Few brands have shaped adult entertainment and pop culture like Playboy. Founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner, it was more than just a magazine—it became a cultural icon, blending sensual photography with intellectual interviews and lifestyle content. At its peak, Playboy redefined male media, featuring in-depth journalism alongside its signature “Playmates.”
However, the digital age transformed the adult industry. The rise of free online content, changing consumer habits, and shifting cultural attitudes forced traditional magazines to adapt or disappear. Today, websites like Playboy have taken the spotlight, offering exclusive content, high-end photography, and immersive digital experiences that appeal to modern audiences.
This article explores Playboy’s modern competitors, from print-era icons like Maxim and Penthouse to digital-first platforms redefining adult media. We’ll also discuss how digital platforms generate revenue and the best solution for launching a successful adult entertainment website today.
Top Websites Like Playboy: The Modern Alternatives
In its heyday, Playboy ruled the media landscape of men, yet nowadays a handful of brands have established a space of their own within the lifestyle and adult entertainment space. While a few of them remained dedicated to print and photography, others transitioned into web-centric ventures adapted for the modern audience.
Maxim
Once known as a Playboy competitor, Maxim has evolved into a luxury lifestyle brand. While it still features stunning photography of models, it now focuses on celebrity interviews, high-end fashion, travel, and luxury experiences. Maxim has adapted well to digital, using social media and online exclusives to stay relevant.
Penthouse
Launched in 1965 as a more provocative alternative, Penthouse pushed boundaries with its content, often blurring the lines between erotica and journalism. Today, Penthouse operates as both a magazine and digital platform, offering a mix of adult entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle content.
FHM (For Him Magazine)
Once a major print rival of Playboy, FHM has moved into an internet-centric presence with a focus placed on lifestyle of males, interviews with celebrities and glamour erotic photography. While not nearly so dominant as it had been, it still has its own audience.
LADBible & Unilad
Unlike traditional men’s magazines, LADBible and Unilad are digital-first platforms that target millennials and Gen Z with viral content. These brands have redefined men’s media, mixing entertainment, humor, and pop culture, often featuring bold, provocative visuals similar to classic Playboy covers.
Hustler Magazine
Founded by Larry Flynt in 1974, Hustler took a more explicit approach than Playboy or Penthouse. It became notorious for its adult content, political satire, and controversial stance on free speech. While the print version still exists, Hustler has also expanded into digital content, video streaming, and online subscriptions.
Classic Magazines vs. Modern Websites
In the past, media targeting adults had a physical dissemination and magazine subscription format, yet today it has transitioned toward subscriptions, paywalls, and interactive web experiences. Today, websites like Playboy thrive based on exclusivity with superior content, video-on-demand, and social media tie-ins.
With digital-first models dominating the business world of adults, the future of the business lies with online media consumption, social participation and interaction, and business models based on subscriptions.
How Digital Platforms Are Revolutionizing Adult Entertainment
For decades, Playboy sites dominated the world of adult media, but the times changed dramatically. What is Playboy site today? Playboy site no longer exclusively implies a magazine—it has evolved into a completely digital subscription site. Playboy site meaning has evolved to imply a members-only platform with top-quality photography and video and insider’s analysis.
The rise of subscription-based models such as OnlyFans has further changed the world of adult entertainment. Instead of ad-supported models, the modern-day platforms live and die based on private memberships and pay-for-play material that grants users exclusive and premium-quality content. Websites like Playboy are leveraging the use of AI-generated suggestions that allow users to experience custom-tailored experiences based on the things they love.
Advanced AI technology and premium interface abilities keep Playboy sites and similar platforms afloat. The future of the company lies with interactive media, exclusive clubs, and reputable methods of payment making the site profitable and stable in contrast with print magazine ventures.
Launching an Adult Entertainment or Dating Website: What You Need to Know
For entrepreneurs who are asking how to make Playboy, the ticket to success in the modern online world lies in providing secure, exclusive, and stylish platforms. Playboy needs a modern site with a members system, private access to the content and smooth payment inclusion in order to entice paying members.
Unlike traditional Playboy sites of the past, contemporary websites rest on technology-fueled engagement tools. Playboy website meaning has departed from print and headed toward subscription-supported online experiences that incorporate behind-the-scenes options and direct audience-creator interaction.
Scrile Connect: The Best Solution for Building a Playboy-Style Website
For entrepreneurs looking to create websites like Playboy, Scrile Connect offers the most efficient and scalable solution. Its technology has already powered major adult content platforms, including Playboy’s digital expansion, proving its reliability in the industry.
A prime example of this success is the sale of a Scrile Connect-developed platform, Dream, to the company PLBY Group for a price of up to $30 million. This transaction underscores the power, customizability, and profitability of the platform for businesspeople and content creators alike.
With built-in subscriptions of users, private access of contents and AI-enhanced interaction and easy-to-integrate payment options, Scrile Connect cuts the need of complex development. Launch a premium dating site or an adult site with Scrile Connect and acquire a solution that has everything it needs to construct, scale and earn a profitable web business.
Conclusion
The adult entertainment industry is booming, with digital-first platforms dominating the market. Websites like Playboy have evolved beyond magazines into interactive, high-end digital communities, creating new business opportunities for content creators and entrepreneurs.
For those who want to know how to build a Playboy-style site, Scrile Connect has the best turnkey solution. Its cutting-edge features and proven track record of success provide the best chance yet of launching a world-class content site of your own.
Start building your digital empire today with Scrile Connect!
Related: Build and Monetize Your Online Platforms
- Make a Dating Website – Pick a niche, add user-friendly features, and attract singles ready to connect and find true love.
- Start a Matchmaking Business – Define your niche, set up your platform, and help singles find meaningful, lasting relationships.
- Create a Dating Website with WordPress – Choose the right theme, add plugins, and launch a platform singles will trust.
- Unlock Social Media Monetization – From sponsored posts to memberships: turn followers into revenue and grow your brand.
