Snapchat API

Schedule and automate Snapchat posts with Zernio API - Stories, Saved Stories, Spotlight content, and Public Profile management

Quick Reference

Property	Value
Title limit	45 chars (Saved Stories)
Description limit	160 chars (Spotlight, including hashtags)
Media per post	1 (single image or video only)
Image formats	JPEG, PNG
Image max size	20 MB
Video format	MP4 only
Video max size	500 MB
Video duration	5-60 seconds
Post types	Story, Saved Story, Spotlight
Scheduling	Yes
Inbox	No
Analytics	Yes (views, viewers, screenshots, shares)

Before You Start

Snapchat requires a Public Profile to publish content. Regular accounts cannot use the API. Also: Snapchat only supports 1 media item per post -- no carousels, no albums. This is the most restrictive platform for content format.

Additional requirements:

Public Profile required (Person, Business, or Official)
Single media item only (most restrictive platform)
No text-only posts
9:16 vertical orientation practically required
Media is encrypted (AES-256-CBC) before upload (handled by Zernio)

Quick Start

Post to Snapchat in under 60 seconds:

typescript

const { post } = await zernio.posts.createPost({
  mediaItems: [
    { type: 'video', url: 'https://example.com/video.mp4' }
  ],
  platforms: [{
    platform: 'snapchat',
    accountId: 'YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID',
    platformSpecificData: {
      contentType: 'story'
    }
  }],
  publishNow: true
});
console.log('Posted to Snapchat!', post._id);

python

result = client.posts.create_post(
    media_items=[
        {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"}
    ],
    platforms=[{
        "platform": "snapchat",
        "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
        "platformSpecificData": {
            "contentType": "story"
        }
    }],
    publish_now=True
)
post = result.post
print(f"Posted to Snapchat! {post['_id']}")

bash

curl -X POST https://zernio.com/api/v1/posts \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "mediaItems": [
      {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"}
    ],
    "platforms": [{
      "platform": "snapchat",
      "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
      "platformSpecificData": {
        "contentType": "story"
      }
    }],
    "publishNow": true
  }'

Content Types

Snapchat supports three content types through the Public Profile API:

Type	Description	Duration	Text Support
`story`	Ephemeral snap visible for 24 hours	Temporary	No caption
`saved_story`	Permanent story on Public Profile	Permanent	Title (max 45 chars)
`spotlight`	Video in Snapchat's entertainment feed	Permanent	Description (max 160 chars, hashtags supported)

Story Posts

Stories are ephemeral content visible for 24 hours. No caption or text is supported.

typescript

const { post } = await zernio.posts.createPost({
  mediaItems: [
    { type: 'image', url: 'https://example.com/image.jpg' }
  ],
  platforms: [{
    platform: 'snapchat',
    accountId: 'YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID',
    platformSpecificData: {
      contentType: 'story'
    }
  }],
  publishNow: true
});
console.log('Posted to Snapchat!', post._id);

python

result = client.posts.create_post(
    media_items=[
        {"type": "image", "url": "https://example.com/image.jpg"}
    ],
    platforms=[{
        "platform": "snapchat",
        "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
        "platformSpecificData": {
            "contentType": "story"
        }
    }],
    publish_now=True
)
post = result.post
print(f"Posted to Snapchat! {post['_id']}")

bash

curl -X POST https://zernio.com/api/v1/posts \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "mediaItems": [
      {"type": "image", "url": "https://example.com/image.jpg"}
    ],
    "platforms": [{
      "platform": "snapchat",
      "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
      "platformSpecificData": {
        "contentType": "story"
      }
    }],
    "publishNow": true
  }'

Saved Story Posts

Saved Stories are permanent content displayed on your Public Profile. The post content is used as the title (max 45 characters).

typescript

const { post } = await zernio.posts.createPost({
  content: 'Behind the scenes look!',
  mediaItems: [
    { type: 'video', url: 'https://example.com/video.mp4' }
  ],
  platforms: [{
    platform: 'snapchat',
    accountId: 'YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID',
    platformSpecificData: {
      contentType: 'saved_story'
    }
  }],
  publishNow: true
});
console.log('Posted to Snapchat!', post._id);

python

result = client.posts.create_post(
    content="Behind the scenes look!",
    media_items=[
        {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"}
    ],
    platforms=[{
        "platform": "snapchat",
        "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
        "platformSpecificData": {
            "contentType": "saved_story"
        }
    }],
    publish_now=True
)
post = result.post
print(f"Posted to Snapchat! {post['_id']}")

bash

curl -X POST https://zernio.com/api/v1/posts \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "Behind the scenes look!",
    "mediaItems": [
      {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"}
    ],
    "platforms": [{
      "platform": "snapchat",
      "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
      "platformSpecificData": {
        "contentType": "saved_story"
      }
    }],
    "publishNow": true
  }'

Spotlight Posts

Spotlight is Snapchat's TikTok-like entertainment feed. Only video content is supported. The post content is used as the description (max 160 characters) and can include hashtags.

typescript

const { post } = await zernio.posts.createPost({
  content: 'Check out this amazing sunset! #sunset #nature #viral',
  mediaItems: [
    { type: 'video', url: 'https://example.com/sunset-video.mp4' }
  ],
  platforms: [{
    platform: 'snapchat',
    accountId: 'YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID',
    platformSpecificData: {
      contentType: 'spotlight'
    }
  }],
  publishNow: true
});
console.log('Posted to Snapchat!', post._id);

python

result = client.posts.create_post(
    content="Check out this amazing sunset! #sunset #nature #viral",
    media_items=[
        {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/sunset-video.mp4"}
    ],
    platforms=[{
        "platform": "snapchat",
        "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
        "platformSpecificData": {
            "contentType": "spotlight"
        }
    }],
    publish_now=True
)
post = result.post
print(f"Posted to Snapchat! {post['_id']}")

bash

curl -X POST https://zernio.com/api/v1/posts \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "Check out this amazing sunset! #sunset #nature #viral",
    "mediaItems": [
      {"type": "video", "url": "https://example.com/sunset-video.mp4"}
    ],
    "platforms": [{
      "platform": "snapchat",
      "accountId": "YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID",
      "platformSpecificData": {
        "contentType": "spotlight"
      }
    }],
    "publishNow": true
  }'

Media Requirements

Media is required for all Snapchat posts. Text-only posts are not supported.

Images

Property	Requirement
Formats	JPEG, PNG
Max File Size	20 MB
Recommended Dimensions	1080 x 1920 px
Aspect Ratio	9:16 (portrait)

Videos

Property	Requirement
Format	MP4
Max File Size	500 MB
Duration	5-60 seconds
Min Resolution	540 x 960 px
Recommended Dimensions	1080 x 1920 px
Aspect Ratio	9:16 (portrait)

Media is automatically encrypted using AES-256-CBC before upload to Snapchat. This is handled entirely by Zernio.

Platform-Specific Fields

Field	Type	Default	Description
`contentType`	string	`"story"`	Content type: `"story"`, `"saved_story"`, or `"spotlight"`

Connection

Snapchat uses OAuth for authentication and requires selecting a Public Profile to publish content.

Standard Flow

Redirect users to the Zernio OAuth URL:

https://zernio.com/connect/snapchat?profileId=YOUR_PROFILE_ID&redirect_url=https://yourapp.com/callback

After authorization, users select a Public Profile, and Zernio redirects back to your redirect_url with connection details.

Headless Mode (Custom UI)

Build your own fully-branded Public Profile selector:

Step 1: Initiate OAuth

https://zernio.com/api/v1/connect/snapchat?profileId=YOUR_PROFILE_ID&redirect_url=https://yourapp.com/callback&headless=true

After OAuth, you'll be redirected to your redirect_url with:

tempToken - Temporary access token
userProfile - URL-encoded JSON with user info
publicProfiles - URL-encoded JSON array of available Public Profiles
connect_token - Short-lived token for API authentication
platform=snapchat
step=select_public_profile

Step 2: List Public Profiles

python

result = client.connect.list_snapchat_profiles(
    profile_id="YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
    temp_token=temp_token,
    x_connect_token=connect_token
)
public_profiles = result['publicProfiles']
# Display profiles in your custom UI

bash

curl -X GET "https://zernio.com/api/v1/connect/snapchat/select-profile?profileId=YOUR_PROFILE_ID&tempToken=TEMP_TOKEN" \
  -H "X-Connect-Token: CONNECT_TOKEN"

Response:

json

{
  "publicProfiles": [
    {
      "id": "abc123-def456",
      "display_name": "My Brand",
      "username": "mybrand",
      "profile_image_url": "https://cf-st.sc-cdn.net/...",
      "subscriber_count": 15000
    },
    {
      "id": "xyz789-uvw012",
      "display_name": "Side Project",
      "username": "sideproject",
      "profile_image_url": "https://cf-st.sc-cdn.net/...",
      "subscriber_count": 5000
    }
  ]
}

Step 3: Select Public Profile

python

result = client.connect.select_snapchat_profile(
    profile_id="YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
    selected_public_profile={
        "id": "abc123-def456",
        "display_name": "My Brand",
        "username": "mybrand"
    },
    temp_token=temp_token,
    user_profile=user_profile,
    x_connect_token=connect_token
)
print(f"Connected: {result['account']['_id']}")

bash

curl -X POST https://zernio.com/api/v1/connect/snapchat/select-profile \
  -H "X-Connect-Token: CONNECT_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "profileId": "YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
    "selectedPublicProfile": {
      "id": "abc123-def456",
      "display_name": "My Brand",
      "username": "mybrand"
    },
    "tempToken": "TEMP_TOKEN",
    "userProfile": {
      "id": "user123",
      "username": "mybrand",
      "displayName": "My Brand"
    }
  }'

Response:

json

{
  "message": "Snapchat connected successfully with public profile",
  "account": {
    "platform": "snapchat",
    "username": "mybrand",
    "displayName": "My Brand",
    "profilePicture": "https://cf-st.sc-cdn.net/...",
    "isActive": true,
    "publicProfileName": "My Brand"
  }
}

Analytics

> Included — Analytics is bundled with every paid account on the Usage plan.

Available metrics via the Analytics API:

Metric	Available
Reach (unique viewers)	✅
Shares	✅
Views	✅
Screenshots	✅
Completion Rate	✅

Analytics are fetched per content type (story, saved_story, spotlight).

typescript

const analytics = await zernio.analytics.getAnalytics({
  platform: 'snapchat',
  fromDate: '2024-01-01',
  toDate: '2024-01-31'
});
console.log(analytics.posts);

python

analytics = client.analytics.get_analytics(
    platform="snapchat",
    from_date="2024-01-01",
    to_date="2024-01-31"
)
print(analytics["posts"])

bash

curl "https://zernio.com/api/v1/analytics?platform=snapchat&fromDate=2024-01-01&toDate=2024-01-31" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

What You Can't Do

These features are not available through Snapchat's API:

Use AR lenses or filters
Create ads
Access Snap Map features
Use Snapchat sounds
Create collaborative stories
Access friend stories
Send DMs or read comments
Post text-only content (media required)
Post multiple media items (single item only)

Common Errors

Error	Meaning	Fix
"Public Profile required"	Account does not have a Public Profile set up	Ensure the Snapchat account has a Public Profile (Person, Business, or Official) and select it during the connection flow.
"Media is required"	Post was submitted without any media	Add an image or video. Snapchat does not support text-only posts.
"Only one media item supported"	Multiple media items were included	Remove extra media items. Snapchat only supports a single image or video per post.
Video rejected	Video does not meet Snapchat's requirements	Check duration (5-60 sec), format (MP4 only), minimum resolution (540 x 960 px), and file size (under 500 MB).
"Title too long" (Saved Stories)	Title exceeds 45 characters	Shorten the `content` field to 45 characters or fewer.
"Description too long" (Spotlight)	Description exceeds 160 characters	Shorten the `content` field to 160 characters or fewer, including hashtags.

Inbox

Snapchat does not have inbox features available via API.

No DMs - Snapchat's messaging API is not available for third-party apps
No comments - Snap comments are not accessible via API

Connect Snapchat Account - OAuth connection flow
Create Post - Post creation and scheduling
Upload Media - Image and video uploads
Analytics - Fetch post analytics

Snapchat API ​

Quick Reference ​

Before You Start ​

Quick Start ​

Content Types ​

Story Posts ​

Saved Story Posts ​

Spotlight Posts ​

Media Requirements ​

Images ​

Videos ​

Platform-Specific Fields ​

Connection ​

Standard Flow ​

Headless Mode (Custom UI) ​

Step 1: Initiate OAuth ​

Step 2: List Public Profiles ​

Step 3: Select Public Profile ​

Analytics ​

What You Can't Do ​

Common Errors ​

Inbox ​

Related Endpoints ​

Snapchat API

Quick Reference

Before You Start

Quick Start

Content Types

Story Posts

Saved Story Posts

Spotlight Posts

Media Requirements

Images

Videos

Platform-Specific Fields

Connection

Standard Flow

Headless Mode (Custom UI)

Step 1: Initiate OAuth

Step 2: List Public Profiles

Step 3: Select Public Profile

Analytics

What You Can't Do

Common Errors

Inbox

Related Endpoints