Move over, Pornhub: This new site rethinks the UX of porn

For an industry that’s well known for the money shot, porn newcomer Quinn is putting its chips on an audio platform. The startup, which beta-launched in April and launched its redesigned site today, is looking to break through with its new audio-only porn platform and shift the brand away from the visual-reliant user experience the industry is known for. Is audio the future of erotica? The cofounder of Quinn, a sound-based site that launches today, thinks so.

A Shift in User Experience Philosophy

Caroline Spiegel, who left Stanford in her senior year to cofound Quinn, believes the industry relies too heavily on visual content—to the detriment of users. She sites one of her competitors, Pornhub, as an example, noting that “there’s almost no part of the screen that isn’t filled with content,” and “almost all the content is animated.” She compared the overstimulation she experienced to being in a supermarket with lots of options where you walk away unsure of what you ended up buying.

Spiegel saw Quinn as an answer to that “sense of lost control.” Overall, the user experience of the site is streamlined, and in contrast to a site like Pornhub, the majority of the real estate on the site is black negative space. Spiegel is a “fan” of audio erotica because it “gets across the intangibles of porn—the flirting; the intimacy.” This sparse user interface is an execution of their philosophy that “porn can be a more chilled out experience.”

Key Features of the Quinn Platform

Content Format: Audio-only porn platform with no visual content outside of cover images.
User Interface: Streamlined design utilizing black negative space to avoid overstimulation.
Content Source: 100% user-generated content from amateurs and professionals alike.
Access Model: Free to access platform with a payment system for tipping creators.
Monetization: Exploring multiple forms of monetization, including advertising.

The Platform Model vs. Content Production

Spiegel feels that what separates Quinn from other audio porn companies, like subscription-based Dipsea, is that the site is a platform, rather than a content producer. This allows users to maintain their own feeds that others can follow, like, comment on, and even tip through. Designing a platform with content that’s not produced in-house was an exercise in openness: “We wanted to share more flavors of content, and we weren’t able to share those categories on our own.”

Regarding market interest, “arousal and comprehension are not solely derived from visual stimulus,” says body image advocate and sex educator Laura Delarato. She notes that there is a market for audio erotica where users can generate their own content and partake in their own voyeurism knowing that others might listen to their voice and story. According to Forbes, audio porn startups have collectively accrued over $8 million in funding over the past year.

Moderation and Community Guidelines

Quinn compares the site to Reddit, with the expectation that the community would flag any content that violates their platform’s Community Guidelines. However, relying on community policing can be murky territory. To manage this, Quinn plans to address potential violations on a case-by-case basis. Right now, flagged content is reviewed by a Quinn employee, and if they determine it be in violation of the site’s guidelines, it is removed.

For Spiegel, community—and the connection the site design seeks to build between users and creators—is key to Quinn’s mission. With free access and a UX that encourages users to engage with the site as they would other social platforms, Quinn is looking to prove that porn isn’t just about the looks.