Before You Start Troubleshooting: What ShortMax Actually Is
Trouble with your account get easier once you understand who runs ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app. The App Store seller is SHORTTV LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong, while Google Play shows that same legal entity under the developer label SHORTMAX LIMITED. The app launched in September 2023, going by the store listings: Google Play gives September 3 and the App Store shows September 11 of that year. The company’s own store listing claims more than 50,000 dramas in vertical drama app 19 languages, though that is a self-reported figure rather than an independent count. The Android version alone lists over 100 million installs, so you are hardly alone with a billing issue. Hong Kong law governs ShortMax’s terms of service. People spell the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches bring up the same product described in this guide.
Can’t Sign In to ShortMax?
Logging in via another method than the one you first used is behind most shortmax login trouble. Facebook, Google and Apple can all be used for signing in, per ShortMax’s terms, as can an email address or phone number linked to your ShortMax account. If you press a different button later, you might end up in a separate and empty account, which is why a purchase can seem to vanish. The safest approach is to settle on one sign-in method and stick with it on every device. Whether a guest mode exists in the app is unconfirmed, so you shouldn’t count on one to keep your coins or pass safe. That simple mix-up is worth ruling out with the steps below before you assume your coins are gone.
- Return to the sign-in button you used when you first paid.
- Test the other methods one at a time and search for your purchases.
- Enter the address or number bound to the account for an email or phone login.
- Update the app and reboot your phone.
- If none of this works, contact support with your UID and receipt, as described below.
How the ShortMax Subscription Works
The main shortmax subscription in the US App Store is called Weekly Pass Pro. At the time of writing in September 2026 it appears at about $19.99 a week, with a lower tier at about $9.99 a week, while one-time purchases range from about $3.49 to $24.99. Monthly and annual plans could not be confirmed, because the US store offers only weekly passes. Because pricing differs by country, platform and promotion, those figures should be treated as a rough reference. Each subscription renews automatically, at the same price, 24 hours before it expires, the terms say. This timing trips people up, since cancelling on the final day may already be too late. Beyond the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers point out that some cost up to 60 coins with little cost information up front. Check the price on the unlock screen each time rather than assuming every episode costs the same.
Got Charged After the Trial?
In this category, a common complaint is an unexpected charge after what felt like a free period. ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play acknowledge that users were confused by its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording. As both Apple and Google explain in their help pages, uninstalling the app does not stop billing. In practice, a weekly pass activated from an offer keeps renewing until you cancel it. Begin 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.
- Look through your inbox for an Apple or Google Play receipt.
- If there is one, cancel and request a refund through that store.
- Screenshot the merchant name on your card statement if there is none.
- Cancel the renewal right away using the steps below.
- After that request a refund through the matching route.
How to Cancel a ShortMax Subscription on iPhone
The cancel control lives in your iPhone settings for App Store subscriptions, since Apple handles the billing. ShortMax’s terms also refer to an “About Subscription” option inside the app, but Apple’s settings are the most reliable place to stop an App Store renewal. Apple says plainly that removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Try to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. Expect to spend under a minute on the whole process. A capture of the confirmation screen gives you proof of the date, so take one.
- Tap your name at the top once you open Settings.
- Choose Subscriptions.
- Locate ShortMax in the list and tap it.
- Press Cancel, then confirm.
- If ShortMax does not appear, you might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android.
How to Cancel ShortMax on Android
On Android, a pass bought through Google Play is managed from the Play Store rather than from ShortMax itself. Removing an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear about this. ShortMax’s terms mention an in-app “About Subscription” option, which is another route, yet renewals billed by the store are reliably stopped in Google Play. If you are not in the same Google account that paid, the subscription might not appear in the list, so confirm this. Take a screenshot once it shows as cancelled, and file it with your receipt. A purchase made anywhere other than Google Play will not show there, and support becomes the way forward.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Find Subscriptions in your account menu.
- Tap ShortMax.
- Press Cancel, then complete the prompts.
Money Back: What the ShortMax Terms Say
When it comes to refunds, ShortMax’s terms take a firm line. Refunds, as the company puts it, 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. The refund processes of Apple and Google, however, also cover store purchases and run separately from the app’s terms. Apple’s Report a Problem page is the place to request a refund for an iPhone purchase, and Apple usually replies within 24 to 48 hours. A refund directly from Google Play might be possible on Android within 48 hours of purchase, Google says. Writing to ShortMax customer service is the next step after that window, because Google points you to the developer. Because no refund is guaranteed, describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.
Getting in Touch With ShortMax Customer Service
ShortMax customer service operates mainly by email. The service email to use is the one given in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Because at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified, be careful with addresses posted on question-and-answer sites. The developer, replying to Google Play reviews, asks users to provide their UID, which is the account ID staff use to find you. For cancellation problems, the same replies recommend the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent”. 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, since a complete first message saves time.
- The sign-in method you use and your UID.
- The date, amount and store of the charge, along with a screenshot of your receipt.
- Whether you have already cancelled, along with a screenshot of the cancellation screen.
- One clear request: cancel, refund, restore coins or fix a login.
Which Place Handles Each ShortMax Task
Tackling a problem in the wrong place is behind much of the frustration. The stores take care of the money for store purchases, while the app manages your account, coins and viewing. Support by email covers whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own. Use the table below as a handy map before you start tapping through menus. It is based on the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus can change with updates. The rule when in doubt is straightforward: cancel first and ask questions second.
| Task | Where it happens | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in or change accounts | The ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or bound email or phone |
| Review or cancel inside the app | The ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, as named in the terms |
| Stop a pass bought on iPhone | The App Store | Settings, your name, Subscriptions |
| Stop a pass bought on Android | Google Play | Subscriptions in your account menu |
| Get a refund on an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; reply within 24 to 48 hours |
| Refund a Google Play charge | Google Play, then email | Possible within 48 hours; later on, contact the developer |
| Missing coins, lockouts or billing disputes | Email support | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |