
Snapchat Planets Order Best Friends List: Complete Guide
You send your best friend a snap every day, maybe ten, but have you ever wondered exactly where you rank on their list? Snapchat’s Friend Solar System turns that ranking into a tiny solar system, with you as a planet orbiting your friend, and this guide explains the planets order, how to see your own planet with Snapchat+, and what to do when the badge doesn’t show up.
Snapchat+ subscribers: over 5 million (Snap Inc., 2024) ·
Planets in Friend Solar System: 8 (Mercury to Neptune) ·
Planet order matches: real solar system (Mercury closest, Neptune farthest) ·
Best Friends list max: 8 friends ·
Feature launched: 2023
Quick snapshot
- Planet order matches real solar system: Mercury #1 through Neptune #8 (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- Only Snapchat+ subscribers can see the planet badges (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- The planet badge appears when tapping the gold ring around a friend’s Bitmoji in chat (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- Each planet corresponds to a rank (1–8) in the Best Friends list (Beebom (tech explainer))
- Exact refresh frequency of the Best Friends list (Android Police (tech analysis))
- Whether both users must have Snapchat+ for the badge to appear (user reports suggest yes, but not officially confirmed) (Android Police (tech analysis))
- Future changes to the feature beyond 2025 (Android Police (tech analysis))
- Whether Snapchat plans to expand the Solar System beyond eight friends (no official statement) (Android Police (tech analysis))
- 2023: Snapchat introduces Friend Solar System for Snapchat+ subscribers (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- 2024: Feature remains active; no major changes reported (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- 2026: Speculative future; no official updates confirmed (Snapchat Support (official help center))
- New features may expand the Solar System beyond 8 friends
- More Snapchat+ subscribers means more people will see the planets
- Watch for official updates on refresh intervals and cross-subscriber visibility
Six key facts about the Friend Solar System, straight from the sources:
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Feature name | Friend Solar System |
| Number of planets | 8 |
| Planet order | Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune |
| Requirement | Snapchat+ subscription |
| Launch year | 2023 |
| Official source | help.snapchat.com (Snapchat Support) |
What is the Snapchat planets order for best friends?
The Friend Solar System ranks your top eight friends as the eight planets of our solar system, starting with Mercury as the #1 best friend and ending with Neptune as #8. The order never varies: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune — exactly like the real one (Snapchat Support (official help center)). Only Snapchat+ subscribers can see these planet badges (Times of India (tech news)).
Mercury (closest friend)
- Mercury = rank #1. This is the person you snap and chat with the most (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Venus (second closest)
- Venus = rank #2. Still very close, just a step behind Mercury (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Earth (third closest)
- Earth = rank #3. Your third-best friend on Snapchat (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Mars (fourth closest)
- Mars = rank #4. You interact regularly, but not as much as the top three (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Jupiter (fifth closest)
- Jupiter = rank #5. The first of the outer planets; still a good friend (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Saturn (sixth closest)
- Saturn = rank #6. Less frequent snaps, but still in the top six (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Uranus (seventh closest)
- Uranus = rank #7. Near the edge of your solar system (Beebom (tech explainer)).
Neptune (eighth closest)
- Neptune = rank #8. The farthest planet, but still one of your top eight (Beebom (tech explainer)).
The implication: your rank is purely based on interaction frequency, not emotional connection.
How do I see where I am on someone’s best friends list with Snapchat Plus?
If you both have Snapchat+, checking your rank is quick. Here are the steps:
- Open the chat with the friend: Go to your chat list and tap the conversation with the person whose ranking you want to see. This opens the chat screen (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
- Tap the gold ring around their Bitmoji: Look at the top of the chat screen. If the friend is one of your top eight, you’ll see a gold ring around their Bitmoji. Tap it to open their Friendship Profile (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
- Look for the planet badge that appears: On the Friendship Profile, you’ll see a planet badge indicating which planet you are in that friend’s Solar System — for example, Mercury means you’re their #1 (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
The badge only shows which planet you are — not the full list. You cannot see someone else’s entire Solar System unless they show you directly (Android Police (tech analysis)).
The pattern: the badge reveals only your position, not the full list, meaning you cannot see the entire Solar System of a friend unless they share it directly.
Why are planets not showing on my Snapchat best friends list?
Missing planet badges are the most common frustration. Here’s what to check:
Check Snapchat+ subscription status
- Planets only appear for active Snapchat+ subscribers. Open your Snapchat+ settings to confirm your subscription is active (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
Verify the friend also has Snapchat+
- User reports suggest both people need Snapchat+ for the planet badge to appear. While Snapchat hasn’t officially confirmed this, many Reddit users report it as the most common cause (Android Police (tech analysis)).
Update the Snapchat app
- An outdated app version can break new features. Go to your app store and install the latest Snapchat update.
Wait for the Best Friends list to refresh
- The list doesn’t update in real time. If you’ve just subscribed or changed your interaction patterns, wait a few hours for the system to recalculate (Android Police (tech analysis)).
If you and your friend both have Snapchat+ and the badge still doesn’t appear, try toggling the Friend Solar System off and on in your Snapchat+ settings (Snapchat Support (official help center)). The feature is off by default for new subscribers.
The catch: toggling the feature off and on often resolves the display issue.
What does each planet mean on Snapchat best friends list?
Eight planets, eight ranks — the meaning is consistent across all Snapchat+ users. Here’s the complete mapping:
| Planet | Rank | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | #1 | Closest friend — most snaps and chats (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Venus | #2 | Second closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Earth | #3 | Third closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Mars | #4 | Fourth closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Jupiter | #5 | Fifth closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Saturn | #6 | Sixth closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Uranus | #7 | Seventh closest (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
| Neptune | #8 | Eighth closest — still a top friend (Beebom (tech explainer)) |
The planets aren’t a measure of how much someone likes you — they rank interaction frequency. A friend who sends you one snap a month won’t make the top eight, no matter how close you are offline (Times of India (tech news)).
What this means: the metric is purely algorithmic, not emotional.
Confirmed facts
- Planet order matches solar system (Mercury to Neptune).
- Snapchat+ subscription required to see planets.
- Planet badge appears when tapping gold ring in chat.
- Each planet corresponds to a rank in Best Friends list.
What’s still unclear
- Exact refresh frequency of Best Friends list.
- Whether both users must have Snapchat+ for the badge to appear (user reports suggest yes, but not officially confirmed).
- Future changes to the feature beyond 2025.
- Whether Snapchat plans to expand the Solar System beyond eight friends (speculative).
Quotes from the community
“Tapping on the badge will show you which planet you are in their Solar System, with each planet representing a different position in their Best Friends list.”
— Snapchat Help Center (Snapchat Support (official help center))
“I have Snapchat+ and sometimes when I click on the gold ring around best friends, no image of a planet shows up.”
— Reddit user (r/SnapchatHelp (user community))
The pattern is clear: official documentation confirms the mechanics, but real-world hiccups are common. For Snapchat users who care about their rank, the takeaway is simple — subscribe, update your app, and give the system time to refresh. For Snapchat, the feature is a clever way to drive Snapchat+ subscriptions, but opaque refresh rules create confusion. The trade-off for a glimpse of your place in a friend’s digital world: you trade patience for a tiny planet icon.
Frequently asked questions
How many best friends can you have on Snapchat?
Your Best Friends list can hold up to eight friends. The Friend Solar System uses exactly those eight slots (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
Does Snapchat planets order change every day?
The order updates periodically, not in real time. You may see changes after a few hours or overnight based on your recent interaction patterns (Android Police (tech analysis)).
Can you see your own planet on Snapchat?
No — you see the planet you are in your friend’s Solar System, not your own. The badge appears on your friend’s profile, not yours (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
What is the Snapchat planet list for 2026?
As of 2025, no official changes have been announced. The planet order is expected to remain Mercury through Neptune unless Snapchat expands the feature.
Do both people need Snapchat+ to see planets?
User reports indicate yes — both parties must be Snapchat+ subscribers for the planet badge to appear. Snapchat has not officially confirmed this requirement (Android Police (tech analysis)).
How do I get Snapchat Plus to see best friends planets?
Open Snapchat settings, tap “Snapchat+”, and subscribe. After subscribing, go to a friend’s chat, tap the gold ring around their Bitmoji, and look for the planet badge.
What does the gold ring mean on Snapchat best friends?
The gold ring appears around a friend’s Bitmoji when that person is one of your top eight best friends. Tapping it opens the Friendship Profile where the planet badge lives (Snapchat Support (official help center)).
Is the Snapchat planet order the same for everyone?
Yes — the mapping from rank to planet is universal: Mercury #1, Venus #2, Earth #3, Mars #4, Jupiter #5, Saturn #6, Uranus #7, Neptune #8 (Beebom (tech explainer)).
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