Snap Surpasses 30 Million Paid Subscribers with Snapchat+ and Additional Offerings
Dedicated users appear eager to invest in AI-enhanced features.
Over 30 million dedicated users have subscribed to one of Snap’s premium plans, which includes Snapchat+ and its ad-free “platinum” offering. The company highlighted this achievement during its third-quarter earnings report, noting that its non-advertising revenues rose by 84% compared to the previous year.
Launched in 2022, Snapchat+ provides users with additional features such as tracking which friends have re-watched their Stories. Since then, Snap has introduced Lens+, a subscription that provides access to AI-powered augmented reality effects, along with Platinum, which removes ads, and paid storage for the app’s Memory functionality.
Although Snap did not disclose individual subscriber numbers for each plan, it mentioned that Lens+ has seen nearly 600% growth since January 2026. This impressive increase indicates that some of Snapchat’s user base is particularly excited about the app’s AI offerings, such as the AI Photoshoot editing feature. CEO Evan Spiegel commented that “AI-powered features have helped Lens+ exceed our expectations, showcasing how innovative creative experiences can boost demand for our paid services.”
While Snap may not be as closely linked to AI as other social media platforms, the growth in paid subscriptions demonstrates the positive impact of their AI features. In contrast, X reported about 6.3 million subscribers for its premium services earlier this year.
Subscriptions have emerged as a strong area for Snap, with Spiegel acknowledging that advertising revenue has been growing “below our expectations” and revealing the company added only 2 million new daily users since the last quarter. Starting in 2027, Snap plans to shift its focus to reporting monthly active users instead of daily users. The platform currently boasts 977 million monthly users.
However, Snap has also indicated that ongoing legal issues and increased regulatory scrutiny regarding youth safety could impact its future outlook. The company is facing multiple lawsuits related to safety claims, and state attorneys general have urged Snap to implement further safety measures following a high-profile settlement involving Meta.
