Before You Try Any Fixes: Understanding the ShortMax App
Trouble with your account become easier to solve once you figure out who runs ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app. The seller on the App Store is SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong my-drama Kong-registered company, while Google Play places the same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax’s launch came in September 2023, when it appeared on Google Play on September 3 and on the App Store on September 11 of the same year. More than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages is what its store listing claims, a company figure rather than an independent count. With over 100 million installs shown for just the Android version, you are far from alone with a billing issue. On the legal side, its terms of service fall under Hong Kong law. The same product covered here appears whether people type « shortmax », « short max » or « shortmax app ».
Can’t Log In to ShortMax?
Most shortmax login trouble stems from signing in with a different sign-in method than the one you used at first. ShortMax’s terms state that you can sign in using Facebook, Google or Apple, or using a phone number or email address bound to your ShortMax account. If you later press a different button, you may land in a separate, blank account, which is why a purchase can appear to disappear. The safest routine is to pick one sign-in method and stick with it on every device. It is unconfirmed whether ShortMax offers a guest mode, so you shouldn’t count on one to keep your pass or coins secure. Before concluding your coins are gone, check for that simple mix-up with the steps below.
- Go back to the sign-in button you tapped for your first payment.
- Look for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- Use the email address or phone number linked to the account when using email or phone login.
- Upgrade the app and restart your phone.
- Reach out to support with your UID and receipt if nothing works, as described below.
Understanding the ShortMax Subscription
On the US App Store, the main shortmax subscription is called Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 it costs about $19.99 per week, a second tier sits at about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases go from about $3.49 to $24.99. Because prices vary by country, platform and promotion, those figures should be treated as a rough reference. Because the US store lists only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be confirmed. The terms say 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 catches people out. Episodes outside the pass are opened with coins; App Store reviewers report that some require up to 60 coins, with little pricing information shown beforehand. Look at the price on the unlock screen each time instead of assuming every episode costs the same.
Got Charged After the Trial?
Across this category, a common complaint is an unexpected charge after what seemed like a free period. The « free trial » and « 24 hours free » wording confused users, which ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play acknowledge. Both Apple and Google make the point in their help pages that deleting the app does not stop billing. What happens in practice is that a weekly pass activated through an offer continues to renew until you cancel it. The party that actually charged you determines where you cancel and where you request money back, so finding that out comes first. Save the evidence first, since a clear timeline makes every later step faster.
- Check your inbox for an Apple or Google Play receipt.
- If there is one, cancel and ask for refunds through that store.
- If you find none, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
- Cancel the renewal right away using the steps below.
- After that, go through the matching route to ask for a refund.
How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on iPhone
Apple handles the billing for passes bought through the App Store, so the option to cancel sits in your iPhone settings. Apple’s settings are the most reliable place to stop an App Store renewal, even though ShortMax’s terms also refer to an « About Subscription » option inside the app. As Apple says plainly, removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires, aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. It all takes less than a minute. A capture of the confirmation screen gives you proof of the date, so grab one.
- Launch Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap Subscriptions.
- Tap ShortMax from the list.
- Tap Cancel, then confirm.
- You might have paid under another Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax does not appear.
How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on Android
A pass bought through Google Play on Android is controlled from the Play Store, not from ShortMax itself. Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear about this. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably stopped, although the in-app « About Subscription » option named in ShortMax’s terms is another route. Make sure that you are in the same Google account that paid, or the subscription may not appear in the list. If you paid anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route. Grab a screenshot once it shows as cancelled, and keep it with your receipt.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your account menu and find Subscriptions.
- Pick ShortMax.
- Tap Cancel, then follow the prompts.
Getting a Refund: What the ShortMax Terms Say
The ShortMax terms take a hard line on refunds. The company states 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 a refund simply because you forgot to cancel. Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, however, also cover store purchases and run separately from the app’s terms. For a purchase made on iPhone, you can ask for a refund through Apple’s Report a Problem page, and Apple usually responds 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. Once that window has passed, Google sends you to the developer, so you will need to email ShortMax customer service. Since no refund is guaranteed, describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service
Email is the main way for ShortMax customer service. ShortMax’s terms of service, published on the official ShortMax website, include the service email you should use. Because at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified, be careful with addresses shared on question-and-answer sites. The developer, in replies to Google Play reviews, asks users to add their UID, the account ID that lets staff find you. For problems with cancelling, the same replies suggest the subject line « Cancel Subscription – Urgent ». If a store handled the charge and replies are slow, you can follow the Apple or Google refund route at the same time. Include the items below, since a complete first message saves time.
- Your UID plus the sign-in method you use.
- The date, amount and store of the charge, with a receipt screenshot.
- Whether you have already cancelled, with a screenshot of that screen.
- One clear request: cancel, refund, restore coins or fix a login.
Where Each ShortMax Task Gets Done
Tackling a problem in the wrong place is behind much of the frustration. The stores handle the money for store purchases, while the app handles your account, coins and viewing. Anything the app and the stores cannot settle on their own is covered by email support. Before you start tapping through menus, treat the table below as a quick guide. This table reflects the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus can change with updates. The rule when in doubt is simple: cancel first and ask questions second.
| Action | Where to do it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or change accounts | Inside the ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or linked email or phone |
| Review or cancel inside the app | ShortMax app | « About Subscription », per the terms |
| Cancel a pass purchased on iPhone | The App Store | Settings, your name, Subscriptions |
| Stop a pass bought on Android | Google Play | Subscriptions under your account menu |
| Refund an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; reply within 24 to 48 hours |
| Refund for a Google Play charge | Google Play, followed by email | Possible within 48 hours; after that, contact the developer |
| Lost coins, lockouts, billing disputes | By email | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |