Snapchat+ is a rip-off
Four dollars a month. That's all the new Snapchat+ service will cost you. Well, technically it is $3.99... but whatever. Earlier today, Snap Inc. announced this new "plus" subscription designed for power users and enthusiasts of the social platform. While that isn't a lot of money, it still doesn't mean Snapchat+ is a good value. In fact, many users will be shocked by what the premium service is lacking.
Unfortunately, despite paying Snap Inc. a monthly fee, Snapchat+ users will still see advertisements when using the app. This is very surprising (and disappointing), as many people assumed that a premium Snapchat subscription would get rid of ads. Instead, Snap Inc. is hoping users will find value in exclusive features, such as the ability to change the Snapchat icon on mobile or designate another user as your BFF (best friend forever).
Snap Inc. explains, "Today we're launching Snapchat+, a collection of exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features available in Snapchat for $3.99/month. This subscription will allow us to deliver new Snapchat features to some of the most passionate members of our community and allow us to provide prioritized support."
Exclusive features are undeniably cool. However, the "experimental" and "pre-release" language tells me the company is largely charging these users to be beta testers... and that is certainly not cool. Being a guinea pig is not a perk.
Ultimately, Snapchat+ seems like a figurative rip-off as it is overpriced and severely lacking in benefits. Hopefully, the removal of advertisements will eventually be introduced. As the Snapchat+ service stands now, Snap Inc. is likely to find subscription signups to be very low.
For now, Snapchat+ is only available to users in the below countries, but it will be expanded to additional locations in the future.
- Australia
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- New Zealand
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
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