- Snapchat Plus Star Badge: A black star with a gold outline marks a Snapchat Plus subscriber, showing up in chats, profiles, and story views.
- Customization Features: Subscribers can change their Snapchat app icon and unlock exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds that instantly signal a Plus membership.
- Where Features Appear: The star badge and other Snapchat Plus perks display on the chat screen, friend profiles, and story lists for easy spotting.
- Exclusive Perks: Snapchat Plus offers extras like a BFF pin, story rewatch counts, and the Friend Solar System to enhance social interactions.
- Privacy Controls: You can disable the visible star badge in Snapchat settings and adjust privacy options to manage who sees your Plus activity.
Ever scrolled through Snapchat and noticed a gold star next to your friend’s Bitmoji or noticed your friend’s story with a background that looked too good to be a standard feature? If you wondered the same, then you have come to the right place.
These indicators are often signs of a Snapchat Plus subscription. Snapchat is full of visual cues, from the mysterious green dot that shows when someone is active to the premium badges of subscribers.
In this guide, I’ll be breaking down all the signs that reveal if someone has a Snapchat Plus subscription or not. Additionally, you’ll get a sneak peek into the exclusive features that Snapchat Plus subscription provides.
Table of Contents
- What is Snapchat Plus?
- Key Visual Signs that Tell if Someone Has Snapchat Plus
- Where to Spot Snapchat Plus Features
- Exclusive Features Only Snapchat Plus Users Have
- Snapchat Plus vs. Regular Snapchat
- Privacy Concerns With Snapchat Plus Indicators
- Can Snapchat Plus Users Control Their Visibility?
- Final Thoughts
What is Snapchat Plus?
In short, Snapchat Plus is simply a subscription service from Snapchat. For a small monthly fee, users can unlock various exclusive features, experimental add-ons, and special customization options that aren’t available to free users.
You can think of it like a VIP version of Snapchat that you’re already using. Being honest, I believe it’s mostly for the power users who want more analytics, personalization, and early access to new tools. Snapchat is always adding new things and useful features like time-sensitive notifications that are available through Snapchat Plus only.
Key Visual Signs that Tell if Someone Has Snapchat Plus
While some of the Plus features are visible to the subscriber, there are features that others can see as well. Here are some of those dead giveaways that your friend has Snapchat Plus.
1. The Star Badge
It’s obviously the most significant sign that Snapchat provides you that the user is a Snapchat Plus user. You’ll see a black star badge with a gold outline that appears next to their name, and you won’t miss this, generally. Once a user gets a Snapchat Plus subscription, they get this badge showing up in chat lists, on their friend’s profile, and next to their name when they view your Story.
2. Custom App Icons
Although you can’t see this directly right away, Snapchat Plus users can change their Snapchat app icon on their phones with various custom designs. And if you got access to a friend’s phone and you see a different app icon instead of the original Snapchat icon, it’s a clear sign that they have a Snapchat Plus subscription. It’s actually a popular perk among Snapchat Plus users who love personalization.
3. Exclusive Bitmoji Backgrounds
If your friend has a Bitmoji with a unique background on their profile, it’s one of the strongest hints that they have Plus. Snapchat Plus subscribers get access to a premium library of backgrounds and poses that are far more detailed and look more eye-catching than the free standard options.
Where to Spot Snapchat Plus Features
When it comes to spotting Snapchat Plus features, you’ll see the evidence in a few key areas of the app:
1. Chat Screen
The chat screen is the most common place where you’ll find the Snapchat Plus’ star badge. In the conversation list, you’ll see this badge next to your friend’s name. Along with these, Snapchat Plus users also get access to exclusive chat wallpapers and themes to customize their chat experience and you won’t see this at all if you’re not subscribed to Snapchat Plus.
2. Friend Profiles
When you tap and open your friend’s profile, you’ll see the star badge next to their name/username. Apart from this, you’ll also find they have enhanced customization options or unique icons that aren’t available to non-subscribers of Snapchat Plus.
3. Story Section
If a Snapchat Plus user has viewed your profile, you’ll see the star badge next to their name or username. Additionally, Snapchat Plus users also get access to deeper insights into who is viewing their content. It can be a huge advantage for creators often using strategies like SFS (Shoutout for Shoutout) to grow their audience, as they can see exactly who rewatched their Stories.
Exclusive Features Only Snapchat Plus Users Have
While the visual flair is there, Plus subscribers also get access to some of the powerful and fun features in Snapchat.
Best Friend Forever (BFF) Feature
Standard users can have a Best Friends list, but Plus users can take it a step further. They can pin one person in their list as #1 BEST Friend Forever (BFF), which ensures that the pinned person always stays at the top of their list.
Story Rewatch Indicator
It’s quite a game-changer for many users. Plus subscribers can see a list of everyone who has watched and even rewatched their Stories. That’s not all; it also shows a rewatch count, including the specific names and usernames of the people who went back for a second look.
Friend Solar System
Now here is where it gets quirky: the fun feature that visualizes friendships. It places the Plus user in the middle of their own “solar system” and shows their eight closest friends as “planets.” It’s a fun and unique way to see how close you are to someone in their friend group.
Snapchat Plus vs. Regular Snapchat
To put it all in perspective, here’s a quick comparison of what you get with Snapchat Plus.
| Feature | Regular Snapchat | Snapchat Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Profile Badge | Standard profile | Gold Star Badge next to username |
| Customization | Basic options | Custom app icons, exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds, chat wallpapers |
| Story Analytics | Basic view counts and screenshots | Story Rewatch Indicator (shows who rewatched) |
| Friendships | Standard Best Friends list | Pin #1 BFF, Friend Solar System |
Privacy Concerns With Snapchat Plus Indicators
Now, being very honest, not everyone wants to broadcast that they’re paying for an app. The star badge is public to all friends, which can feel a bit like a privacy invasion for some. It makes a user’s subscription status visible by default, and this could lead to social pressure or assumptions about their spending habits.
Can Snapchat Plus Users Control Their Visibility?
Now comes the most common question, and the answer is simple and direct. Yes, you can hide the Snapchat Plus star badge by going into Settings > Manage Snapchat+, and turning off the Snapchat+ badge option. It is an automatic and mandatory indicator of an active subscription.
While it’s not easy to hide the badge, a Snapchat Plus user can still access all the standard privacy controls that every Snapchatter does. It includes:
- Managing Profile Privacy: Using general settings to control who can contact you, see your location, or view your Story.
- Story and Feature Privacy: Setting your Story to be visible to “Friends Only” or creating a custom list.
- Friend List Management: The ultimate control is managing who is on your friends list, as non-friends have very limited visibility into your profile.
Final Thoughts
The best way to tell if someone is a Snapchat Plus user is by spotting the gold star badge next to their name. It’s the platform’s official sign of a premium membership. Moreover, with other perks like exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds and advanced Story analytics, this badge is a concrete indicator.
While subscribers get powerful features, they also enhance the privacy controls of the Snapchat user to manage their overall experience, even if the badge itself remains visible.
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FAQs
No. The star badge is an automatic feature of the subscription and cannot be hidden from your friends.
No, they don’t see different content. They see the same Stories and Snaps as everyone else, but they have access to more features and analytics on their own account.
This is almost always a temporary glitch. If someone is subscribed, the badge should be there. They might need to update their app, or there could be a temporary server issue.
It’s very difficult. Most indicators, including the star badge on their profile, are only visible to people who are on their friends list.
No, your Snaps and Stories will look the same to your friends whether you have Plus or not. The subscription primarily changes your user experience and analytics.
