What Is a Snap Star? Meaning, Badge and How to Apply

A Snap Star is a public figure or creator that Snapchat has verified, marked with a star next to their name on their profile. You cannot buy it, and a large audience does not guarantee it.

Snap describes Snap Stars as creators who bring some of the best and most entertaining content to Snapchat, across topics like arts, beauty, news, gaming and music. Snap Stars are eligible to have their content featured in Snapchat.

What does a Snap Star mean?

A Snap Star label means Snap has checked that the account belongs to the real person or an authorized team. Snap's account labels page calls a Snap Star "a public figure, creator, or personality who has been verified by Snap" and says the review is meant to reduce impersonation.

The label does not change your rights. Snap says being designated a Snap Star does not change the Terms of Service or give the account holder additional rights.

How is a Snap Star different from the Snapchat+ star?

They are different things that look alike. The Snapchat+ badge is a black star (✪) that subscribers can switch on next to their display name. It is off by default, and Snap's steps are to go to your Profile, tap your Snapchat+ membership card at the top and toggle on Snapchat+ Badge.

Snap states that the Snapchat+ badge does not indicate identity verification, authenticity or endorsement by Snap. So a star beside a name proves nothing by itself. Only the Snap Star label means Snap verified the account.

	Snap Star	Snapchat+ badge
How you get it	Snap approves an application	You subscribe and turn it on
What it signals	Verified creator or public figure	Paying subscriber
Costs money	No, Snap charges nothing for it	Yes, it is a subscription
Default	Shown on the profile	Off until the subscriber enables it

How do you become a Snap Star?

You apply through the form linked from Snap's How do I become a Snap Star page, and Snap reviews each application. It lists no follower count. It weighs five factors, alongside your compliance with its Terms of Service and Community Guidelines:

• Account engagement: a large, engaged audience. Snap may make an exception when the person is well known outside Snapchat.
• Public stories: you regularly create and share stories with the general public.
• Authenticity: the account represents a real person or people and is their unique presence. General interest accounts are not eligible.
• Notability: the account is highly searched for or culturally relevant.
• Content quality: original, safe and appropriate for all users.

Is being a Snap Star paid?

No. The star itself pays nothing, and Snap says it does not charge for verification or accept payment for it. Anyone offering to sell you the star is not working with Snap.

Money comes from separate programs. Snap's Monetization Program is invite-only and lists Snap Star status as one of its requirements, so the star is a step toward earning rather than earnings on its own. The details are in our guide to making money on Snapchat Spotlight.

Why did my Snap Star star disappear?

Snap can remove it, and it says it can do so at its sole and absolute discretion and without advance notice. The reasons it lists include:

• Breaking the Terms of Service or Community Guidelines.
• Buying or selling followers, or inflating your follower count.
• Posting content that no longer matches what you were verified for.
• Posting third-party content you do not own or meaningfully transform.
• Impersonating someone, or transferring the account to a new owner.

Snap also audits the program regularly, and off-platform behavior that conflicts with its policies can disqualify you. A current Snap Star with a status question can use the support form Snap links from its Snap Star page.

If you only want the label gone, a Snap Star can request removal in the app's Support section or through the Help Center.

While you build an audience, a follower milestone tracker shows how long your next target takes at your current growth rate, and the micro-influencer guide covers how small creators earn before platform programs open up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many followers do you need to be a Snap Star?

Snap publishes no follower number for Snap Star. Its page lists audience size as one factor and states that no one is entitled to the label regardless of audience size. Separate programs do set numbers: the Monetization Program asks for 50,000 followers, but that is a different step from verification.

Can a fan page or meme account become a Snap Star?

No. Snap says the account must represent a real person or people and be their unique presence, and that general interest accounts are not eligible. Snap also says no third party influences its Snap Star decisions, so paid "verification services" are not connected to it.

Are Snap Stars treated differently on Snapchat?

Slightly. Snap applies the same Community Guidelines to everyone, but labelled profiles can get extra checks before their content appears in places like Spotlight or Stories. They also get enhanced security steps if someone tries to access the account without authorization, which helps guard against impersonation.

Is a Snap Star the same as a verified account?

For creators and public figures, yes. Snap describes becoming a Snap Star as the way to get verified on Snapchat, and Snap Stars get a star next to their name on their profile. The Snapchat+ star is not verification: it only shows that someone subscribes and chose to display the badge.

Sources

1. Snapchat Support, What is a Snap Star?
2. Snapchat Support, How do I become a Snap Star?
3. Snapchat Support, About Account Labels on Snapchat
4. Snapchat Support, How do I get a Snapchat+ Badge?
5. Snapchat Support, Why did I lose my Snap Star status?
6. Snapchat Support, About Snapchat's Monetization Program