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Before You Troubleshoot: Understanding the ShortMax App

Finding out which company is behind ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app, makes trouble with your account easier to handle. In the App Store the seller is listed as SHORTTV LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong, and Google Play shows that same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax went live in September 2023, with Google Play recording September 3 and the App Store showing September 11 of that year. Given over 100 million installs shown for the Android version alone, you are hardly alone short drama with a billing issue. Its store listing says there are more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, which is the company’s own number rather than a count from an outside source. ShortMax’s terms of service are subject to Hong Kong law. Searchers enter the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches end at the same product discussed here.

Unable to Log In to ShortMax?

Signing in via a different method than the one you first used is behind most shortmax login trouble. Facebook, Google or Apple are all accepted for signing in, under ShortMax’s terms, and so can a phone number or email address linked to your ShortMax account. Tapping a different button later could put you in a separate, empty account, and that is why a purchase can appear to disappear. To stay safe, choose one sign-in method and use it on every device. Do not count on a guest mode to keep your pass or coins secure, as whether ShortMax has one is unconfirmed. Work through the steps below to rule out that simple mix-up before concluding your coins are gone.

1. Return to the sign-in button you tapped when you first paid.
2. Check for your purchases as you try the other methods one at a time.
3. With an email or phone login, use the email address or phone number you bound to the account.
4. Upgrade the app and restart your phone.
5. If nothing works, write to support with your UID and receipt, as outlined below.

Understanding the ShortMax Subscription

On the US App Store, the main shortmax subscription is called Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 it lists at about $19.99 a week, a lower tier sits at about $9.99 per week, and one-time purchases go from about $3.49 to $24.99. Because the US store lists only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be confirmed. Pricing varies by country, platform and promotion, so treat those figures as a rough reference. A subscription renews automatically, at the same price as before, 24 hours before it expires, according to the terms. The timing trips people up, since cancelling on the final day may already be too late. Outside of the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers complain that some cost up to 60 coins with little pricing information up front. Do not assume every episode costs the same; look at the price on the unlock screen each time.

Charged After the Trial?

Being billed without expecting it after what felt like a free period is a common complaint in this app category. The developer’s own replies on Google Play concede that users were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. Until it is cancelled, a weekly pass activated from an offer keeps renewing, in reality. As both Apple and Google explain in their help pages, deleting the app does not stop billing. Start by figuring out who actually charged you, since that determines where you cancel and where you request money back. Gather the evidence before anything else: a clear timeline makes every later step faster.

1. Look through your inbox for an Apple or Google Play receipt.
2. Cancel the pass and ask for a refund through that store if one turns up.
3. If you find none, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
4. Follow the steps below to cancel the renewal right away.
5. Then, go through the matching route to request a refund.

Stopping ShortMax on iPhone

If you signed up via the App Store, Apple handles the billing, so the cancel control is found in your iPhone settings. While ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings remain the most reliable place to end an App Store renewal. Apple makes it plain that removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires, try to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. A screenshot of the confirmation screen gives you proof of the date, so grab one. It all takes less than a minute.

1. Tap your name at the top once you open Settings.
2. Select Subscriptions.
3. Choose ShortMax from the list.
4. Press Cancel and confirm.
5. You may have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax does not appear.

Cancelling ShortMax on Android

On Android, a pass bought through Google Play is managed from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Google’s own help page is clear that deleting an app does not cancel its subscription. The “About Subscription” option inside the app named in ShortMax’s terms is another route, but Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably turned off. The subscription may not show up in the list unless you are signed in to the same Google account that paid, so confirm this first. When it shows as cancelled, grab a screenshot and keep it with your receipt. If you made the payment anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route.

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

Money Back: What the ShortMax Terms Say

The line ShortMax’s terms take on refunds is a firm one. Refunds, in the company’s words, 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. However, store purchases also fall under Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, which run separately from the app’s terms. If you bought 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 obtain 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. Explain what happened briefly and attach your receipt, because no refund is guaranteed.

Getting in Touch With ShortMax Customer Service

Email is the main way for ShortMax customer service. The service email to use is the one listed in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Since at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified, be careful with addresses posted on question-and-answer sites. Your UID, the account ID that lets staff find you, is what the developer asks users to provide in replies to Google Play reviews. For cancellation problems, the same replies suggest the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent”. If the charge came through a store and replies are slow, you can pursue the Apple or Google refund route at the same time. Include the items below, since a complete first message saves time.

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

Which Place Handles Each ShortMax Task

A lot of the annoyance starts when you 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. Support by email covers whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own. Treat the table below as a quick map before you start tapping through menus. Menus can change with updates, and as of September 2026, the table follows the terms and store help pages. Cancel first and ask questions second if you are unsure.

Task	Where to go	Key details
Sign in or switch accounts	The ShortMax app	Facebook, Google, Apple, or a 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
Stop a pass bought on Android	Google Play	Subscriptions under your account menu
Refund for an App Store charge	App Store	Report a Problem; reply in 24 to 48 hours
Get a refund on a Google Play charge	Google Play, then by email	Possible within 48 hours; after that, contact the developer
Missing coins, lockouts, billing disputes	By email	Service email from the terms, plus your UID