Scroll Vertically Down Sunroom, a new creator monetization app launching on February 2, showcases a curated collection of clever cool girls that tempt you to join their paywall. With sans-serif fonts and Glossier combined with Coachella-style graphics, this app created by Hinge and Bumble alums clearly speaks the language of Gen Z.
Co-founders Lucy Mort and Michelle Battersby created the social media platform to provide a safe space for female and non-binary creators to Monetize content (especially sexually-related content that may be prohibited by other apps). Inspired by a year spent talking to users about the censorship issues they faced on existing platforms, Mott and Battersby aimed to create an app that felt more supportive .
“We’ve heard stories of creators being deplatformed for speaking out about fertility, being banned for life for posing in lingerie, losing contact with DMs for being too opinionated, being banned for spreading messages about body positivity and inclusivity "We lost the ability to add sexual health education links in stories," Battersby, Sunroom's chief marketing officer, told Bustle. "Unlike larger platforms with large numbers of creators, Sunroom only had 200 creators at launch; this meant they had the bandwidth of a small group of female moderators who, according to Mott, "welcomed" what other platforms might object to Sexual posts. “Sunroom promotes and celebrates this content, not buries and bans it. We pride ourselves on being sex-positive,” Battersby said.
That said, unlike OnlyFans, the app that makes subscription-first social media a reality, you can't post overtly explicit content on Sunroom. "Sunroom's presence in the App Store means we must comply with Apple's content moderation guidelines," Battersby said. However, you can become an adult content creator on other platforms without fear of being banned from Sunroom. "We don't see women posing nude or having sex in lingerie as others do," said Sunroom CEO Mott. "We do not believe that stories about childbirth and breastfeeding are inappropriate and deserve a permanent ban, as other platforms have done in the past." While Sunroom's moderation guidelines allow adult creators to post about sex and pleasure, you You can also find PG shows from podcasters, athletes, entrepreneurs, and artists using the app as an extension of their other online presences.
Sunroom joins a range of subscription-based apps that allow people to make money from their followers. According to venture capital firm SignalFire's 2020 Creator Economy Trends Report, more than 50 million people in the United States consider themselves professional creators, with OnlyFans alone accounting for more than 1 million as of 2021. Platforms such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram have also added features in the past few years that allow users to tip creators.
Smaller platforms like Sunroom fill the gap between Instagram and OnlyFans with hands-on moderators and more focus on a handful of creators. Curious how this platform works? Here's what you need to know.
How to join a sunroom
To create a Sunroom account, head to the App Store and download the free iOS app. (Currently not available on Android.) To become a member, you need to enter a valid phone number and verify with a code. You'll then add your email address, create a username, and start scrolling through creators.
The interface is a hybrid between TikTok and a dating app. You can tap on the person's username to see more media, profiles and subscription levels, or just keep swiping. Membership to the mobile-first Sunroom app is free but limited. If you do not enter your credit card information, you will only see a small preview of the post and will not be allowed to message the DM creator or comment on the post.
When you join the app, you will have 100 free Beams in your wallet. Beams are Sunroom's virtual currency that can be used to send cheers (similar to likes) and tip people in DMs. The beams are sold in bundles of 60 for $2.99 and 5,000 for $199.99. You need to purchase Beams to reward and cheer creators you have not subscribed to.
Joining Sunroom as a creator requires submitting an application that proves you are a cisgender or trans woman or non-binary person with more than 2,500 social followers, among other criteria.
How to subscribe and support creators on Sunroom
When you subscribe to become a paid member of a creator's posts, you'll get access to all of their content as well as unlimited comments and private messages at no charge. If you don't want to pay the membership fee, you have to tip the creator for interaction. Creators set their own subscription prices, but they range from $1 to $30 per month. To subscribe to a creator, click on their username, go to their profile, and click "Member Level." The next page will show you how much the creator charges per month and what that fee includes, such as unlimited comments or private messages. Click on the price to purchase a subscription.
If you want to subscribe to an account that contains sensitive content, which Battersby describes as having "sex-positive or pleasure-positive themes," you must update your settings to indicate that you are over 18 and are willing to accept potentially NSFW posts . This setting is automatically turned off when you sign up for the app, so you don't get any surprises if you use it for the first time during your lunch break at the office.
How does Sunroom compare to OnlyFans
Like Only Fans, Sunroom's posts are mostly hidden behind a paywall, and fans must subscribe to the creator to gain access. Creators on both platforms can choose their own subscription fees and receive 80% of membership revenue, while 20% goes to the platform. (Black, Indigenous or Hispanic creators are eligible for reduced platform fees based on self-identification, according to the app’s Creators page.) Fans and members can support creations on a subscription basis through a combination of tips and in-app purchases Creators can charge for customized services such as private messages.
While Sunroom features sex workers as creators on its platform, the app does not allow pornographic content, which is the most obvious difference between the two platforms. Although OnlyFans wavered on their stance on adult content back in October 2021, they quickly reversed their ban following backlash from creators, making them one of the only platforms to host explicit content.
Another way in which Sunroom stands out is its stance on exclusivity and privacy. Most of Sunroom's 200 creators can't be found on other monetization platforms, although you can find them on Instagram or TikTok, which makes their Sunroom posts unique. The app also offers an anti-screenshot feature called SunBlock, which ensures that content posted on Sunroom stays only on Sunroom (and not leaked to people you don't want to see). By contrast, OnlyFans leaks are surprisingly common—on February 12, an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader said she was fired after her OnlyFans photos were leaked on Reddit.
Sunroom also commits to providing prompt responses to review issues. Because their moderation team has direct contact with each creator, they can respond to harassment issues and other complaints within 24 hours. “One of the reasons we have a creator application process is so we can ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting and review,” Battersby added. Reports about OnlyFans are not guaranteed to be resolved within a certain timeframe, although they state on their blog that their security team will "urgently investigate your report and take relevant action as necessary."
Still not sure if Sunroom is right for you? Go to the home page and scroll through suggested accounts. Most creators introduce themselves and their work with short, friendly videos so you can see what your money is buying before you spend it.
