Start ReelShort Shorts Now Guide for Beginners

Before You Try Any Fixes: What the ShortMax App Is

Understanding which company is behind ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app, makes trouble with your account easier to handle. Over on the App Store the seller is listed as SHORTTV LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong, and Google Play lists the same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app’s launch came in September 2023, when it appeared on Google Play on September 3 and on the App Store on September 11 of the same year. With over 100 reel shorts tv million installs listed for just the Android version, you are by no means alone with a question about billing. Its store listing advertises more than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages, which is a figure from the company itself rather than a count from an outside source. Whether users search for «shortmax», «short max» or «shortmax app», all three searches lead to the same product this guide covers. On the legal side, its terms of service are governed by Hong Kong law.

Unable to Log In to ShortMax?

In most cases, shortmax login trouble starts when you sign in through another method than the one you used originally. As stated in ShortMax’s terms, you can log in with Facebook, Google or Apple, or with a phone number or email address bound 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 seem to vanish. The safest routine is to settle on one sign-in method and stick with it on every device. Do not count on a guest mode to keep your coins or pass safe, because whether ShortMax has one is not confirmed. Before assuming your coins are gone, eliminate that simple mix-up with the steps below.

1. Return to the sign-in button you used for your first payment.
2. Try the other methods one at a time and search for your purchases.
3. With phone or email login, use the address or number you linked to the account.
4. Restart your phone after updating the app.
5. Reach out to support with your UID and receipt if none of this helps, as explained below.

How the ShortMax Subscription Works

Weekly Pass Pro is what is called the primary shortmax subscription in the US App Store. In September 2026 the pass costs about $19.99 a week, a second tier sits at about $9.99 a week, and one-time purchases range from about $3.49 to $24.99. It was not possible to confirm monthly and yearly plans, because the US store shows only weekly passes. Because prices vary by country, platform and promotion, those figures are best treated as a rough reference. Each subscription renews automatically, at the same price, 24 hours before it expires, the terms say. People get caught out by this timing, since a cancellation on the last day might already be too late. Outside the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers point out that some cost up to 60 coins with little information about cost up front. Instead of assuming every episode costs the same, look at the price on the unlock screen each time.

Got Charged After the Trial?

Being billed unexpectedly after what seemed like a free period is a common complaint in this category. The «free trial» and «24 hours free» wording confused people, which ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play admit. In practice, a weekly pass activated from an offer keeps renewing until you cancel it. Both Apple and Google point out in their help pages that deleting the app does not stop billing. Who actually charged you determines where you cancel and where you request money back, so working that out comes first. A clean timeline makes every later step faster, so collect the evidence first.

1. Check your inbox for an Apple or Google Play receipt.
2. Cancel and ask for a refund through that store if you find one.
3. If there isn’t one, capture the merchant name on your card statement.
4. Stop the renewal right away using the steps below.
5. Then, use the matching route to request a refund.

Stopping ShortMax on iPhone

The cancel control sits in your iPhone settings if you subscribed through the App Store, since Apple handles the billing. 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. Apple says plainly that removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing. The pass renews 24 hours before it expires, so aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. It all takes under a minute. To have proof of the date, take a screenshot of the confirmation screen.

1. Tap your name at the top once you open Settings.
2. Select Subscriptions.
3. Locate ShortMax in the list and select it.
4. Tap Cancel, then confirm.
5. You may have paid under another Apple ID or on Android if ShortMax is missing.

Stopping ShortMax on Android

On an Android phone, a pass bought through Google Play is managed from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Google states clearly on its help page that removing an app does not cancel its subscription. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably switched off, even though the in-app «About Subscription» option named in ShortMax’s terms is another route. Confirm that you are in the same Google account that paid, or the subscription may not show up in the list. Grab a screenshot once it shows as cancelled, and store it with your receipt. A purchase made anywhere other than Google Play will not show there, and support is the route to take.

1. Go to the Google Play Store.
2. Locate Subscriptions in your account menu.
3. Tap ShortMax.
4. Press Cancel, then complete the prompts.

Refunds: What the ShortMax Terms Say

When it comes to refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a strict line. Refunds, as the company puts it, 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. Store purchases, however, also fall under Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, which run separately from the app’s terms. You can ask for a refund for an iPhone purchase through 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. Writing to ShortMax customer service is what remains after that window, because Google directs you to the developer. Since no refund is guaranteed, keep your description of what happened brief and attach your receipt.

How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service

Mainly, ShortMax customer service works by email. Write to the service email given in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Be careful with addresses posted on question-and-answer sites, since at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. Your UID, the account ID that lets staff find you, is what the developer asks users to provide in replies to Google Play reviews. The same replies recommend the subject line «Cancel Subscription – Urgent» for cancellation problems. If a store handled the charge and replies are slow, you can follow the Apple or Google refund route at the same time. Since a complete first message saves time, include the items below.

1. Your UID along with the sign-in method you use.
2. The date, amount and store of the charge, with a receipt screenshot.
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

Much of the frustration comes from trying to fix a problem in the wrong place. The app handles your account, coins and viewing, while the stores handle the money for store purchases. With whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own, email support steps in. Before you start tapping through menus, use the table below as a quick guide. Menus can change with updates, and as of September 2026, the table reflects the terms and store help pages. The rule if you are unsure is straightforward: cancel first and ask questions second.