Snap tops 30 million paying users as artificial intelligence tools drive new signups

Snap announced that it has surpassed 30 million paid subscribers across its premium plans during its third-quarter 2026 earnings release, marking an addition of 5 million subscribers since February. The company reported that its non-advertising "other" revenue jumped 84 percent compared to the previous year, offering a strong bright spot for the business. [1][2]

The user base spans several offerings, starting with the core Snapchat+ plan launched in 2022 for $3.99 per month, which offers bonus tools like seeing who re-watched a Story. Snap also sells extra Memories storage at $1.99 per month, an ad-free Snapchat+ Platinum tier for $15.99 per month, and Lens+ at $8.99 per month for exclusive augmented reality effects. While Snap did not give an exact breakdown for each tier, it noted that Lens+ has grown nearly 600% since January 2026, aided by creative tools like AI Photoshoot. [1][2]

CEO Evan Spiegel highlighted that AI-powered features helped Lens+ beat internal projections, but Snap faced headwinds elsewhere. Company shares tumbled 12% after missing analyst targets for ad revenue and user growth, adding only 2 million daily active users from the prior quarter to hit 495 million. Snap announced it will transition to reporting monthly active users rather than daily counts starting in 2027, as it currently counts 977 million monthly users alongside mounting regulatory scrutiny over youth safety. [1][2]