Snapchat users are furious after the popular app announced it will soon charge for storing old photos and videos.
Since 2016, Snapchat’s Memories feature has allowed users to save past snaps for free. But the company now says anyone with more than five gigabytes (GB) of saved content must pay to keep their Memories.
Snap, the app’s parent company, has not confirmed UK prices but says the change will roll out gradually worldwide. Reports suggest the initial 100GB plan will cost around £1.48 per month, with higher storage available through Snapchat+ and Premium subscriptions.
Social media users reacted angrily, accusing Snap of greed and warning the move could drive people away. Many long-time users say they have built large archives over the years and now face losing treasured memories unless they pay.
Snap admitted “it’s never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it” but insists the update is necessary to “continue investing in Memories”. The firm says more than one trillion Memories have been saved since the feature launched nearly a decade ago.
Users with more than 5GB will get 12 months of temporary storage and can download their content before the limit applies. Snap claims most users will not be affected, as their saved content is below the threshold.
