London-based OnlyFans has outperformed giants like NVIDIA, Apple and Meta in a spectacular display of operational efficiency. Revenue of $37.6 million per employee is achieved in fiscal year 2024. That figure – calculated by dividing $1.41 billion in net revenue by its just 42 employees – is far less than NVIDIA’s $3.6 million, Apple’s $2.4 million and Meta’s $2.2 million per employee figures, according to an analysis of recent financial documents by Barchart. The success of this platform reflects the shift in the digital economy, where creator-led models thrive at minimal overhead.

OnlyFans’ formula is simple: It takes a 20% commission from fan transactions, giving 80% of the earnings to creators—a total of $5.8 billion will be paid in 2024—while keeping core operations streamlined. With gross payments reaching $7.22 billion (an increase of 9% year-on-year), the company expanded globally without increasing its headcount, and relied on user-generated content for growth. This is in stark contrast to the resource-heavy ecosystems of tech giants, burdened with R&D, manufacturing and huge support teams.

User expansion fueled this boom. Creator accounts grew 13% to 4.63 million, while the worldwide fan base grew 24% to 377.5 million, driving increased engagement and transaction volume. In addition to adult content, the platform’s diversification into areas such as fitness, music and lifestyle through OFTV has broadened its appeal, attracting diverse creators and subscribers.

This simple approach resulted in pre-tax profits of $684 million, an increase of 4%, and a $701 million dividend for owner Leonid Radvinsky. OnlyFans is an example of how digital platforms can redefine efficiency: small teams empowered by scalable technology and creator ecosystem generate big returns. As the creator economy booms—projected to reach $480 billion by 2027—models like these challenge traditional corporate structures, proving that agility is more important than scale in today’s tech landscape.