Before You Troubleshoot: What the ShortMax App Is
Knowing who runs ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app, makes trouble with your account easier to handle. In the App Store the seller appears as SHORTTV LIMITED, a company with its registration in Hong Kong, and Google Play records the very same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app was released in September 2023, with Google Play showing September 3 and the App Store listing September 11 of that year. The Android version on its own displays over 100 million installs, so you are not alone at all with a question about billing. Its store listing boasts more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, free short dramas which is the company’s own number rather than an independently verified count. ShortMax’s terms of service are governed by Hong Kong law. Whether people type “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, every one of those searches points to the same product covered here.
Can’t Log In to ShortMax?
The majority of shortmax login trouble stems from signing in via a different method than the one you used when you first signed in. Facebook, Google and Apple are all accepted for logging in, per ShortMax’s terms, and so can a phone number or email address bound to your ShortMax account. If you choose a different button later, you may be taken to a separate, blank account, which is why a purchase can seem to vanish. Nobody has confirmed whether there is a guest mode, so don’t rely on one to keep your pass or coins safe. The safest habit is to pick one sign-in method and use it on every device. Follow the steps below to rule out that simple mix-up before deciding your coins are gone.
- Begin with the sign-in button you chose when you first paid.
- Look for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- For email or phone login, use the address or number you bound to the account.
- Restart your phone after updating the app.
- Contact support with your UID and receipt if none of this helps, as explained below.
Understanding the ShortMax Subscription
The primary shortmax subscription in the US App Store is named Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 it lists at about $19.99 a week, another tier sits at about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases run from about $3.49 to $24.99. Since pricing differs by country, platform and promotion, those figures should be treated as a rough reference. Monthly and annual plans could not be confirmed, because the US store lists only weekly passes. A subscription renews automatically, at the same price, 24 hours before it expires, as the terms put it. People get caught out by that timing, since a cancellation on the last day may already be too late. Coins unlock episodes outside the pass, and some App Store reviewers complain that some episodes cost up to 60 coins with little pricing information up front. Confirm the price on the unlock screen each time instead of assuming every episode costs the same.
Billed After the Trial?
An unexpected bill after what felt like a free period is a common complaint in this category. ShortMax’s own responses on Google Play acknowledge that people were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. Both Apple and Google make the point in their help pages that removing the app does not stop billing. In practice, a weekly pass activated from an offer goes on renewing until you cancel it. The party that actually charged you determines where you cancel and where you ask for money back, so working that out comes first. Collect the evidence before anything else: a clear timeline will make every later step faster.
- Find an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
- Cancel and ask for a refund through that store if you find one.
- Screenshot the merchant name on your card statement if no receipt turns up.
- Cancel the renewal right away using the steps below.
- Then ask for a refund through the matching route.
Cancelling ShortMax on iPhone
If you signed up through the App Store, Apple handles the billing, so the cancel control is found in your iPhone settings. Apple’s settings are the most reliable place to stop an App Store renewal, even though ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app. Deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so clearly. Since the pass renews 24 hours before it expires, plan to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. A capture of the confirmation screen leaves you with proof of the date, so grab one. The entire process takes under a minute.
- Go to Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Select Subscriptions.
- Select ShortMax from the list.
- Press Cancel and confirm.
- If ShortMax is not there, you may have paid under another Apple ID or on Android.
How to Cancel ShortMax on Android
The Play Store, rather than ShortMax itself, manages a pass bought through Google Play on Android. Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear about this. The in-app “About Subscription” option listed in ShortMax’s terms is another route, but Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably stopped. The subscription might not show up in the list unless you are in the same Google account that paid, so confirm this first. Store a screenshot with your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled. If you paid anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Find Subscriptions in your account menu.
- Select ShortMax.
- Press Cancel and follow the prompts.
Refunds: What ShortMax’s Terms Say
When it comes to refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a strict line. The company writes that refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Taken literally, this wording leaves little room for getting money back just because you forgot to cancel. However, Apple and Google have their own refund processes for store purchases, 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. According to Google, on Android you may be able to get a refund directly from Google Play within 48 hours of purchase. Once that window closes, Google directs you to the developer, which means writing to ShortMax customer service. No refund is guaranteed, so summarize what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
Getting in Touch With ShortMax Customer Service
Email is the main way for ShortMax customer service. ShortMax’s terms of service, posted on the official ShortMax website, list the service email to write to. Addresses posted on question-and-answer sites deserve caution: at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. In replies to Google Play reviews, the developer asks users to provide their UID, the account ID that lets staff find you. The same replies suggest the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” for cancellation problems. You can follow the Apple or Google refund route at the same time if the charge came through a store and replies are slow. Add the items below, since a complete first message saves time.
- The sign-in method you use and your UID.
- The date, amount and store of the charge, along with a screenshot of your receipt.
- Whether you have already cancelled, with a screenshot of that screen.
- A single clear request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.
Which Place Handles Each ShortMax Task
A lot of the annoyance begins when you try to fix a problem in the wrong place. The stores handle the money for store purchases, while the app manages your account, coins and viewing. Anything the app and the stores cannot settle on their own falls to 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 reflects the terms and store help pages. Cancel first and ask questions second if you are unsure.
| Action | Where to do it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or switch accounts | The ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or linked email or phone |
| Check or cancel in the app | The ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, per the terms |
| Stop a pass bought on iPhone | App Store | Settings, your name, Subscriptions |
| Stop a pass bought on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions under your account menu |
| Get a refund on 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, billing disputes | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |
