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Snapchat is facing criticism after confirming it will soon charge users who exceed a storage limit on its popular Memories feature, which allows photos and videos to be saved beyond the app's usual 24-hour window.
Since its launch in 2016, Memories has become central to how users preserve Snap content, with more than one trillion posts saved. Until now, storage was free. Under the new policy, accounts holding more than 5GB of saved content will need to upgrade to a paid plan to keep their archives accessible.
Snap, the company behind Snapchat, said the rollout would be gradual worldwide. While UK pricing has not been disclosed, U.S. users will be offered 100GB of storage for $1.99 (£1.48) a month, with 250GB included in a $3.99 (£2.96) Snapchat+ subscription. Higher tiers are also expected under Snapchat Premium.
The company acknowledged the change may upset long-time users who relied on unlimited storage, but defended the move. "It's never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it," Snap explained in a blog post, adding that the fees will "allow us to continue investing in making Memories better for our community."
For those over the 5GB threshold, Snap will provide 12 months of temporary storage and the option to download content directly to devices. Users who don't upgrade risk losing years of saved posts.
Reactions on social media have been swift. Some described the move as "unfair" and "greedy," while others worried about losing access to sentimental content saved over nearly a decade.
Industry experts suggest the change reflects a wider shift in social media. Drew Benvie, CEO of consultancy Battenhall, called the decision "inevitable," noting that platforms are adapting to a trend where people post less but save more.
Snapchat, which recently surpassed 900 million monthly active users, still trails Instagram and TikTok, both boasting billions. Analysts believe charging for storage could set a precedent across the industry.
For now, the majority of snapchat terms, those with fewer than 5GB of saved content, will remain unaffected. But for heavy users, the cost of keeping Memories alive has officially arrived.
