Generally a SB date is longer and with most there has to some sort of attraction.  There are plenty of pros on SA as well.

Your geographic area... but there are definitely a lot of greedy unpleasant people on both sides of that site.  But $300 overnights are not unheard of... I know e few local Pro's who can be had much cheaper than their hourlies if you catch them on SA and they perceive it to be an ongoing thing.  Last night a found a pretty popular former pornstar who's down to basically screw all day for $300...  

A lot comes down to what someone's motivation is on that site... There are no rules regarding what a person wants to give or get... so a lot of time is spent in the sorting.  Also someone here said there are 6 women for every guy... so I think women who don't negotiate go hungry more often than not.

There is a world of difference between the Sugar World and the Hooker world.

I think the biggest difference is most hookers have a mindset that they are selling "time" where the Sugar world tends to run without a clock. I think that is the biggest hurdle for a hooker trying to cross over into the Sugar world is going to have to get past.

The amount of money a woman can realistically expect in the sugar world is also considerably less as you have already found out. I quite often get $300 overnights in the Sugar World and I have never paid more than $500. Don't blame the player, blame the game. I am not 'cheap" I simply pay "market rate" in whatever market I happen to be in. When in Atlanta, $300 hr for a "well reviewed TER provider" is pretty much the market rate and that's what I pay. If I were to travel to NYC I wouldn't expect to find many "women of quality" at that rate and would most likely be shopping for women in the $500 hr range.  

The sugar world is what it is, and most TER hookers are probably not going to be happy with the amount of money they are going to make using SA as a place to market themselves.  

I think the only way for a woman to make any "real" money in the sugar world is to hold out for that whale and try to find that one POT SD in a thousand that will give you $5-10,000 a month for a "semi exclusive" arrangement. I will caution you, with POT SB's outnumbering quality SD's by a considerable margin, those guys are few and far between.

Sugar world is more of a relationship as it implies meeting the same person on a regular basis. I would say in general, most SB's only see one guy. Of course, there are some who see more than one guy. SB's carefully pick a guy they like and screen based on a profile and how texting goes. The initial meet is usually in a public place. One could say that is a type of screening. If they don't like something, the girl disappears. I know some escorts have regular clients but they also see basically any guy who passes "screening." I'm sure the balance between new guys and regulars varies widely in the industry. Most escorts charge what they want on a take it or leave it basis depending on the market.  As such, escorts make a LOT more money. SB's make as much as their looks will allow them to negotiate with a SD.  There are no performance metrics for a guy to evaluate. We just  go on looks to start and I guess "the connection." I recently left go a SB who had looks of 9 but only performance of 7.  She was a hesitant kisser, more interested in not getting her makeup ruined, and worried about the hair. Too focused on looking good and not on being passionate.

I think most successful SB's just need some extra money. It is not a career. The other key ingredient is most of the girls I have seen in the past also love sex. It's better to make money than give it up for a few drinks at the bar from some frat guy.

That being said, i would rec stay on SA and look for the whale.  If I was a girl, I would scour profiles for whales and contact the ones that look good. Meet them and see what happens. If it's a no go then just cancel things

in the Sugar World.  I have one very lovely 19yo regular who does overnights with me for $200! At the same time, many of the SB wannabes on SA have this fantasy that they can get money from guys without having sex.  Yes, really!  So even though there may appear to be more SBs than SDs on SA, many of the SB are non starters.  If you can discreetly make it clear in your SA profile that you love sex and want a new playmate you should be swamped with offers.  Take your pick of the best ones and negotiate as good a deal as you can.  Just DON'T put a time limit on the date, and DON'T expect to be paid at the beginning of the date.

They generally hold a regular job or are students. Their need for cash is to just bridge a gap and not the sole source of income. Given that they don't charge escort rates.  
Hence when an escort enters the SB world with escort compensation expectations they get priced out.  
I agree with your assessment about creeps on SB. My latest SB is hot and holds a regular job, a mom and I suspect still married. She said she picked me cause I was the first normal guy she met after a string of weirdos and cheap fellows. When she used the word cheap I thought she might be expensive. But she asked for $200 per meet with the promise of six meets. There is no time limit to our meets and I think she sees me exclusively as she took down her SB profile after our arrangement was finalized.  
SUgar bowl is changing the escorting scene. I see a decline in escort rates as more johns discover SA. I also see quality TER guys perhaps moving over to sugar bowl or at least take some of their dollars there. Now most of my dollars are spent on SBs
 

Some of which have been noted.

Most SBs are part-time.  Usually they have a day job but still come up short financially due to credit card expenses, college loans, etc.  A few are career SBs or pros/semi-pros.  

Some do it because they love/need sex and might as well make some money while having fun.  There are some very horny, nearly insatiable women out there.

Chemistry is important.  SBs screen for that, whereas pros screen for security.

Though I was just quoted a per-hour rate yesterday, generally SB dates are priced per date rather than per hour.  Roughly, 1 hour with a pro costs the same as 3 hours with a SB, which explains much of the appeal.  Some SBs think 45 minutes is adequate, but most are fine with 2-3 hours.  Generally speaking overnights with a SB cost the same as a 3-hour date or, at most, 20-40% more.  In the pro world, an overnight costs 400-800% of the hourly rate.

SB arrangements tend to involve more socialization and connection than pro date.  There is often more repeating than in the pro world.

Though many SBs want to be exclusive, relatively few actually find that.

Many SBs have an odd mindset.  They don't view it as P4P.  They need to find a guy they would have sex with (based on chemistry) and they view the cash as separate.

A few SBs don't want sex.  They want money for companionship or because they are pretty.  Only a few guys are interested in that.  Some women who happen to be beautiful and know it, expect guys to pay them just for their looks.  That attitude is a huge turnoff.

SBs and pros, interestingly, look down on each other.  

For your situation, I would not recommend the SB scene generally speaking.  Once you have built your website and your reputation/brand, you have done the hard work and being a pro is more lucrative.  However, here are possible SB benefits to you:  you may find the whale willing to pay you lots of money for being exclusive; there is much less of a LE risk (pretty much none); you don't have any overhead costs or need to pay for hotels; if business is slow, you can fill the gaps with a SD; if you particularly like a client or a few of them, being a SB with them will encourage more and longer dates; there is less social stigma from being a SB than a pro.

How much time can be invested in developing the SB relationship.  The best case has been a few emails and then meeting but that has been the exception.  I think a lot of the girls, at least in this area, are more just really checking it out then being a serious sugarbaby looking for her daddy.  I have had at least half communicate back-and-forth quite a few times and then take down their profile or flake on me saying something like they want a online relationship only. I am surprised how many contact me from other states as well. I have contacted them and ask if they would be in the area and most expected me to travel to them?  I think many want to get the money but can't pull the trigger.  

Compare that to the pay for play world. Yesterday afternoon I noticed a really hot new provider to the industry pop up on one of my favorite agencies website. I grabbed my hobby phone and texted asking if she would be available tomorrow at 2 PM.  A few minutes later I got back a confirmation with the address.  Boom -  sampling a new flavor today after lunch!

I have taken a break for the last few months from the Sugar world. Probably going to give it another go in the future but I'm fortunate to be in a market with a almost endless supply of amazing providers.  This is certainly much more efficient although a little more expensive.

Men don't want the responsibility of single women with children.  Who will help them?    
SB's I have met want to just have 1 SD so they won't be a prostitute in their eyes.
SB will spend more time with you and don't have as many men as an escort would.
You get to know the girls better and help them a lot.   They love you for it .   They give back too .
I just bought my SB Christmas for her kids and hairdo for her.   Have paid her lights, dental bill , one car note, and some rent.  The cost ends up the same as an escort but there is more of a relationship or what ever you would call it.        25 yr old and a 71 yr old.    If I'm sick she calls or send me little text love notes all the time.   The deal was 250 but I give her 50 for some food or the baby sitter.    The real cost will end up as 500 but quality of sex is worth a 1000.   Someone has her back and cares and she takes care of them big time.  Like being on a honey moon once a week.     Just my experience.

Most smart women - even young ones, are very intuitive, more so than us men most days. We obviously have other smarts they don't have. From what SB's have told me, there are a lot of not so great guys on the site that want to meet and screw in their car, etc. - not that there is anything wrong with that. But I apply the same rules as when meeting with a pro. I am polite, type nice messages and show great respect for them, which I have, so it's not an act. I show up neatly dressed, clean shaved, clean as a whistle and expect same. If they do not do the same, than I show a different side back to them as well and I disappear. There is not woman I cannot do without and as I have gained more wisdom in life, I logically realize now there are more fish in ocean or now a days I guess, the SB? I have had great luck with just meeting for coffee - and like others have said, if they like you - it usually works out, even if you won't agree to there first $ demand. If it's not working, check the mirror on the wall. Lets face it, we all know guys who don't get the hygiene thing and maybe never will. If you want a young hottie to get naked with you for a great time - even with the money in the equation, show up looking like that's what you want!