Snap doesn’t make a lot of noise. While other platforms race to dominate the creator economy through funds, feeds, and increasingly similar features, Snap has quietly taken a different approach — one rooted in intimacy, visual communication, and, more recently, a long-term bet on wearables and AR.
But whether that contrarian vision is enough to earn a more central place in the creator economy remains an open question.
In a rare, thoughtful interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel laid out his vision for what a healthier, more human internet could look like. It’s a compelling alternative to the social platforms we’ve grown used to — and one that challenges some of the assumptions the creator economy has been built on.
Not Just Another Social Feed
Snapchat opens to the camera — not a content feed. That’s a philosophical one.
“We wanted people to focus on creating rather than consuming,” Spiegel told Bartlett. “That small design choice has enormous consequences.”
Unlike other platforms built around public validation, Snap avoids features like visible like counts and public comment threads. “We made a very conscious decision not to have likes and comments,” he explained. “Because that creates an environment of comparison and pressure, and that’s not what we’re about.”
While this approach may be more psychologically sound, it has also meant Snap often feels out of step with how creators typically grow audiences and monetize content today. For creators conditioned to optimize for reach, Snap’s quieter, more personal design can feel like a harder path — even if it may ultimately be a healthier one.
Monetization Is Growing — But It’s Still Playing Catch-Up
Spiegel revealed in the Bartlett interview that Snap’s monetization tools have come a long way — and that the company is now paying out significant money to creators and publishers. “We’re doing over half a billion dollars in creator payouts a year,” he said.
That number was echoed in another recent conversation Spiegel had on The Colin and Samir Show, where he elaborated on Snap’s expanding revenue share model across both Stories and Spotlight. It’s allowed creators like Alyssa McKay to use Snapchat as a springboard for building seven-figure product businesses — and homegrown voices like Brooke Monk to turn daily Snap posts into full-time creative careers.
Still, Snap’s monetization infrastructure is less mature than YouTube’s or even TikTok’s. Spiegel acknowledges this: “We’ve had to get really good at saying no,” he told Bartlett, referencing features like Snap’s discontinued mini-games platform. “It just wasn’t going to be a big business.”
That discipline has kept Snap focused — but it’s also limited how aggressively it’s chased creator mindshare.
A Platform Rooted in Trust
Perhaps Snap’s most compelling argument in favor of its model is the relationship users have with it. In the Bartlett interview, Spiegel pointed to third-party academic research showing that Snapchat, unlike its rivals, may actually improve users’ well-being.
“There was a study out of the Netherlands,” he said. “And it found that Snapchat actually promotes well-being and supports your relationships. There were no negative mental health implications of using Snapchat — but there were for Instagram and TikTok.”
The product is intentionally designed to foster private communication and limit performative sharing. “Snap is about your relationships, not your profile,” Spiegel explained. “We’re not building for popularity contests.”
That design principle makes Snap different — and potentially better — for creators looking to foster real loyalty and community. But it also means Snap often gets left out of the conversation when it comes to rapid audience growth and influencer virality.
Betting Big on the Next Platform Shift
Where Snap is arguably ahead of the curve is in its long-running investment in wearables and AR.
“Screens have been our interface with computers for decades,” Spiegel told Bartlett. “But I think pretty soon, they’re going to be much more immersive in the world.”
He spoke passionately about Snap’s AR glasses — Spectacles — and how they’re not just a gadget, but a philosophical statement about the future of technology.
“We should have a lot more ambition for what computers are,” he said. “I want to be sitting at home, look out the window, and see our four kids running around outside… wearing glasses, playing together, doing something fun that teaches them something.”
Snap is one of the few major companies betting that the future of computing will move off screens and into our physical surroundings. It’s a bold, long-term play — and one that could reshape what creation and connection look like for the next generation of creators.
The Verdict: A Thoughtful Alternative — But Still a Challenger
Snap is not the loudest player in the creator economy. It isn’t the most lucrative for the biggest influencers. But it’s building one of the few platforms with a coherent, long-term product philosophy — one that puts well-being and human connection above metrics and manipulation.
That doesn’t guarantee success. As Spiegel himself acknowledged to Colin and Samir, “We’ve just found that if we can stay focused on delivering value for our community… ultimately over time, the market comes around.”
Maybe it will. As creators grapple with burnout, algorithm changes, and regulatory threats (particularly around TikTok), Snap’s slower, more human-first approach may become more appealing.
At the very least, it’s worth a closer look.
