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In a major shift to its archival features, Snapchat has announced that users who exceed 5 GB of saved “Memories” will now be required to subscribe to a paid plan if they wish to retain their content. The change affects those with large collections of Snaps and Stories stored in the app.
Under the new structure, Snapchat is offering tiered subscription options. The entry-level plan offers 100 GB of storage for $1.99/month. Snapchat+ subscribers will receive 250 GB of storage under their $3.99/month subscription, while a new Platinum tier provides 5 TB of storage for $15.99/month.
Snapchat says this move is necessary to support the infrastructure demands of the Memories feature, which has grown far beyond expectations since its launch in 2016. Over one trillion items have been saved to the platform’s archive over the years. To ease the transition, Snapchat will provide a 12-month grace period for users whose Memories exceed 5 GB. During that window, they can continue to view their content and decide whether to upgrade or download their Smaps locally.
If a user surpasses the 5 GB threshold and does not subscribe to a plan within the grace period, Snapchat warns it may begin deleting the “newest” items beyond the limit, preserving older content first. Users are also able to export Memories to other devices.
According to Snapchat, the vast majority of its user base stores less than 5 GB of Memories, so most people will not see any impact under the new policy. The company emphasizes that for users under the limit, nothing changes.
Still, the announcement has sparked backlash from some users, who argue that charging for what was once a free feature is unfair. Many have expressed frustration that a feature they treated as a permanent archive is now being monetized. Others are concerned they may lose content or be forced to pay for something they assumed would remain free.
“ I feel that that’s just the way a lot of companies are going on with their profit forward mindset, like charge what you can and give the features first and then take them away, “ said UW freshman Youseff Eissa. The subscription is expected to start in 2026.
