Social media platforms evolve constantly, and Snapchat is no exception. Over the years, Snapchat has introduced several creative features that keep users engaged—Stories, Snapstreaks, Bitmojis, and Spotlight, to name a few. One of the most popular additions to Snapchat Plus (Snapchat+) is the “Snapchat Planets” or the Snapchat Solar System, a fun and interactive way to visualize your closest friends.
For many users, the feature seems mysterious at first. Why are your friends represented as planets? What does each planet mean? And how exactly does Snapchat determine these rankings?
This in-depth guide explains everything you need to know about Snapchat Planets, how they work, what each planet represents, and how you can use the feature to understand your friendships better. Whether you’re totally new to Snapchat+ or simply curious, this article will help you decode the full meaning of Snapchat Planets in 2025.
What Are Snapchat Planets?
Snapchat Planets is a premium feature available exclusively to Snapchat+ subscribers. Instead of a simple list showing your best friends, Snapchat uses a virtual solar system to represent your top 8 closest friends.
In this system:
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You are the Sun
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Your best friends become planets orbiting around you
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The closer the planet, the stronger your friendship
This creative concept turns ordinary friend rankings into a colorful, interactive celestial design. Each of your friends is assigned a specific planet based on how frequently you interact with each other through snaps, chats, stickers, and calls.
How Snapchat Determines Your Planet Ranking
Snapchat uses various engagement signals to determine how close you are with someone:
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How often you send snaps
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How frequently they snap you back
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Length and consistency of your conversations
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Usage of Bitmojis, stickers, and reactions
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Regularity of interactions over time
These interactions feed into Snapchat’s “friendship algorithm,” which assigns your friends a ranking from 1 to 8, each represented by a planet.
So if someone is the Mercury in your Snapchat solar system, it means they are your #1 best friend. If they are Neptune, they are your #8 best friend.
Why Did Snapchat Introduce Planets?
Snapchat Planets serve two main purposes:
1. Enhancing the Snapchat+ Premium Experience
Snapchat+ launched with the goal of giving users exclusive, fun, and customizable features. The Solar System fits perfectly into this idea by gamifying friendships and making the experience visually attractive.
2. Making Friend Rankings More Fun
Instead of simple lists like “Best Friends,” Snapchat introduced a more entertaining and meaningful representation that encourages users to interact more with their closest friends.
The Snapchat Planets List and What Each One Means
Each planet has its own color, emoji style, and position. Below is the full breakdown:
1. Mercury – Your #1 Best Friend
Color: Red/orange
Meaning: Your closest friend on Snapchat
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, representing the person you interact with the most. If someone is your Mercury, you probably snap daily, share streaks, and talk frequently.
2. Venus – Your #2 Best Friend
Color: Yellow/light orange
Meaning: Your second-most engaged friend
Venus is warm and bright, symbolizing someone you talk to often but not as frequently as your #1.
3. Earth – Your #3 Best Friend
Color: Blue/green
Meaning: A very strong and consistent friendship
Earth is one of the most recognizable planets in the system, showing that the person is among your top three most active friends.
4. Mars – Your #4 Best Friend
Color: Red
Meaning: A close friend with regular communication
Mars represents a strong bond, but not as active as your top three.
5. Jupiter – Your #5 Best Friend
Color: Orange with stripes
Meaning: A friendly and steady relationship
Since Jupiter is a large planet, it represents a solid friendship, though not in the top tier.
6. Saturn – Your #6 Best Friend
Color: Yellow with rings
Meaning: Someone you talk to often but less than your top 5
The iconic rings make Saturn easy to identify.
7. Uranus – Your #7 Best Friend
Color: Light blue/teal
Meaning: A moderately active friendship
This friend is still important but not one of the closest.
8. Neptune – Your #8 Best Friend
Color: Deep blue
Meaning: The last friend in your top 8 ranking
Neptune is the furthest planet, representing the friend with the least interactions in your best friends list.
Where to Find Snapchat Planets
To view Snapchat Planets, you must be subscribed to Snapchat+. Below is how you can find them:
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Open Snapchat
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Go to a friend’s profile
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If they are in your top 8, you will see a planet icon under “Friendship Status”
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Tap the icon to see which planet they are in your solar system
If the friend is not in your top 8, you won’t see a planet.
Can You See Other People’s Planets?
Yes—but only for yourself.
Snapchat does not show you your ranking in someone else’s solar system unless they also subscribe to Snapchat+ and choose to share that data.
Even then, the feature is optional, so people can hide it if they want to.
Is Snapchat Planets Always Accurate?
The ranking updates regularly based on your usage, but it’s not real-time. Sometimes it takes:
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A few hours
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A day or two
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Or until interactions become consistent
Snapchat uses long-term patterns, not just temporary behavior. So sending a large number of snaps in a single day won’t immediately move someone from Neptune to Mercury.
Why Don’t I See Planets on Some Profiles?
There are several possible reasons:
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You are not subscribed to Snapchat+
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The person is not in your top 8
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Snapchat+ features are disabled on their side
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The account might have privacy restrictions
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You haven’t interacted enough with them
Is Snapchat Planets Safe and Private?
Yes.
Snapchat ensures:
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Only you can see your solar system (unless you decide to share it)
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Rankings are not visible to the public
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No one gets notified when they move up or down in your solar system
This avoids unnecessary drama among friends.
Snapchat Planets vs. Best Friends List
Before Snapchat+ introduced Planets, the app used simple emojis to show your best friends. While Snapchat still uses emojis like ❤️🔥😊, the Solar System provides a more visual and interactive ranking system.
Here’s the difference:
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Best Friends Emojis → Public and simple
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Snapchat Planets → Premium, private, visual, and interactive
Why People Love Snapchat Planets
The feature gained huge popularity because:
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It’s fun and visually unique
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It simplifies friendship rankings
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Users enjoy comparing planets with friends
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It motivates more engagement
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It adds a personalized experience to Snapchat+
Snapchat has turned your friendships into a mini universe—literally!
Snapchat Planets: Tips to Improve Your Ranking
If you want someone to become your Mercury:
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Snap them frequently
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Keep your streak active
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Chat regularly
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Exchange photos instead of text-only messages
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Engage with Bitmoji stickers
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Use voice notes and video snaps
More interaction = higher ranking.
Final Thoughts
The Snapchat Planets feature is one of the most creative social tools introduced by Snapchat. It takes the idea of friendship ranks and transforms it into a visual, colorful, and meaningful experience. Whether you’re checking who your Mercury is or trying to understand why someone became your Neptune, the solar system offers a playful look into your digital relationships.
As Snapchat continues to evolve, the Solar System remains one of the most interesting and engaging features for Snapchat+ users—helping you understand your closest connections in a fun, cosmic way.
