Hey, I’ve tested this a bunch because my friends and I used to compete on who could rack up the highest Snap Score. From experience, yes—receiving snaps does increase your score. Every snap you get adds one point, just like sending one does. The key thing is that opening a snap doesn’t give you anything; it’s the act of receiving it that counts. For example, if five people send you a snap each, your score will jump by five, even if you don’t reply. Chats, however, do absolutely nothing—typing “hey” all day won’t change your score. Story views also don’t affect it, but posting a story can sometimes add a little boost. The mystery jumps people see are usually just Snapchat recalculating the totals. So in short: sending snaps, receiving snaps, and posting stories are what move the number. Everything else is just noise.
