as “the leading brand-safe monetization platform” for Gen Z creators, has paid out over $100 million to its user base of thousands of creators. The platform launched in 2021, and turning over that much revenue for content creators that quickly shows how engaged audiences are willing to support creators not just by watching their stuff and generating ad revenue passively, but by handing them cash directly.

Platforms that directly connect creators and fans are, of course, a big business: We just wrote about how Patreon, one of the pioneers in that space, paid out $350 million to podcast creators alone in 2023. There’s also the NSFW OnlyFans, where we’ve seen case studies of creators making millions of dollars per month, and BrandArmy, which recently debuted and is tapping creators with “well-engaged fandoms” to use its services to build revenue-generating “superfan communities.”

Fanfix, like Patreon and BrandArmy, is safe-for-work, and like BrandArmy, it reaches out to creators it thinks could have impressive presences on its platform. As TechCrunch wrote in 2022, it’s pretty selective: one requirement creators must meet is having more than 10,000 followers across their main social media accounts; and they must also fit Fanfix’s “brand image.”

We’ve chatted with creators tapped by Fanfix, and they say its team works with them to build their personal brands, consulting with them on things like content strategy. One of those creators, Rachel Chaleff, told us having a Fanfix account is “a more intimate one-on-one dinner party setting where I get to be more personal with my followers.”

Chaleff, like many of Fanfix’s creators, is a member of Gen Z. They’re its primary focus–and we suspect that’s why it’s pulling in creators and audiences missed by longer-established platforms like Patreon. TechCrunch points out Patreon only snagged 100,000 registered users within its first year of launch, while Fanfix had over 9 million in the same timeframe. We think that’s data worth noting, but also, Patreon launched in 2013, when our industry was far, far less developed, and people weren’t as familiar with putting money in creators’ pockets themselves, so the comparison isn’t quite fair.

Still, 9 million registered users and $100 million paid out to creators is worth paying attention to. And some of Fanfix’s top creators, it says, are making $500,000 per month.

“This is an important milestone for Fanfix as we continue to scale and welcome new creators. Not only does our platform provide a consistent income stream, but it helps creators build their personal brands and supports their entrepreneurial dreams,” Simon Pompan, Fanfix’s co-founder and co-CEO, said in a statement. “I am proud of the Fanfix team that has developed a best-in-class experience for our creators and their fans.”

Loren Piretra, Fanfix’s CMO, added, “We are so grateful to the thousands of Fanfix creators who dedicate their time and resources to the platform. Creators are flourishing with subscription-based businesses, and we frequently hear from them that Fanfix has become their primary source of income. We plan to onboard a record number of new creators to the platform in 2024 and look forward to continued growth of the Fanfix community.”

Fanfix says it plans to reach $1 billion in creator payouts by 2027.