It is quite common for apps and service companies to start as a free offering and then introduce a paid subscription. Snapchat is the latest app that has decided to follow the same path. It has started beta testing a paid subscription named Snapchat Plus with a bunch of beta testers. It is currently free for testers but will be available for a fixed monthly fee after the public release.

Alessandro Paluzzi aka @alex193a, a well-known app researcher, was the one who spotted under development and testing Snapchat Plus subscription. He was able to unearth some of the features that will be available only for paying subscribers. These include a special star badge that will be given to all the members. Tapping on the badge will offer other users some information about the subscription.

All Plus users will have the ability to pin one of their friends as their #1 BFF. They will have access to exclusive Snapchat app icons, similar to what Twitter Blue offers. Snapchat will further show users' orbit with their BFFs, friends' whereabouts for the last 24 hours, and the number of friends who have rewatched your story. Paluzzi also found references to Snapchat Plus pricing: EUR 4.59 per month or EUR 45.99 per year.

So... by subscribing to #Snapchat+ you can:
1️⃣ Pin a friend as a #1 BFF
2️⃣ Get access to exclusive Snapchat icons
3️⃣ Display a badge in your profile
4️⃣ See your orbit with BFF
5️⃣ See your Friend's whereabouts in the last 24 hours
6️⃣ See how many friends have rewatched your story

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) June 16, 2022

It should be noted that all of these details are part of the early beta testing. Snapchat could decide to change some or all of them by the time it is ready for the public release of the subscription. It is also true for the prices which might just be placeholders for the time being. It is currently unknown which countries will get Snapchat Plus and when.

Here is the official Snapchat statement on the reports:

"We’re doing early internal testing of Snapchat Plus, a new subscription service for Snapchatters. We’re excited about the potential to share exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features with our subscribers, and learn more about how we can best serve our community."