Before You Start Troubleshooting: What the ShortMax App Actually Is
ShortMax is a streaming app for vertical short dramas, and trouble with your account become easier to solve once you find out which company runs it. SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong Kong-registered company, is the seller on the App Store, and Google Play lists that same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app launched in September 2023, with Google Play recording September reel shorts 3 and the App Store showing September 11 of that year. The listing, written by the company itself, claims more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, though that is its own figure and not an independent count. Given over 100 million installs reported for the Android version alone, you are by no means alone if you have a billing question. Hong Kong law governs ShortMax’s terms of service. Whether users enter « shortmax », « short max » or « shortmax app », each of those searches leads to the same product this guide covers.
Can’t Sign In to ShortMax?
In most cases, shortmax login trouble starts when you sign in with a different method than the one you used the first time. ShortMax’s terms say that you can sign in using Facebook, Google or Apple, or with an email address or phone number tied to your ShortMax account. If you choose a different button later, you could end up in a separate and empty account, which is why a purchase can seem to vanish. It is unconfirmed whether ShortMax offers a guest mode, so do not rely on one to keep your coins or pass safe. Choosing one sign-in method and sticking with it on every device is the safest approach. Before concluding your coins are gone, eliminate that simple mix-up with the steps below.
- Start with the sign-in button you chose when you first paid.
- Look for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- Enter the email address or phone number bound to the account for email or phone login.
- Upgrade the app and restart your phone.
- If nothing works, contact support with your UID and receipt, as explained below.
The ShortMax Subscription Explained
The headline shortmax subscription in the US App Store is named Weekly Pass Pro. At the time of writing in September 2026 it shows up at about $19.99 a week, with a second tier at about $9.99 a week, while one-time purchases range from about $3.49 to $24.99. Use those figures as a rough reference, as prices vary by country, platform and promotion. Since the US store shows only weekly passes, monthly and yearly plans could not be verified. The terms say a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at the same price. Cancelling on the final day may already be too late, and that is why that timing catches people out. Outside the pass, episodes are opened with coins; App Store reviewers report that some require up to 60 coins, with little pricing information shown beforehand. Do not assume every episode costs the same; check the price on the unlock screen each time.
Charged After a Free Trial?
Being billed unexpectedly after what felt like a free period is a common complaint in this category. Its « free trial » and « 24 hours free » wording confused users, as ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play acknowledge. Deleting the app does not stop billing, a point both Apple and Google make in their help pages. Until you cancel it, a weekly pass activated from an offer keeps renewing, in practice. The party that actually charged you decides where you cancel and where you ask for money back, so finding that out comes first. Collect the evidence first, since a clear timeline makes every later step faster.
- Look for an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
- Cancel and ask for a refund through that store if one turns up.
- If there isn’t one, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
- Use the steps below to cancel the renewal immediately.
- After that, go through the matching route to ask for a refund.
How to Cancel ShortMax on iPhone
The option to cancel sits in your iPhone settings for App Store subscriptions, since Apple handles the billing. Although ShortMax’s terms also mention an « About Subscription » option inside the app, Apple’s settings remain the most dependable place to switch off an App Store renewal. Deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so plainly. Your pass renews 24 hours before it expires, so plan to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. It all takes under a minute. Capture the confirmation screen so you have proof of the date.
- Tap your name at the top after opening Settings.
- Select Subscriptions.
- Locate ShortMax in the list and select it.
- Tap Cancel, then confirm.
- You might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.
Cancelling ShortMax on Android
A subscription pass bought through Google Play on Android is controlled from the Play Store, not from ShortMax itself. The Google help page is clear that uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription. 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. If you are not in the same Google account that paid, the subscription may not show up in the list, so check that. Support becomes your route if you paid anywhere other than Google Play, since that payment will not show there. Keep a screenshot with your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Find Subscriptions in your account menu.
- Pick ShortMax.
- Tap Cancel and follow the prompts.
Money Back: The ShortMax Terms on Refunds
When it comes to refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a strict line. Refunds, in the company’s words, are « not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax ». Taken at face value, 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 via Apple’s Report a Problem page, with Apple usually replying 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 closes, Google points you to the developer, which means writing to ShortMax customer service. Because no refund is guaranteed, describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service
Mainly, ShortMax customer service works by email. ShortMax’s terms of service, posted on the official ShortMax website, include 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. The UID, the account ID that lets staff find you, is what the developer asks users to include in replies to Google Play reviews. The same replies recommend the subject line « Cancel Subscription – Urgent » for cancellation problems. You can follow the Apple or Google refund route at the same time when replies are slow and the charge came through a store. 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.
- A single clear request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.
Which Place Handles Each ShortMax Task
Much of the frustration starts when people try to fix a problem in the wrong place. The stores take care of the money for store purchases, while the app manages your account, coins and viewing. Email support covers whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own. Treat 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 follows the terms and store help pages. Cancel first, ask questions second if you are unsure.
| Job | Where to go | Key details |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or switch accounts | ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or a bound email or phone |
| Review or cancel in the app | ShortMax app | « About Subscription », according to the terms |
| Cancel a pass purchased on iPhone | The App Store | Settings, your name, then Subscriptions |
| Stop a pass bought on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions, in your account menu |
| Get a refund on an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; reply in 24 to 48 hours |
| Get a refund on a Google Play charge | Google Play, followed by email | Possible within 48 hours; later, contact the developer |
| Missing coins, lockouts, billing disputes | By email | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |