You’re staring at a tiny cartoon Mercury next to your crush’s name and wondering if that means you’re actually winning. Or maybe you're Neptune. If you're Neptune, honestly, it’s a bit of a reality check. Snapchat Plus has turned the platform into a digital solar system where your social standing is measured in orbital distance. It’s weird. It’s obsessive. It’s also one of the most misunderstood features on the app today.
The snapchat planets order best friends system isn't just a random list of icons; it is a literal calculation of your chat frequency. It’s data visualized as space. If you’ve ever felt a pang of anxiety because you dropped from Venus to Mars, you aren’t alone. Thousands of users obsess over these pixels every day, trying to decode who is talking to who and why their "Bestie" status feels so fragile.
How the Solar System Works (The Basics)
Snapchat Plus is a paid subscription. That’s the first thing you have to realize. You can’t even see these planets unless you’re shelling out a monthly fee. Once you pay, you get access to the "Friend Solar System." When you tap on a Friend Profile, you might see a "Best Friends" or "Friends" badge with a gold border.
Tapping that badge reveals your place in their universe. If you are their Sun, they are your number one. But it’s a two-way street that often feels like a one-way mirror. You see where you stand in their solar system, not necessarily where they stand in yours.
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The order follows the actual distance of planets from the Sun in our real-life solar system. Mercury is the closest. Neptune is the furthest. It’s a simple metaphor, but in the context of teenage (and, let’s be real, adult) friendships, it carries a lot of weight.
The Definitive Snapchat Planets Order Best Friends List
Let's break down the actual order. No fluff. Just the sequence.
Mercury is the first planet. If you see this, you are their #1 Best Friend. This means you two chat and snap more than anyone else on their list. The bitmoji usually looks like it’s surrounded by pink/red hearts.
Venus comes second. You’re the #2 Best Friend. You’re close, but there’s someone else taking up just a bit more of their digital oxygen. The icon features yellow hearts.
Earth is third. It’s the one we live on, and in Snap terms, it means you’re their #3 Best Friend. You’ll see the moon and some green and blue vibes here. It’s a solid spot. You're definitely in the "inner circle."
Mars is fourth. Red planet, fourth place. You see red hearts here. You’re still a "Best Friend," but the frequency is dipping.
Jupiter is fifth. This is where the "inner rocky planets" end and the "gas giants" begin. It’s a decorative orange-ish planet. You’re in their top five, which is still prestigious, but you aren’t in the daily "must-snap" category.
Saturn is sixth. It has the rings. It’s yellow.
Uranus is seventh. It’s green. At this point, you’re likely just someone they snap occasionally or perhaps someone they have a long-standing streak with that doesn't involve heavy chat volume.
Neptune is eighth. It’s blue. It’s cold. It’s the edge of the system. You’re in the top eight, but only just.
Why Does the Order Shift?
It’s all about the algorithm. Snapchat doesn’t look at your "feelings" or how long you’ve known someone. It looks at raw data. Snaps sent, snaps received, and chat messages. If you stop sending someone pictures of your lunch and start sending them to someone else, your orbital position will decay. Fast.
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I’ve seen people lose their Mercury spot in a single weekend. If one person goes on a trip and starts blasting stories and direct snaps to a different group, the hierarchy recalibrates. It’s a cold, hard mathematical reflection of recent activity.
There is a common misconception that "Streaks" determine the planet order. Not true. You can have a 500-day streak with someone and be their Neptune if you only send one snap a day, while someone they met last week could be their Mercury if they’ve been texting 24/7. Volume beats longevity every time in the snapchat planets order best friends logic.
The Psychological Toll of Digital Astronomy
Let’s get real for a second. This feature can be toxic.
Psychologists have often pointed out that "gamifying" friendships leads to unnecessary stress. When you can quantify exactly how much you mean to someone relative to seven other people, it breeds jealousy. You start asking questions. "Who is their Mercury if I'm only their Earth?" "Why did I drop to Saturn?"
Snapchat actually faced enough backlash over this that they eventually made the feature "opt-in" for visibility. They realized that seeing a visual representation of being "ranked" was hurting people’s feelings. It’s a strange world when a cartoon Jupiter can cause a breakup or a falling out between best friends in high school.
The nuance here is that the system is private. Only you can see where you rank in their system. They can't see where you rank them unless they also have Snapchat Plus and check your profile. It’s a secret ranking that only the observer knows, which almost makes it feel more like "spying" than "socializing."
Technical Glitches and E-E-A-T Considerations
Is the system perfect? No.
Sometimes the snapchat planets order best friends doesn't update instantly. You might chat with someone for five hours and still see yourself as Mars. Servers take time to sync. Furthermore, Snapchat’s internal "score" for friendship isn't just a 1:1 ratio of messages. They weight different types of interactions. Video calls, for instance, seem to carry more weight than a simple text-based chat.
I’ve looked into reports from various tech forums where users swear the ranking is "broken." Most of the time, it’s just the algorithm catching up. Or, more painfully, the other person is simply talking to someone else way more than you realize.
The transparency is the problem. Before this, you could tell yourself, "Oh, we’re best friends." Now, the app tells you, "Actually, you're 6th on their list."
Hidden Meanings in the Planet Colors
Snapchat didn't just pick colors at random. They tried to mimic the actual appearance of the planets, but with a "Snap" twist.
- Mercury: Pink/Red. Represents passion and the "BFF" status.
- Venus: Yellow. Friendship and warmth.
- Earth: Blue/Green. Reliability.
- Mars: Red. Intensity.
- Jupiter: Orange.
- Saturn: Yellow/Gold.
- Uranus: Greenish-Blue.
- Neptune: Deep Blue.
If you see a planet that doesn't look like any of these, you might be looking at a different badge entirely. Snap has a lot of "Charms" and "Badges" that look similar but aren't part of the Solar System. The Solar System planets specifically have the Bitmoji of the friend inside or behind the planet.
How to Improve Your Ranking
If you’re obsessed with becoming someone’s Mercury, the path is simple but demanding. You have to be their most active contact.
- Send more Snaps. Not just chats. Visuals count more.
- Increase frequency. Spread your interactions throughout the day rather than one big dump of messages.
- Use the features. Send voice notes, videos, and use the AR lenses.
But honestly? Don't do that. It’s a lot of work for a digital badge. Most people find that the most authentic friendships don't actually reflect the snapchat planets order best friends list. You might have a "low-maintenance" best friend who you talk to once a week but who would drive three hours to pick you up if your car broke down. That person might be your Neptune. Meanwhile, a "high-maintenance" acquaintance you gossip with constantly might be your Mercury.
The app measures activity, not loyalty.
The Future of the Feature
Snapchat is constantly iterating. They’ve added more customization for Plus members lately, allowing people to pin their #1 Best Friend (the "Super BFF" feature). This actually bypasses the solar system logic. If you pin someone, they stay at the top of your chat list regardless of whether they are technically your Mercury or not.
This suggests that even Snapchat knows their algorithm isn't a perfect reflection of human emotion. They are giving users more manual control because "the data" doesn't always get it right.
If you’re using the snapchat planets order best friends to gauge your relationship status, take it with a grain of salt. It’s a fun, nerdy way to see who you spend the most time with on your phone, but it’s not a legal document.
Actionable Takeaways for Snap Plus Users
If you are currently a Snapchat Plus subscriber or thinking about joining, keep these points in mind to keep your sanity:
- Check the "Friendship Profile" regularly. If you want to know where you stand, tap the badge. If there is no badge, you aren't in their top eight.
- Don't panic over shifts. A drop from Earth to Mars might just mean they had a busy day at work or school talking to a group project team.
- Remember the privacy. They cannot see that you are checking their planet status. It is a one-way piece of information.
- Verify your subscription. If the planets disappear, it usually means your Snap Plus subscription has lapsed or the app needs an update.
- Focus on the Sun. If you want to be someone's Mercury, focus on consistent, multi-media interaction. But always prioritize the real-world connection over the digital orbit.
The solar system is a tool, not a verdict. Use it to see who you're spending your time with, but don't let a blue Neptune icon tell you that your friendship isn't valuable.