Snapchat Planets Order and Meaning – How Does It Work? (2025)
Snapchat Planets Order and Meaning – How Does It Work? (2025)
One of the newest (and biggest) Snapchat features is the Planet Friend Solar System — a way to rank your top 8 friends using planets.
This article will cover:
- What do these planets mean?
- What’s the order?
- How does Snapchat decide which friend gets which planet?
- How do I turn this feature ON & OFF within the Snapchat app?
If you’re confused about these rankings, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Let’s break it all down.
What Is the Snapchat Planets Feature – And How Does It Work?
The Friend Solar System is exactly what it sounds like:
Snapchat will rank your closest friends based on the solar system. If you have Snapchat Plus, you can see which “planet” your friends are assigned to – within your Best Friends list.
You are always the sun — and your friends orbit around you.
The closer a planet is to you, the closer that friend is in your universe (because you typically send more snaps & chats to them). In other words, Snapchat decides the rankings based on how much you interact with each friend.
This feature isn’t available to everyone. It’s part of Snapchat Plus, which is Snapchat’s paid subscription service.
For $3.99 a month, Snapchat Plus gives users access to exclusive perks like Story Rewatch indicators, Custom App Icons, and the Friend Solar System.
What’s the Snapchat Planets Order, and What Do They Mean?
Snapchat’s Friend Solar System follows the same order as the real planets in our solar system – from Mercury to Neptune. The closer a planet is to the Sun (you) – the more snaps, chats, and interactions you have with that person.
Here’s the planet order and rankings:
- Mercury – Your #1 best friend (the friend you interact with the most)
- Venus – 2nd closest friend (you still snap and chat a LOT, but not quite as much as #1 Mercury)
- Earth – 3rd closest friend
- Mars – 4th closest friend
- Jupiter – 5th closest friend
- Saturn – 6th closest friend
- Uranus – 7th closest friend
- Neptune – 8th closest friend
Friend Rank |
Planet |
|---|---|
| Mercury #1 best friend (most snaps + chats) |
 |
| Venus 2nd closest friend |
 |
| Earth 3rd closest friend |
 |
| Mars 4th closest friend |
 |
| Jupiter 5th closest friend |
 |
| Saturn 6th closest friend |
 |
| Uranus 7th closest friend |
 |
| Neptune 8th closest friend |
 |
–
Each of these planets has its own unique design and Bitmoji symbol, to help differentiate them.
For example — Mercury (your #1 best friend) has a red Bitmoji planet with hearts, while Jupiter has a striped pattern with stars.
How to Check Your Snapchat Planets
So, how do you actually see which planet your friends are on? It’s pretty simple—but only if you have Snapchat Plus.
Steps to View Snapchat Planets:
- Go to your friend’s profile – Tap on their Bitmoji.
- Look for the “Best Friends” or “Friends” badge – If you see a gold Best Friends badge, that means you’re in each other’s top eight. If it’s a silver Friends badge, that means you’re in their top eight, but they’re not in yours.
- Tap on the badge – If you both have Snapchat Plus, you’ll see their assigned planet, showing how close you are in their Snapchat orbit.
Snapchat doesn’t tell you exactly how it calculates these rankings, but it’s mostly based on how often you chat, snap, and interact.
What Do the Planets Mean for Friendships?
Snapchat Planets are a fun way to visualize your top eight friends, but let’s be real—they can also cause drama.
Think about it… if you’re used to being someone’s Mercury and suddenly drop to Mars or Jupiter, you’re gonna notice. And if a close friend isn’t even in your solar system anymore? Yeah… it’s awkward.
But here’s the thing – friendships change. You might snap with one person every day for a month, then barely talk the next. Snapchat Planets update dynamically based on your most recent interactions, so rankings aren’t set in stone.
It’s also worth noting that Snapchat doesn’t notify you when your ranking changes. You’ll only find out if you go looking for it.
These Rankings Are NOT Fixed in Place!
They update frequently – sometimes daily – based on your most recent activity.
A burst of late-night streaks or quick replies can move a friend closer toward Mercury… while a quiet week might push them outward toward Jupiter or Neptune.
Even if someone drops in rank, it doesn’t erase your history (it’s just a reflection of your current interaction pace).
Also Keep in Mind:
Your spot in a friend’s Solar System may NOT match where they sit in yours.
You could be their Mercury while they’re only your Mars… or you could rank them as Venus while you show up as their Neptune. The system is personal and asymmetrical, which makes it even more interesting.
Snapchat Plus: Is It Worth It for the Planets Feature?
If you’re thinking about getting Snapchat Plus just for the Friend Solar System, you should know what else you’re getting.
Snapchat Plus Perks:
- Story Rewatch Count – See how many times people rewatch your stories.
- Custom Icons – Change your Snapchat app icon.
- Ghost Trails – See where friends have been (if they have location sharing on).
- Friend Solar System – Rank your closest friends with planets.
- Priority Replies – Your replies get more visibility on Snapchat Stars’ stories.
At $3.99/month, it’s not super expensive, but whether it’s worth it depends on how much you care about seeing your friend rankings and having extra customization.
What Countries Is It Available In?
Currently, Snapchat Planets is available in over 25 countries, including:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- France
- Canada
- India
- Many more
If you’re in a supported region and subscribed to Snapchat Plus, you should be able to toggle the feature on.
How to Improve Your Planet Position
If you’re aiming to climb closer to Mercury, consistency is key.
A few simple habits can make a difference:
- Snap or chat daily – short messages are fine, as long as they’re steady.
- Keep streaks alive to show ongoing engagement.
- React to friends’ stories and follow up with quick chats.
- Reply promptly when possible; even a short emoji keeps momentum.
- Avoid long breaks in activity if you want to hold your spot.
Snapchat refreshes rankings often – so regular & natural interactions usually matter more than one-time bursts of activity.
How to Enable or Disable the Planets Feature
Not everyone loves this feature. Luckily, Snapchat lets you turn off the Friend Solar System if you’re not feeling it.
How to Disable Snapchat Planets:
- Open Snapchat and go to Settings.
- Scroll down to Snapchat Plus Features.
- Find Friend Solar System and toggle it off.
If you ever change your mind, you can turn it back on the same way.
A few extra notes:
- For new Snapchat Plus subscribers, the Friend Solar System toggle is OFF by default – so you’ll need to manually turn it on.
- If rankings start to feel stressful, you can temporarily step back by using tools like iOS Focus to silence notifications (without fully disabling the feature).
- Screenshots of badges and planets are private… only you decide if you want to share them.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can someone see what planet they are in my Snapchat Solar System?
Nope! Only you can see your Friend Solar System. Your friends can’t see where they rank unless they have Snapchat Plus and check their own Solar System.
2. How often do Snapchat Planets change?
There’s no official answer, but rankings seem to update daily or weekly, depending on how often you interact with your friends.
3. What if I don’t have Snapchat Plus? Can I still see the planets?
Nope—this feature is exclusive to Snapchat Plus subscribers. If you don’t have it, you won’t see any planets.
4. Does streak length affect planet ranking?
Kind of. If you have a long streak with someone, you’re probably snapping them a lot, which increases their ranking. But it’s not the only factor—chats and other interactions also count.
5. Can I manually set my friends’ planets?
No, Snapchat assigns them automatically based on interaction levels.
Wrapping It Up…
Snapchat’s Friend Solar System is a creative (and slightly competitive) way to rank your closest friends. If you’ve got Snapchat Plus, you can see where your friends land in your orbit—whether they’re Mercury-level besties or hanging out on the distant edges of Neptune.
It’s fun, but it can also be a little intense if you take it too seriously. Friendships change, and so do Snapchat rankings. So, if your best friend suddenly isn’t your #1 anymore… don’t panic. Maybe they’ve just been busy. Or maybe it’s your turn to start sending more snaps.
Either way, whether you love it or hate it, Snapchat Planets have definitely made friendships more interesting.
