What is Snapchat Plus? The Ultimate Guide to Snapchat‘s New Paid Subscription

Hey there! Have you heard about Snapchat Plus, Snapchat‘s new optional subscription plan? If not, you likely have questions about what it is, what‘s included, whether it‘s worth it, and more.

As your knowledgeable friend here to explain everything in simple terms, let me walk you through a comprehensive guide to Snapchat Plus. I‘ll share insights from an avid Snapchat user‘s perspective to help you decide if Snapchat‘s premium subscription is right for you.

We have a lot to cover, so let‘s get started!

What Exactly is Snapchat Plus?

Snapchat Plus (also known as Snapchat+ or Snap+) is a paid subscription service offered directly within the Snapchat app. It launched in June 2022.

Snapchat Plus gives subscribers access to exclusive, early, and preview features not available to regular Snapchat users. These bonus perks aim to enhance and customize the Snapchat experience.

For a monthly fee of $3.99, Snapchat Plus unlocks special features like:

• Custom icons and colors
• Custom notification sounds
• Custom story expiration timers
• New Bitmoji backgrounds
• Pin your #1 Best Friend
• Post-view emoji
• Story rewatch counts
• Priority story replies
• New camera styles
• Ghost Trails
• Snapchat for Web access

I‘ll explain these neat features in more detail soon. But first, let‘s look at why Snapchat launched a paid subscription in the first place.

Why Did Snapchat Launch a Paid Tier?

Snapchat has always been a free app since first launching in 2011. So why start offering a paid subscription now?

There are a few key reasons why Snapchat Plus makes sense for the company:

• Find new revenue streams: Snapchat is looking to diversify beyond just ads. A subscription plan provides a way to generate revenue directly from users. This gives Snapchat a new income stream.

• Give loyal users more value: Snapchat has over 332 million daily active users. Snapchat+ provides extra value to the most loyal fans who want more features.

• Incentivize increased usage: Features like custom notification sounds and icons encourage users to engage more actively in the app.

• Test and rollout new features: Snapchat+ lets Snapchat test run and get feedback on new features before potentially expanding them to all users.

• Compete with rivals offering paid tiers: Twitter, Telegram, and Discord all launched subscription services. Snapchat Plus is Snapchat‘s competitive response.

The bottom line? Snapchat Plus allows Snapchat to cater to their most loyal users, make more money directly from those users, and experiment with new product offerings. Next, let‘s look at exactly what you get with a Snap Plus membership.

Breaking Down Snapchat Plus Features

Snapchat Plus offers a range of exclusive benefits to elevate your Snapchat experience. Here‘s an in-depth look at what you can unlock with Snapchat+:

Custom Icons

Tired of the standard yellow Snapchat ghost? With Snapchat+, you can access over 40 new icons and colors to customize your profile icon.

Choose from rainbow icons, gold icons, pixel icons, and other cool designs. Pick an icon that matches your personality or current mood.

Having a unique icon is a fun way to express yourself and stand out from default Snapchat users.

Custom Notification Sounds

Snapchat+ lets you assign different notification ringtones for incoming Snaps and Chats from your friends.

You can choose from 7 new exclusive sounds. For example, you could set a fun sound for when your best friend Snaps you and a more professional tone for your boss.

It‘s an easy way to personalize notifications and know who‘s Snapping you without looking at your phone.

Custom Story Expiration Timer

With Snapchat+, you can customize how long your Stories are viewable for – anything from 1 hour up to 1 week.

By default, Snapchat Stories disappear after 24 hours. But with Snapchat+ you can change that duration.

Give your closest friends more time to view your Stories before they vanish by extending the expiration. Or make Stories shorter for more ephemeral sharing.

New Bitmoji Backgrounds

Express yourself with new Bitmoji backgrounds and stickers unlocked by Snapchat+.

You can showcase your Snapchat Plus membership status with special backgrounds framed around your personalized Bitmoji avatar.

Bitmojis are an iconic Snapchat feature, so these background designs help customize your Snapchat presence even more.

Pin a #1 Best Friend

Tired of your Best Friends shuffle around in Snapchat? With Snapchat+ you can pin your true #1 best friend to the top of your Best Friends list.

No matter how often you snap other friends, your pinned #1 BFF will remain at the top of your list permanently.

No more guessing who your top friend is based on algorithmic scores. This lets you officially showcase your closest Snapchat bestie.

Post-View Emoji

Here‘s a fun one – post-view emojis!

With Snapchat+, you can set a custom emoji to display next to friends‘ names after you view their snap.

For example, you could set a thumbs up emoji to show after opening snaps from your coworkers. Or a laughing face for snaps from your family members.

It‘s a quick and easy way to react after viewing a snap without having to type a text response.

Story Rewatch Count

Ever wonder how many friends re-watch your Snapchat Stories? Snapchat+ lets you see the total Story re-watch count.

This global counter shows you the number of times your Snaps were viewed more than once by friends.

It‘s a nice way to get insight into how engaging your content is and who your biggest fans are. No names are shown, just the overall re-watch total.

Priority Story Replies

When you reply to a Snapchat Story from someone who also has Snapchat+, your reply will be prioritized to the top.

It gets pinned as a featured comment vs. buried in all the replies.

This makes it stand out more when replying to other Snapchat+ friends‘ Stories!

New Camera Styles

With Snapchat+, you gain access to new creative camera styles for capturing Snaps and Stories.

Add colorful borders, sparkles, lasers, and other funky effects when snapping photos or videos.

These exclusive camera styles help you make Snaps that stand out and show off your Snapchat Plus access!

Ghost Trails

Ghost Trails allow Snapchat+ subscribers to view the general location history of friends over the past 24 hours.

You can see the nearby places your friends have recently visited to get an idea of where they are hanging out.

This works as long as your friends have location sharing enabled with you and are Snapchat+ users in the same country.

It‘s a quick way to see what your buddies are up to and meet up with them in real life!

Snapchat for Web Access

Snapchat is also available on the web for Snapchat+ subscribers.

You can head to web.snapchat.com and sign in to access core Snapchat functions through your laptop or desktop web browser.

Chat, make video calls, create Stories, and more without having to use your phone.

It provides a convenient alternative way to stay connected on Snapchat for times you don‘t have your mobile device handy.

Snapchat+ Pricing: How Much Does Snapchat Plus Cost?

Snapchat Plus offers a few subscription options at different price points:

• Monthly: $3.99 per month
• 6 months: $21.99 total for 6 months
• Annually: $39.99 per year

The annual plan breaks down to just over $3 per month, so it‘s the best value if you know you‘ll use Snapchat Plus long-term.

But the flexibility of the monthly plan at $3.99/month may be better if you just want to try out Snapchat+ temporarily.

Compared to subscriptions for other apps, Snapchat Plus is very fairly priced:

• Twitter Blue: $4.99/month
• Telegram Premium: $4.99/month
• Discord Nitro: $9.99/month
• Facebook Meta Verified: $11.99/month
• Instagram Creator account: $9.99/month

So Snapchat+ gives you a lot of extra perks for a reasonable price point!

Getting Started with Snapchat Plus

Ready to get Snapchat Plus and unlock all these cool features? Here‘s a quick rundown of how to subscribe:

1. Open the Snapchat app and tap your Profile Picture
2. Select the Settings gear icon
3. Choose "Snapchat+" under Account Actions
4. Pick which plan you want
5. Enter your payment method and follow checkout prompts

Once subscribed, you can enable individual Snapchat+ features you want through Settings.

New users also get a free 7-day trial of Snapchat Plus upon signing up. This lets you preview the exclusive features before paying.

After subscribing, you‘ll see a special Snapchat Plus badge next to your profile picture letting friends know you‘ve got access. Plus, you can start customizing Snapchat to make it your own!

Pros of Snapchat Plus: Is It Worth It?

For Snapchat power users, the perks of Snapchat+ can definitely be worthwhile. Here are some of the biggest pros:

• Exclusive new features: Access experimental and preview features before anyone else

• Customization: Make Snapchat your own with personalized icons, sounds, etc.

• Insights: See stats like Story re-watch counts to understand engagement

• Priority: Get your Story Replies noticed faster by other Snapchat+ users

• Web access: Use Snapchat conveniently on your laptop and desktop

• Cost savings: Cheaper annual plan available at just over $3/month

• Free trial: Test out Snapchat+ risk-free before committing

For hardcore Snapchat fans, the extra capabilities and customizations add nice value on top of the free experience. While not necessary, it enhances Snapchat for frequent users.

Cons of Snapchat Plus: Reasons You Might Not Need It

Snapchat Plus clearly isn‘t for everyone. Here are some potential downsides to consider:

• Costs money: Regular Snapchat still has all core features for free

• Limited availability: Only available in some countries so far

• Exclusive features: Friends without Snapchat+ miss out on some capabilities

• Recurring payment: Easy to forget and keep paying monthly if you don‘t cancel

• Underwhelming perks: Some features like icons aren‘t hugely valuable

• Still has ads: No ad-free experience, even with Snapchat+

• Data privacy concerns: Features like Maps tracking raise privacy questions

For casual Snapchat users, the free version is probably still fine. The bonus perks alone may not provide enough value to warrant the ongoing subscription cost.

Snapchat Plus vs Regular Snapchat Comparison

To recap, here‘s a quick comparison of Snapchat Plus vs the regular free Snapchat app:

Feature	Snapchat Plus	Regular Snapchat
Price	$3.99/month	Free
Exclusive new features	✅	❌
Custom app icons	40+ choices	Limited options
Custom notification sounds	✅	❌
Custom story timers	✅	❌
New Bitmoji backgrounds	✅	❌
Pin #1 Best Friend	✅	❌
Post-view emoji	✅	❌
Story insights	✅	❌
Priority replies	✅	❌
Special camera modes	✅	❌
Ghost Trails	✅	❌
Web access	✅	❌

While Snapchat Plus offers some nice upgrades, regular Snapchat still provides free messaging, lenses, Stories, filters, Bitmoji, and other core features.

Who is Snapchat Plus Good For?

Based on the pros, cons, and comparison, here is the type of user that can get the most value from Snapchat Plus:

• Snapchat Power Users: People who spend lots of daily time actively Snapchatting

• Influencers & Creators: Those who use Snapchat to build an audience and share content

• Feature Enthusiasts: Users who get excited about early access to new digital products

• Customizers: Folks who enjoy personalizing apps and making experiences their own

• Insights Driven: People who like data and metrics around how content performs

• Privacy Unconcerned: Users not bothered by location tracking or data usage

Casual Snapchatters may be better off sticking with the free version. But frequent Snapchat posters can unlock more capabilities with Snapchat+.

FAQs About Snapchat Plus

Here are quick answers to some common questions about Snapchat‘s paid subscription:

How many people have signed up for Snapchat Plus so far?

Snapchat hasn‘t released official Snapchat+ subscriber numbers yet. But app analysts estimate over 11 million subscribers in the first 2 months.

What countries is Snapchat+ available in?

The US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Europe, and some countries in the Middle East. Expanding to more places over time.

Can you get Snapchat Plus for free?

There are no legit free Snapchat Plus accounts. But new users do get a 7-day free trial when signing up.

Is Snapchat Plus worth it for businesses and creators?

The extra insights and capabilities can be useful for branded accounts and creators building an audience on Snapchat.

Can kids and teens get Snapchat Plus?

You must be 18+ to purchase your own Snapchat+ subscription, as parental consent is required for minors.

Is Snapchat going away now that Snapchat Plus launched?

Nope! Regular Snapchat remains alive and well as a free app. Snapchat+ is an optional paid add-on subscription.

Do you see ads on Snapchat Plus?

Unfortunately yes, Snapchat+ does not remove ads from the app. You‘ll still see ads even as a paying subscriber.

The Bottom Line on Snapchat Plus

At the end of the day, Snapchat Plus is an optional subscription that gives the most devoted Snapchat users some extra goodies and personalization.

For hardcore Snapchat fans and frequent posters, the perks add nice value on top of the standard free experience. But more casual users may not find enough benefits to warrant the $3.99 monthly cost.

Hope this detailed guide gives you all the insider info you need to decide if Snapchat Plus is a smart upgrade for how you specifically use Snapchat. Let me know if you have any other questions!