Before Fixing Anything: What the ShortMax App Actually Is
ShortMax works as a streaming app for vertical short dramas, and problems with an account become easier to solve once you find out which company runs it. 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. The app’s debut came in September 2023, when it showed up on Google Play on September 3 and on the App Store on September 11 of the same year. You are by no means alone with a billing issue, because short reels the Android version alone lists over 100 million installs. The store listing boasts more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, which is the company’s own number rather than an independently verified count. Users write the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches bring up the same product described in this guide. On the legal side, its terms of service are governed by Hong Kong law.
Can’t Sign In to ShortMax?
Logging in through another method than the one you first used is where most shortmax login trouble starts. Facebook, Google and Apple are all accepted for signing in, under ShortMax’s terms, and so can an email address or phone number bound to your ShortMax account. Choosing a different button later might land you in a separate, empty account, which explains why a purchase can appear to disappear. To stay safe, choose one sign-in method and use it on every device. Do not rely on a guest mode to keep your coins or pass secure, as whether ShortMax has one is not confirmed. That simple mix-up is worth ruling out with the steps below before you conclude your coins are gone.
- Go back to the sign-in button you used when you first paid.
- Check for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- With an email or phone login, use the address or number you bound to the account.
- Reboot your phone after updating the app.
- Contact support with your UID and receipt if none of this helps, as explained below.
How ShortMax Subscriptions Work
In the US App Store, the primary shortmax subscription goes by Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 it costs about $19.99 a week, a second tier sits at about $9.99 per week, and one-time purchases run from about $3.49 to $24.99. Pricing varies by country, platform and promotion, so treat those figures as a reference point. Because the US store lists only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be verified. The terms say a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at its previous price. Cancelling on the final day might already be too late, and that is why that timing catches people out. Outside the pass, episodes get unlocked with coins; App Store reviewers report that some require up to 60 coins, with little cost information in advance. Do not assume every episode costs the same; look at the price on the unlock screen each time.
Charged After the Trial?
Getting charged without expecting it after what seemed like a free period is a common complaint in this app category. ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play admit that people were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. In practice, a weekly pass started from an offer goes on renewing until you cancel it. As both Apple and Google explain in their help pages, uninstalling the app does not stop billing. Your first task is to establish who actually charged you, because that decides where you cancel and where you ask for money back. A clear timeline makes every later step faster, so gather the evidence first.
- Look for an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
- Cancel the pass and request refunds through that store if one turns up.
- Capture the merchant name on your card statement if no receipt turns up.
- Cancel the renewal right away using the steps below.
- After that request a refund through the matching route.
Stopping ShortMax on iPhone
Apple takes care of the billing for passes bought through the App Store, so the cancel control sits in your iPhone settings. While ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings remain the most dependable place to switch off an App Store renewal. Deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so clearly. Aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. Screenshot the confirmation screen so you have proof of the date. It all takes under a minute.
- Tap your name at the top once you open Settings.
- Choose Subscriptions.
- Find ShortMax in the list and select it.
- Tap Cancel, then confirm.
- If ShortMax does not appear, you might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android.
Stopping ShortMax on Android
Google’s Play Store, rather than ShortMax itself, controls a pass bought through Google Play on Android. The Google help page is clear that uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription. ShortMax’s terms name an in-app “About Subscription” option, which is another route, yet renewals billed by the store are reliably stopped in Google Play. Unless you are in the same Google account that paid, the subscription might not show up in the list, so check that. Take a screenshot once it shows as cancelled, and keep it with your receipt. Support becomes your route if you paid anywhere other than Google Play, since that payment will not show there.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Open your account menu and choose Subscriptions.
- Pick ShortMax.
- Press Cancel, then complete the prompts.
Getting a Refund: What the ShortMax Terms Say
The line ShortMax’s terms take on money back is a firm one. To quote the company, refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Read literally, that wording leaves little room for a refund just 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 where you can request a refund for an iPhone purchase, and Apple usually responds within 24 to 48 hours. According to Google, on Android you may be able to receive a refund directly from Google Play within 48 hours of purchase. After that window has passed, Google points you to the developer, which means writing to ShortMax customer service. A refund is never guaranteed, so summarize what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
Contacting ShortMax Customer Service
For the most part, ShortMax customer service works by email. Write to the service email listed in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Treat with caution addresses posted on question-and-answer sites, since at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. The developer, in replies to Google Play reviews, asks users to provide their UID, the account ID that lets staff find you. For cancellation problems, the same replies suggest the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent”. When replies are slow and the charge came through a store, following the Apple or Google refund route at the same time is possible. Add the items below, because a complete first message saves time.
- Your UID along with the sign-in method you use.
- The date, amount and store of the charge, with a receipt screenshot.
- Whether you have cancelled already, plus a screenshot of that screen.
- One specific request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.
Where Every ShortMax Task Is Handled
Much of the frustration begins when people try to fix a problem in the wrong place. The stores take care of the money for store purchases, while the app handles your account, coins and viewing. For whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own, email support steps in. The following table serves as a quick guide to check before you start tapping through menus. This table reflects the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus may change with updates. When in doubt, cancel first and ask questions second.
| Action | Where it happens | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or switch accounts | Inside the ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or bound email or phone |
| Review or cancel in the app | Inside the ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, as named in the terms |
| Cancel a pass bought on iPhone | App Store | Settings, your name, then Subscriptions |
| Cancel a pass purchased on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions under your account menu |
| Refund an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; reply in 24 to 48 hours |
| Refund a Google Play charge | Google Play, then by email | Possible within 48 hours; later on, contact the developer |
| Missing coins, lockouts, billing disputes | By email | Service email listed in the terms, with your UID |