Hello! Martin here. Grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and let’s talk shop. If you’re like me, your Snapchat isn’t just an app—it’s a digital ecosystem. Lately, I’ve been getting hit with one specific question from my circle: “Martin, if I pin my bestie, does that actually bump them up in my Solar System rank?”
It’s a fair question. We all want our “Ride or Die” to show up as Mercury, right? But the way Snapchat’s internal logic works is a bit like a hidden clockwork mechanism. I spent the last few weeks digging into this, even sacrificing a few “Bestie” streaks in the name of science, to figure out exactly how pinning best friend snapchat rank mechanics actually play out.
Let’s dive into the cosmic truth behind the #1 BFF pinning and whether it actually helps your planet rank.
My Personal Experience with Pinning Ranks
A few months ago, my sister (who is easily my most-snapped person) fell to “Venus” status. Why? Because I was deep in a fantasy football group chat and was snapping my buddy Dave way more often. My sister was offended—like, “Neptune-level” cold shoulder offended.
I thought I could “cheat” the system. I had Snapchat+, so I went ahead and used the #1 BFF pinning feature on her profile. I figured, “Hey, if I tell the app she’s my #1, surely the Solar System will fall in line.”
I waited. One day. Three days. A week.
The result? She stayed at Venus. Meanwhile, Dave—who I wasn’t even pinned with—remained my Mercury. This was my “lightbulb moment.” I realized that pinning is a UI (User Interface) preference, while the Solar System is a Data Reflection. It taught me that while I can control who sits at the top of my chat list, I can’t fake the “gravity” of my actual interaction data.
Read More: Snapchat Planets Reddit Guide: Meanings & Ranking (2026)
Does Pinning Help Planet Rank? The Hard Truth
To put it simply: No, pinning a friend as your #1 BFF does not directly change their planet position.
I know, I know—it feels like it should! But here is why:
- Pinning is for Accessibility: When you pin someone, you are essentially telling Snapchat, “Keep this person’s name at the very top of my Chat screen so I don’t have to scroll.” It’s a shortcut.
- Planets are for Activity: The Solar System ranks (Mercury through Neptune) are calculated strictly by a mathematical algorithm that looks at your two-way interaction. It counts the snaps sent, snaps received, and chat frequency.
Have you ever felt frustrated that your “real” best friend is stuck out on Jupiter while a random acquaintance is orbiting Mercury? It usually happens because that acquaintance is a “high-volume” snapper. Pinning won’t fix that, but does pinning help planet rank in a roundabout way? Maybe. If pinning them makes you snap them more often because their name is right there, then yes, your behavior change will eventually move them closer to the Sun.
How the #1 BFF Pinning Actually Works
While it doesn’t “cheat” the planet system, the #1 BFF pinning feature is still a power-user move. When you have Snapchat+, you get the “Best Friends Forever” feature. This allows you to pin one person as your #1.
What actually happens:
- Priority Placement: They stay at the top of your Chat feed, even if you haven’t talked to them in weeks.
- Exclusive Icon: You get a special “BFF” icon next to their name that only you can see.
- Mutual Magic: If you pin them and they pin you back, you both get a unique emoji badge.
But remember, this is a Priority Chat feature, not a rank-booster. It’s like putting a photo of someone on your dashboard; it shows they’re important to you, but it doesn’t make the car drive toward them any faster.
Comparison: Pinning vs. Solar System Rank
I put together this table to help you see the differences at a glance. It’s the easiest way to keep these two features straight.
| Feature | Pinning (#1 BFF) | Friend Solar System (Planets) |
| Control | 100% Manual (You choose) | 100% Algorithmic (Data chooses) |
| Purpose | Fast access and “Priority Chat” | Visualizing interaction frequency |
| Visibility | Private (Only you see your pin) | Private (Only you see your system) |
| Limit | 1 person for #1 BFF | Top 8 Friends |
| How to Change | Tap and hold their name | Snap and Chat more frequently |
| Snapchat+ Needed? | Yes | Yes |
Does the Algorithm Favor “Pinned” Friends?
Now, let’s get a little nerdy. There is a theory in the power-user community that the algorithm might give a “micro-weight” to pinned friends. From my testing? I haven’t seen it.
I’ve had friends pinned for months who stayed at the “Earth” or “Mars” position because we only sent one or two snaps a day. Meanwhile, a group of friends I was actively “streaking” with stayed in the Mercury and Venus spots.
If you want to move someone’s rank, you have to do the work.
- Send more Snaps: (Video snaps seem to carry more weight than text-based chats in my experience).
- Open their Snaps immediately: Engagement speed matters.
- Keep the Streak: Consistency is the “gravity” that pulls a planet closer to the Sun.
FAQ: What the Community is Asking
1. Can my #1 pinned BFF see that I pinned them?
Nope! This is a completely private feature. They won’t get a notification, and they won’t see any special badge on their end unless you both pin each other. It’s your little secret.
2. Why is my pinned friend only a “Mars” planet?
Because “Mars” represents the 4th closest friend in terms of interaction. Even if they are your #1 in your heart (and your pins), if you chat with three other people more frequently, those three will take the Mercury, Venus, and Earth spots.
3. Does pinning someone help me get the Gold Heart emoji faster?
Indirectly, yes. Because pinning them makes it easier to find them and snap them, you’re more likely to maintain the “Besties” status required for the yellow and red hearts. But the pin itself doesn’t trigger the emoji.
4. If I unpin someone, will their planet rank drop?
Not at all. Unpinning them just moves them back down into the regular chronological list of your chats. Their planet rank will stay exactly where the data says it should be.
Martin’s Final Tip
If you’re trying to climb the “friendship ladder” or move someone closer to your “Sun,” don’t rely on the pin. Use the pin for convenience, but use your camera for rank.
My secret hack? Send “Good Morning” or “Good Night” snaps. It’s a low-effort way to ensure you’re hitting at least two high-value interactions every 24 hours. Over a week, that’s 14 snaps that the algorithm will definitely notice. Before you know it, that person will be drifting from the cold reaches of Neptune right into the warm orbit of Mercury.
Would you like me to create a step-by-step guide on how to maximize your Snap Score to help boost these ranks even faster?
