How to Know If Someone Has Snapchat Plus?
- Mar 21
- 5 min read
Wondering, 'How to know If Someone Has Snapchat Plus?' Have you ever scrolled through Snapchat and noticed a friend has a small, black star badge next to their name? That little icon is the clearest sign that someone has upgraded to Snapchat Plus.
A Snapchat Plus subscription is a paid monthly plan that gives users access to a collection of exclusive and experimental features. According to Snapchat's own announcements, these Snapchat Plus benefits can range from special app icons to unique insights about your friends, often promoted as Snapchat Plus perks. While the star badge is the most obvious giveaway, it isn't the only one. There are other subtle signs, from unique friend emojis to special effects on the Snap Map.
The Definitive Sign: The Snapchat Plus Star Badge
While other clues can be subtle, the Snapchat Plus badge is a public and unmistakable giveaway. Finding it is incredibly simple. Just head to your chat list and tap on a friend's Bitmoji or name to open their full profile page.
Look directly to the right of their username and Snapchat score. If they are a subscriber, you will see a white star inside a solid black circle ---that's the official Snapchat+ badge. If you spot that star, the mystery is solved. But what if you don't see a badge? There are still other signs to look for.
The Snap Map Clue: Ghost Trails
Another potential clue hides in the Snap Map. Subscribers get access to an exclusive feature called Ghost Trails, which shows the general path a friend has traveled over the last 24 hours. Think of it like a faint, temporary breadcrumb trail that follows their Bitmoji.
Before you go looking, there's one crucial detail: you can only see someone's Ghost Trail if they are already sharing their live location with you . If their Bitmoji is normally hidden, this feature won't reveal anything new. However, if you can see them, open the Snap Map and find their avatar. A Ghost Trail appears as a thin, colored line tracing their recent movements. Seeing this trail is a very strong hint that they've upgraded.
Are You Their #1? The Pinned Best Friend Feature
The yellow heart emoji (💛) next to a friend's name is a familiar sign: you're their #1 Best Friend. This status is usually earned by snapping and chatting more with them than anyone else. With Snapchat Plus, however, subscribers can override the system and pin someone as their permanent #1 Best Friend.
If a Plus user has chosen you for this honor, the emoji you see next to their name will change. Instead of the plain yellow heart, it will be surrounded by a shiny gold ring. This special emoji is your confirmation that you've been pinned. Unlike the public star badge, this indicator is personal---you only see the ringed heart if you are the one being pinned.
The Story Rewatch Clue: The '👀' Emoji
You likely already swipe up on your Story to see who has viewed it. Usually, you see a simple list of names, but have you ever noticed a small pair of eyes (👀) next to someone's name? This isn't a glitch; it means that particular friend has watched your Story more than once.
Here's the key: while any friend can rewatch your Story, only a Snapchat Plus subscriber will leave this clue behind for you to see. The next time you post, keep an eye on your viewer list. If you spot that emoji, you've confirmed that person is a paying subscriber.
The Chat Makeover: Custom Wallpapers
Beyond stories, a Plus user can personalize the look of your private conversations. If you open a chat with one specific friend and find a surprise background you didn't set---like a cityscape or a favorite photo---it's because they've used a Plus feature.
Don't confuse this with setting your own wallpaper, which applies to all of your chats. A Snapchat Plus subscriber can set a unique wallpaper just for their conversation with you. If one specific chat has a special design while the rest of your conversations look normal, the person you're talking to is almost certainly a subscriber.
A Clue For Them, Not You: The 'Friend Solar System'
While a custom wallpaper is a sign they leave for you, the 'Friend Solar System' is a feature Plus subscribers see for themselves. This perk visualizes their friendships by placing them at the center (the Sun) and ranking their eight closest friends as planets. The closer the planet, the closer the friendship. You, as a non-subscriber, cannot see your position in a friend's Solar System.
If a friend with Snapchat+ ever mentions you're their "Mars," they're giving you a peek into their friendship rankings. Each planet corresponds to a specific spot on their Best Friends list:
Important: Why You Might Not See Any Signs
After checking a friend's profile and Snap Map, you might come up empty. Does that mean they don't have Snapchat Plus? Not necessarily. Some of the most interesting perks, like the Friend Solar System, are totally invisible to you.
Many Snapchat+ features are optional. A subscriber might have access to custom notification sounds or chat backgrounds but simply choose not to use them. Furthermore, some features depend on existing privacy settings. The Ghost Trails feature, for example, only works if a friend is already sharing their live location. If they use Ghost Mode, you won't see trails, even if they pay for Plus.
Your search can come up empty for a few key reasons:
They choose not to use the visible features.
Their privacy settings prevent you from seeing a feature.
The feature is private and only visible to them.
Your Final Checklist: 3 Easy Ways to Spot a Subscriber
To check for a Snapchat Plus subscription with confidence, just run through this quick checklist of the most visible signs:
The Star Badge: Look for the black star badge on their profile page.
The Rewatch Emoji: Check for the '👀' emoji in your Story viewer list.
The Custom Wallpaper: Notice a unique background in your chat that you didn't set.
While the star badge is the only 100% confirmation, the other signs are very strong clues. You're now equipped to spot the subtle differences between a standard user and a subscriber. The next time you open the app, you won't just see snaps and stories; you'll see a clearer picture of how your friends are using Snapchat.
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