Snapchat Best Friends List: Complete Guide to Rankings and Updates
Engaging with so many friends on Snapchat might confuse you to find out your most active connections. But don’t worry, the Snapchat app solves this problem by introducing the feature of a best friends list to highlight your top eight besties.
The best friends are arranged in the order of 1 to 8 in the list. This smart feature lists your top friends in an organized manner and adds a visual touch of emojis next to your friends’ names, which motivates you to keep your bond stronger.
This article helps you understand the best friend list’s meanings and how it works in detail.
What is Snapchat’s Best Friends List?
The Snapchat best friend list is a free feature of the app, highlighting your top 8 friends based on the frequency of snaps, chats, and other interactions with them. A special emoji next to each friend shows your friendship status. This list allows you to privately track your closest friends, as only you can view the list.
The list is personalized and updated automatically based on your recent Snapchat activities with your friends over the past few weeks. The more you engage with someone, the higher they move on your best friend list. If you stop interacting with someone who is at the top of the list, they may drop down and eventually disappear from the list. This ranking factor is similar to the Snapchat solar system, a visual and paid feature of Snapchat Plus.
Note: The Snapchat Best Friends List is a default feature available to all users, while Snap Planets remain turned off until manually enabled by Snapchat+ subscribers.
How does Snapchat’s Best Friends Algorithm work
Many users are curious about the algorithm that shows how the Best Friends List Works, but the Snapchat app keeps this formula hidden.
Friends with the strongest connections for several days get a top spot in your friend list. The title of best friends is granted to your top eight friends in the Snapchat friend list based on consistent two-way engagement between you and your friends.
Best Friend Ranking Factors
Regular engagement is key to boosting your Friends ranking and strengthening your connections on Snapchat.
How Often Does the Best Friends List Update?
The Snapchat Best Friends List updates automatically, often daily, based on your recent snaps, chats, and overall interaction. Increased or decreased activity can quickly change a friend’s position on the list. Your activity is monitored and analyzed by the Snapchat algorithm regularly.
The BSF list spontaneously regulates over time as the relationship with your friends evolves. So, a consistent connection is a key to keeping your close friend at the top of the list.
Snapchat Friend Emojis and Their Hidden Meanings
The unique emoji system on Snapchat indicates your friendship status and is displayed next to the person’s name. A quick breakdown of friend emojis and their meanings is given below:
👶 Baby – Newly added friends
🔥 Red Fire – Snapstreak of at least three consecutive days
🌟 Gold star – someone replayed your snap within the past 24 hours
😊 Smiley Face – Best Friends
💛 Yellow Heart – Your #1 Best Friend
❤️ Red Heart – Best Friends for two weeks
💕 Two Pink Hearts – Super BFFs for two months or more
😎 Sunglasses Face – you and your friend have two or more mutual best friends
😏 Smirking face – shows someone is your best friend, but you are not theirs
⌛ Hourglass – Shows snapstreak is about to end
💯 One Hundred – Snapstreak for 100 consecutive days
📌 Pushpin – Shows that the chat has been pinned at the top of your conversation list
🎂 Birthday Cake – shows next to your friend’s name on their Birthday
Benefits of Having a Snapchat Best Friends List
Shows your closest friends instantly: Your top friends appear right at the top of the Send-To and Chat screens for quick access.
Encourages stronger connections: Regular interaction keeps friends appearing on your Best Friends list, motivating you to stay connected.
Displays private friend emojis: Special emojis beside your friend’s names represent your friendship status, visible only to you.
Identifies active friendships: The list automatically updates based on your Snaps, chats, and group interactions.
Where to Find Your Best Friends on Snapchat
Snapchat highlights your best friends in two specific sections of the app for easy navigation. In short, you interact with them like a quick contact.
Your Profile Section:
Send To Screen:
Can You Control Your Snapchat Best Friends List?
As we know, Snapchat updates frequently and changes the positions of your best friends based on changes in your interactions. Besides this, you have indirect control over your best friends by influencing the following factors:
Quick and meaningful responses:
Fast and useful replies to messages and snaps will help to maintain your position in the best friend list and strengthen your connections.
Engage with private snaps:
Direct snaps hold more value than group snaps in boosting your friends’ ranking.
Prioritize One-on-One Chats:
Private chats have more influence than group chats. It has a positive impact on your BFF status.
What Happens If You Remove a Best Friend
If you remove a best friend, they will instantly disappear from the friend list and lose access to your private snaps and stories. Their friendship emoji and snap streaks will also disappear.
Note: Best friends should be removed naturally by simply stopping the interactions, instead of manually removing them.
Do Snapchat Best Friends Last Forever?
No, best friends are not guaranteed to be forever. The Snapchat algorithm tracks your friendship and daily interactions. So, if your connection with your best friends slows down, they drop off the list and make space for others.
BFFs are rare gems, so regular chats, quick responses, and consistent snaps are key to maintaining the list and keeping your best friend forever, as Snapchat prioritizes your active connections.
What is an Extended Best Friends List?
The extended best friend list is an exclusive feature available only to Snapchat Plus users. It allows you to:
Standard vs Extended Best Friends List
| Features | Standard | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Version | Free (for all users) | Paid (only for Snapchat + users) |
| No. of friends | 8 | 16 |
| Appearance | Basic text List without numerical rankings | Traditional Ranked list Format |
| Visibility | Only visible to you | Only visible to you |
| Update frequency | Regular | Once a week |
Pro Tips for Managing Your List
The following are the tips to manage your friend list properly: