Case Study
Growing Snapchat's premium subscription from 3M to 24M subscribers by reimagining the subscriber experience and defining the product roadmap.
Snapchat+ is Snap's premium subscription service that gives users access to exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features. As the design owner, I was responsible for driving the product direction and crafting the end-to-end subscriber experience.
Working closely with product managers, I defined the roadmap, ran research-backed iterations, and regularly pitched major feature ideas directly to CEO Evan Spiegel and the executive team.
How might we create a premium experience that feels valuable enough for users to pay for, while maintaining Snapchat's core identity and not fragmenting the user base?
Leading design for a subscription product requires balancing user value, business goals, and brand integrity. Here's how I approached the challenge:
Conducted research to understand what makes users feel a subscription is "worth it"—beyond just features, it's about status, identity, and belonging.
Created a framework for evaluating potential features: Is it exclusive enough? Does it feel premium? Will it drive conversions without alienating free users?
Established a culture of testing and learning, using data to understand which features drove the most value and retention.
Developed compelling narratives to pitch new ideas to leadership, connecting design decisions to business outcomes and user value.
Designed a collection of exclusive app icons that let subscribers personalize their home screen. This became one of the most beloved features, driving significant word-of-mouth.
Created a system where subscriber replies appear first to their friends, making them feel more connected and valued in conversations.
Designed subtle but meaningful visual indicators that show subscriber status, balancing the desire for recognition with Snapchat's playful aesthetic.
Established a framework for rolling out experimental features to subscribers first, creating a sense of exclusivity and gathering valuable feedback.
The success of Snapchat+ demonstrated that users are willing to pay for experiences that make them feel special and give them more control over their digital identity.
The most successful premium features weren't about functionality—they were about identity and self-expression. Users wanted to feel unique and recognized.