Snapchat Now Lets You Replay Messages For A Cost

Snapchat has released an update that will charge users to replay its short, amusing snaps as the tech company looks to monetize its growing user base.

The company has launched a new Replay feature that will let people recover snaps at a cost. Snapchat will charge 99 cents to watch three snaps for a second time. Users will not be able to watch just one snap multiple times using the Replay feature.

Snapchat, which was launched in 2011, enables users to send short videos to other users. Unlike Instagram or Vine, these videos can only be viewed once and are deleted after being viewed. It is appealing for those who are interested in having a degree of privacy in the videos they choose to send out.

While this has prompted concerns that Snapchat may be used primarily to send explicit images, studies have shown that the majority of Snapchat users do not use it for that purpose. Users feel that Snapchat’s more temporary nature allows it to send silly or amusing photos which they may not wish to share otherwise.

But while Snapchat’s user base has grown, its profits have not. Snapchat has used advertising to bring in revenue, but internal documents from Gawker show that Snapchat made only $3 million in revenue last year and lost $128 million last year.

The need to bring in revenue means that Snapchat is charging a great deal for replays. Since Snapchat videos can only last up to 10 seconds, users will pay one dollar to watch at most 30 seconds of footage which cannot be watched again.

Replay income will not be enough for Snapchat to recoup its expenses, and the company will look for increased advertising in order to make a profit. In early 2015, Snapchat charged Discover hefty rates to advertise on its platform, and this may continue to happen as long as the company’s financials are insecure.

In addition to this attempt at monetization, the Snapchat update also released a new feature called Lenses. Lenses let users put amusing designs and sounds over their selfies. This includes adding rainbows, premature aging, and gigantic eyes.

Snapchat has also added Trophies, a system where users can earn virtual awards and achievements by doing various things with Snapchat. This system is likely designed to keep users on Snapchat, which will enable more opportunities for advertisements and other monetary endeavors.

[Photo By: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images News]