Curious about what the planets next to your Snapchat friends mean, or trying to figure out who holds the coveted Mercury spot in your Friend Solar System? Introduced as a flagship feature for Snapchat Plus (Snapchat+) subscribers, the Snapchat Planets system visualizes your top 8 closest connections through an interactive solar system metaphor. However, because each planet represents a different tier of mutual interaction, decoding who is your Mars versus who is your Neptune can be confusing.
Snapchat Planets Cheat Sheet: Order from Closest to 8th
The Sun represents YOU (or your friend). The 8 orbiting planets represent your mutual ranking based on streak frequency, sent snaps, and chat activity:
1. Mercury (#1 Best Friend) | 2. Venus (#2 Best Friend) | 3. Earth (#3 Best Friend) | 4. Mars (#4 Best Friend)
5. Jupiter (#5 Best Friend) | 6. Saturn (#6 Best Friend) | 7. Uranus (#7 Best Friend) | 8. Neptune (#8 Best Friend)
How Does the Snapchat Friend Solar System Work?
The Snapchat Friend Solar System is available exclusively to Snapchat+ subscribers. When you view the Friendship Profile of another user, you may notice a distinctive “Best Friends” or “Friends” golden badge bordered in space artwork. Tapping this badge displays a celestial view showing which planet you represent in their personal solar system.
Crucially, the algorithm calculates this placement based on mutual interaction volume. Sending dozens of photos, engaging in continuous Snap Streaks, sharing video messages, and replying in group chats all contribute to your friendship score weight. If you are one of their top eight friends, you will orbit their profile as a designated planet.
Complete Snapchat Planets Order, Visual Badges & Meaning
Snapchat gives each planet distinct graphical characteristics, colors, and orbiting heart icons so you can immediately determine your exact ranking:
| Planet Position | Friendship Rank | Visual Appearance & Orbiting Icons | Relationship Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mercury | #1 Best Friend | Dark red/crimson planet with 5 orbiting pink hearts | The highest possible ranking. You interact with this person more than anyone else on Snapchat. |
| 2. Venus | #2 Best Friend | Light brown/caramel planet with pink and yellow hearts | Your second closest connection on the app, trailing only your #1 Mercury. |
| 3. Earth | #3 Best Friend | Classic blue & green terrestrial sphere with red hearts and orbiting Moon | Strong daily communication and frequent high-volume snap exchanges. |
| 4. Mars | #4 Best Friend | Red-orange rocky planet with purple and blue stars | Solid fourth place; consistent communication with active streak engagement. |
| 5. Jupiter | #5 Best Friend | Massive reddish-orange striped gas giant with dark red stars | Fifth in mutual interaction volume; regular chat replies and shared stories. |
| 6. Saturn | #6 Best Friend | Yellow ringed planet with orange rings and yellow stars | Upper tier friend; frequent contact throughout the school or work week. |
| 7. Uranus | #7 Best Friend | Smooth greenish-blue ice giant with blue sparkle stars | Seventh in mutual engagement; occasional direct snaps and recurring streaks. |
| 8. Neptune | #8 Best Friend | Deep azure blue planet with cyan and blue stars | Anchoring the outer edge of your Top 8 Best Friends circle. |
What Does “Best Friends” vs. “Friends” Badge Mean?
When you click on the celestial badge in a friendship profile, you will see one of two badges:
- “Best Friends”: This means the friendship is completely symmetrical—both of you are in each other’s Top 8 Best Friends list.
- “Friends”: This indicates an asymmetrical ranking. They are in your Top 8 Best Friends list, but you are not currently in their Top 8 (or vice versa).
The Privacy Controversy & Snapchat’s Opt-In Toggle Update
While the Friend Solar System was initially celebrated by teenagers as a fun social metric, it quickly sparked widespread social anxiety and relationship friction. Users experienced stress upon discovering that their real-world romantic partner or best friend had them ranked as Saturn or Neptune rather than Mercury, or when someone fell out of the solar system completely.
In response to feedback from mental health organizations and teen advocacy groups, Snap Inc. implemented a significant design overhaul:
Important 2024–2026 Setting Update:
Snapchat made the Solar System feature disabled by default for new Snapchat+ members. If you wish to see planet badges, you must manually enable the feature in your settings. Furthermore, your friends will only see your planet rank if both parties have active permissions enabled.
How to Turn Off or Enable Snapchat Planets:
- Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji profile icon in the top-left corner.
- Tap the Snapchat+ membership banner card.
- Locate the “Solar System” toggle setting.
- Flip the switch ON to participate in the planet hierarchy, or OFF to remove all planet badges from your profile for privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can non-Snapchat+ users see their Snapchat Planets?
No. You must have an active Snapchat+ subscription (priced at $3.99/month or $29.99/year) to view solar system badges on profile pages. However, non-subscribers can still occupy planet slots in a subscriber’s solar system without knowing it.
Why am I not showing up as a planet in my friend’s profile?
If you see a generic profile with no planet icon, it means you are not currently within that user’s Top 8 most-interacted contacts. Increasing your direct photo snaps, video messages, and chat replies will raise your friendship score over several days.
Can anyone else see who my Snapchat Planets are?
No. Your Friend Solar System is entirely private between you and the specific friend you are checking. Other followers or outside contacts cannot view your full list of top 8 friends.
Does Snapchat include Pluto in the Solar System?
No. In accordance with standard International Astronomical Union classifications, Snapchat only includes the 8 official solar system planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). There is no Pluto badge.
