Snapchat has continuously found innovative ways to keep its user base engaged and excited about social media. One of the latest trends sparking curiosity is the concept of “Snapchat Planets.” For anyone who’s new to the term, Snapchat Planets are a visual representation of your friendship level with someone on Snapchat. By using a unique planetary metaphor, Snapchat gives users a fun way to view and rank their closest connections based on the planets in our solar system.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into what Snapchat Planets are, how they’re arranged, what each planet signifies, and how they might change your understanding of friendships on Snapchat. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a solid grasp of what Snapchat Planets mean, the order they follow, and how they fit into Snapchat’s overall design. Let’s jump into this social universe and explore the details of Snapchat’s celestial-themed friendship ranking system.
What Are Snapchat Planets?
Snapchat Planets is a feature that symbolizes friendship levels between two Snapchat users through planetary associations. Each friend you interact with on Snapchat can be represented as a planet, and these “planets” are assigned based on the closeness or interaction level you share with them on the app. This concept is part of the Snapchat Plus (Snapchat+) subscription, a premium feature that offers additional insights and exclusive perks for subscribers.
Snapchat Planets are only available to users who subscribe to Snapchat+, which adds an extra layer of gamification to the experience. While the traditional Snapchat app shows streaks, emojis, and bitmojis to indicate the level of interaction, Snapchat Planets take it a step further by assigning your friends to different planets in a solar-system-inspired arrangement. This planetary metaphor is not only visually appealing but also introduces an element of mystery and fun. With Snapchat Planets, users can visually see where they stand in their friends’ “solar system” of connections.
How Snapchat Planets Work: Understanding the Order and Ranking System
The order of Snapchat Planets is inspired by the actual solar system, starting from Mercury (the closest planet to the Sun) and moving outward to Neptune (the farthest in our solar system). This order directly reflects the level of interaction you have with a friend. In Snapchat’s planetary system, the closer a friend is to you, the closer they are to the “sun,” or central point in your friendship system.
Here’s a quick overview of the planet order:
- Mercury – Closest and most interactive friend
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune – Farthest and least interactive of the top friends
Each planet corresponds to a friend in your Snapchat “solar system,” with Mercury being the closest friend and Neptune being the eighth closest. This ordering system allows users to see who they interact with the most on the app. If someone is represented by Mercury, you’re actively communicating with them more than anyone else, while a friend represented by Neptune might still be important to you but with fewer interactions.
The Significance of Each Snapchat Planet and What They Represent
Each Snapchat Planet doesn’t just serve as a ranking indicator but can also carry its own significance, similar to how we associate specific planets with certain characteristics in astrology or mythology. Let’s explore the meaning of each planet as it relates to Snapchat Planets:
- Mercury: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and on Snapchat, it signifies your closest friend — the person you interact with the most. If someone is represented by Mercury, it indicates frequent messaging, Snaps, and interactions.
- Venus: The second closest planet, Venus, represents a friend you’re very close with but who doesn’t quite top the list. This friend might be someone you frequently communicate with, but maybe not as much as your “Mercury” friend.
- Earth: Earth, in the Snapchat Planets system, represents a steady and familiar friendship. They’re a close friend, someone who you interact with regularly but may not be as frequent in conversations as the top two.
- Mars: Mars is a friend who is active in your Snapchat life but falls just a bit lower on the list. This could signify a friend with whom you have a balanced interaction, like occasional chatting and streaks.
- Jupiter: Jupiter is one of the larger planets, and on Snapchat, it represents someone who’s important but perhaps not as involved in daily interactions. This could be a friend with whom you share funny snaps or stories occasionally.
- Saturn: Saturn represents a friend who is still close but not in the daily orbit. Your interactions might be more sporadic or less frequent, suggesting a more casual friendship.
- Uranus: Uranus indicates someone in your social circle but who doesn’t rank highly in terms of interaction. This could be a friend with whom you share snaps or messages infrequently.
- Neptune: Neptune is the farthest planet in the Snapchat Planets system, representing a friend with whom you have the least frequent interactions. They are still important enough to be in your top eight friends but probably don’t receive daily or even weekly engagement.
How to Access and Set Up Snapchat Planets
Snapchat Planets are exclusive to Snapchat+ users, so if you’re interested in seeing your friends ranked as planets, you’ll need to subscribe to the premium version of the app. Here’s how to access and set up Snapchat Planets:
- Subscribe to Snapchat+: Open the Snapchat app, go to your profile, and look for the Snapchat+ banner or subscription option. You can sign up for a monthly or yearly plan to access premium features, including Snapchat Planets.
- Accessing Your Solar System: Once you’re subscribed, go to a friend’s profile and click on the Snapchat Planets feature to see where you stand in their friendship solar system. You’ll be able to view each friend’s ranking and understand the dynamics of your interactions.
- Explore Planetary Rankings: The app automatically arranges your friends based on interaction frequency, so there’s no manual setup involved. You’ll see each friend’s rank as a different planet, which updates based on changes in your interactions.
Why Snapchat Planets Are Popular Among Users
Snapchat Planets is popular for a few reasons. First, it’s a fun, visually engaging way to see where you stand with your friends. It transforms something as simple as interaction frequency into a game-like experience. The idea of assigning planets based on interaction levels taps into users’ curiosity, as many people enjoy tracking and analyzing their social interactions.
Additionally, Snapchat Planets appeals to the natural human desire to understand relationships. By visually ranking friends, Snapchat Planets allows users to see which friendships are stronger or weaker based on engagement. It’s a refreshing and unique approach, especially compared to more straightforward metrics like “streaks” and “best friend” badges. This gamification of friendships adds an extra layer of fun and encourages users to interact more often to maintain their ranks.
Lastly, Snapchat Planets fosters a sense of exclusivity as it’s only available to Snapchat+ subscribers. This premium access adds a level of intrigue and creates a “members-only” feel, which can drive more people to try out Snapchat+ for its unique features.
The Future of Snapchat Planets: Possible Updates and Features
Given Snapchat’s history of constantly updating and introducing new features, it’s likely that Snapchat Planets will evolve in the future. Potential updates could include more customization options, allowing users to rearrange friends or assign their own rankings. Snapchat might also expand the solar system concept, introducing new features like “Moons” to represent secondary levels of friendship within each planet.
Other potential features could involve notifications when a friend’s ranking changes, or even personalized insights and analytics for Snapchat+ users. The Snapchat Planets feature is still relatively new, so it’s likely that Snapchat will continue to refine it based on user feedback. Whatever updates come, Snapchat Planets is sure to continue capturing users’ imaginations.
FAQs About Snapchat Planets
- What are Snapchat Planets? Snapchat Planets is a feature in Snapchat+ that ranks your friends as planets based on how often you interact with them. Each friend is assigned a different planet, with Mercury being the closest and Neptune being the farthest.
- How do I get Snapchat Planets? Snapchat Planets is available only to Snapchat+ subscribers. To access it, you need to sign up for Snapchat+ through the app.
- What does each planet represent in Snapchat Planets? Each planet corresponds to the interaction level with a friend. Mercury represents your closest friend, followed by Venus, Earth, and so on, with Neptune being the least interactive friend in your top eight.
- Can I manually change my friends’ planet rankings? No, Snapchat Planets are automatically assigned based on interaction frequency, so you can’t manually change the rankings.
- Why don’t I see Snapchat Planets in my app? Snapchat Planets is only available for Snapchat+ subscribers. If you’re not subscribed to Snapchat+, you won’t be able to see this feature.
