Hey there! Grab a coffee and pull up a chair. I’m Martin, and if you’re like me, you probably spend a little too much time checking those gold-bordered badges on your friends’ profiles.
The other day, I was catching up with a buddy of mine, and we started geeking out over our Snapchat Plus perks. He mentioned he saw a blue planet icon on my profile and asked, “Wait, does this mean I’m barely hanging on?” That’s when it hit me: the Neptune on Snapchat rank is one of those features that feels like a secret code until someone explains it.
If you’ve ever tapped a “Best Friends” badge only to see your Bitmoji floating on a dark blue gas giant far away from the sun, you’ve encountered Neptune. In the world of the Friend Solar System, being Neptune means you are the #8 best friend rank. It’s the last orbit snapchat offers before you drop off the “Besties” list entirely.
But don’t panic! It doesn’t mean your friendship is on the rocks. Let me break down what’s actually happening in your digital cosmos.
My Personal Experience with Neptune on Snapchat
Honestly, this part confused me at first. A few months ago, my younger sister—who I literally talk to every single day—showed me her phone. I expected to be Mercury (the #1 spot). Instead, there I was: a tiny Bitmoji Martin sitting on a cold, blue Neptune.
I’m not going to lie; my ego took a tiny hit. I thought, “Wait, I’m the 8th person? Who are the other seven?!” I decided to test how the algorithm actually works. For one week, I made it my mission to send her every random meme, morning coffee pic, and “goodnight” snap possible. I even started replying to her Stories, which I usually just lurk on.
Two days in? Nothing. But by day five, I jumped from Neptune to Mars (#4). By the end of the week, I was Earth (#3).
What I learned: The ranking isn’t a permanent judgment of your friendship. It’s a fast-moving, living calculation of your recent activity. If you’re Neptune, it just means you guys haven’t been “spamming” each other as much as their other top seven friends have. It’s a volume game, not a “who do I love more” game.
Read More: Snapchat Planets Android vs iPhone: Any Major Difference?
What Does Neptune on Snapchat Actually Mean?
To understand Neptune, you have to understand how Snapchat+ views the world. In this system, your friend is the Sun, and their top eight friends are the planets orbiting them.
The order follows the actual solar system:
- Mercury (#1)
- Venus (#2)
- Earth (#3)
- Mars (#4)
- Jupiter (#5)
- Saturn (#6)
- Uranus (#7)
- Neptune (#8)
When you are the blue planet icon (Neptune), you are at the very edge of their inner circle. You’re still a “Best Friend” in the eyes of the app, but you’re the one with the lowest interaction frequency compared to the rest of the group.
The Visual Cues of Neptune
- The Color: A deep, swirling blue.
- The Atmosphere: Unlike Mercury or Venus, which have hearts and sparkles, Neptune looks a bit more “chilly” and distant.
- The Badge: You’ll see this only if you tap the Best Friends or Friends badge on their profile.
Martin’s Note: If you see a “Friends” badge instead of “Best Friends,” it means you are in their top eight, but they aren’t in yours. It’s a one-way street!
How the Algorithm Places You in the Last Orbit
Have you ever wondered why you suddenly drop to Neptune even if you feel like you’re talking a lot? Snapchat’s algorithm is a bit of a “black box,” but based on my testing and community deep-dives, it weights three main things:
1. Snap Frequency
This is the big one. Sending actual photos and videos (Snaps) carries way more weight than just sending text chats. If you’re mostly texting, you’re likely to drift toward the outer planets.
2. Double-Sided Engagement
The algorithm loves it when the energy is mutual. If you send 50 snaps but they only reply to 2, you’re not going to climb the ranks. It looks for a “ping-pong” effect.
3. Story Interactions
Surprisingly, reacting to someone’s Story or chatting them from a Story counts. It’s all about total “touchpoints.”
Comparison: Neptune vs. The Inner Planets
| Planet | Rank | Visual Style | Interaction Level |
| Mercury | #1 | Pink planet, red hearts | Constant, daily “ride-or-die” |
| Mars | #4 | Red planet, stars/hearts | Regular snapping, solid bond |
| Saturn | #6 | Yellow with rings | Steady but less frequent |
| Neptune | #8 | Deep blue, no hearts | Occasional/Low frequency |
How to Check Your Rank (And Theirs)
If you have Snapchat Plus, checking this is super easy. Here is exactly how I do it:
- Open the App: Go to your chat list.
- Tap a Profile: Click on the Bitmoji of the person you’re curious about.
- Find the Badge: Look for the “Best Friends” or “Friends” badge right under their name. It has a gold border.
- The Reveal: Tap that badge. An animation will pop up showing you exactly which planet you are in their world.
Pro Tip: If the badge isn’t there, it means you aren’t in their top eight at all. Ouch, right? But hey, maybe they just have a lot of group chats going on!
Does Being Neptune Actually Matter?
I’ll be real with you: sometimes this feature causes more drama than it’s worth. I’ve seen Reddit threads where people are genuinely upset that their partner is “only” Earth while a random coworker is Mercury.
My take? Don’t overthink it.
The #8 best friend rank is just data. It doesn’t account for the three-hour phone call you had last night or the fact that you see each other in person every day. Snapchat only knows what happens inside the app.
Have you ever felt a little “planet envy” when checking your rank? It’s a weirdly human reaction to a bunch of code, isn’t it?
FAQ: Your Burning Neptune Questions
Q: Can I hide my planet rank so others can’t see it?
A: Actually, yes! If you have Snapchat+, you can go into your settings and toggle the “Friend Solar System” off. If you turn it off, others won’t be able to see where you rank in their orbit, and you won’t see yours either.
Q: Why did I drop from Mercury to Neptune overnight?
A: This usually happens if your friend had a massive “Snap-spree” with other people. If they sent 100 snaps to a group of people and only 1 to you, the relative “weight” of your friendship in the algorithm drops fast.
Q: Does Neptune mean we are losing our Snapstreak?
A: Not necessarily. You can have a 500-day streak and still be Neptune if your friend is interacting even more intensely with seven other people.
Q: Is there a planet #9?
A: Nope. Just like the real (current) solar system, Snapchat stops at eight. If you aren’t in the top eight, you won’t see a planet at all.
Martin’s Final Tip: Don’t Let the Orbit Define the Friendship
If you find yourself as Neptune on Snapchat, don’t sweat it. It just means you’re the “cool, distant” friend of the moment. If you really want to move back toward the Sun, start sending more video snaps and less text. The algorithm rewards the “effort” of a photo.
But honestly? Sometimes it’s nice to be Neptune. It’s quiet out there in the deep blue, away from the constant notification heat of Mercury!
What planet are you currently orbiting on with your bestie? Let me know if you’ve managed to climb back from Neptune to the inner circle!
Would you like me to explain how to get the “Super BFF” (Two Pink Hearts) status next?
