Snapchat has announced a major change to its Memories feature, confirming that users will soon have to pay for storing older photos and videos once they exceed a 5GB limit.
The move has sparked backlash among longtime users who have built up years of saved content on the platform.
The Memories feature, introduced in 2016, allows Snapchatters to archive photos and videos originally meant to disappear after 24 hours. Until now, storage has been unlimited and free. Under the new system, users with more than 5GB of saved content will be required to upgrade to paid storage plans, beginning with 100GB for $1.99 (£1.48) per month. Higher storage tiers will also be available through Snapchat+ and Snapchat Premium subscriptions, which include up to 250GB for $3.99 (£2.96) monthly.
Snap confirmed that the rollout will be gradual and global, though it did not specify pricing for UK users beyond initial plans reported by TechCrunch. The company says users who exceed the limit will receive 12 months of temporary storage to manage or download their Memories before deciding whether to subscribe.
In a blog post, Snap acknowledged the frustration over charging for a service that was previously free but argued the change would allow continued investment in improving Memories. The company noted that more than one trillion photos and videos have been saved since the feature launched nearly a decade ago.
Industry experts say the shift reflects a broader trend in social media. Drew Benvie, CEO of consultancy Battenhall, suggested that charging for storage is “inevitable” as users increasingly save more content than they post.
Snapchat currently has over 900 million monthly active users, though it still trails competitors like Instagram and TikTok, which boast billions.
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