Before You Start Troubleshooting: What the ShortMax App Actually Is
Finding out who operates ShortMax, a streaming app for vertical short dramas, makes account issues simpler to solve. The App Store seller is SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong Kong-registered company, while Google Play lists that same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax went live in September 2023, going by the stores: Google Play gives September 3 and the App Store shows September 11 of that year. More than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages are claimed in its store listing, the company’s own figure rather than an independent count. Just the short drama network Android version shows over 100 million installs, so you are far from alone with a question about billing. Legally, the app’s terms of service fall under Hong Kong law. Searchers type the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches end at the same product this guide covers.
Can’t Log In to ShortMax?
The majority of shortmax login trouble starts with logging in through a different sign-in method than the one you used at first. Facebook, Google or Apple are all accepted for logging in, according to ShortMax’s terms, as can an email address or phone number bound to your ShortMax account. A purchase can seem to vanish since tapping a different button later may drop you into a separate, empty account. As the safest habit, pick one sign-in method and use it on every device. Nobody has confirmed whether the app offers a guest mode, so you shouldn’t count on one to keep your pass or coins secure. That simple mix-up is worth ruling out with the steps below before you conclude your coins are gone.
- Return to the sign-in button you tapped when you first paid.
- Check for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- Enter the email address or phone number bound to the account when using an email or phone login.
- Restart your phone once you have updated the app.
- Reach out to support with your UID and receipt if nothing works, as explained below.
The ShortMax Subscription Explained
Weekly Pass Pro is the name of the primary shortmax subscription in the US App Store. In September 2026 the pass costs about $19.99 a week, a lower tier sits at about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases run from about $3.49 to $24.99. Because the US store shows only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be confirmed. Treat those figures as a reference point, because prices change by country, platform and promotion. Each subscription renews automatically, at the same price, 24 hours before it expires, according to the terms. Cancelling on the final day may already be too late, which is why that timing catches people out. Episodes outside the pass are opened with coins; App Store reviewers complain that some require up to 60 coins, with little cost information up front. Do not assume every episode costs the same; check the price on the unlock screen each time.
Got Charged After the Trial?
A surprise charge after what seemed like a free period is a common complaint in this category. The developer’s own replies on Google Play concede that people were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. In real life, a weekly pass activated through an offer keeps renewing until you cancel it. Both Apple and Google state in their help pages that removing the app does not stop billing. The party that actually charged you decides where you cancel and where you request money back, so finding that out comes first. A clear timeline makes every later step faster, so gather the evidence first.
- Find an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
- If there is one, cancel and request a refund through that store.
- If there isn’t one, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
- Use the steps below to cancel the renewal right away.
- After that ask for a refund through the matching route.
Cancelling ShortMax on iPhone
The option to cancel sits in your iPhone settings if you subscribed through the App Store, because Apple handles the billing. The ShortMax terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, but Apple’s settings are the surest place to stop an App Store renewal. Removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so in plain terms. Because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires, plan to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. A screenshot of the confirmation screen leaves you with proof of the date, so take one. The whole thing takes under a minute.
- Launch Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Choose Subscriptions.
- Locate ShortMax in the list and tap it.
- Tap Cancel and confirm.
- You might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.
How to Cancel ShortMax on Android
On Android, a pass bought through Google Play is managed from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear on that point. The in-app “About Subscription” option listed in ShortMax’s terms is another route, but Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably turned off. Unless you are in the same Google account that paid, the subscription might not appear in the list, so confirm this. If you made the payment anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route. Keep a screenshot alongside your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled.
- Launch the Google Play Store.
- Go to Subscriptions in your account menu.
- Pick ShortMax.
- Press Cancel and follow the prompts.
Money Back: What the ShortMax Terms Say
The line ShortMax’s terms take on refunds is a firm one. The company writes that refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Taken literally, that wording leaves little room for getting money back simply because you forgot to cancel. However, store purchases also fall under Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, which run separately from the app’s terms. Apple’s Report a Problem page is the place to request a refund for an iPhone purchase, and Apple usually replies within 24 to 48 hours. On Android, Google says that within 48 hours of purchase you may be able to get a refund directly from Google Play. After that window, Google directs you to the developer, which means writing to ShortMax customer service. Because no refund is guaranteed, describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
How to Reach ShortMax Customer Service
ShortMax’s customer service works mainly by email. The service email to use is the one given in ShortMax’s terms of service, which appear on the official ShortMax website. Because at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified, be wary of addresses posted on question-and-answer sites. The UID, the account ID that lets staff find you, is what the developer asks users to include in replies to Google Play reviews. For cancellation issues, the same replies recommend the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent”. If replies are slow and the charge came through a store, pursuing the Apple or Google refund route at the same time is an option. To save time, add the items below.
- Your UID and the sign-in method you use.
- The charge’s date, amount and store, plus a screenshot of the receipt.
- Whether you have already cancelled, with a screenshot of that screen.
- One clear request: cancel, refund, restore coins or fix a login.
Where to Handle Each ShortMax Task
Fixing a problem in the wrong place is behind much of the frustration. The stores take care of the money for store purchases, while the app handles your account, coins and viewing. Whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own is covered by email support. Use the table below as a handy map before you start tapping through menus. Menus can change with updates, and as of September 2026, the table follows the terms and store help pages. Cancel first and ask questions second if you are unsure.
| Task | Where to go | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or switch accounts | Inside the ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or a bound email or phone |
| Check or cancel in the app | Inside the ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, per the terms |
| Cancel a pass purchased on iPhone | App Store | Settings, your name, Subscriptions |
| Cancel a pass bought on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions, in your account menu |
| Refund an App Store charge | App Store | Report a Problem; reply in 24 to 48 hours |
| Refund a Google Play charge | Google Play, then email | Possible within 48 hours; after that, contact the developer |
| Missing coins, lockouts or billing disputes | By email | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |
