Before You Try Any Fixes: What the ShortMax App Is

ShortMax is a vertical short-drama streaming service, and trouble with your account become easier to solve once you find out who operates it. The App Store seller is SHORTTV LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong, while https://vertical-micro-drama.com/ Google Play lists the same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app launched in September 2023, with Google Play recording September 3 and the App Store showing September 11 of that year. With over 100 million installs listed for just the Android version, you are hardly alone with a billing issue. More than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages is what its store listing claims, a company figure rather than an independent count. The one product this guide covers comes up whether people type “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”. Hong Kong law is the law that governs ShortMax’s terms of service.

Unable to Log In to ShortMax?

The majority of shortmax login trouble begins with logging in via a different method than the one you used the first time. ShortMax’s terms say that you can log in with Facebook, Google or Apple, or using a phone number or email address tied to your ShortMax account. Tapping a different button later might land you in a separate, empty account, which explains why a purchase can seem to vanish. Settling on one sign-in method and using it on every device is the safest approach. Whether ShortMax has a guest mode is unconfirmed, so you should not rely on one to keep your coins or your pass safe. Follow the steps below to rule out that simple mix-up before deciding your coins are gone.

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

The ShortMax Subscription Explained

On the US App Store, the headline shortmax subscription is called Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 the pass is listed at about $19.99 a week, a lower tier costs about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases run from about $3.49 to $24.99. Monthly and annual plans could not be verified, because the US store shows only weekly passes. Prices differ by country, platform and promotion, so treat those figures as a rough reference. A subscription renews automatically, at the same price, 24 hours before it expires, according to the terms. Cancelling on the final day may already be too late, which is why that timing catches people out. Outside the pass, episodes get unlocked with coins; App Store reviewers complain that some require up to 60 coins, with little pricing information in advance. Check the price on the unlock screen each time rather than assuming every episode costs the same.

Charged After a Free Trial?

An unexpected bill after what felt like a free period is a common complaint in this category. The “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording confused users, which ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play acknowledge. In practice, a weekly pass started from an offer goes on renewing until you cancel it. Both Apple and Google make the point in their help pages that removing the app does not stop billing. Start by working out who actually charged you, since this decides where you cancel and where you request money back. Gather the evidence first, since a clear timeline makes every later step faster.

  1. Look for an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
  2. Cancel the pass and request refunds through that store if you find one.
  3. If there isn’t one, 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 ask for a refund.

How to Cancel 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. ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, but Apple’s settings are the surest place to stop an App Store renewal. Removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so in plain terms. Aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. For proof of the date, capture the confirmation screen. You will need under a minute on the whole process.

  1. Tap your name at the top after opening Settings.
  2. Choose Subscriptions.
  3. Tap ShortMax from the list.
  4. Hit Cancel and confirm.
  5. You might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.

Stopping ShortMax on Android

Google’s Play Store, rather than ShortMax itself, controls a pass bought through Google Play on Android. Google spells out on its help page 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. Unless you are in the same Google account that paid, the subscription might not appear in the list, so check that. Take a screenshot once it shows as cancelled, and store it with your receipt. If you paid anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route.

  1. Open the Google Play Store.
  2. Open your account menu and choose Subscriptions.
  3. Select ShortMax.
  4. Press Cancel and follow the prompts.

Getting a Refund: What the ShortMax Terms Say

The line ShortMax’s terms take on refunds is a firm one. Refunds, as the company puts it, are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Read literally, that leaves little room for a refund just 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. You can ask for a refund for an iPhone purchase via Apple’s Report a Problem page, with Apple usually replying within 24 to 48 hours. As Google explains, on Android you may be able to get a refund directly from Google Play within 48 hours of purchase. Once that window has passed, Google sends you to the developer, so you will need to write to ShortMax customer service. A refund is never guaranteed, so describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.

Contacting ShortMax Customer Service

Mainly, ShortMax customer service operates by email. ShortMax’s terms of service, posted on the official ShortMax website, give the service email to write to. Treat with caution addresses posted on question-and-answer sites, since 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 subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” is suggested in the same replies for cancellation problems. You can use 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, because a complete first message saves time.

  1. The sign-in method you use and your UID.
  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. A single clear request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.

Where Each ShortMax Task Gets Done

Much of the frustration starts when you try to fix a problem in the wrong place. Your account, your coins and your viewing are handled by the app, whereas the money for store purchases is handled by the stores. 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 map. Menus can change with updates, and as of September 2026, the table follows the terms and store help pages. When in doubt, cancel first and ask questions second.

Task Where to do it Good to know
Log in or change accounts The ShortMax app Facebook, Google, Apple, or a bound email or phone
Check or cancel in the app The ShortMax app “About Subscription”, as named in the terms
Cancel a pass bought on iPhone The App Store Settings, then your name, then Subscriptions
Cancel a pass bought on Android Google Play Subscriptions under your account menu
Refund an App Store charge App Store Report a Problem; reply in 24 to 48 hours
Refund for a Google Play charge Google Play, then email Possible within 48 hours; later on, contact the developer
Lost coins, lockouts, billing disputes Email Service email listed in the terms, with your UID