Snapchat is putting a limit on how much free space users get to save their photos and videos. The app will now offer only 5GB of free Memories storage. Anyone who goes over that limit will need to pay for more space.
Snapchat says most people won’t be affected because “the vast majority” have less than 5GB saved. Still, users with years of old Snaps stored online will need to pay or risk losing newer ones. Some have already shared screenshots of messages warning them they’ll need to upgrade or download their Memories to keep them.
The new storage plans start at $1.99 per month for 100GB. Snapchat+ subscribers, who pay $3.99 a month, will get 250GB, while a new Snapchat Platinum plan will offer 5TB for $15.99 a month. The company said the change will help it keep improving the Memories feature, which has stored more than one trillion photos and videos since it launched nearly a decade ago.
Users who exceed their free limit will have 12 months of temporary storage and the option to download their content before it’s deleted. The app’s Memories feature lets people save disappearing Snaps and re-share them later as “throwbacks.”
On social media, reactions have been mixed. Some users called the change “greedy,” while others said paying for extra storage is reasonable as photo and video files get larger. Industry analysts say more social platforms may follow this path to cover rising storage costs.
Snapchat had about 900 million monthly users in April. By comparison, Instagram and TikTok each have more than a billion.
