Snapchat launches premium subscription called Snapchat+

Snap Inc, the company behind social media app Snapchat, has announced a new premium subscription called Snapchat+.

This subscription will include exclusive features and prioritized support. According to the company, some of these features are experimental or pre-release, meaning that Snapchat+ users will essentially get early access to features that the company is launching.

Available for $3.99 per month, the subscription will initially be available in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

While the company says the subscription plan will expand to more countries over time, it hasn’t specified which countries or the time frame.

Snapchat+ premium features

So what does the subscription include?

Besides priority support, subscribers will get access to: Map Ghost Trails, a Best Friends Forever pinning feature, a Story Rewatch Indicator, a Snapchat+ Badge, and the Friend Solar System feature.

Subscribers will also get custom app icons and themes, though this feature is initially only available to iOS users.

As Snapchat tests and launches new features, it may add them to the list of exclusive perks for subscribers.

But what does each of the current features do?

Ghost Trails lets you see where your friends have visited in the past 24 hours. Users will be able to tap on a friend’s Bitmoji on the Snapchat Map to see their trail.

The Best Friends Forever pin lets you set a specific Snapchat contact as your number one best friend.

The Rewatch Indicator lets you see how many of your friends have rewatched your Story. This applies to Stories in My Story, Private Stories, and Shared Stories.

Meanwhile, the Snapchat+ Badge allows you to display a star icon next to your display name.

Finally, the Friend Solar System feature adds another layer to Best Friends badges. When you tap on a badge with a gold ring, you are shown the “planet” that you are in their solar system.

Essentially, it’s a hint about where you fall on their Best Friends List.

“For example, if your friend is the Sun and you’re Earth in their Solar System, that means you’re their third closest friend,” Snapchat explains.

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