Who Owns Snapchat?
Snapchat is owned by Snap Inc., a publicly traded American technology company founded by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown in 2011. Snapchat was developed internally by Snap Inc. and launched in 2011. Snap Inc. is publicly traded on NYSE under the ticker symbol SNAP and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Parent Company
Snap Inc.
Founded
2011
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Santa Monica, California, USA
Who Owns Snapchat?
- Parent Company: Snap Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: SNAP
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Snapchat | Snap Inc. | Wholly owned |
History of Snapchat
- Founded: 2011
- Founders: Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, Reggie Brown
Snapchat was developed by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown and launched in September 2011 under the name "Picablo." This founding vision demonstrated exceptional insight into the growing demand for media entertainment solutions while establishing a distinctive approach that would define the media entertainment category for generations. The app featured ephemeral messages that disappeared after being viewed, addressing privacy concerns about permanent digital content. This strategic positioning demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to create differentiated media entertainment solutions while maintaining consistent brand positioning and quality standards that would define the brand for decades.
In 2012, the company renamed to Snapchat and introduced Stories, allowing users to share content that disappears after 24 hours. This period of excellence demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to scale operations while maintaining consistent brand positioning and quality standards across multiple media entertainment segments. This innovation became a defining feature and was later adopted by competitors like Instagram. This strategic diversification demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to serve multiple consumer segments while maintaining its core brand identity and market leadership in the media entertainment industry.
Throughout 2013-2015, Snapchat grew rapidly among younger demographics, introducing features like Chat, Discover for publisher content, and Geofilters. This continued evolution demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to maintain market relevance while adapting to changing media entertainment requirements and technological advancements. The app's focus on visual communication resonated strongly with Gen Z users. This continued excellence demonstrates Snapchat's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing media entertainment dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to integrate into larger media entertainment corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the messaging-app industry.
In 2016, the parent company rebranded to Snap Inc. This continued evolution demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to maintain market relevance while adapting to changing media entertainment requirements and corporate dynamics. Snapchat continued to evolve with augmented reality lenses, Bitmoji integration, and enhanced advertising capabilities. This continued success represents a significant milestone in the evolution of messaging-app and consumer-focused media entertainment solutions. This strategic partnership demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to leverage corporate resources while maintaining its distinct media entertainment identity and market leadership. This continued excellence demonstrates Snapchat's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing media entertainment dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to integrate into larger media entertainment corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the messaging-app industry. This continued success represents a significant milestone in the evolution of messaging-app and consumer-focused media entertainment solutions. This strategic partnership demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to leverage corporate resources while maintaining its distinct media entertainment identity and market leadership. This continued excellence demonstrates Snapchat's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing media entertainment dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snapchat's exceptional ability to integrate into larger media entertainment corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the messaging-app industry.
About Snap Inc.
What does Snap Inc. own?
Snap Inc. owns Snapchat (the social media platform), Bitmoji (personalized avatar platform), Spectacles (AR glasses hardware), and the Snap AR/Lens Studio augmented reality development platform. Snapchat is the company's primary product, serving 453 million daily active users as of Q4 2024.
Is Snap Inc. publicly traded?
Yes, Snap Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol SNAP. The company has a dual-class share structure that concentrates voting control with co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, while economic ownership is distributed among public shareholders.
What is Snap's annual revenue?
In FY2024, Snap reported revenue of approximately $5.36 billion, a 16% increase from FY2023. The company generates revenue almost entirely through digital advertising on the Snapchat platform.
Who founded Snap Inc.?
Snap Inc. was founded in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown while they were students at Stanford University. Brown was pushed out of the company in 2011 in a dispute over equity and later settled a lawsuit against Spiegel and Murphy. Spiegel serves as CEO and Murphy as CTO.
How many users does Snapchat have?
Snapchat reached 453 million daily active users (DAUs) in Q4 2024, up 9% year-over-year. The platform is particularly popular among teenagers and young adults in the United States, Europe, and other markets.
What is Bitmoji?
Bitmoji is a personalized avatar platform acquired by Snap in 2016. It allows users to create cartoon versions of themselves that can be used in Snapchat messages, on keyboards, and in other apps. Bitmoji has hundreds of millions of users and is one of the most widely used avatar platforms globally.
- Founded: 2011
- Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: SNAP
Where Is Snapchat Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Global (distributed development)
Snapchat Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Strong position with younger demographics and Gen Z users
- +Innovation in augmented reality and camera technology
- +High user engagement with daily active usage patterns
- +Creative advertising formats with AR lenses and filters
- +Focus on privacy with ephemeral messaging features
Considerations
- -Intense competition from larger social media platforms
- -Dependence on advertising revenue vulnerable to economic downturns
- -Challenges in user growth as platform matures
- -Regulatory scrutiny over privacy practices
Frequently Asked Questions About Snapchat
Where to Buy
Disclosure: We may earn commission from purchasesCompetitors to Snapchat
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bytedance | China | 2016 | Mass Market | Asia Pacific | All Genders | |
| Meta | USA | 2004 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Meta | USA | 2010 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Meta | USA | 2023 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Bytedance | Singapore (international operations) | 2016 | Mass Market | Global | All Genders | |
| Bytedance | China | 2022 | Mass Market | Asia Pacific | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors

Douyin
Owned by ByteDance Ltd.
Chinese short-form video platform and social media ecosystem combining video sharing, e-commerce, and content monetization features for the Chinese market.

Owned by Meta Platforms Inc.
American social media platform and social networking service, flagship product of Meta Platforms Inc.

Owned by Meta Platforms Inc.
American photo and video sharing social networking service, subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc.

Threads
Owned by Meta Platforms Inc.
Social networking service developed by Meta Platforms for sharing text updates and participating in public conversations.

TikTok
Owned by ByteDance Ltd.
Chinese short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance, one of the world's most popular social media platforms.

TikTok Now
Owned by ByteDance Ltd.
ByteDance's short-form dual-camera video feature launched within TikTok in September 2022 as a BeReal competitor and discontinued in June 2023 after failing to gain traction.
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Snapchat competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Snap Inc. Stock Information
Jobs at Snap Inc.
Latest News About Snapchat
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