Snap passes 30 million paid subscribers across Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+

Subscriber milestone arrives with a miss

Snap said in its third-quarter 2026 earnings release that paid subscribers surpassed 30 million, up from 25 million in February. Chief executive Evan Spiegel said the count covers Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+.

"We surpassed 30 million paid subscribers across Snapchat+, Memories Storage, and Lens+," Spiegel said in the letter to investors. "Innovative AI-powered features have helped Lens+ exceed our expectations, demonstrating how new creative experiences can drive demand for our paid products. Paid subscribers still represent a small share of our monthly community, giving us room to grow through broader adoption and new premium experiences."

The quarter was weaker elsewhere. Snap reported 495 million daily active users, up from 493 million in the prior quarter but below the 499 million analysts expected. Shares fell 12% after the company missed estimates on advertising revenue and user growth. Spiegel said advertising revenue growth remains below Snap's target.

The investor letter also said daily engagement has historically been stable as a percentage of monthly engagement, and that Snap does not intend to optimise Snapchat around daily use at the expense of long-term value for the community. It said a longer-term horizon better aligns reported metrics with product and safety decisions that strengthen relationships, create lasting utility and support broader, more durable audience growth.

What the 30 million includes

Snapchat+ launched in 2022 at $3.99 a month with exclusive and pre-release features. Snap later introduced additional paid tiers beyond the core subscription to diversify revenue. Lens+ costs $8.99 a month for exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. Snapchat+ Platinum costs $15.99 a month and offers an ad-free experience. Spiegel's count named Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+.

Memories Storage became a paid category after Snap limited free storage for its Memories feature about a year before the milestone. Users were told they could pay $1.99 a month for additional storage or subscribe to Snapchat+ to retain their Memories.

The 5 million subscriber gain compares with a 2 million rise in daily active users from the prior quarter. Spiegel compared the paid base with Snap's monthly community, not its daily user figure. He said paid subscribers remain a small share of that monthly community, which gives Snap room to grow through broader adoption and new premium experiences. He did not give a figure for that monthly community.

What comes next

Snap's plan for advertising is to improve advertiser performance and expand how businesses reach users, Spiegel said. Snap did not disclose revenue for the paid tiers or a churn rate, leaving the earnings from the 30 million subscribers unknown. Snap did not give a target for paid subscribers.