The history of Snapchat Planets is closely tied to Snapchat+, where Friend Solar System introduced a visual way to see your position among a friend’s Best Friends. The feature has changed in availability and presentation, but the basic idea remains the same.
Today, Snapchat describes Best Friends as the people you Snap and Chat with most, with up to eight Best Friends. For Snapchat+ subscribers using Friend Solar System, those positions are represented by Mercury through Neptune, from first to eighth.
This updated history separates Snapchat’s documented features from older assumptions about planet scores, timing, and ranking formulas that Snapchat does not publicly disclose.
My Personal Experience with Snapchat Planets
Rather than relying on a personal story, the useful way to understand Snapchat Planets is to follow how Snapchat has described Friend Solar System and how the feature fits into Snapchat+ today.
The planets are best understood as a visual representation of a Best Friends position. They can change as your Snapchat relationships and usage patterns change, but a planet should not be treated as a complete measure of a real-world friendship.
Read More: Snapchat Plus FAQ: Features, Plans & Common Questions
The Birth of the Cosmic Ranking (2022–2023)
Snapchat+ launched in 2022 as a paid subscription offering exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features. Friend Solar System became one of the subscription’s recognizable social features, giving subscribers a visual way to understand their position in a friend’s Best Friends list.
How It All Started
Friend Solar System uses the solar-system concept to represent eight Best Friends positions. When the feature is available and enabled, a subscriber can visit a friend’s Friendship Profile, tap the Best Friends badge, and see which planet represents their position.
- Mercury: #1 Best Friend
- Venus: #2 Best Friend
- Earth: #3 Best Friend
- Mars: #4 Best Friend
- Jupiter: #5 Best Friend
- Saturn: #6 Best Friend
- Uranus: #7 Best Friend
- Neptune: #8 Best Friend
The important point is that the planet names describe positions rather than fixed friendship scores. Snapchat does not publish a universal point value for each planet.
The Great “Opt-In” Shift: Old vs New Planets
One of the most important changes in the history of Snapchat Planets is the feature’s current opt-in behavior. Snapchat Support says Friend Solar System is off by default for first-time Snapchat+ subscribers and can be turned on or off through Snapchat+ feature management.
From Default to “Opt-In”
This setting gives Snapchat+ users control over whether they use the Solar System feature. Turning it off does not create a published “reset” score or permanently erase a Best Friends ranking; it simply controls access to the feature.
Because Snapchat can update its subscription features, the safest approach is to check the current Snapchat+ settings and official support information rather than relying on older screenshots or guides.
Snapchat Plus Updates: What Changed?
Snapchat+ has expanded well beyond Friend Solar System. Current Snapchat+ features include AI tools, customization, Story features, Replay Again, #1 Best Friend, custom app icons, chat customization, Story Rewatch, and other premium additions.
- More premium features: Solar System now sits alongside many other Snapchat+ features.
- More AI tools: Snapchat+ includes AI-powered creative experiences, with feature availability changing over time.
- More subscription choices: Snapchat offers additional plans such as Family, Platinum, and Lens+ in supported markets.
The 2026 Planet Guide: Who is Who?
The planet order is straightforward. Each planet corresponds to one of the eight Best Friends positions shown through Friend Solar System.
The Inner Circle (The “Real” Besties)
- Mercury: first position, representing the #1 Best Friend position.
- Venus: second position, representing #2.
- Earth: third position, representing #3.
The Outer Rim (The Casuals)
- Mars: fourth position.
- Jupiter: fifth position.
- Saturn: sixth position.
- Uranus: seventh position.
- Neptune: eighth position.
Snapchat Planet Meaning & Interaction Table
| Planet | Position | What It Represents |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | #1 | Highest Best Friends position |
| Venus | #2 | Second Best Friends position |
| Earth | #3 | Third Best Friends position |
| Mars | #4 | Fourth Best Friends position |
| Jupiter | #5 | Fifth Best Friends position |
| Saturn | #6 | Sixth Best Friends position |
| Uranus | #7 | Seventh Best Friends position |
| Neptune | #8 | Eighth Best Friends position |
Snapchat says Best Friends are the people you Snap and Chat with most. It does not publish a detailed mathematical formula showing exactly how every type of interaction is weighted or how many points are required to move between planets.
Why the “Solar System” Matters in 2026
Friend Solar System remains useful because it makes an otherwise private ranking easier to understand visually. Instead of displaying a numbered list, Snapchat uses familiar planets to show your position in a friend’s Best Friends group.
At the same time, the feature should not be interpreted as a complete friendship score. A ranking can reflect Snapchat activity without capturing conversations or relationships that happen outside the app.
FAQ: Everything You’re Asking on Reddit
Q: Is the Snapchat Solar System mutual?
No. Friend Solar System positions can be different in each direction. You may occupy a high position in one friend’s Best Friends list while that friend occupies a different position in yours.
Q: Can I see someone else’s solar system?
You can see your own planet position in a friend’s Solar System when the required Snapchat+ feature is available and enabled. Snapchat does not present you with a complete list of everyone else’s planets in that friend’s system.
Q: Why did my planet disappear?
Possible reasons include Friend Solar System being turned off, changes to Snapchat+ access, or no longer being within the relevant Best Friends position. If the feature itself is missing, checking Snapchat+ feature management and updating or restarting the app can help.
Q: Does the order update in real-time?
Snapchat does not publish a guaranteed update interval for Friend Solar System rankings. Avoid claims that a planet must change after a specific number of hours or interactions.
Martin’s Final Tip
Use Friend Solar System as a visual Snapchat feature, not as a definitive measurement of how much someone values a friendship. Your planet position reflects a Snapchat ranking context, while real relationships involve far more than app activity.
If you want to change or check the feature, open Snapchat+ feature management and review the Solar System setting. For current behavior, Snapchat Support is the safest source because Snapchat can change features and availability over time.
For more related information, read our Snapchat Plus FAQ, Best Friends vs Planets guide, How to See Your Planet Rank, and Snapchat Solar System Algorithm guide.
