Snapchat Planets for Beginners: Step-by-Step Guide

Snapchat Planets is a feature inside Snapchat Plus that visually represents your closest friends using a solar system model. Each of your top eight friends is assigned a planet based on how much you interact with them. For beginners, this feature can feel confusing at first, especially if you don’t understand how the ranking works or how to view it.

In this guide, we’ll break down Snapchat Planets in a simple, step-by-step way so you can easily understand how it works and how to use it.

What Is Snapchat Planets?

Snapchat Planets is part of the Friend Solar System available only to Snapchat Plus users.

In this system:

You are the Sun
Your closest friends are assigned planets
Each planet represents a ranking based on interaction

The ranking order is:

Mercury (closest friend)
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune (eighth closest friend)

The closer the planet is to the Sun, the stronger your interaction with that friend.

Step 1: Subscribe to Snapchat Plus

Before you can access Snapchat Planets, you must have Snapchat Plus.

To subscribe:

Open Snapchat
Tap your profile icon
Select Snapchat Plus
Choose a plan
Complete payment

Once activated, premium features including Planets will unlock.

Step 2: Open a Friend’s Profile

After subscribing:

Go to your chat list
Tap on a friend’s name
Open their profile page

This is where you will check their planet position.

Step 3: Look for the Friend Badge

On the profile screen, you may see a badge under their name.

This badge can show:

Best Friends badge
Friends badge
Planet indicator (if available)

Tap on the badge to view details.

Step 4: Check Their Planet Position

When you open the Friend Solar System view, you will see:

A Sun in the center (you)
Planets around it
Your friend placed on one of the planets

The planet shows your ranking with that person.

For example:

Mercury = your #1 friend
Venus = #2 friend
Neptune = #8 friend

Step 5: Understand What the Planet Means

Each planet represents your interaction level.

Mercury → highest interaction
Venus → very strong interaction
Earth → strong interaction
Mars → moderate interaction
Jupiter to Neptune → lower interaction levels

The ranking is based on how often you communicate.

Step 6: Interact to Change Rankings

If you want to change your planet ranking:

Send more snaps
Chat regularly
Maintain Snapstreaks
View and reply to stories

Snapchat updates rankings based on your activity.

Step 7: Check Changes Over Time

Planet rankings are not fixed.

They can change when:

You interact more or less with someone
Another friend becomes more active
Snapstreaks are gained or lost

Checking regularly helps you track changes.

How Snapchat Determines Planets

Snapchat uses several signals:

Snap frequency
Chat activity
Story engagement
Recency of interaction
Consistency of communication

These combined factors decide your ranking position.

Why Snapchat Planets May Not Show for Beginners

Sometimes beginners cannot see Planets due to:

Not having Snapchat Plus
Outdated app version
Feature not enabled yet
Friend not in top 8

Without meeting these conditions, Planets will not appear.

Tips for Beginners Using Snapchat Planets

Focus on Daily Activity

Regular interaction matters more than occasional chatting.

Keep Snapstreaks Active

Streaks help maintain strong engagement signals.

Interact With Stories

Replies and reactions improve connection strength.

Stay Consistent

Snapchat rewards steady usage patterns.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Many new users misunderstand Snapchat Planets by:

Thinking it reflects real-life friendship
Assuming rankings are permanent
Believing colors affect ranking
Expecting mutual planet positions

In reality, it is based only on Snapchat activity.

Final Understanding for Beginners

Snapchat Planets is a simple but dynamic feature that shows your top friends based on interaction levels. Once you understand the step-by-step process, it becomes easy to check rankings and see how your Snapchat activity affects your Friend Solar System.