Hey there! I’m Martin, your go-to tech enthusiast and a bit of a Snapchat addict, if I’m being honest. You know that feeling when you’re scrolling through a friend’s profile and you see a tiny gold badge, tap it, and suddenly you’re looking at a red planet with stars?
It happened to me last Tuesday. I was catching up with my cousin, and I saw I was his “Mars.” My first thought? “Wait, does that mean we’re close, or am I just drifting away in his digital space?” If you’ve ever felt that “social media anxiety” or just sheer curiosity about where you stand, you aren’t alone. Today, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about Mars on Snapchat over a virtual cup of coffee. No jargon, just the real deal.
My Personal Experience with Mars on Snapchat
I’ve been a Snapchat+ subscriber since the day it launched. I love the experimental stuff, but the Friend Solar System is easily the most “talked-about” (and sometimes controversial) feature.
A few months ago, my best friend from college and I were solidly in each other’s #1 spot—the Mercury rank. We were sending Snaps daily, mostly just pictures of our dogs or what we were having for lunch. Then, life got busy. I started a new project at work, and he started training for a marathon. Our daily Snaps dropped from twenty a day to maybe three.
One Saturday, I checked our friendship profile. I wasn’t Mercury anymore. I wasn’t even Venus or Earth. I had landed on Mars.
Seeing that red planet with stars and those tiny purple hearts snapchat uses to decorate it was a wake-up call. It didn’t mean we weren’t friends, but it was a literal, visual representation of us “drifting” in the digital solar system. It taught me that Snapchat’s algorithm is incredibly sensitive. It doesn’t just look at how long you’ve been friends; it looks at the velocity of your interaction. I ended up sending him a funny video that night, and within two days, I was back to being Earth.
The system is a living, breathing thing. It’s not a permanent grade; it’s just a snapshot of your current “orbit.”
Read More: Saturn on Snapchat: Meaning of the Ringed Planet (#6 BFF)
What Exactly is Mars on Snapchat?
In the world of Snapchat+, you are the Sun. Your friends are the planets orbiting you. The closer the planet is to the Sun, the more you two interact.
When you see Mars on Snapchat, it means you are that person’s #4 best friend rank. You aren’t in the “Inner Circle” of the top three (Mercury, Venus, Earth), but you’re the very next person in line.
Why the Red Planet?
Snapchat follows the actual order of our solar system. Since Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, it represents the fourth person on a user’s Best Friends list. Visually, it’s a deep red globe. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s surrounded by purple hearts and blue hearts, along with some sparkles or stars.
How Do You Get There?
The algorithm calculates your rank based on:
- Snap Frequency: How many photos and videos you exchange.
- Chat Activity: How often you’re typing back and forth.
- Consistency: Are you talking every day, or just once a week?
Decoding the Friend Solar System Ranks
To understand Mars, you have to see where it sits in the grand scheme of things. Here is a quick breakdown of the orbits so you can stop guessing.
The Snapchat Solar System Table
| Rank | Planet | Visual Description | Relationship Vibe |
| #1 | Mercury | Red planet with red hearts | Your absolute ride-or-die. |
| #2 | Venus | Light brown with pink/blue hearts | Super close, constant contact. |
| #3 | Earth | Blue and green with the Moon | A solid, daily connection. |
| #4 | Mars | Red planet with stars & purple hearts | Great friends, but not the “top 3.” |
| #5 | Jupiter | Orange with stripes and stars | Regular but less frequent Snaps. |
| #6 | Saturn | Orange with a visible ring | Occasional interactions. |
| #7 | Uranus | Greenish-blue and plain | We talk, but not every day. |
| #8 | Neptune | Deep blue and cold | The outer edge of your top 8. |
Why Is Mars the “Action” Planet?
Interestingly, some people call Mars the “action” rank. Because you’re at #4, you are right on the edge of the “Top 3” list that usually gets the special emojis (like the Yellow Heart or the BFF Heart).
If you find yourself as Mars on Snapchat in someone’s world, it usually means you have a healthy, active friendship, but you might not be their primary “streak” partner or the person they send every single mundane update to. Honestly, I like being Mars. It’s a bit less pressure than being Mercury, where you feel like you have to reply in five seconds or the orbit will decay!
How to Check Your Orbit (and What It Means)
Checking your rank is easy, but remember: you need a Snapchat+ subscription to see this.
- Open the app and go to your Chat screen.
- Tap on a friend’s Bitmoji to open their Friendship Profile.
- Look for a gold-bordered badge that says “Best Friends” or “Friends.”
- Tap that badge.
A pop-up will appear showing your Bitmoji sitting on a planet. If you see that reddish globe with the purple hearts snapchat uses to signify the fourth spot, congrats—you’re Mars!
Martin’s Note: If it says “Best Friends,” you are both in each other’s top 8. If it just says “Friends,” you are in their top 8, but they might not be in yours. (Ouch, I know, but that’s the data for you!)
Common Questions About the 4th Orbit
Have you ever wondered why your rank changes overnight? I see this asked all the time on Reddit.
Does the orbit update in real-time?
Not exactly. In my experience, it updates every few hours or once a day. If you spend three hours chatting with someone, don’t expect to jump from Mars to Mercury instantly. Give the algorithm time to “crunch the numbers.”
Can other people see my Solar System?
Nope! This is a “for your eyes only” feature. Only you can see where you rank in a friend’s system, and only they can see where they rank in yours. It’s designed to be a personal insight, not a public leaderboard.
FAQ: What You’re Dying to Know
1. Why does Mars have purple hearts on Snapchat?
The purple hearts snapchat includes on the Mars icon are just a design choice to help differentiate it from Mercury (which has red hearts). It makes the “red planet” look distinct so you don’t confuse being #1 with being #4.
2. I was Earth yesterday, why am I Mars today?
Friendship is dynamic! Someone else likely snapped your friend more than you did in the last 24 hours. Don’t sweat it—social media shouldn’t be a competition.
3. Is the “Red Planet with stars” always Mars?
Yes. In the Snapchat UI, the combination of a red planet, stars, and purple/blue hearts specifically identifies the #4 best friend rank.
4. How do I turn this feature off?
If the “ranking” vibe stresses you out, you can turn it off! Go to your Profile > Snapchat+ > Friend Solar System and toggle it off. Your friends won’t be notified.
Martin’s Final Tip: Don’t Let the Planets Rule Your Life
At the end of the day, Mars on Snapchat is just a fun way to visualize your digital habits. It’s not a definitive statement on your worth as a friend. I’ve had my best friends of 10 years drop to Neptune because we decided to hang out in person instead of Snapping.
My final tip? Use the Solar System to see who you might have lost touch with. If a close friend has drifted to the outer orbits, maybe send them a “thinking of you” Snap. Use the tech to build the bond, not just to track the rank.
Would you like me to explain how to quickly boost your rank back to the “inner planets” using specific Snapchat+ features?
