Snapchat Planets are part of Snapchat+’s “Friend Solar System.” They turn your closest friends into planets orbiting a sun to show how often you two interact on Snapchat. You tap a gold-rimmed Best Friends or Friends badge on someone’s Friendship Profile to see which planet you are in their solar system (e.g., Mercury if you’re their #1). The feature is optional, private, and available to Snapchat+ subscribers. Snapchat Support+1
Quick takeaways
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Who sees planets? Snapchat+ subscribers who enable the feature in Snapchat+ settings. It’s off by default for new subscribers; you can toggle it on anytime.
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What does a planet mean? Your planet equals your rank in that friend’s Top 8 (Mercury = #1 … Neptune = #8). It reflects how frequently that friend communicates with you, not a public score.
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Is it public? No—it’s private to you, doesn’t show to other friends, and isn’t a numeric leaderboard.
What are Snapchat Planets?
Snapchat’s Friend Solar System is a playful visualization of your closest connections. When you open a friend’s profile, a gold-rimmed badge appears: tap it to see your Bitmoji on a planet around their sun. The planet equals your position in their Best Friends list. Snapchat describes the feature as optional and private within Snapchat+, and it illustrates the frequency with which that friend communicates with you.
Note: In April 2024 Snap changed the default so Solar System is off unless you turn it on in settings. newsroom.snap.com
How to see your Snapchat planet
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Subscribe to Snapchat+.
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Turn on Friend Solar System in Snapchat+ → feature management. (It’s off by default for first‑time subscribers.)
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Open a friend’s Friendship Profile and look for a gold‑outlined Best Friends or Friends badge.
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Tap the badge to reveal which planet you are in their solar system. Snapchat Support
“Best Friends” vs “Friends” badge
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Best Friends: you are in each other’s Top 8.
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Friends: you’re in their Top 8, but they’re not in yours.
Snapchat Planets order & what each one means
Snapchat follows the real solar system order, with Mercury closest and Neptune farthest. The closer the planet, the higher your rank in that friend’s list. (Pluto isn’t used.) Snapchat Support+1
| Rank | Planet | What it means in their Solar System |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mercury | You’re their closest friend on Snapchat (most interaction). |
| #2 | Venus | You’re their second‑closest friend. |
| #3 | Earth | You’re their third‑closest friend. |
| #4 | Mars | You’re fourth on their Best Friends list. |
| #5 | Jupiter | You’re fifth; still very active together. |
| #6 | Saturn | You’re sixth. |
| #7 | Uranus | You’re seventh. |
| #8 | Neptune | You’re eighth (still Top 8, just farthest). |
🌑 Mercury – Your #1 Best Friend
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Meaning: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, which means this person is your top best friend on Snapchat.
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How it works: You exchange the most Snaps and chats with this person.
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Design: A small grayish planet with little stars and symbols.
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Keyword tip: What does Mercury mean on Snapchat?
🌕 Venus – Your #2 Best Friend
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Meaning: Venus represents your second-closest friend. You often interact, but not as much as with your #1.
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How it works: Lots of Snaps and chats, just slightly less than Mercury.
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Design: A yellow planet with a glowing aura.
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Keyword tip: Snapchat Venus meaning
🌍 Earth – Your #3 Best Friend
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Meaning: Earth shows who is your third most important friend on Snapchat.
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How it works: You’re very active with this person, keeping Snap streaks and regular conversations.
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Design: A blue-green planet with little stars, just like Earth.
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Keyword tip: Earth in Snapchat Solar System
🔴 Mars – Your #4 Best Friend
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Meaning: Mars symbolizes your fourth best friend.
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How it works: Still one of your close Snapchat friends, but slightly lower in interaction frequency.
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Design: A reddish planet with sparkles, representing Mars.
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Keyword tip: What does Mars mean on Snapchat planets?
🟠 Jupiter – Your #5 Best Friend
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Meaning: Jupiter is the fifth-closest friend in your Snapchat solar system.
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How it works: You’re connected and Snap regularly, but less often compared to the top 4.
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Design: A large orange planet with surrounding stars.
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Keyword tip: Jupiter Snapchat meaning
🪐 Saturn – Your #6 Best Friend
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Meaning: Saturn represents your sixth-best friend.
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How it works: You Snap often, but you’re further down in their rankings.
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Design: A golden planet with the signature Saturn rings, making it very recognizable.
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Keyword tip: Saturn in Snapchat solar system
💠 Uranus – Your #7 Best Friend
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Meaning: Uranus is the seventh-best friend in your Snapchat planets.
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How it works: A less frequent interaction compared to the top 6, but still a strong connection.
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Design: A teal-blue planet with sparkles.
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Keyword tip: What does Uranus mean in Snapchat planets?
🔵 Neptune – Your #8 Best Friend
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Meaning: Neptune is the farthest planet, symbolizing your eighth-closest
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friend.
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How it works: You still interact, but less frequently compared to your other best friends.
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Design: A dark blue planet with stars around it.
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Keyword tip: Neptune Snapchat meaning
What affects your planet ranking?
Snap doesn’t publish the exact formula, but the company says Solar System illustrates how frequently one of your friends communicates with you. In practice, consistent Snaps, Chats, replies, and other engagement with that friend tend to move you closer to the sun. newsroom.snap.com
Tips to move “closer” over time (ethically):
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Keep conversations active (Snaps + Chats).
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Reply thoughtfully to Stories and Snaps.
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Maintain steady contact (consistency often matters more than bursts).
(Rankings update over time and can go up or down as your in‑app activity changes.) newsroom.snap.com
Why you might not see Snapchat Planets
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You don’t have Snapchat+, or the feature is toggled off in Snapchat+ settings.
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You or your friend aren’t Top 8 for each other (only Top 8 shows planets).
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You’re tapping a profile with no gold badge (then there’s no planet to reveal).
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You’re on an outdated app version (update Snapchat). Snapchat Support
Safety, privacy & well‑being
Snap emphasizes that Solar System is private, optional, and off by default for new subscribers after April 2024. The change followed concerns about social comparison; Snap says it wants to avoid upsetting users who don’t want detailed rankings. If you don’t like it, simply leave it off.
FAQs
Is Solar System the same as Best Friends or Streaks?
No. Best Friends and Streaks exist for everyone; Solar System is a Snapchat+ extra that visualizes one friend at a time as a planet in their system.
Do both people need Snapchat+?
Snap’s docs describe Solar System as a private Snapchat+ feature you view on a friend’s profile by tapping the badge; it doesn’t say both must subscribe. What matters is you have Snapchat+ and the feature turned on.
Can I hide or disable planets?
Yes—toggle Solar System off in Snapchat+ settings anytime.
What’s the exact algorithm?
Snap doesn’t publish it. Officially, it illustrates how frequently a friend communicates with you, rather than giving a public score.
Why isn’t Pluto a planet on Snapchat?
Snapchat mirrors the modern eight‑planet model (Mercury→Neptune); Pluto isn’t included.
Related reading / sources
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Snapchat Support: how Friend Solar Systems work, where to find the badge, and that it’s off by default for first‑time subscribers. Snapchat Support
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Snap Newsroom (Apr 5, 2024): privacy, opt‑in default, purpose (illustrates frequency), not a numeric ranking. newsroom.snap.com
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Digital Trends: planet order and note that Pluto isn’t included. Digital Trends
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Beebom: badge meanings (“Best Friends” vs “Friends”), how to enable. Beebom
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Axios coverage of the opt‑in change and why Snap made it. Axios
