Before You Try Any Fixes: What ShortMax Actually Is

ShortMax is essentially an app that streams vertical short dramas, and problems with an account are simpler to sort out once you understand who operates it. SHORTTV LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong, appears as the seller on the App Store, and Google Play lists that same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app’s launch came in September 2023, when it showed up on Google Play on September 3 and on the App Store on September 11 of that year. Its store listing claims more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, which is the company’s own number rather than a count Uncle Richard is My Baby Daddy free from an outside source. The Android version on its own shows over 100 million installs, so you are not alone at all with a billing question. Searchers write the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches point to the same product described in this guide. Hong Kong law applies to the app’s terms of service.

Can’t Sign In to ShortMax?

In most cases, shortmax login trouble starts when you log in with another method than the one you used originally. Facebook, Google or Apple are all accepted for logging in, under ShortMax’s terms, as can a phone number or email address linked to your ShortMax account. If you later press a different button, you might land in a separate and empty account, which is why a purchase can appear to disappear. For safety, pick one sign-in method and stick with it on every device. Don’t count on a guest mode to keep your coins or pass secure, as whether ShortMax has one is not confirmed. This simple mix-up is worth ruling out with the steps below before you assume your coins are gone.

1. Return to the sign-in button you tapped when you first paid.
2. Try the other methods one at a time and look for your purchases.
3. For phone or email login, use the address or number you linked to the account.
4. Update the app and reboot your phone.
5. Contact support with your UID and receipt if none of this helps, as described below.

How ShortMax Subscriptions Work

Weekly Pass Pro is the name of the main shortmax subscription in the US App Store. As of September 2026 the pass is listed at about $19.99 a week, a lower tier costs about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases range from about $3.49 to $24.99. Because the US store lists only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be confirmed. Use those figures as a guide, since prices change by country, platform and promotion. Under the terms, a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at the same price as before. Cancelling on the final day may already be too late, which is why that timing trips people up. Coins are what unlock episodes outside the pass, and App Store reviewers complain that certain episodes cost up to 60 coins with little pricing information up front. Don’t assume every episode costs the same; confirm the price on the unlock screen each time.

Billed After the Trial?

A surprise charge after what seemed like a free period is a common complaint in this category. The “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording confused users, which ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play admit. In practice, a weekly pass activated from an offer continues to renew until you cancel it. As both Apple and Google explain in their help pages, deleting the app does not stop billing. Who actually charged you determines where you cancel and where you request money back, so working that out comes first. Collect the evidence first, since a clear timeline makes every later step faster.

1. Search your inbox for an Apple or Google Play receipt.
2. If one turns up, cancel and request refunds through that store.
3. If you find none, take a screenshot of the merchant name on your card statement.
4. Follow the steps below to cancel the renewal immediately.
5. Then ask for a refund through the matching route.

How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on iPhone

Apple handles the billing for passes bought through the App Store, so the cancel control lives in your iPhone settings. Although ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings remain the most reliable place to stop an App Store renewal. Apple says plainly that deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Try to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. A capture of the confirmation screen gives you proof of the date, so take one. Expect to spend under a minute on the whole process.

1. Tap your name at the top once you open Settings.
2. Select Subscriptions.
3. Pick ShortMax from the list.
4. Tap Cancel, then confirm.
5. You may have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.

Stopping ShortMax on Android

On Android, a pass bought through Google Play is managed from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Google states clearly in its help page that removing an app does not cancel its subscription. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably switched off, even though the in-app “About Subscription” option named in ShortMax’s terms is another route. The subscription may not show up in the list unless you are using the same Google account that paid, so confirm this first. A payment made anywhere other than Google Play will not show there, and support becomes your route. Once it shows as cancelled, take a screenshot and keep it with your receipt.

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Open your account menu and choose Subscriptions.
3. Select ShortMax.
4. Press Cancel, then complete the prompts.

Getting a Refund: The ShortMax Terms on Refunds

ShortMax’s terms of service take a strict line on refunds. Refunds, in the company’s words, are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Read literally, that leaves little room for a refund just because you forgot to cancel. The refund processes of Apple and Google, however, also cover store purchases and run separately from the app’s terms. You can ask for a refund on an iPhone purchase through Apple’s Report a Problem page, with Apple usually replying within 24 to 48 hours. A refund directly from Google Play might be possible on Android within 48 hours of purchase, according to Google. Writing to ShortMax customer service is the next step after that window, since Google directs you to the developer. Refunds are not guaranteed, so describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.

How to Reach ShortMax Customer Service

Email is the main way to reach ShortMax customer service. ShortMax’s terms of service, posted on the official ShortMax website, list the service email you should use. Because at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified, be wary of addresses shared on question-and-answer sites. The developer, replying to Google Play reviews, asks users to include their UID, which is the account ID staff use to find you. The subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” is suggested in the same replies for cancellation problems. When replies are slow and the charge came through a store, following the Apple or Google refund route at the same time is an option. Add the items below, since a complete first message saves time.

1. Your UID and the sign-in method you use.
2. The date, amount and store of the charge, along with a screenshot of your receipt.
3. Whether you have already cancelled, along with a screenshot of the cancellation screen.
4. One specific request: cancel, refund, restore coins or fix a login.

Where Each ShortMax Task Gets Done

Much of the annoyance comes from fixing a problem in the wrong place. The app handles your account, coins and viewing, while the stores take care of the money for store purchases. For whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own, you turn to email support. Use the table below as a handy map before you start tapping through menus. It reflects the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus can change with updates. When in doubt, cancel first and ask questions second.