Before You Start Troubleshooting: Understanding the ShortMax App

Knowing who runs ShortMax, a streaming app for vertical short dramas, makes account problems easier. Over on the App Store the seller shows up as SHORTTV LIMITED, a company with its registration in Hong Kong, and Google Play lists that same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax’s launch came in September 2023, when it appeared on Google Play on September 3 and on the App Store on September 11 of that year. Its store listing advertises more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, free short dramas which is the company’s own figure rather than a count from an outside source. Just the Android version reports over 100 million installs, so you are not alone at all with a question about billing. Legally, the app’s terms of service are governed by Hong Kong law. Users type the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches point to the same product described in this guide.

ShortMax Login Not Working?

Most shortmax login trouble begins with logging in via another method than the one you used originally. Facebook, Google and Apple are all accepted for signing in, under ShortMax’s terms, and so can a phone number or email address bound to your ShortMax account. Your purchase can seem to vanish because choosing a different button later could put you in a separate, empty account. Whether ShortMax has a guest mode is not confirmed, so you should not rely on one to keep your coins or pass secure. Settling on one sign-in method and sticking with it on every device is the safest routine. Before you assume your coins are gone, eliminate that simple mix-up with the steps below.

1. Go back to the sign-in button you tapped when you first paid.
2. Test the other methods one at a time and search for your purchases.
3. Enter the email address or phone number bound to the account for an email or phone login.
4. Update the app and restart your phone.
5. If none of this works, write to support with your UID and receipt, as outlined below.

The ShortMax Subscription Explained

The headline shortmax subscription in the US App Store is called Weekly Pass Pro. In September 2026 it lists at about $19.99 per week, a second tier comes in at about $9.99 per week, and one-time purchases go from about $3.49 to $24.99. Treat those figures as a guide, as pricing differs by country, platform and promotion. Since the US store shows only weekly passes, monthly and annual plans could not be verified. The terms of service say a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at the same price. This timing trips people up, since cancelling on the final day might already be too late. Outside the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins; App Store reviewers report that some cost up to 60 coins, with little pricing information shown beforehand. Do not assume every episode costs the same; look at the price on the unlock screen each time.

Billed After the Trial?

A surprise charge after what looked like a free period is a common complaint in this category. Its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording confused users, which 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. In real life, a weekly pass activated through an offer keeps renewing until you cancel it. Begin by working out who actually charged you, since that determines where you cancel and where you ask for a refund. A clean timeline makes every later step faster, so gather the evidence first.

1. Find an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
2. Cancel the pass and ask for a refund through that store if you find one.
3. If there isn’t one, screenshot the merchant name on your card statement.
4. Use the steps below to cancel the renewal immediately.
5. After that, use the matching route to ask for a refund.

Cancelling ShortMax on iPhone

If you subscribed in the App Store, Apple handles the billing, so the cancel control lives in your iPhone settings. Although ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings remain the most dependable place to stop an App Store renewal. As Apple makes clear, deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Your pass renews 24 hours before it expires, so plan to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. The process takes less than a minute. Take a screenshot of the confirmation screen so you have proof of the date.

1. Launch Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap Subscriptions.
3. Select ShortMax from the list.
4. Press Cancel and confirm.
5. You may have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.

Stopping ShortMax on Android

On an Android phone, a pass bought through Google Play is controlled from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Google spells out on its help page that removing an app does not cancel its subscription. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably switched off, 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. When it shows as cancelled, take a screenshot and file it with your receipt.

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

Getting a Refund: What the ShortMax Terms Say

On refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a strict line. The company states that refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. There is little room for a refund just because you forgot to cancel, if that is read literally. That said, Apple and Google have their own refund processes covering store purchases, and these run separately from the app’s terms. You can request a refund for an iPhone purchase via Apple’s Report a Problem page, and Apple usually responds within 24 to 48 hours. For Android purchases, Google says that within 48 hours of purchase you might be able to get a refund directly from Google Play. Writing to ShortMax customer service is what remains after that window, since Google points you to the developer. Refunds are not guaranteed, so summarize what happened briefly and attach your receipt.

Contacting ShortMax Customer Service

Email is the main way to reach ShortMax customer service. ShortMax’s terms of service, posted on the official ShortMax website, list the service email to write to. Be wary of addresses posted on question-and-answer sites, since at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. When replying to Google Play reviews, the developer asks users to provide their UID, the account ID that lets staff find you. A subject line of “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” is recommended in the same replies for cancellation problems. You can pursue the Apple or Google refund route at the same time if the charge came through a store and replies are slow. To save time, add the items below.

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

Where Every ShortMax Task Is Handled

Fixing a problem in the wrong place accounts for much of the frustration. The app handles your account, coins and viewing, while the stores handle the money for store purchases. Whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own goes to email support. The following table serves as a quick guide to use before you start tapping through menus. The table reflects the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, but menus can change with updates. If in doubt, cancel first and ask questions second.

Task	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”, as named in the terms
Stop a pass bought on iPhone	App Store	Settings, your name, then Subscriptions
Cancel a pass bought on Android	Google Play	Subscriptions under your account menu
Refund for an App Store charge	App Store	Report a Problem; a reply in 24 to 48 hours
Get a refund on a Google Play charge	Google Play, followed by email	Possible within 48 hours; after that, contact the developer
Lost coins, lockouts, billing disputes	By email	Service email listed in the terms, with your UID