Buddy Passes on Snapchat? Everything You Need to Know

Snapchat Plus, the app’s premium subscription, started out with just a few exclusive perks but has now grown into a feature-packed experience with over 30 premium benefits. Still, many subscribers find themselves having to explain, “What’s so special about it?” when trying to convince friends to join Snapchat Plus.

That’s exactly why Snapchat rolled out Buddy Passes. This feature lets Snapchat+ subscribers hand out free trials of Snapchat Plus to their friends, giving them a firsthand look at the premium experience before deciding to subscribe.

Here’s everything you need to know about Snapchat Buddy Passes, how they work, and why Snapchat decided to introduce them.

What is a Buddy Pass on Snapchat?

Exclusive to Snapchat Plus subscribers, a Buddy Pass lets you gift your friends a 7-day free trial of Snapchat Plus. Think of it like sending a VIP invite, you’re giving your friend access to premium Snapchat features for a full week without any cost.

Each Snapchat+ subscriber receives 3 Buddy Passes at the start of every billing cycle: on the first day of the month if you’re on an annual plan or the first day of your billing cycle if you’re on a monthly plan.

You can send these passes to anyone who isn’t already using Snapchat Plus. Once your friend accepts the invite, they instantly unlock Snapchat+ features for seven days.

Keep in mind, unused Buddy Passes don’t roll over to the next billing cycle. If you don’t use them before the cycle ends, they simply expire, so don’t let them go to waste.

How to Send a Buddy Pass on Snapchat

Sending a Buddy Pass is quick and easy. Here’s how you can do it right from your Snapchat app:

1. Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji in the top left corner.
2. Here, tap the Snapchat+ banner.
3. Next, tap the Buddy Passes banner at the top.
   
4. Now, tap the Send Buddy Passes button.
5. Select the friend who doesn’t have Snapchat+.
   
6. Tap the Send button, and your friend will receive a link to start their free trial. Repeat the process to hand out the remaining available Buddy Passes.
   

Snapchat will also notify you when your friend redeems their Buddy Pass, so you’ll know exactly who’s trying out Snapchat+ through your invite.

What Your Friends Get When They Claim a Buddy Pass

Once your friend redeems your Buddy Pass, they’ll instantly gain access to the full Snapchat Plus suite of features for seven days. This includes:

• Custom app icons and themes to personalize their Snapchat look.
• The Best Friends Forever (BFF) pin to mark their top friend.
• Story rewatch counts to see who’s rewatching their Stories.
• Snapchat Planets, showing their place in your friendship solar system.
• Story view notifications for selected friends.
• Early access to new and experimental features.

It’s a complete Snapchat+ experience, just like a paid subscriber gets.

Why Snapchat Introduced Buddy Passes

The Buddy Pass program isn’t just a giveaway, it’s a clever growth strategy. Instead of relying on ads or pop-ups, Snapchat turned its loyal subscribers into ambassadors who promote Snapchat Plus through personal recommendations.

Here’s why this approach works so well:

• Friends trust recommendations from people they know more than from ads.
• Free trials eliminate the risk of paying for something you haven’t tried.
• Engaged users are more likely to convert into paying subscribers after testing premium features.

By empowering users to share their subscription benefits, Snapchat is fostering a more social and organic way to expand its premium user base.

Sharing Premium Fun Made Simple

Snapchat’s Buddy Pass turns premium sharing into a social experience. Instead of just telling your friends what Snapchat+ can do, you can show them. It’s an easy, fun, and personal way to help them discover what they’ve been missing out on.

So, if you’re a Snapchat+ subscriber, make sure those Buddy Passes don’t go unused. Share them with your closest friends and let them experience the upgraded Snapchat world firsthand.

Have you tried a Buddy Pass yet? Share your experience in the comments below, it might just inspire someone else to give Snapchat Plus a try.

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