Ever opened Snapchat and wondered what those colorful planets floating around actually mean? I’ve been there too, staring at my friend’s profile trying to decode whether being Jupiter is good or bad. The Snapchat Planet Order is one of those features that seems confusing at first, but once you get it, it’s actually pretty brilliant for understanding where you stand with your friends.
Let me break down everything you need to know about Snapchat planets, how the friend solar system works, and what your position in someone’s orbit really says about your friendship.
What Is the Snapchat Planet Feature?
Snapchat’s planet system is part of Snapchat Plus, their premium subscription service. Think of it like your own personal solar system where you’re the sun, and your closest friends are the planets orbiting around you. The closer the planet is to the sun in real life, the closer that friend is to you on Snapchat.
I remember when this feature first rolled out, and honestly, it added a whole new layer to Snapchat friendships. It’s basically Snapchat’s way of ranking your best friends, but instead of just a boring list, they made it visual and fun.
The feature shows up when you have Snapchat Plus and you’re looking at a friend’s profile who also has the subscription. You’ll see a “Best Friends” or “Friends” badge with a planet emoji, and that tells you where you rank in their friend solar system.
The Complete Snapchat Planet Order Explained
Here’s where things get interesting. The Snapchat planet order follows our actual solar system, starting from Mercury (closest to the sun) and moving outward. Your position as a planet in someone’s solar system shows how close you are to them based on how much you interact.
Mercury: The #1 Best Friend
Mercury is the golden ticket. If you’re someone’s Mercury, you’re their absolute best friend on Snapchat. You two snap each other the most, probably have the longest streaks, and are constantly in each other’s Snapchat stories.
The Mercury badge shows up as a pink planet with red hearts around it. I’ve been Mercury for a few friends, and honestly, it feels pretty good knowing you’re someone’s top snap buddy.
Venus: The Second Closest Friend
Venus comes in as the second-best friend spot. The planet appears as a light brown or beige color with yellow, pink, and blue hearts circling it. If you’re Venus in someone’s solar system, you’re still in their inner circle, just not the absolute closest.
I’ve noticed that Venus is usually that friend you snap throughout the day but maybe not quite as much as your number one person.
Earth: Third Place in the Friend Rankings
Earth is the third spot, and it shows up as the actual Earth we know—blue and green with stars, a moon, and red hearts. Being someone’s Earth means you’re definitely important to them, you’re in their top three after all.
This is typically where I see friends I talk to regularly but maybe not every single day.
Mars: Fourth Best Friend
Mars appears as a red planet with stars and purple and blue hearts around it. Fourth place might not sound as impressive, but remember, if someone has hundreds of Snapchat friends, being their Mars is still pretty significant.
Jupiter: The Middle Ground
Jupiter shows up as an orange-reddish planet with dark orange stripes and stars around it. As the fifth-best friend, you’re right in the middle of their top eight. You still matter, but the interaction frequency is lower than the inner four planets.
I’ve found that Jupiter friends are usually people I genuinely enjoy snapping with, but we might go a few days between messages.
Saturn: Sixth Position
Saturn is recognizable by its signature ring, appearing as an orange planet with yellow stripes and a ring around it. Sixth place means you’re still in their close friend group, but you’re not snapping as frequently as the inner planets.
Uranus: Lucky Number Seven
Uranus shows up as a green planet with yellow stars around it. As the seventh-best friend, you’re getting toward the outer edge of their solar system. The connection is still there, but it’s more casual.
Neptune: The Eighth and Final Planet
Neptune is the blue planet that represents the eighth-best friend position. It appears with blue stars around it, marking the outer boundary of the Snapchat friend solar system.
If you’re someone’s Neptune, you still made their top eight, which is something. But compared to Mercury or Venus, the interaction level is way lower.
How Does Snapchat Calculate Your Planet Position?
The Snapchat planet order isn’t random—it’s based on actual interaction data. Snapchat looks at several factors to determine your ranking:
Snap frequency is the biggest one. How often do you send snaps back and forth with this person? If you’re snapping someone multiple times a day, every day, you’re probably going to be one of their inner planets.
Streak maintenance also plays a role. Those fire emojis next to someone’s name show you’ve been snapping consistently, and that consistency pushes you higher in their solar system.
Chat messages count too. It’s not just about snaps—if you’re texting back and forth in Snapchat, that interaction adds to your friendship score.
Story views and replies factor in as well. If you’re always viewing someone’s stories and replying to them, that engagement helps your planet position.
I’ve noticed my planet positions shift over time depending on how much I’m actually using Snapchat with different friends. During busy weeks when I’m barely on the app, I’ve definitely dropped from Mercury to Venus or Earth with certain people.
Do You Need Snapchat Plus to See Planets?
Yes, the Snapchat planet order is exclusively a Snapchat Plus feature. You can’t see the friend solar system if you’re using the free version of Snapchat. Both you and your friend need Snapchat Plus to see where you rank in each other’s solar systems.
The subscription costs about $3.99 per month, and it includes other features beyond just the planets—things like custom app icons, exclusive badges, story rewatch counts, and more.
Honestly, I got Snapchat Plus mainly for the planet feature because I’m curious like that, but the other perks are nice bonuses.
What’s the Difference Between “Best Friends” and “Friends” Badge?
When you look at someone’s profile, you might see either a “Best Friends” badge or just a “Friends” badge with the planet. There’s actually a meaningful difference here.
The “Best Friends” badge with a gold ring means you’re one of their eight closest friends, AND they’re one of your eight closest friends. It’s mutual—you both made each other’s top eight.
The “Friends” badge without the gold ring means you’re in their top eight, but they’re not in yours. It’s one-sided. Maybe you don’t snap them as much as they snap you.
I’ve definitely had situations where I was someone’s Venus, but they were only my Neptune because we have different snapping habits. It doesn’t mean anything bad—just different usage patterns.
Can Other People See Your Snapchat Planet Order?
No, and this is important to understand. Your Snapchat planet rankings are private. Other people can’t see your entire solar system lineup or compare where different friends rank.
The only thing someone can see is their own position in YOUR solar system when they look at your profile (if they also have Snapchat Plus). They can’t see who your Mercury is or how they compare to your other friends.
This privacy aspect makes the feature less stressful. I’ve heard people worry about hurt feelings if everyone could see the rankings, but since it’s private, it’s really just for your own awareness.
Why Your Planet Position Keeps Changing
Don’t freak out if you notice your planet changing with certain friends. The Snapchat planet order is dynamic and updates based on recent activity, not your entire Snapchat history.
If you and your Mercury friend both go on vacation and barely use Snapchat for a week, while you’re snapping someone else constantly, those positions will shift. It’s all about current interaction patterns.
I’ve watched myself go from being someone’s Earth to their Venus just because we happened to be messaging more during a particular week. Then it shifted back when our schedules got busy again.
The algorithm seems to weigh recent activity pretty heavily, so if you want to climb higher in someone’s solar system (or keep your current spot), consistent interaction is key.
Should You Actually Care About Snapchat Planets?
Here’s my honest take: the Snapchat planet order is fun to look at, but it shouldn’t define your actual friendships. I’ve seen people get genuinely upset when they discover they’re someone’s Saturn when they thought they were closer.
The reality is that Snapchat activity doesn’t always reflect real-life friendship depth. Some of my closest friends barely use social media, so they’d never be my Mercury even though we talk on the phone all the time or hang out in person regularly.
On the flip side, I’ve been Mercury with people I snap frequently but maybe wouldn’t call my absolute best friend in real life. It’s just about app usage patterns.
Use the planet feature as a fun insight into your Snapchat habits, not as a judgment of your actual relationships. Social media metrics are interesting data points, but they’re not the whole picture of friendship.
How to Become Someone’s Mercury
If you’re curious about climbing the planet ranks with a specific friend, it’s actually pretty straightforward. You just need to increase your interaction frequency with them on Snapchat.
Send more snaps throughout the day, not just random selfies but things you actually want to share. Respond to their stories. Keep your streaks going without fail. Have actual conversations in the Snapchat chat instead of just sending snaps.
The key is consistency. A few days of intense snapping won’t suddenly make you Mercury if you then disappear for a week. It’s about sustained, regular interaction over time.
But again, only do this if it feels natural. Forcing interaction just to move up in someone’s planet order is kind of missing the point of actually connecting with people.
Understanding the Snapchat Friend Solar System Beyond Rankings
The Snapchat planet order is more than just a ranking system—it’s actually a clever way to visualize your social network on the app. When I step back and look at my solar system, it gives me a snapshot of who I’m actually connecting with most on Snapchat versus who I might be neglecting.
Sometimes I’m surprised by the results. People I think I snap all the time might be further out than I expected, while someone I didn’t realize I interacted with so much is orbiting close. It’s been a good reality check for me about my actual communication patterns.
The friend solar system also adds a gamification element to Snapchat that makes staying connected more engaging. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on your perspective, but I’ve found it encourages me to reach out to friends I might otherwise forget to message.
So there you have it—everything you need to know about Snapchat planet order, from Mercury all the way to Neptune. Whether you’re checking where you rank in your crush’s solar system or just curious about how the feature works, now you’ve got the full picture. Just remember, planets are fun to track, but real friendships exist way beyond any app’s ranking system.
