Hey there! I’m Martin. If you’re like me, you probably spend a little too much time checking those gold-ringed profiles on Snapchat Plus. There’s something strangely competitive about seeing where you stand in your friend’s “Solar System,” right?
Last month, I noticed I was languishing out in the cold as Neptune (the 8th orbit) on my best friend’s profile. We talk every day, or so I thought! It bugged me. How was I the furthest planet away? I decided to treat it like a technical challenge. I spent a week testing exactly how the algorithm calculates these positions to see if I could increase Snapchat friendship rank from the outer edges to the inner circle in record time.
Spoiler: It worked. I hit the “Earth” spot in exactly six days. Here is the blueprint of how I did it.
My Personal Experience with the Snapchat Orbit Hack
A few weeks ago, my buddy Dave and I realized we were both Snapchat Plus subscribers. For those who don’t know, the “Friend Solar System” feature shows you which “planet” you are in your friend’s universe based on how much you interact.
I clicked his badge and saw I was Neptune. I felt like I’d been exiled to the edge of the galaxy! Meanwhile, our mutual friend Sarah was his Mercury (1st orbit). I knew for a fact Sarah didn’t chat with him as much as I did, but she did send him a ton of those random, pointless “point-of-view” snaps and videos.
That’s when it clicked: the algorithm doesn’t just care about the length of your friendship; it cares about the recency and velocity of specific interactions. I told Dave, “Look, I’m going to get to Earth by next Tuesday.” He laughed.
I started experimenting. I stopped sending long blocks of text and started using every single feature Snapchat offers—voice notes, stickers, snaps with lenses, and even those slightly annoying games. By day three, I jumped from Neptune to Jupiter. By day six, I was Earth. Seeing that little blue planet next to my name on his profile was way more satisfying than it should have been.
Read More: Snapchat Friend Emojis vs. Planets Guide 2026
Understanding the “Orbit” Algorithm
Before we dive into the 7-day sprint, we have to understand what we’re actually hacking. Snapchat is famously secretive about their code, but as a power user, I’ve gathered that the “Friend Solar System” isn’t just about the number of snaps sent.
To increase Snapchat friendship rank, the system looks at a “Weighted Interaction Score.”
The Hierarchy of Planets
If you’re wondering where you stand, here’s the breakdown of the Orbits:
- Mercury (Closest)
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune (Furthest)
What Actually Moves the Needle?
It’s not just about “streaks.” A streak is a binary 1 or 0—you either sent a snap or you didn’t. To move up orbits, you need interaction depth. This means:
- Bidirectional Chatting: If you send 100 snaps and they send 0, your rank won’t budge. It has to be a two-way street.
- Media Diversity: Using the camera tool ranks higher than just sending text messages in the chat box.
- Engagement Time: How long do they spend looking at your snaps? Replays are huge for a snapchat interaction boost.
The 7-Day Speed Hack: From Neptune to Earth
If you want a fast planet ranking boost, you can’t just do what you’ve been doing. You need a “Shock to the System” approach.
Days 1-2: The Foundation (Volume & Variety)
In the first 48 hours, focus on high-frequency, low-friction interactions.
- The “Good Morning” Snap: Send a snap (not a text) every morning. Use a lens! Lenses seem to carry more weight in the algorithm than plain photos.
- The Sticker Strategy: Don’t just say “cool.” Use a Bitmoji sticker. It counts as a “rich media” interaction.
- React to Stories: When they post a story, reply to it. Story replies are weighted heavily because they signify deep interest in the user’s content.
Days 3-5: The Deep Dive (Engagement Multipliers)
Now that the algorithm sees you’re active, you need to increase the “dwell time.”
- Send a Video Note: Hold down the camera button in the chat to send a quick video message. This is a massive snapchat interaction boost.
- The Replay Bait: Send something that requires a second look—maybe a fast-moving text or a hidden detail. If your friend replays your snap, your “score” with them skyrockets.
- Voice Calls: Believe it or not, a 2-minute voice or video call through the app can do more for your rank than 50 text snaps.
Days 6-7: The Closer (Consistency)
By now, you should see yourself moving past Saturn and Jupiter.
- Share Locations: If you both have Ghost Mode off, interacting via the Snap Map (tapping their Bitmoji) adds another layer of “closeness” data.
- Maintain the Loop: Ensure they are responding. If they aren’t, ask them a question that requires a photo response. “Hey, what does the weather look like where you are?” is a classic.
Interaction Value Comparison Table
Not all actions are created equal. Use this table to prioritize your efforts during your 7-day hack.
| Interaction Type | Impact Level | Algorithm Weight | Why it Works |
| Text Message | Low | 1/10 | Easy to spam; low effort. |
| Photo Snap | Medium | 4/10 | The core of the app. |
| Video Snap | High | 7/10 | Increases “dwell time” (how long they look). |
| Snap Replay | Extreme | 10/10 | Signals the content was highly interesting. |
| Voice/Video Call | High | 8/10 | Signals a real-world, high-priority bond. |
| Lenses/Filters | Medium | 5/10 | Uses Snapchat’s proprietary tech features. |
Why Isn’t My Rank Moving? (Troubleshooting)
I get this question all the time: “Martin, I’ve been snapping them like crazy and I’m still stuck at Mars! What gives?”
Usually, it’s one of three things:
- The “One-Way” Trap: You are obsessed, but they aren’t. If they aren’t snapping you back at a similar frequency, the algorithm won’t move you closer. It protects users from “stalker-ish” behavior.
- The “No Variety” Issue: If you only send “Streaks” or blank black screens, the AI recognizes this as low-value content. It’s “fluff.”
- The “Mercury” Wall: The top 1-2 spots are often occupied by people who have years of history. You can’t always unseat a spouse or a sibling in 7 days, but you can definitely climb from 8th to 3rd.
Have you ever felt like you’re putting in all the effort while your friend just sends back a “k”? It’s frustrating, right? To move up orbits, you might need to actually jump on a quick call to get that reciprocal data flowing.
FAQ: Your Snapchat Planet Questions Answered
Q: Does my Snapchat Score affect my planet rank?
A: Not directly. Your total Snap Score is your global activity. Your “Planet Rank” is a private metric between just you and that specific friend. You could have a score of a million and still be Neptune if you don’t talk to that person.
Q: Can my friend see that I’m trying to move up their orbit?
A: No. Your orbit position is only visible to you (if you have Snapchat Plus). They won’t get a notification saying “Martin is trying to be your Mercury!” (Thank goodness, because that would be awkward).
Q: How often does the Solar System update?
A: It’s not real-time, but it’s close. In my experience, the ranks recalculate every 24 to 48 hours based on the previous window of activity.
Q: Is there a way to “hide” my planet rank?
A: Yes, if you have Snapchat Plus, you can choose to hide your badge so others can’t see where they stand in your universe, but you can still see where you stand in theirs.
Martin’s Final Tip: The “Quality over Quantity” Rule
If there is one thing I want you to take away from my little experiment, it’s this: Stop sending “Streak” snaps. Seriously. The algorithm is getting smarter. It recognizes when you’re just sending a mass snap to 50 people to keep a number alive. If you want to increase Snapchat friendship rank and truly move up orbits, you have to treat that friend like a person, not a stat. Send a weird video of your dog, a voice note complaining about your boss, or a snap using a ridiculous face filter.
The more “human” your interaction feels to the app, the faster you’ll fly from the cold reaches of Neptune to the warm, cozy vibes of Earth.
What about you? Who are you trying to unseat in the rankings? Drop a comment or send me a snap—let’s see if we can get you to Mercury!
Would you like me to create a custom 7-day checklist for you to track these interactions?
