One statistic speaks for itself: every day, nearly 70 million Google searches are related to the same topic: porn. We're addicted to pornography, and that's why we almost compulsively search for pornographic videos online. Among all the platforms dedicated to offering this type of content, one shines particularly brightly: Pornhub . This post is dedicated to it.
Pornhub is one of the world's leading distributors of adult entertainment content. Visiting this website is like stepping into an endless repository of pornographic videos . Further evidence of its importance: in 2023, it was the twelfth most visited website in the world, and among adult websites , it is only surpassed in the number of visits by XVideos.
Pornhub, which publishes a large number of free pornographic videos , has proven to be a revolutionary platform not so much for the content it publishes as for the way it has promoted a new form of business that has undoubtedly been successful and, on some occasions, controversial.
This online sex platform's business model combines free content with material accessible only through a paid subscription. At the same time, Pornhub has established itself as a platform where verified creators and producers can monetize their content, earning revenue based on views.
That's what we're going to talk about in this article: the history of the web and its content.
History of Pornhub
Pornhub was founded in 2007 by Canadian Matt Keezer , who had also founded Interhub. Three years later, the new company was bought by Fabian Thylman, who merged it into the Manwin conglomerate, now called MindGeek, which includes other online porn platforms such as RedTube and YouPorn.
Currently based in Montreal (Canada), the company has offices and servers in Houston, London, New Orleans and San Francisco.
Available internationally, the website has been blocked in some countries, including China, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. That doesn't stop it from boasting stratospheric visitor numbers. For example, in 2022, the platform announced on its blog that it had reached a total of 50 billion visits in a single year, which translates to about 150 million visits per day. Quite a lot, right? Clearly, humans enjoy porn, even if it doesn't have a good reputation.
Behind the website's impressive statistics lies a significant amount of data collection. By visiting specific content, users provide the platform with invaluable information about their interests and preferences. Thanks to this data, the platform improves its content and offers users what they want. However, this has also created problems for the site. Due to the sheer volume of available content, tracking illegal material that might slip through is no easy task. Indeed, if all the videos uploaded to Pornhub were played continuously, one after the other, it would take 170 years to watch them all.
One of the platform's most significant moments occurred on October 4, 2021. On that date, and for several hours, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp went down. Coinciding with the "blackout" of these three major platforms, Pornhub's traffic increased by 10.5%. Or, to put it another way, this pornographic video website gained 500,000 more users for every hour that Facebook's services were down.
An annual event that serves to draw attention to the site is the Pornhub Awards . First held on September 6, 2018, at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, the 2025 edition marked the seventh year of these famous porn awards . In this latest edition, the custom looks had a very special theme: the Wild West. Although the company is still based in Montreal, the Pornhub Awards gala continues to be held in LA.
Having briefly reviewed the history of the platform, let's now see what a Pornhub user can see when they enter the website.
What can you see on Pornhub?
This porn video platform allows you to watch heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and trans pornographic videos .
A general filter allows access to videos from different categories. These include:
- Fans.
- Women of different nationalities, cultures or ethnicities: Latin, German, Arab, Asian, Brazilian, British, French, Indian, Black, Italian, Japanese, Czech, Korean...
- Women with different physical characteristics: big breasts, big butts, small breasts, fat, mature, redheads, blondes...
- Specific sexual practices: threesomes, ejaculations, blowjobs, anal, creampie, double penetration, fisting, deep throat, role-playing, toys, massages, masturbation, handjobs, urination (golden shower), strap-on...
Thanks to this grouping into categories, Pornhub users can easily and quickly access the type of sexual content they want to view.
Users of this site also have access to the "Live Cams" section. Once registered, those who enter the platform can view live webcams of girls, boys, and trans people.
Like other platforms with live sex cam sections, this one offers registered users the chance to enjoy a cybersex session with an online model , which gets much hotter with a paid Premium subscription. The programs can include everything from masturbation scenes with or without sex toys to erotic dances, couple scenes, and more.
Pornhub also offers a porn star section where you can watch XXX videos of female and male porn stars such as PaolaBlaze, Alexis Fawx, Sweetie Fox, Alex Adams or Johnny Sins, among others.
The platform also has a section where users can upload explicit photos or GIFs. This section has its own filter to search for GIFs of, for example, fellatio, anal sex, sadomasochism, etc.
Pornhub features and video verification
Among the features that this platform offers its users, we can highlight the following:
- Possibility to create a free Pornhub account so that you can post comments, create a favorites list or upload your own videos.
- Share videos on social media sites.
- Report videos you deem inappropriate. Pornographic videos reported by platform users are reviewed by the team and, if they violate the terms of service, are removed from the site.
Undoubtedly, this last aspect, the review of illegal videos, is what has generated the most controversy throughout the platform's history. As we pointed out in a previous section, verifying all the content uploaded to the platform is very complicated. It requires a large team of dedicated workers, and that hasn't always been the case.
Pornhub's history is riddled with controversy. The site has faced harsh accusations from prestigious publications such as The New York Times . The renowned New York newspaper even accused the platform of "monetizing child rape." It has also been accused of publishing racist and misogynistic content and of using pornography as a weapon of revenge.
All of this coincided with the time (we're talking about December 2020) when Visa and Mastercard blocked their services for the platform for allegedly hosting illegal pornography .
Beyond dismissing those accusations as "irresponsible and blatantly false," Pornhub took action and removed a total of 10 million videos from unverified users, roughly 80% of its total content. Since then, media pressure on the site seems to have eased, and it remains one of the most-viewed adult video platforms in the world and the one offering the most material.
Pornhub actresses who are also escorts
Pornhub has also served as a springboard for numerous actresses who, in addition to acting in videos, venture into providing escort services. In this article, we will analyze how these actresses combine their careers within the adult entertainment industry with the world of escorting.
The duality of being an actress and an escort
For many Pornhub actresses, becoming an escort isn't just a way to diversify their income; it can also be seen as a method to expand their visibility and leverage their personal brand. Working in adult films provides them with immediate recognition that they can capitalize on by offering private services to their followers and fans. This duality isn't always easy to manage, although many see it as a unique opportunity to connect more closely with those who admire their work.
The transition from Pornhub actress to escort may seem easy, but it involves several strategic considerations. Many actresses begin by building a solid following on the platform and then advertise their services through escort websites or social media. This stage allows them to maintain control over their image and set clear boundaries. To ensure the satisfaction and safety of both parties, maintaining open communication with clients is essential.
Benefits and challenges of working as an escort
Being an escort offers numerous benefits. First, actresses generally have more flexibility in their schedules, making it easier to balance their personal and professional lives. Also, by providing private services, they can set rates that reflect their skill and experience, which can generate potentially much higher earnings than in the adult film industry. However, it's not all easy; they face challenges such as societal stigma and the need to stay safe in a high-risk environment.
The intersection between the Pornhub industry and the world of escorting also reveals a cultural shift in the perception of these professions. Actresses are challenging long-standing prejudices and fostering conversations about autonomy and sexuality. By becoming escorts, they are asserting their right to make decisions about their lives and bodies, thus promoting a positive image of sexual freedom and empowerment. This phenomenon is reflected in broader discussions about gender equality and respect for sex workers.
