What Are Snapchat Planets?
Snapchat Planets are a premium feature within the Snapchat Plus subscription that transforms your best friends list into a visual Best Friends Solar System. Introduced by Snap Inc. as part of their subscriber-only toolkit, this feature assigns each of your top eight friends a planet — from Mercury (closest to the Sun) to Neptune (outermost orbit) — based on your friendship ranking determined by interaction frequency. The closer a friend's planet is to the center of the solar system, the more you interact with them through snaps, chats, and story replies. Snapchat Planets is exclusively available to Snapchat+ subscribers who pay approximately $3.99/month for access to this and other premium features. Unlike standard friendship emojis visible to all users, the planetary solar system view gives subscribers a private, detailed look at how their closest friendships are ranked. Whether you are Mercury in someone's universe or floating at Neptune, understanding this premium feature helps decode modern digital friendship dynamics on Snapchat.
Snapchat Planets Order — All 8 Planets Explained
The Snapchat solar system follows the same order as our real solar system. Mercury is closest to the Sun (your #1 best friend), while Neptune sits at the outermost orbit (your #8 best friend). Each planet position reflects a specific friendship rank based on how frequently you interact with that person. Below is the complete Snapchat planets order with emojis, heart symbols, and meanings for every rank in the Best Friends Solar System.
| Rank | Planet | Emoji | Hearts | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mercury | 🔴 | 💗❤️🩷 | #1 best friend — most snaps exchanged |
| #2 | Venus | 🟡 | 💛🩷 | Second closest friend in the solar system |
| #3 | Earth | 🌍 | 💚💙⭐ | Third best friend on Snapchat |
| #4 | Mars | 🟠 | ❤️💜⭐ | Fourth best friend on Snapchat |
| #5 | Jupiter | 🤎 | 💗💙 | Fifth closest friend on Snapchat |
| #6 | Saturn | 🪐 | 💛⭐ | Sixth best friend on Snapchat |
| #7 | Uranus | 🔵 | 💙💚 | Seventh best friend on Snapchat |
| #8 | Neptune | 🌑 | 💙 | Eighth best friend — outermost orbit |
Snapchat Mercury — Rank #1 Best Friend
Mercury is the crown jewel of the Snapchat solar system — the planet closest to the Sun and the ultimate symbol of your number one best friend. When you see Mercury next to someone's name in a friend's Best Friends Solar System, it means that person exchanges more snaps with them than anyone else. Mercury friends typically display pink and red heart emojis (💗❤️🩷), reflecting the intensity of the bond. Becoming someone's Mercury requires relentless daily engagement: sending snaps every day, maintaining long streaks, replying to stories promptly, and being an irreplaceable part of their Snapchat routine. Because only one person can hold Mercury at a time, this position is highly competitive among close friend groups. Mercury rankings update dynamically, so consistent interaction is essential to holding the top spot. For a deep dive into this coveted position, read our Mercury Planet Guide.
Snapchat Venus — Rank #2
Venus represents the second orbit in the Snapchat Best Friends Solar System — your runner-up best friend who snaps and chats with you more than anyone except your Mercury. Venus friends display yellow and pink hearts (💛🩷), signaling warmth and closeness just one step behind the top position. Earning Venus means you are a core part of someone's daily Snapchat life. Many users actively work to climb from Venus to Mercury by increasing snap frequency and chat engagement. Venus is a prestigious rank that confirms you are among their two closest digital friendships. Learn more in our Venus Snapchat Planet guide.
Snapchat Earth — Rank #3
Earth holds the third position in the Snapchat planets order, marking you as someone's third most-interacted best friend. Earth friends show green, blue, and star emojis (💚💙⭐), representing a grounded and reliable friendship connection. While not the top two spots, Earth still places you firmly in someone's inner social circle on Snapchat. Maintaining Earth status requires regular daily snaps, active chat participation, and consistent story engagement. Explore the full meaning in our Earth Snapchat Planet guide.
Snapchat Mars — Rank #4
Mars is the fourth planet in the Snapchat solar system, representing someone's fourth most-interacted friend. Mars friends display red, purple, and star emojis (❤️💜⭐). This position reflects a strong friendship with regular snap exchanges and active streaks, though three other friends currently rank higher in interaction volume. Increasing daily engagement can help you climb from Mars toward Earth, Venus, or even Mercury. Read our complete Mars Snapchat Planet guide for tips on improving your rank.
Snapchat Jupiter — Rank #5
Jupiter occupies the fifth orbit in the Best Friends Solar System — a substantial friendship that remains consistently active without being among the most frequent daily interactors. Jupiter friends show pink and blue hearts (💗💙). Named after the largest planet in our solar system, this Snapchat rank signifies a meaningful connection maintained through regular snaps, group chats, and story interactions. Discover more in our Jupiter Snapchat Planet guide.
Snapchat Saturn — Rank #6
Saturn holds the sixth position in the Snapchat planets order, marking you as someone's sixth most-interacted best friend. Like its real-world namesake with distinctive rings, Saturn represents a friendship with defined boundaries — close enough for the top eight, but not among the most active daily connections. Saturn friends display yellow heart and star emojis (💛⭐). Learn how to climb the ranks in our Saturn Snapchat Planet guide.
Snapchat Uranus — Rank #7
Uranus is the seventh planet in Snapchat's friendship solar system, placing you as someone's seventh most-interacted best friend. Still within the top eight cutoff, Uranus friends show blue and green hearts (💙💚). This outer orbit position means lower interaction frequency compared to the six friends above, but sustained engagement keeps you in the solar system. Read our Uranus Snapchat Planet guide for strategies to move inward.
Snapchat Neptune — Rank #8
Neptune is the outermost and final planet in the Snapchat Best Friends Solar System — someone's eighth and last ranked best friend. Neptune friends display a single blue heart (💙), signaling a connection at the edge of the top eight. This position is precarious; reduced activity can push you out of the solar system entirely. Find out how to maintain or improve your rank in our Neptune Snapchat Planet guide.
How Does Snapchat Calculate Planet Rankings?
Snapchat uses a sophisticated recency algorithm to calculate planet rankings within the Best Friends Solar System. The primary factors include interaction frequency — how often you exchange snaps and chat messages — along with your snap score activity relative to each friend. Streak maintenance contributes significantly, as daily snap exchanges signal consistent engagement. Chat activity and story replies also factor into rankings, rewarding friends who interact across multiple Snapchat features. The algorithm prioritizes recency, meaning recent interactions weigh more heavily than historical patterns. Your best friends list is recalculated continuously, so daily interactions with a specific person can rapidly shift their planet position. Understanding these factors helps you strategize how to climb from Neptune toward Mercury in any friend's solar system.
How to See Your Snapchat Planet
To see your Snapchat planet in someone's Best Friends Solar System, follow these steps. First, ensure you have an active Snapchat Plus subscription — planets are not visible to free users. Open Snapchat and navigate to a friend's profile by tapping their Bitmoji or name in Chat. Look for the "Best Friends" or solar system badge on their profile if they are a fellow Snapchat Plus subscriber viewing their own system. To check which planet you occupy in a friend's solar system, ask them to open their solar system view and look for your name among the eight orbiting planets. Alternatively, subscribe to Snapchat Plus and view your own Best Friends Solar System to see how you have ranked your top eight friends. For a complete walkthrough, visit our Snapchat Planets Guide hub page.
What Is Snapchat Plus?
Snapchat Plus is a paid subscription tier offered by Snap Inc. that unlocks premium features beyond the standard free experience. Priced at approximately $3.99 per month, the subscription includes the Best Friends Solar System (Snapchat Planets), a Best Friends badge, Super BFF indicators, custom app icons, story rewatch counts, and exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds. Snapchat Plus is designed for power users who want deeper insight into their friendships and more personalization options. The planets feature alone makes the subscription popular among users curious about their friendship rankings. Visit the Snapchat Plus official page for current pricing and the full feature list.
Snapchat Best Friends Badges Explained
Beyond planets, Snapchat uses friendship emojis to signal relationship status. The Yellow Heart 💛 appears when you and a friend are each other's #1 best friend. The Red Heart ❤️ replaces it after two weeks of mutual top-friend status. Pink Hearts 💕 indicate a long-term mutual best friendship lasting two months or more. The Fire 🔥 emoji marks an active snap streak, while 100 💯 celebrates a 100-day streak milestone. Sunglasses 😎 means you share a mutual best friend — you are both close to the same person. These emojis differ from planets because they are visible to both friends involved, whereas the solar system view is exclusive to Snapchat Plus subscribers. For a complete breakdown of every emoji, visit our Snapchat Emojis Guide.
Tips to Become Someone's Mercury on Snapchat
- Send daily snaps — Consistency is the single most important factor. Snap them every day, even if it is a quick photo or selfie.
- Maintain streaks — Active snap streaks signal ongoing engagement and boost your interaction score significantly.
- Reply to stories — Story replies count toward interaction frequency and show you are paying attention to their content.
- Engage in group chats — Participating in shared group conversations increases your overall visibility and interaction metrics.
- Be consistent — Sporadic bursts of activity are less effective than steady daily engagement over weeks and months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only the person viewing the solar system needs an active Snapchat Plus subscription. The subscriber can see which planet each of their top eight friends occupies in their Best Friends Solar System. The friends being ranked do not need Snapchat Plus themselves — they simply need to be among the subscriber's eight most-interacted friends for a planet to appear next to their name.
Yes, Snapchat planet positions update dynamically based on your recent interaction patterns. If you snap one friend more frequently than another over a period of days, rankings can shift accordingly. A friend who was your Mercury last week might become your Venus this week if someone else receives more snaps, chats, and story replies from you recently.
If you do not appear in someone's Best Friends Solar System, you are not among their eight most-interacted friends based on Snapchat's recency algorithm. This does not necessarily mean the friendship is weak — it simply means other friends currently have higher interaction frequency. Increasing daily snaps and chat activity can help you enter their top eight.
Best friends emojis (like Yellow Heart or Red Heart) appear next to friend names and reflect mutual top-friend status visible to both users. Snapchat planets are a Snapchat Plus exclusive feature that visualizes your top eight friends as a solar system — only the subscriber sees this ranking. Emojis are platform-wide; planets are a premium solar system view.
Planet rankings are recalculated continuously based on snap frequency, chat activity, story replies, and interaction recency. Busy periods with one friend can temporarily boost their rank, while reduced activity causes positions to drop. This dynamic system reflects your current friendship priorities rather than long-term historical patterns.
Mercury is considered the rarest and most coveted Snapchat planet because only one person can hold the #1 position in each user's solar system. Being someone's Mercury means you exchange more snaps with them than any other friend — a highly competitive spot when someone has many active Snapchat connections.
Yes, planet rankings are independent for each user. You might be someone's Mercury because you snap them constantly, while they rarely snap you back — placing them at Neptune or outside your top eight entirely. Snapchat calculates rankings separately for every user's solar system based on their individual interaction data.
No, your planet ranking does not directly affect snap streaks. Streaks are maintained by exchanging snaps with a specific friend within a 24-hour window regardless of planet position. However, the same daily snapping habits that maintain streaks also tend to improve your planet ranking, since both rely on consistent interaction frequency.