Snapchat is set to start charging users for storing photos and videos in its Memories feature, sparking backlash from those with large archives. Introduced in 2016, Memories allows users to save posts originally shared for 24 hours and revisit them later.
Who will be affected?
Users with more than 5GB of saved Memories will now need to pay to keep their content accessible. Snap has introduced a 100GB storage plan priced at $1.99 per month, while 250GB is included in the $3.99 Snapchat+ subscription, as per company’s blog post.
The company will provide 12 months of temporary storage for users exceeding the limit, who can also download their saved content. Snap says most users, who have less than 5GB of Memories, won’t be affected.
Why the change?
Snap has acknowledged it’s “never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it” but suggested it be “worth the cost” for users. The company said in a blog post: “These changes will allow us to continue to invest in making Memories better for our entire community.”
As per social media experts say that paid storage on platforms is inevitable as users post less but save more.
Snapchat’s base in India
India has thus become Snapchat’s primary market with over 250 million monthly active users, rising against the 208 million earlier in the year. More than 90 per cent of the daily users of Snapchat within India fall in the 13–34 age group, thereby accentuating its popularity among Gen Z and the younger millennial population.
The AR and Lens features are the biggest drivers wherein nearly 80 per cent of the users interact with AR lenses on a daily basis, with periodic festivals witnessing more engagement. Snapchat’s move is indicative of a broader shift in social media where free storage is giving way to paid subscriptions to allow the platforms to keep innovating while monetising long-term user content.
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Netizens react:
Many users are unhappy about having to pay for content they’ve been saving for years. Here’s what people are saying:
“Honestly, Snapchat is going to frustrate a lot of people… Many use Snapchat just for storage, and asking for a subscription to save Memories is not going to work. You risk losing users and your business could suffer,” one X user said.
“Snapchat is charging to store Memories now? Will Facebook and Instagram follow with ad-free subscription models? Honestly, bring back simple text messaging!” another X user commented.
“Snapchat must be out of touch if they really add a subscription just to save Memories. I have photos and videos from 2017—where am I supposed to keep them without losing them?” a user asked.
“Honestly, the subscription model is the worst thing for consumers,” another reaction read. “Even Google Cloud Storage offers options, but Snapchat charging for Memories is just unnecessary,” a user added.
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