Before Fixing Anything: What the ShortMax App Actually Is

Trouble with your account are simpler to sort out once you figure out which company is behind ShortMax, an app that streams vertical short dramas. The seller on the App Store is SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong Kong-registered company, while Google Play places 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 the same year. The Android version alone lists over 100 million installs, so you are by no means alone with a question about billing. Its store listing boasts more than 50,000 dramas reelshort movies in 19 languages, which is the company’s own figure rather than a count from an outside source. Hong Kong law applies to ShortMax’s terms of service. Whether users type “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, every one of those searches points to the same product covered here.

ShortMax Login Not Working?

Most of the time, shortmax login trouble begins when you log in with a different method than the one you used the first time. ShortMax’s terms say that you can log in using Facebook, Google or Apple, or using an email address or phone number tied to your ShortMax account. If you press a different button later, you might be taken to a separate, blank account, which is why a purchase can appear to disappear. Do not rely on a guest mode to keep your pass or coins secure, because whether the app offers one is not confirmed. The safest routine is to stick with one sign-in method and stick with it on every device. This simple mix-up should be ruled out with the steps below before you conclude your coins are gone.

1. Go back to the sign-in button you tapped when you first paid.
2. Check for your purchases as you try the other methods one at a time.
3. With email or phone login, use the address or number you bound to the account.
4. Update the app and restart your phone.
5. Contact support with your UID and receipt if nothing works, as described below.

How ShortMax Subscriptions Work

In the US App Store, the headline shortmax subscription is named Weekly Pass Pro. As of 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. Since pricing differs by country, platform and promotion, those figures are best treated as a reference point. Since the US store lists only weekly passes, monthly and annual plans could not be confirmed. The terms state a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at the same price as before. People get caught out by that timing, because a cancellation on the last day might already be too late. Outside of the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers point out that some cost up to 60 coins with little pricing information up front. Rather than assuming every episode costs the same, check the price on the unlock screen each time.

Charged After a Free Trial?

In this category, one common complaint is an unexpected charge after what seemed like a free period. Its “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording confused people, as ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play admit. Until you cancel it, a weekly pass started from an offer continues to renew, in reality. As both Apple and Google note in their help pages, uninstalling the app does not stop billing. Your first job is to figure out who actually charged you, because that decides where you cancel and where you ask for money back. A clear timeline makes every later step faster, so collect the evidence first.

1. Look for an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
2. Cancel and ask for a refund through that store if one turns up.
3. Capture the merchant name on your card statement if no receipt turns up.
4. Stop the renewal at once using the steps below.
5. Then, go through the matching route to request a refund.

Cancelling ShortMax on iPhone

The option to cancel sits in your iPhone settings if you subscribed through the App Store, because Apple handles the billing. Although ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings are the most reliable place to switch off an App Store renewal. As Apple makes clear, deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing. Aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. You will need under a minute on the whole process. For proof of the date, take a screenshot of the confirmation screen.

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap Subscriptions.
3. Select ShortMax from the list.
4. Tap Cancel, then confirm.
5. If ShortMax is missing, you may have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android.

How to Cancel ShortMax on Android

The Play Store, rather than ShortMax itself, manages a pass bought through Google Play on Android. Removing an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear about this. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably stopped, even though 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 appear in the list, so confirm this. If you paid anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route. Keep a screenshot with your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled.

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

Refunds: What the ShortMax Terms Say

ShortMax’s terms take a hard line on money back. The company writes that refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Read literally, that wording leaves little room for a refund just because you forgot to cancel. Store purchases, though, are also covered by Apple’s and Google’s own refund processes, which 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 responds within 24 to 48 hours. A direct refund from Google Play may be possible on Android within 48 hours of purchase, Google says. After that window, Google refers you to the developer, so you will need to write to ShortMax customer service. Since no refund is guaranteed, describe what happened briefly and attach your receipt.

How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service

For the most part, ShortMax customer service operates by email. Use the service email given in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Addresses posted on question-and-answer sites deserve caution: at least one circulating address uses a misspelled domain and could not be verified. The developer, replying to Google Play reviews, asks users to include their UID, the account ID that lets staff find you. The same replies suggest the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” for cancellation problems. When replies are slow and the charge came through a store, following the Apple or Google refund route at the same time is an option. To save time, include the items below.

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 cancelled already, plus a screenshot of that screen.
4. A single clear request: cancel, refund, restore your coins or fix a login.

Where to Handle Each ShortMax Task

Much of the annoyance comes from trying to fix a problem in the wrong place. The app handles your account, coins and viewing, while the stores take care of the money for store purchases. Email support handles whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own. The table below serves as a quick map to use before you start tapping through menus. 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 simple: cancel first and ask questions second.