Snap passes 30 million paid subscribers amid advertising shortfall
Snap reaches 30 million paid subscribers
Snap has surpassed 30 million paid subscribers across Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+, the company said in its third-quarter 2026 earnings release. The total is 5 million higher than the 25 million paid subscribers Snap reported in February.
The figure covers Snapchat’s core subscription, paid storage for Memories and Lens+, the plan built around exclusive Lenses and augmented-reality experiences. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said the company’s AI-powered features had helped Lens+ exceed expectations and demonstrated demand for new creative experiences in paid products.
Subscription tiers broaden Snap’s revenue mix
Snapchat+ launched in 2022 at $3.99 per month, offering subscribers exclusive and pre-release features. Snap subsequently introduced additional paid options as it sought to diversify revenue beyond the main subscription.
Lens+ costs $8.99 per month and unlocks exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. Snapchat+ Platinum costs $15.99 per month and provides an ad-free experience. Snap also began charging for extra Memories storage after setting a limit on free storage, with users able to pay $1.99 per month for additional capacity or subscribe to Snapchat+ to retain their Memories.
Spiegel said paid subscribers remain a small share of Snap’s monthly community, leaving room for broader adoption and additional premium experiences. The company therefore frames subscriptions as an expanding commercial line rather than a replacement for its advertising business.
Advertising and user results remain under pressure
The subscriber milestone came alongside a more difficult market response to the quarterly results. Snap shares fell 12% after the company missed estimates for advertising revenue and user growth.
Snap reported 495 million daily active users for the quarter, up from 493 million in the previous quarter but below analysts’ expectation of 499 million. In its investor letter, the company said it does not intend to optimise Snapchat around daily use at the expense of long-term value for its community.
Spiegel also said advertising revenue growth remains below Snap’s target. The company plans to improve advertiser performance and expand the ways businesses can reach Snapchat users. For businesses, the results underline the need to evaluate Snap’s growing paid-product business separately from the platform’s advertising execution and audience-growth trajectory.