Before You Start Troubleshooting: What ShortMax Actually Is
ShortMax is a streaming app for vertical short dramas, and account issues get easier once you find out which company runs it. The seller on the App Store is SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong Kong-registered company, while Google Play shows the same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax launched in September 2023, going by the store listings: Google Play gives September 3 and the App Store shows September 11 of that year. The Android version alone displays over 100 million installs, so you are by no means alone with a billing issue. More than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages are claimed in its store listing, the company’s own reels short figure rather than an independently verified count. On the legal side, the app’s terms of service fall under Hong Kong law. People enter the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches lead to the same product described in this guide.
Can’t Log In to ShortMax?
Most of the time, shortmax login trouble begins when you log in with another method than the one you used originally. ShortMax’s terms say that you can log in using Facebook, Google or Apple, or using an email address or phone number linked to your ShortMax account. If you press a different button later, you might wind up in a separate and empty account, which is why a purchase can appear to disappear. Don’t count on a guest mode to keep your coins or pass secure, because whether the app offers one is unconfirmed. The safest routine is to choose one sign-in method and use it on every device. Work through the steps below to rule out that simple mix-up before deciding your coins are gone.
- Return to the sign-in button you used when you first paid.
- Look for your purchases as you try the other methods one at a time.
- With email or phone login, use the email address or phone number you bound to the account.
- Upgrade the app and restart your phone.
- Reach out to 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 per week, a second tier comes in at about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases go from about $3.49 to $24.99. Monthly and annual plans could not be verified, because the US store lists only weekly passes. Treat those figures as a reference point, since prices change by country, platform and promotion. According to the terms, a subscription is renewed automatically 24 hours before its expiry, at the same price. Users get tripped up by that timing, since a cancellation on the last day may already be too late. Outside the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers report that some cost up to 60 coins with little information about cost up front. Do not assume every episode costs the same; confirm the price on the unlock screen each time.
Got Charged After the Trial?
In this category, one common complaint is an unexpected charge after what seemed like a free period. ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play admit that users were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. As both Apple and Google explain in their help pages, uninstalling the app does not stop billing. In real life, a weekly pass activated through an offer keeps renewing until you cancel it. Start by finding out who actually charged you, since that determines where you cancel and where you request money back. 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 refunds through that store.
- If there isn’t one, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
- Cancel the renewal immediately using the steps below.
- Then, go through the matching route to ask for a refund.
How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on iPhone
Apple takes care of the billing for passes bought through the App Store, so the option to cancel lives 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. 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, aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. The whole process takes under a minute. A screenshot of the confirmation screen leaves you with proof of the date, so grab one.
- Launch Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Choose Subscriptions.
- Locate ShortMax in the list and select it.
- Tap Cancel, then confirm.
- If ShortMax is missing, you may have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android.
How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on Android
On an Android phone, a pass bought through Google Play is controlled from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear about this. The in-app “About Subscription” option mentioned in ShortMax’s terms is another route, but Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably switched off. If you are not in the same Google account that paid, the subscription might not show up in the list, so check that. A purchase made anywhere other than Google Play will not show there, and support is the route to take. File a screenshot alongside your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled.
- Launch the Google Play Store.
- Tap your account menu and find Subscriptions.
- Choose ShortMax.
- Press Cancel and follow the prompts.
Refunds: The ShortMax Terms on Refunds
On refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a strict line. In the company’s own words, refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Little room is left for a refund just because you forgot to cancel, if you take that literally. Store purchases, however, also fall under Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, which run separately from the app’s terms. For a purchase made on iPhone, you can request a refund through Apple’s Report a Problem page, and Apple usually responds within 24 to 48 hours. A direct refund from Google Play might be possible on Android within 48 hours of purchase, according to Google. 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, keep your description of what happened brief and attach your receipt.
Getting in Touch With ShortMax Customer Service
Email is the main channel to reach ShortMax customer service. The service email to use is the one given in ShortMax’s terms of service, which appear on the official ShortMax website. Addresses shared on question-and-answer sites deserve caution: at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. The developer, replying to Google Play reviews, asks users to include their UID, which is the account ID staff use to find you. The same replies suggest the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” for cancellation issues. If a store handled the charge and replies are slow, you can use the Apple or Google refund route at the same time. Since a complete first message saves time, include the items below.
- Your UID along with the sign-in method you use.
- The date, amount and store of the charge, along with a screenshot of your receipt.
- Whether you have already cancelled, along with a screenshot of the cancellation screen.
- A single clear request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.
Where to Handle Each ShortMax Task
Much of the frustration begins when people try to fix a problem in the wrong place. The app manages your account, coins and viewing, while the stores take care of the money for store purchases. Whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own falls to email support. The following table works as a quick map to use before you start tapping through menus. This table reflects the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus can change with updates. Cancel first, ask questions second when in doubt.
| Action | Where to do it | Key details |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or change accounts | The ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or linked email or phone |
| Check or cancel in the app | Inside the ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, as named in the terms |
| Cancel a pass purchased on iPhone | App Store | Settings, your name, Subscriptions |
| Cancel a pass purchased on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions under your account menu |
| Get a refund on an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; a reply in 24 to 48 hours |
| Refund for a Google Play charge | Google Play, then by email | Possible within 48 hours; later, contact the developer |
| Missing coins, lockouts or billing disputes | Email support | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |