Given that it’s worth over $1.5 billion, wondering just how does Pornhub make money is only natural. We’ve already covered the models’ side of things, so it’s time to do a reverse cowgirl and look at the company itself.

If you’re interested in how this porn giant maintains its impressive length and girth, keep reading.

Pornhub’s Revenue Streams

The fact that Pornhub enjoys multiple revenue streams shouldn’t surprise anyone. Having more of something is generally better than having less — unless we’re talking about ex-spouses and alimony payments.

But enough boring talk on the downsides of monogamy. Let’s get into Pornhub’s various ways of making money.

Advertisements

Ads have become a staple of free platforms, and Pornhub is no exception. Although they can be a nuisance — or even a security hazard — they’re the reason people can watch content without paying.

Sadly, there’s no way to be certain how much Pornhub’s making from them. Adult companies are typically reluctant to disclose their numbers unless a higher power makes them.

This was the case in 2021 when Faras Antoon, the CEO of MindGeek at the time, addressed the Canadian parliamentary committee. For reference, this was shortly after the debacle that pushed Pornhub to delete around 10 million videos.

In an answer to one of the questions, he stated, We are an ad-supported platform. That’s how we make our revenues; That’s how Pornhub makes its revenues.

Also, he said that approximately 50% of their income stems from advertising. Admittedly, this information is from early 2021, but it’s certainly still relevant.

Additionally, it’s important to mention that MindGeek, Pornhub’s parent company, owns the advertising portal TrafficJunky. This platform manages advertisements on various websites within the MindGeek group, most notably Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube, and Tube8.

As we pointed out earlier, these ads are what’s keeping the platform free. Namely, they let models earn from their homemade content instead of Pornhub having to pay them.

However, ads aren’t mandatory. People can still enjoy their favorite model getting plowed without penis enlargement banners popping into view every once in a while.

Of course, we’re talking about Pornhub Premium.

Pornhub Premium

The premium feature and tube sites go together like Lisa Ann and the MILF category. That being said, Pornhub would rather host child porn and other illegal videos than give us exact revenue numbers.

Since they care more about their privacy than getting consent, we’ll have to dig out some older info — in this case from 2018. That year, MindGeek’s ad revenue ($213 million) far surpassed its subscription revenue ($52 million), as reported by The Logic.

Admittedly, this isn’t Pornhub’s revenue per se, but we can all still get a pretty good idea. Since then, the adult industry has grown, so it’s safe to assume that these numbers look even more impressive now.

And if you’d like a more up-to-date view, we can take a stab in the dark with some number crunching.

Those who wish to subscribe to premium today can choose between getting a monthly or yearly subscription. The former will set them back $14.99, while the latter saves them 20% if they shell out $143.88 at once ($11.99 per month).

Naturally, Pornhub’s subscriber count is harder to find than US government secrets, but we can still make an educated guess.

Namely, Pornhub gets around 2.6 billion monthly visitors. If 1% of those, or 26 million, get a monthly subscription, that amounts to almost $390 million monthly.

That’s a lot of cash for Pornhub, sure, but the premium option also offers a lot of value for entrepreneurs. We’re talking, of course, about the unlimited downloads that the program provides.

By collecting content from Pornhub and borrowing from other sources, you can amass enough material to start your own porn site. And once you get that ball rolling, you’ll be drowning in dough yourself!

Commissions From Models

Pornhub’s massive popularity has led many to believe it’s a good place to make a living. That’s why numerous aspiring porn stars join the platform through their Model Program.

Once they start uploading and earning from their content, they get hit with one of life’s certainties — taxes, or rather, Pornhub’s cut. Specifically, models get to keep 65% of their sales and 80% of their tips and fan club earnings.

The rest of the money — just like an introvert with top-of-the-line gaming equipment — stays in the house.

Merchandise Sales

Pornhub doesn’t just peddle smut; they also have a merch store. The revenue numbers — like Riley Reid’s tits — are MIA, though.

That being said, picking out something from their online store is an excellent present for any Pornhub enjoyer. So, the next time when you don’t know what gift to get for your mom, consider a $29 Bucket Hat.

Aside from super-stylish headwear, they also sell all sorts of clothing items, sex toys, and accessories.

VPNhub

Do you know what Pornhub hates the most? Yes, aside from getting busted for hosting illegal content.

That’s right, getting cock-blocked by governments around the world. That’s why they did the most logical thing possible — they started their own VPN service.

They offer the following deals for the aptly-named VPNhub:

  • Monthly plan for $13.99 (includes a 7-day free trial)
  • Yearly plan for $6.99 /month (one payment of $83.88)
  • Two-year plan for $4.99 /month (one payment of $119.76)
  • Three-year plan for $3.49 /month (one payment of $125.64)

So, if life’s coming down on you hard, double the hub, triple the fun. Or don’t; this is not an endorsement.

Content Partner Program

Pornhub put this program together for porn companies or studios with paysites. After enrolling, each partner gets a personalized channel featuring their videos along with complimentary advertising.

Pornhub then advertises the partner’s content to a broader audience by using the video features on its homepage. This promotion sends traffic to the partner’s paysite, boosting the likelihood of converting those users into paying members.

As part of this collaboration, Pornhub receives a portion of the revenue made through the affiliate program. It may be a co-dependent relationship, but it works out for everyone.

Conclusion

Despite how the recent bitch slaps from Visa and Mastercard may have affected it, Pornhub does make a whole lot of money. Coupled with the new ownership situation, you can bet they — like a cock on a pill — will get bigger and go harder.