Snapchat Introduces Lens+ Subscription: A New Frontier in AR and AI Experiences

Snapchat rolls out a new $8.99 Lens+ subscription tier | TechCrunch

Snapchat on Wednesday announced the launch of a new Snapchat+ tier called "Lens+." The new tier costs $8.99 per month and, as its name suggests, is centered around giving users access to exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. In addition to giving users access to the perks unlocked with the standard $3.99 per month Snapchat+ tier, Lens+ gives users the ability to use hundreds of Lenses that let you "play, create, and share Snaps" with others, the company says. "We're starting with Lenses built by Snapchat and select creators, including exclusive new AI video Lenses, a brand new Bitmoji Game Lens, and more -- and we'll be adding new AR experiences every week," Snapchat explained in a blog post. A Snap spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email that the company won't be gating any Lenses that have previously been available for free. In the coming months, select Lens creators will be able to monetize exclusive Lenses, the company says. This means that creators will be able to unlock a new way to grow their earnings on the platform. Snapchat did not share any details about what the revenue split will look like for creators. Launched in 2022, Snapchat+ has over 14 million paid subscribers. The social network has attributed the paid subscription tier as a big driver of revenue growth. In April, Snap reported first-quarter revenue of $1.36 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase. The company said at the time that the uptick was driven by the growth of its Snapchat+ subscription service, along with progress that it had made with its advertising solutions. By launching another subscription tier, Snap is looking to grow its revenue even more by locking its more advanced Lenses and AR experiences behind a paywall. Of course, not everyone will want to pay to access these features. It's worth noting that Snapchat also offers a $14.99 per month Platinum Snapchat+ tier that gets rid of ads, and gives you access to all of the perks in the standard Snapchat+ and Lens+ tiers.

Snapchat adds a new subscription tier for Lenses

Snapchat has added a new layer to its paid offerings. The subscription combines the existing Snapchat+ monthly plan with more access to "hundreds of Lenses and AR experiences that let you play, create, and share Snaps with friends in whole new ways." The plan will cost $9 a month. At the start, the subscription will feature Lenses made by the company or by select creators. New augmented reality experiences will be added each week. Creators will be granted the option to build and monetize Lenses for the program in the coming months, although Snapchat hasn't publicly explained how it will select the "select" participants. A representative from the business confirmed to that the launch of Lens+ will not see any Lenses that were previously free placed behind a paywall. The social media platform introduced the paid option in 2022. According to the blog post announcing this extra option, the program has 15 million subscribers. The Lens program has been taking advantage of developments in AI. Already this year, the company debuted for Premium subscribers and released a for any user to create their own effects. Snapchat's other AR project is , a set of glasses that it expects to release next year.

Snap adds $8.99/month Lens+ to boost AR features

Snapchat on Wednesday introduced "Lens+", a new Snapchat+ tier, priced at $8.99 monthly. This subscription provides users with exclusive Lenses and augmented reality (AR) experiences. Besides standard Snapchat+ benefits at $3.99 per month, Lens+ subscribers gain access to hundreds of Lenses for interactive Snaps, as stated by the company. Snapchat explained in a blog post, "We're starting with Lenses built by Snapchat and select creators, including exclusive new AI video Lenses, a brand new Bitmoji Game Lens, and more -- and we'll be adding new AR experiences every week." A Snap spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch via email that previously free Lenses will not be restricted to the new subscription. Snapchat intends to allow select Lens creators to monetize exclusive Lenses. The company stated this will provide creators a new avenue for increasing platform earnings, but details regarding revenue sharing were not disclosed. Snap to launch consumer AR smart glasses in 2026 Snapchat+, which launched in 2022, currently has more than 14 million subscribers. The company has identified it as a significant contributor to revenue growth. In April, Snap reported a first-quarter revenue of $1.36 billion, marking a 14% year-over-year increase. The company attributed this growth to the Snapchat+ subscription service and advancements in advertising solutions. Snap aims to further increase revenue by offering advanced Lenses and AR experiences through a paid subscription. A $14.99 monthly Platinum Snapchat+ tier is also available, which removes ads and grants access to all standard, Lens+, and Platinum benefits.

Snapchat Unveils a New Lens+ Subscription

It will also include all the benefits of the Snapchat+ subscription. Last week, Snapchat made its debut on the Apple Watch and also introduced its Lens Studio creator on the Apple App Store. Now, the platform is looking for a way to monetize these lens creations, as Snapchat has just announced its new Lens+ subscription tier. In their latest newsroom post, Snapchat announced its new Lens+ subscription, where users can enjoy exclusive lenses and AR experiences. These features won't be available for non-paying users. According to Snapchat, "We're starting with Lenses built by Snapchat and select creators, including exclusive new AI video Lenses, a brand new Bitmoji Game Lens, and more -- and we'll be adding new AR experiences every week". They also discussed that soon, users can follow and request lens creators to design exclusive lenses or experiences for them. In my opinion, this is Snapchat's way to help monetize its creators. This is especially more necessary, given that they opened the creation process by bringing their Lens Studio app to iOS. However, we do not have a word on the revenue split between creators and Snapchat. The Lens+ tier is priced at $8.99 per month, higher than the regular Snapchat+ subscription at $3.99 per month. That's why subscribing to Lens+ unlocks all benefits of the previous tier, along with access to all paid lenses on the app. It's important to note that any lenses you have previously used or saved will not be locked behind a paid subscription. You can continue using them for free. So, what do you think about the new Snapchat Lens+ subscription? Will you subscribe to it? Let us know in the comments below.