Snapchat has revolutionized the way users interact with their friends thanks to the exclusive function of the Solar System for Friends, available only on Snapchat Plus. This feature stands out for transforming the strongest connections into a metaphorical universe, where you are the Sun and each of your best friends becomes a planet revolving around you. The position of each planet reflects the level of proximity and frequency of interactions, bringing a social, playful, visual, and gamified component to the app's ecosystem.
This article explores in depth how Snapchat's solar system works, the meaning and detailed order of each planet, the differences with other features such as Snapstreaks, how to activate and view your own solar system, and practical recommendations and techniques for climbing the planet ladder. It also examines the controversies and social and psychological concerns it has raised, including Snapchat's most recent privacy policies and measures. Parental control applications and resources are also included, as well as educational comparisons, uses of augmented reality, and a future vision for the expected evolution of this innovative social feature.
What is the Snapchat Plus solar system and how does it work?
El Snapchat's solar system is a dynamic interactive feature that turns your most active relationships into an astronomical, visual representation. This feature, launched for subscribers of snapchat plus, places you at the center like the Sun, while your eight closest friends appear ordered like the eight classical planets of the solar system according to the quantity and intensity of the interactions you have with them.
Snapchat's algorithm analyzes multiple factors to determine the planetary positioning of each friend:
- Frequency and recency of direct messages (Snaps and chats)
- Reactions and responses to stories
- Games, use of filters and lenses, group interactions
- Snapstreak Maintenance
- Time shared and level of mutual commitment
The function isn't static, but rather varies as your social habits change. If you stop interacting with a previously close friend, they may drift away in your solar system (moving from, say, Mars to Saturn), while new friendships with frequent interaction can quickly ascend to the inner planets.
It is essential to understand that Snapchat's solar system isn't visible to everyoneOnly you can see your friends' ranking, and if you're both Plus subscribers, you'll also be able to see your position in each other's solar system. This helps safeguard privacy and reduces excessive competition between users, although it doesn't completely eliminate the associated social pressure.
Meaning and order of the planets in Snapchat's solar system
Snapchat's solar system uses the same eight planets as the real solar system, each assigned in order of proximity to the Sun based on the degree of friendship or intensity of the relationship. Below are the planets, their positions, and their specific significance within the digital context of Snapchat:
- Mercury: It is the closest planet to the Sun and represents to your best friend on SnapchatThis is the person you interact with the most: frequent snaps, active conversations, constant reactions, and daily participation. Their position in Mercury means maximum reciprocity and presence in your digital daily life.
- Venus: Venus is in second place. Friend Venus maintains a very close relationship with you, although a little less intense than Mercury. The frequency of messages, story views, and group participation remains very high.
- Earth: The third in the hierarchy. This is a friend with whom interaction is still common: there is regular contact, although not as intense as the previous two. It represents that balance between closeness and a certain digital independence.
- Mars: The fourth planet is for a friend with whom you have a good connection but a little less consistent. It could be a solid but less active relationship.
- Jupiter: Fifth in order, ideal for friends who are part of your social circle and with whom contact exists, but occurs more occasionally.
- Saturn: Sixth planet and symbol of sporadic friendship or periods of communication that come and go. It's usually assigned to people with whom you had close contact in the past but who have now cooled off.
- Uranus: Seventh planet, represents distant relationships: interaction is very low and conversations are infrequent or focused on very specific topics.
- Neptune: The planet farthest from the Sun and, in this context, the most distant friend or the one you interact with the least, of those in your Top 8. This could be a friendship that is losing strength.
Each planet is visually illustrated with colors and graphics based on its real-life counterpart, allowing users to become familiar with the authentic astronomical order, which provides an additional educational and recreational component.
The leaderboard updates automatically and dynamically, and neither you nor your friends can manually change your planet. Only your interactions and behavior in the app determine each position, encouraging authentic and ongoing participation.
Differences between Snapstreaks and Snapchat's solar system
It is common to confuse the function of the snapstreaks (Snapchat streaks) with the solar system of friends, but they have key differences. Snapstreaks refer to the number of consecutive days you and another person send Snaps to each other, marking the daily consistency of interaction. If a streak is broken, the badge is lost, but the planetary position doesn't depend solely on the continuous streak: The solar system globally weighs the frequency and quality of all types of interaction (messages, stories, filter usage, games, etc.) even if there is no unbroken streak.
Therefore, you can lose a Snapstreak and still maintain a high position like Mercury or Venus if the rest of the global interaction remains abundant. Similarly, Snapstreaks can help you maintain or improve planetary positions if they are accompanied by comprehensive use of the app.
Why did Snapchat create the solar system for friends?
Snapchat has always championed innovation in digital interaction. The solar system emerged as a response to users' desire to better visualize and understand their relationships within the platform, adding an aesthetic, educational, competitive, and, above all, fun element.
The feature aims to incentivize activity, motivate continued social ties, and maintain high levels of engagement through light gamification: seeing a friend ascend to closer planets provides satisfaction, and a demotion motivates you to reconnect, avoiding social disconnection.
In addition, the visual representation of the solar system helps young children reinforce basic astronomy knowledge, since the order of the replicated planets is the same as that of the real solar system.
How to activate and view your solar system on Snapchat Plus
Activating or viewing Snapchat's solar system requires meeting some requirements:
- Be a Snapchat Plus user (premium service with monthly or annual subscription)
- Make sure the friend whose position you want to check is also a Plus subscriber
Activation and display is done as follows:
- Open the Snapchat app and go to your profile (Bitmoji in the top left corner)
- Go to section snapchat plus and look for the option Solar system; turn on the switch if you haven't already
- Open your chat list and select a friend's profile (tap their Bitmoji or photo)
- If you both have Plus, you'll see a special badge indicating whether you're "best friends" (both of you are in each other's Top 8) or "buddies" (only one of you is in the other's solar system).
- Clicking on the badge shows you the planetary position you occupy in your friend's solar system and vice versa.
If the option doesn't appear, check that you both have an active subscription and that the app is updated. Keep in mind that Snapchat recently introduced the ability to voluntarily activate or deactivate the function To avoid inconvenience to users who don't want to participate, you can now decide whether you want your solar system to be visible or not.
How to improve your friends' position in the solar system
Advance planetary positions It's not just about sending messages: Snapchat values the overall interaction behavior with each friend. If you want someone to ascend to closer planets or maintain high status with your best friend, follow these tips:
- Send snaps and direct messages regularly: consistency and variety in communication strengthens the position
- Keep Snapstreaks active- Try to maintain your daily Snap streak, even if it's not the only parameter.
- React and respond to stories: Viewing and commenting on stories adds points to the interaction formula
- Use games, lenses and filters in groups: Participating in shared experiences within the app improves closeness
- Share exclusive multimedia content with that person: Sending photos, videos, and making voice or video calls increases the connection
- Avoid long periods without interaction: Inactivity is the main reason for the decline in planetary positions
Remember Snapchat planets are not permanentChanges in social habits and priorities can reorder the solar system at any time: consistency is key.
Common Mistakes and Myths About Snapchat Planets
There are several misconceptions about how Snapchat's solar system works:
- It doesn't depend exclusively on Snapstreaks: Planets consider all types of interaction, not just daily streaks
- It is not possible to manually rearrange the order of the planets: Only the actual usage algorithm determines this
- The Friends Solar System is not publicly visible., nor does it establish an "official" global ranking; only you and each friend can see each other on your systems
- Planetary positioning can change daily: Small variations in your activity constantly influence the order
Controversies and social challenges of Snapchat's solar system
Snapchat's introduction of the solar system has sparked debate and public concern, especially among young users and parents. While the feature is designed to be fun and encourage interaction, it can have negative effects on the self-esteem, social anxiety and sense of belongingSeeing a friend move down or away in your solar system can be interpreted as a sign of personal distancing or devaluation.
Some users have reported feelings of exclusion and social pressure to avoid being on inner planets, which could lead to obsessive behavior or prioritizing interactions over spontaneity. This concern has been reflected in public debates, lawsuits against various platforms for the impact on minors' mental health, and adjustments to Snapchat's policies to reduce the associated social stress.
Snapchat, in response to these criticisms, has made the feature optional, allowing manual activation and highlighting that it's not a competition: The platform insists that it is not a numerical classification or visible to third parties.
Privacy and Visibility Settings in the Solar System
Privacy management on Snapchat's solar system is key. Users can decide whether or not to show their solar system, and to whom. To do this:
- Accede to Configuration on Snapchat Plus
- Look for options privacy of the solar system
- Choose whether you want your solar system to be visible only to you, your best friends, or no one.
This control helps reduce social pressure and allows each user to adapt the function to their emotional well-being.
Parental Control and Safety Apps: FlashGet Kids
Concern about the responsible use of Snapchat among minors has led to the emergence of advanced parental control tools, among which stands out FlashGet KidsThis app allows parents to monitor their children's Snapchat usage to identify behavioral patterns, set time limits, and block dangerous or unwanted interactions.
- Time monitoring on social apps: Check how much time your child spends on Snapchat and their top contacts
- Blocking specific apps: Restrict access to Snapchat at certain times
- Content filtering: alert when viewing inappropriate material
- Detailed usage reports and geolocation: enables parents to make informed decisions about their children's digital safety
We encourage all parents to have an open conversation about Snapchat and social features like planets, clarifying concerns and preventing side effects.
Educational Uses and Augmented Reality: Snapchat Lens Solar System
Snapchat has boosted the educational value of its solar system of friends through augmented reality (AR) glasses , the Solar System LensThis feature allows you to explore an interactive 3D model of the real solar system right from the app:
- Realistic visualization of planets and orbits
- Informative pop-ups about each planet
- Interactive tools to zoom and rotate the model
This AR lens has been incorporated as a resource for classrooms and virtual educational environments, allowing young people to learn astronomy through their favorite social network, increasing motivation and participation rates in educational content.
International comparison and evolution of Snapchat Plus
Since its launch, snapchat plus and the planets feature have reached millions of subscribers in dozens of countries. According to internal data, premium users spend more time on the app, and the solar system of friends boosts the frequency and quality of digital relationships.
Compared to other educational and astronomy apps, Snapchat Planets' ease of use and social integration surpass traditional offerings, although its educational content is moderate and its value lies more in the interactive and social experience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Snapchat Planets
- Can I choose the planet I want to be for a friend? No, the system is automatic and is determined by your actual level of interaction.
- Do planets affect your Snapchat score? No, they are an independent representation oriented towards the social and visual aspect.
- How often does the planetary position change? The update is dynamic and depends on your daily habits; it can change from day to day depending on your activity.
- Can anyone else see my solar system? Only the friends in your system and yourself; it's never public.
- Does the feature affect privacy? Although the system is private, it indirectly reveals relationship patterns; you can adjust visibility in your privacy settings.
The Future of Snapchat's Solar System: Trends and Evolution
Snapchat's solar system is part of a broader trend of gamification on social media, seeking to foster user engagement and retention. It is expected to evolve by incorporating:
- Additional customization of the appearance of planets
- Integration with other features like Bitmoji or Snap Map
- New privacy and parental control tools
- Educational resources and even more advanced augmented reality lenses
Snapchat thus positions itself at the forefront of immersive social interaction, integrating entertainment, learning, and digital well-being.