Snapchat Sun: What It Means on Your Best Friends List
Ever spotted a Sun icon while viewing someone’s Snapchat profile and wondered what it means? Is it just another emoji, or does it reveal something deeper about your friendship?
The Snapchat Sun isn’t just a random symbol — it’s part of Snapchat’s Friend Solar System, available to Snapchat+ subscribers, and it marks a special connection between you and a friend.
In this guide, we’ll explain what the Snapchat Sun means, how it works in the Snapchat Solar System, how to get and keep it, and how it compares to other icons like hearts, smile emojis, and planets.

What Does the Snapchat Sun Mean?
The Snapchat Sun is one of the most important symbols in the app’s best friends list. It shows that you have someone as your #1 best friend, and that person has you as their #1 best friend. Meaning, you two share the highest number of Snaps, thus enjoying a digital NFT of your strongest bond on Snapchat available.
Hence, the sun next to a friend’s name indicates:
- You send them the highest number of snaps, and they reciprocate the same.
- Your interactions are mutual and consistent.
- Snapchat acknowledges your bond as your top friend on the app.
You are at the very centre of someone’s Snapchat universe, and they’re at the centre of yours. Unlike other symbols that tend to shift more frequently, the sun is a mark of certainty.
The Snapchat Solar System Explained
The Snapchat Solar System is a fun, interactive feature exclusive to Snapchat+ subscribers.
It ranks your top 8 best friends as planets — with the Sun representing the mutual #1 spot.
Here’s how the ranking works:
Planet/Icon 329_1d644e-59> | Position 329_4393ee-28> | Meaning 329_32ec39-3a> |
---|---|---|
🌞 Sun 329_f3b5c7-d2> | #1 Mutual Best Friend 329_a49d9f-07> | You’re each other’s top best friend 329_c5100f-ba> |
🪐 Mercury 329_06ea6b-aa> | #1 Best Friend (not mutual) 329_b5b2e1-e9> | They’re your top friend, but you’re not theirs 329_500116-df> |
🌎 Earth 329_84974f-44> | #3 in ranking 329_9cfcdd-0a> | Very frequent interaction 329_cea6dc-81> |
🔴 Mars 329_f9b1e9-99> | #4 in ranking 329_c2cc51-56> | Regular snaps, but others interact more 329_e8744c-a2> |
🪙 Jupiter 329_9790b0-1a> | #5 in ranking 329_d2eaf2-39> | Occasional interaction 329_b61dde-cf> |
💍 Saturn 329_5c4688-2d> | #6 in ranking 329_4e726f-e0> | Low engagement compared to others 329_f1673d-38> |
🌀 Uranus 329_2ab9c3-05> | #7 in ranking 329_6428d6-c0> | Rare snaps or chats 329_6d8933-de> |
🧊 Neptune 329_620fa3-f3> | #8 in ranking 329_b11c09-70> | Barely any interaction 329_bf306e-99> |
Note: Only Snapchat+ users can see the Solar System icons. Regular Snapchat users still have a “Best Friends” list but without planets or the Sun.
Snapchat Sun vs Other Emojis & Icons
While the Sun is part of the Solar System, you’ll also see Snapchat emojis like hearts and smileys on your best friends list.
Icon 329_5665d8-9e> | Name 329_f77a9b-b2> | Meaning 329_6284ad-b1> | Who Sees It 329_74229d-c1> |
---|---|---|---|
🌞 Sun 329_75d787-c9> | Mutual #1 Best Friend in Solar System 329_85ed91-4e> | Available only to Snapchat+ 329_042c66-b7> | You only 329_9681b5-ef> |
❤️ Red Heart 329_3ce675-67> | Mutual #1 Best Friend for 2 weeks 329_29f625-8e> | High streak friendship 329_fa2acd-91> | Both users 329_f417cb-a4> |
💛 Yellow Heart 329_0a491c-11> | Mutual #1 Best Friend 329_03c398-9c> | Standard best friend badge 329_b84c12-d4> | Both users 329_3d1ade-40> |
😊 Smile 329_d29800-f8> | One of your best friends 329_1cf82a-33> | Regular snaps but not #1 329_030e78-44> | You only 329_012198-c6> |
The key difference:
- Hearts and smile emojis are available for free and show basic friendship levels.
- The Sun is premium and visually ties into the planet ranking system.
How to See Who Your Snapchat Sun Is
If you have Snapchat+, here’s how to check if someone is your Sun:
- Open Snapchat on your phone.
- Go to your friend’s profile by tapping their Bitmoji.
- Look for the Best Friends badge.
- Tap the badge — if you see the Sun icon, you’re mutual #1 best friends.
Tip: This feature is private — your friends can’t see your Solar System unless they have Snapchat+.
How to Get the Snapchat Sun With Someone
Want to become someone’s Sun?
Here’s what boosts your chances:
- Send daily snaps (photos/videos) — chats alone don’t count as much.
- Reply to their stories consistently.
- Engage with their snaps quickly instead of leaving them unopened.
- Maintain streaks for long periods.
- Reduce interaction with other friends to prioritise one person.
How to Keep Your Sun Status
Getting the Sun is one thing — keeping it is another.
To maintain your position:
- Snap daily without breaks (even if it’s just a quick picture).
- Keep conversations active — don’t leave them on “opened” for too long.
- Engage with stories and Bitmoji updates.
- Avoid long inactivity periods (3+ days can cause a drop).
Common Myths About the Snapchat Sun
Myth: You can have multiple Suns
Truth: You can only have one Sun at a time.
Myth: The Sun means romantic interest
Truth: It’s purely based on interaction, not emotions.
Myth: The Sun rank never changes
Truth: It updates regularly based on your latest activity.
How the Snapchat Sun Fits Into the Friendship System
The friendship ranking system in Snapchat reflects the frequency of your interactions with each contact. In addition to emojis like 😊 or 💛, which may represent a standard level of best friend, the Snapchat Sun is only available to Snapchat+ subscribers as a key feature of the Solar System. The Solar System feature is designed to reveal all the contacts you may have missed while exploring your space.
In this system, every best friend is represented by a planet, and the sun represents your topmost friend; the sun is the highest position a friend can reach in your Snapchat world.
What of Galaxy Mentions and The Moon
Some users want to discuss the Moon Icon, also known as Galaxy Friends. Still, these terms are mostly community-based or have specific interpretations related to the icons on the app. They aren’t professionally explained in the same way as the Snapchat Sun marks your strongest friends.
Like most people, the moon can be used to represent a secondary friend who qualifies as a buddy. Users may casually use the moon to represent secondary best friends, but it’s not a formal icon with a defined meaning. That’s why, when comparing the two, the Snapchat Sun is far more significant and recognised by the app itself.
Can the Snapchat Sun Change?
As you change with your interactions or become more interactive with someone else, the Snapchat Sun emoji might switch to a different friend of yours. This now occurs based on your most recent activity.
Snapchat’s Sun Snap feature appropriately adjusts according to your engagement with loved ones and contacts. Whether you are on a streaming service or simply talk every day, having the Sun feature requires regular texting to maintain the status.
Purpose of the Snapchat Sun Feature
The Snap Sun’s feature helps users recognise meaningful relationships within social media. In a world that focuses on regularly sharing and text messaging, the Snapchat Sun provides information in a snap. If you’re aiming for that sun spot with someone, just keep texting frequently, video calling regularly, and simply staying online with the person. Remember, your activities determine your friends’ solar system.