Before You Start Troubleshooting: What ShortMax Actually Is
Account problems become easier to solve once you understand which company is behind ShortMax, a vertical short-drama streaming app. SHORTTV LIMITED, a Hong Kong-registered company, appears as the seller on the App Store, and the same legal entity appears on Google Play under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax’s launch came in September 2023, when it showed up on Google Play on September 3 and on reel-shorts.org the App Store on September 11 of the same year. You are by no means alone with a billing issue, because the Android version alone shows over 100 million installs. More than 50,000 dramas in 19 languages are claimed in its store listing, the company’s own figure rather than an independent count. The one product this guide covers turns up whether you enter “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”. Hong Kong law governs the app’s terms of service.
Can’t Sign In to ShortMax?
Logging in with another method than the one you first used is behind most shortmax login trouble. Under 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. Choosing a different button later might put you in a separate and empty account, which explains why a purchase can appear to disappear. For safety, settle on one sign-in method and use it on every device. Whether ShortMax has a guest mode is still unconfirmed, so you shouldn’t count on one to keep your coins or your pass secure. That simple mix-up should be ruled out with the steps below before you assume your coins are gone.
- Begin with the sign-in button you chose when you first paid.
- Check for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
- With email or phone login, use the email address or phone number you tied to the account.
- Update the app and restart your phone.
- Contact support with your UID and receipt if nothing works, as described below.
How ShortMax Subscriptions Work
Weekly Pass Pro is what is called the primary shortmax subscription in the US App Store. As of September 2026 it is listed 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. Since the US store shows only weekly passes, monthly and annual plans could not be verified. Because prices vary by country, platform and promotion, those figures are best treated as a reference point. The terms say a subscription renews automatically 24 hours before it expires, at the same price as before. Cancelling on the final day may already be too late, which is why that timing trips people up. Outside the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins; App Store reviewers complain that some require up to 60 coins, with little pricing information in advance. Rather than assuming every episode costs the same, look at the price on the unlock screen each time.
Charged After a Free Trial?
Getting charged unexpectedly after what seemed like a free period is a common complaint in this app category. The “free trial” and “24 hours free” wording confused people, as ShortMax’s own replies on Google Play acknowledge. Removing the app does not stop billing, a point both Apple and Google make in their help pages. Until it is cancelled, a weekly pass activated from an offer continues to renew, in practice. Begin by figuring out who actually charged you, since that decides where you cancel and where you request money back. Save the evidence first, since a clear timeline makes every later step faster.
- Look for an Apple or Google Play receipt in your inbox.
- Cancel and ask for a refund through that store if one turns up.
- If you find none, screenshot the merchant name on your card statement.
- Stop 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
Apple handles the billing for subscriptions made through the App Store, so the cancel control lives in your iPhone settings. While ShortMax’s terms also mention an “About Subscription” option inside the app, Apple’s settings are the most dependable place to switch off an App Store renewal. Deleting the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so in plain terms. Plan to cancel at least a day before the renewal date, because the pass renews 24 hours before it expires. A screenshot of the confirmation screen gives you proof of the date, so grab one. Expect to spend less than a minute on the whole process.
- Tap your name at the top after opening Settings.
- Choose Subscriptions.
- Choose ShortMax from the list.
- Press Cancel and confirm.
- If ShortMax is missing, you might have paid under another Apple ID or on Android.
How to Cancel 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 makes it clear in its help page that uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription. The in-app “About Subscription” option listed in ShortMax’s terms is another route, but Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably turned off. Make sure that you are in the same Google account that paid, or the subscription may not appear in the list. If you paid anywhere other than Google Play, it will not show there, and support becomes your route. When it shows as cancelled, take a screenshot and store it with your receipt.
- Launch the Google Play Store.
- Tap your account menu and choose Subscriptions.
- Tap ShortMax.
- Tap Cancel, then complete the prompts.
Money Back: What ShortMax’s Terms Say
The stance ShortMax’s terms take on money back is a firm one. As the company puts it, refunds are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Read literally, this wording leaves little room for getting money back simply 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 where you can request a refund for an iPhone purchase, and Apple usually answers within 24 to 48 hours. For Android purchases, Google says that within 48 hours of purchase you may be able to obtain a refund directly from Google Play. After that window, Google refers you to the developer, so you will need to email ShortMax customer service. Explain what happened briefly and attach your receipt, because no refund is guaranteed.
How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service
ShortMax customer service works mainly by email. ShortMax’s terms of service, published on the official ShortMax website, give the service email to write to. Addresses shared on question-and-answer sites deserve caution: 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. For cancellation issues, the same replies recommend the subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent”. 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.
- Your UID plus the sign-in method you use.
- The charge’s date, amount and store, plus a screenshot of the receipt.
- Whether you have already cancelled, along with a screenshot of the cancellation screen.
- 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 fixing a problem in the wrong place. The stores handle the money for store purchases, while the app manages your account, coins and viewing. Anything the app and the stores cannot settle on their own goes to email support. Before you start tapping through menus, treat the table below as a quick guide. It follows the terms and store help pages as of September 2026, and menus can change with updates. Cancel first, ask questions second if you are unsure.
| Job | Where it happens | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Log in or change accounts | Inside the ShortMax app | Facebook, Google, Apple, or bound email or phone |
| Check or cancel in the app | ShortMax app | “About Subscription”, as named in the terms |
| Cancel a pass purchased on iPhone | The App Store | Settings, your name, then Subscriptions |
| Cancel a pass bought on Android | The Google Play Store | Subscriptions in your account menu |
| Refund an App Store charge | The App Store | Report a Problem; reply within 24 to 48 hours |
| Get a refund on a Google Play charge | Google Play, followed by email | Possible within 48 hours; later, contact the developer |
| Lost coins, lockouts, billing disputes | By email | Service email from the terms, plus your UID |