Shubham Sawarkar
Snapchat’s Snapstreaks have become an integral part of the app’s culture, with many users addicted to maintaining their daily snap streaks with friends. In response to this fervor, Snapchat is testing a new feature that will allow users to restore broken streaks with just one tap.
In a blog post, Snapchat announced that it is testing a feature that will make it easier for users to reignite a Snapstreak by restoring one for free. However, after the first restore, users will have to pay $0.99 per streak (TechCrunch report). Additionally, a “freeze” feature is also in the works, which will allow users to pause their streaks when they know they will be busy or without an internet connection.
The move to monetize Snapstreaks is not surprising, given the feature’s popularity among Snapchat’s user base. In fact, some users have even emailed the company in the past to try and restore their streaks. Snap‘s decision to charge for streak restoration could be seen as an attempt to cash in on this demand.
Snap’s announcement of its new feature comes less than a year after the company laid off 20% of its workforce due to a falling share price and economic uncertainty. However, Snapchat+, the app’s premium subscription service launched last year, has been successful. According to the company, over two million users are currently paying for Snapchat Plus, which offers features like pinning conversations and unique app icons.
Snap’s move to monetize Snapstreaks is part of a larger trend in social media companies to monetize popular features. Twitter, for example, has launched a subscription service, and Meta has introduced paid verification. It remains to be seen how Snapchat’s users will react to the new streak restoration feature and whether they will be willing to pay to maintain their daily snap streaks.
