What Is Snapchat Plus? A Complete Guide to Snap's Paid Subscription Service

Snapchat Plus officially styled as Snapchat+ is Snap Inc.'s paid subscription service that unlocks exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features beyond what the free app offers.

If you've been wondering what is Snapchat Plus and whether it's worth paying for, here's the short answer: it's a tiered subscription that launched in June 2022 and has since expanded into three distinct plans, serving over 25 million subscribers worldwide.

What Is Snapchat Plus Offering Subscribers? A Full Feature Breakdown

Before diving into specific perks, here's something important to understand: the Snapchat+ feature list isn't static. Snap openly labels some additions as experimental, meaning certain perks might eventually roll out to all users or disappear altogether.

Generally speaking, features tied to personal customization (icons, themes, profile extras) tend to remain exclusive longer than social or interaction-based features. Here's what current Snapchat Plus features look like across four key categories.

Personalization and Customization Options

These tend to be the stickiest Snapchat+ perks the ones that visibly change how the app looks and feels just for you.

Custom App Icon — replace the default Snapchat icon on your home screen with one from an ever-growing library of designs
Custom App Themes — modify the overall visual style of the app interface
Chat Wallpapers — apply a background image or pattern to individual chats, either from Snap's gallery or your own camera roll
AI-Generated Chat Wallpapers — create wallpapers from your own text prompts
Custom Chat Colors — choose the color your name appears in within chats
Personalized Notification Sounds and Ringtones — assign different alert tones to different friends so you instantly know who's messaging
Bitmoji Backgrounds — apply themed backgrounds to your Bitmoji avatar

Friends and Social Connection Perks

#1 Best Friend Pin — pin a single friend to the top of your chat list. It's visible only to you; the other person never gets notified
Friend Solar Systems — a visual map of your eight closest friends, with each one assigned a planet based on interaction frequency. A gold ring on a profile means "Best Friend" (mutual closeness), while a regular ring means "Friend" (one-way closeness)
Expanded Best Friends List — view more than the default number of best friends
Peek a Peek — displays a small emoji when a friend is viewing your shared chat, but only if you're actively in your chat feed at the same moment
Friends in Chat — see who's currently active inside a chat

Story and Snap Enhancements

Story Rewatch Indicator — an eyes emoji appears on your Story when one or more friends rewatch it. The count reflects how many people rewatched, not total replays
Story Boost — push your Story to reach more friends for a 24-hour window. You get one boost per week, and unused boosts don't carry over
Story Timestamps — see the exact time friends viewed your story
Story View Alerts — get a notification when a specific friend views your story
Custom Story Expiration — set Stories to last from one hour up to a full week instead of the default 24 hours
Priority Story Replies — your replies to friends' stories appear more prominently on their end
Post View Emoji — pick an emoji that friends see after they view your snap
Replay Again — view snaps more than once
Lightning Snaps — send snaps faster

Profile, AI Tools, and Bonus Features

Snapchat+ Badge — a black star (✪) next to your name that signals your subscriber status. It's off by default and must be manually enabled
Snapscore Multiplier — your Snapscore climbs faster than normal
Instant Streaks — keep streaks alive more easily
Streak Restore — recover a streak that's been lost
AI Captions — automatically generated captions for your snaps
AI Creative Tools — AI-powered photo and video editing features
AI Profile Backgrounds — generative backgrounds for your profile page
My AI Custom Bio — give the in-app AI chatbot a personalized bio
Gift Snapchat+ — purchase a 12-month subscription for a friend. It's a one-time payment and activates once the recipient's current subscription (if any) ends

Snapchat Plus Plans Compared — Which Tier Suits You?

As of 2026, Snapchat+ is no longer offered as a single plan. Snap has rolled out three distinct tiers, though availability varies by country.

As reported by TechCrunch, Snap's direct revenue business has reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate, with Snapchat+ surpassing 25 million subscribers.

Plan	What's Included	Ads	Approx. Monthly Price (US)
Snapchat+ (Base)	All exclusive and experimental features	Yes	$3.99/month
Lens+	Base features plus exclusive AR and GenAI Lenses	Varies	$8.99/month
Snapchat+ Platinum	Base features plus no Story or Lens ads	No Story/Lens ads	$15.99/month

A few clarifications worth keeping in mind. The standard Snapchat+ plan does not remove ads

only Platinum is designed to strip out Story and Lens ads, and even then, some ad formats may still slip through. Lens+ sits in the middle, targeting users who want AR and generative AI lens access without paying for the full Platinum experience.

These US prices are approximate. Actual pricing varies by country and device, so always confirm inside the app via Profile → Settings → Snapchat+.

H2: How Much Does Snapchat Plus Cost?

Snap doesn't publish a single unified pricing page across all global markets. Whatever price appears inside your app is what you'll actually be charged.

As of 2026, the US Snapchat Plus cost looks roughly like this:

Snapchat+ Base: $3.99/month
Lens+: $8.99/month
Snapchat+ Platinum: $15.99/month

Annual subscriptions are offered at a discount in regions where they're available. New subscribers in most supported countries can also access a 7-day Snapchat+ free trial. Canceling before the trial ends means you won't be charged anything.

Where Is Snapchat Plus Available?

Snapchat+ originally launched in June 2022 across nine countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The list has grown substantially since.

One thing many guides overlook: not every plan tier is offered in every market. The Platinum plan and Lens+ tier may not appear in your settings if Snap hasn't released them in your region yet. The most reliable check is inside the app: Profile → Settings → Snapchat+.

How to Sign Up for Snapchat Plus

Getting started with Snapchat Plus takes less than a minute here's exactly how to subscribe directly from inside the app.

Step-by-Step Subscription Process

Launch Snapchat and tap your profile icon (top left)
Open Settings (gear icon, top right)
Scroll down and tap Snapchat+
Pick the plan you want
Decide between monthly or annual billing
Confirm payment — a 7-day free trial may be available
Restart the app if your new features don't appear right away

Accepted Payment Methods

Payment routing depends on your device:

iPhone: charged via your Apple ID through the App Store
Android: charged through your Google Play account
Credit or debit cards already linked to either account can be used

How to Cancel Snapchat Plus Anytime

Cancellation is available at any time. You'll retain access until your current billing period ends — canceling partway through the month doesn't trigger a refund for the remaining days. If you don't cancel, your subscription auto-renews.

Canceling on iPhone (iOS)

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap your name at the top of the screen
Select Subscriptions
Tap Snapchat+
Tap Cancel Subscription (scroll down if it's not immediately visible)

Canceling on Android

Launch the Google Play app
Tap your profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions
Select Snapchat+
Tap Cancel subscription
Follow the prompts to confirm

Is Snapchat Plus Actually Worth Paying For?

The honest answer depends entirely on your Snapchat habits. This subscription is built for heavy, regular users particularly those who spend meaningful time messaging close friends through the app.

Something often overlooked: many features are essentially cosmetic or social signaling tools (the badge, solar system, custom icons).

They don't fundamentally alter how the app works. Features like Story Boost, Streak Restore, and Priority Story Replies tend to offer more practical daily value for active users. The Platinum tier makes more sense for anyone who finds Snapchat's ads genuinely intrusive.

Snap's own framing is also worth noting. According to CNBC, Snapchat's senior vice president of products Jacob Andreou said when the service launched that the company didn't expect the plan to become a "material new revenue source," with advertising staying central to the business.

That position has softened as subscriber numbers have grown but ads remain Snap's primary model

In practice, users who subscribe briefly before canceling often point to the free trial as the best way to test whether the features feel genuinely useful for their own use.

Final Thoughts

Snapchat Plus is Snap's paid subscription offering exclusive features, deeper customization, and early access to new tools.

In 2026, it's structured across three plans base Snapchat+, Lens+, and Platinum each at a different price point. Always check your in-app settings for accurate pricing and availability where you live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Snapchat Plus the same as Snapchat Premium?

No. "Snapchat Premium" isn't an official product name. The correct name is Snapchat+ or Snapchat Plus. Any reference to "Snapchat Premium" is either informal or simply incorrect.

Does Snapchat Plus remove ads?

The base Snapchat+ plan doesn't remove ads. Only the Snapchat+ Platinum tier is designed to remove Story and Lens ads, and even then some ad formats may still appear.

Can I gift Snapchat Plus to someone else?

Yes. Snapchat+ subscribers can gift a 12-month subscription to a friend. It's a one-time purchase that activates once the recipient's current subscription ends.

What happens after I cancel Snapchat Plus?

You retain full access to Snapchat+ features through the end of your current billing period. After that, your account reverts to the standard free version of Snapchat.

Does Snapchat Plus work on both iPhone and Android?

Yes. Snapchat+ is available on both iOS and Android. Payments are processed through the App Store on iPhone and through Google Play on Android.