• by Colin Kirkland , 5 hours ago

Next week, Snapchat will begin alpha testing a new feature in the U.S. that allows select creators to offer paid subscriptions for access to exclusive content, highlighting the social media company's ongoing investment in subscription models.

“Creator Subscriptions” is designed to bring a premium experience to Snapchatters engaging with specific high-profile creators on the platform. Creators can set their own monthly pricing for subscriber-only Snaps and Stories, as well as replies to public Stories and an ad-free experience within their Stories.

Creators involved in the testing phase will receive about 60% of subscription revenue from the subscription price, as well as performance data, according to CNBC.

The offering builds on existing monetization options designed for Snap creators, such as the social media company's Snap Star Collab Studio, which offers exclusive features to high-profile creators.

Creator Subscriptions will be tested primarily with 15 current U.S.-based Snap Stars, including model Jeremiah Brown (246K followers), actor Harry Jowsey (438K followers), and actor Skai Jackson (2.4M followers). The feature competes directly with Facebook and Instagram, on which creators have been able to offer subscriptions to followers since 2022. 

According to the company's Q4 2025 results, Snapchat's audience consists of 474 million daily active users -- a decline of around 3 million users compared to Q3.

However, Snapchat's premium subscription plans grew 71% year-over-year, while engagement in its short-form video offering Spotlight grew 47% year-over-year.

“In the year ahead, growth in subscribers will be a critical input metric to track our progress,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel wrote in the company's Q4 letter to investors.

Snapchat's announcement states that the feature will expand to more Snapchatters, creators, devices, and regions -- including Canada, the U.K., and France -- in the coming weeks.