Snapchat to Charge for Storing Memories: Why Users Are Upset and What It Means
Snapchat has sparked controversy after announcing a major change to its popular Memories feature, which has allowed users to save photos and videos for free since 2016. The company confirmed it will now begin charging users who store more than 5GB of Memories, a move that has triggered backlash across social media.
For nearly a decade, Snapchat has offered its users unlimited access to store and revisit moments that were originally designed to disappear after 24 hours. Many people have built extensive digital archives within the app, relying on Memories as a way to keep personal milestones, funny moments, and nostalgic content safe. Now, those with large collections will be asked to pay a monthly fee to keep them.
What’s Changing With Snapchat Memories?
Under the new policy, users with more than 5GB of saved Memories will be required to upgrade to a paid storage plan. Snap, the app’s parent company, said the change will be rolled out globally in stages but has not yet revealed specific pricing details for UK users.
In a statement, the company admitted that the transition from free to paid storage would be “challenging” for many:
“It’s never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it, but we believe it will be worth the cost for users. These changes will allow us to continue investing in making Memories better for our entire community.”
Snap added that more than one trillion Memories have been saved since the feature’s launch nearly ten years ago, demonstrating how deeply ingrained the feature has become in daily use.
How Much Will Snapchat Storage Cost?
Although Snap has not published official pricing in all regions, reports from tech publication TechCrunch suggest that users will have the following options:
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100GB storage plan – $1.99 (£1.48) per month
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Snapchat+ subscription – $3.99 (£2.96) per month, which includes 250GB of storage and premium features
Snap says it will also give users 12 months of temporary storage if they exceed the 5GB limit, providing time to either pay for extra space or download their content to another device.
Why Users Are Frustrated
The announcement has led to a flood of negative reactions online. Many long-time users accuse Snapchat of being “unfair” and “greedy”, arguing that the company is monetizing content that was originally promised as free to store.
Some users pointed out that they have been saving Memories for years, meaning their collections now exceed 5GB by a wide margin. For them, the new rules mean either paying monthly fees or risk losing cherished photos and videos.
“I’ve been saving every important moment in Snapchat for nearly a decade,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Now they expect me to pay to keep memories that were always free. It’s ridiculous.”
Others expressed concerns about accessibility, saying younger users or those unable to afford subscriptions could lose access to meaningful archives of their lives.
Who Will Be Affected?
Snap has stressed that the changes will not impact “the vast majority of Snapchatters.” According to the company, most users have less than 5GB of Memories saved. For these individuals, nothing will change.
However, for users who frequently save videos, multiple snaps per day, or high-resolution content, the 5GB threshold can be exceeded quickly. College students, content creators, and long-term Snapchat users are among those most likely to face charges.
The Bigger Picture: Social Media and Paid Storage
Industry experts say Snapchat’s move is part of a broader trend in social media. Platforms are increasingly shifting towards subscription-based models as advertising revenue becomes less reliable.
Drew Benvie, founder and CEO of social media consultancy Battenhall, believes paid storage on apps will soon be the norm:
“The road to paying for storage on social media is inevitable. In an era where we post less but save more, this is an evolution of messaging and social platforms.”
This sentiment reflects the way people now use apps. While Snapchat was originally known for fleeting, disappearing posts, users now value the ability to archive, revisit, and share past memories—making storage a premium feature that companies can monetize.
How This Compares to Competitors
Snapchat’s rivals, including Instagram and TikTok, currently allow users to save posts and drafts without charging extra. However, they also rely on device storage or cloud backups like Google Photos and iCloud for long-term archiving.
By directly charging for in-app storage, Snapchat is positioning Memories more like a cloud service than just a social media feature. This aligns it with subscription services such as iCloud, Google One, or Dropbox—but it also risks alienating users who are accustomed to free features.
What You Can Do If You Exceed the Limit
For users concerned about losing their saved content, there are several options:
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Pay for a storage plan – The simplest option is upgrading to a paid plan or Snapchat+.
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Download your Memories – Snapchat allows you to export photos and videos to your phone or another device for safekeeping.
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Use alternative cloud services – Services like Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox can provide secure storage at competitive rates.
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Be selective with what you save – Regularly reviewing and trimming down Memories can help stay under the 5GB limit.
Why This Matters for Snapchat’s Future
Snapchat recently reported that it surpassed 900 million monthly active users, but it still lags behind Instagram and TikTok, which both have billions of users. Monetization strategies like paid storage and Snapchat+ subscriptions are part of Snap’s attempt to remain competitive and sustainable in the long run.
The company argues that charging for extra storage is essential to improving its services and supporting new features. Critics, however, worry that the move could push users away, especially at a time when competition in the social media landscape is fierce.
Conclusion
The decision to introduce paid storage for Snapchat Memories marks a significant shift in how the app treats user content. For casual users with small archives, the change may not matter. But for those who have spent years building digital scrapbooks of their lives, it presents a difficult choice: pay for storage or risk losing access to their memories.
While Snap insists the change is necessary to invest in the platform’s future, the backlash shows just how sensitive users are when it comes to their personal data. As social media continues to evolve, one thing is clear—the era of unlimited free storage may soon be coming to an end.