Before Fixing Anything: What ShortMax Actually Is

ShortMax is essentially a vertical short-drama streaming app, and problems with an account become easier to solve once you find out which company runs it. On the App Store the seller shows up as SHORTTV LIMITED, a company with its registration in Hong Kong, and Google Play names the same legal entity under the developer name SHORTMAX LIMITED. ShortMax launched in September 2023, with Google Play listing September 3 https://www.reelshorts.org/where-to-watch/don-t-hurt-my-cat/ and the App Store showing September 11 of that year. Over 50,000 dramas in 19 languages are claimed in its store listing, a company figure rather than an independently verified count. You are hardly alone with a billing question, because the Android version alone shows over 100 million installs. Searchers type the name as “shortmax”, “short max” or “shortmax app”, and all three searches lead to the same product this guide covers. Hong Kong law applies to its terms of service.

Can’t Log In to ShortMax?

Most of the time, shortmax login trouble begins when you sign in with a different method than the one you used the first time. Facebook, Google and Apple can all be used for logging in, under ShortMax’s terms, and so can an email address or phone number bound to your ShortMax account. Your purchase can appear to disappear since pressing a different button later might land you in a separate, empty account. Choosing one sign-in method and using it on every device is the safest routine. It has not been confirmed whether ShortMax offers a guest mode, so don’t count on one to keep your pass or coins secure. That simple mix-up should be ruled out with the steps below before you assume your coins are gone.

1. Try the sign-in button you used when you first paid.
2. Check for your purchases while trying the other methods one at a time.
3. With email or phone login, use the email address or phone number you linked to the account.
4. Reboot your phone after updating the app.
5. If nothing works, reach out to support with your UID and receipt, as described below.

The ShortMax Subscription Explained

Weekly Pass Pro is what is called the primary shortmax subscription in the US App Store. As of September 2026 it shows up at about $19.99 a week, with a lower tier at about $9.99 a week, while one-time purchases run from about $3.49 to $24.99. We could not confirm monthly or yearly plans, since the US store lists only weekly passes. Prices differ by country, platform and promotion, so treat those figures 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 might already be too late, which is why this timing trips people up. Outside the pass, episodes are unlocked with coins, and App Store reviewers report that some cost up to 60 coins with little information about cost up front. Look at the price on the unlock screen each time instead of assuming every episode costs the same.

Got Charged After the Trial?

Getting charged 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 acknowledge. In real life, a weekly pass activated through an offer continues to renew until you cancel it. Both Apple and Google state in their help pages that removing the app does not stop billing. Your first task is to find out who actually charged you, because that decides where you cancel and where you ask for money back. Collect the evidence first: a clear timeline will make every later step faster.

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. If you find none, take a screenshot of the merchant name on your card statement.
4. Stop the renewal at once using the steps below.
5. After that, use the matching route to ask for a refund.

Stopping ShortMax on iPhone

Apple takes care of the billing for subscriptions made through the App Store, so the option to cancel lives in your iPhone settings. Although 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. Removing the app from your home screen cancels nothing, and Apple says so plainly. Your pass renews 24 hours before it expires, so aim to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. You will need under a minute on the whole process. To have proof of the date, take a screenshot of the confirmation screen.

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Select Subscriptions.
3. Pick ShortMax from the list.
4. Hit Cancel and confirm.
5. If you cannot see ShortMax, you might have paid under a different Apple ID or on Android.

How to Cancel ShortMax on Android

Google’s Play Store, rather than ShortMax itself, manages a pass bought through Google Play on Android. Uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription, and Google’s help page is clear on that point. Google Play is where store-billed renewals are reliably stopped, although the in-app “About Subscription” option mentioned in ShortMax’s terms is another route. Make sure that you are in the same Google account that paid, or the subscription might not show up in the list. Keep a screenshot with your receipt, taken once it shows as cancelled. Support becomes your route if you paid anywhere other than Google Play, since that payment will not show there.

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Go to Subscriptions in your account menu.
3. Choose ShortMax.
4. Press Cancel and follow the prompts.

Getting a Refund: The ShortMax Terms on Refunds

ShortMax’s terms take a firm line on refunds. Refunds, as the company puts it, are “not entertained unless the paid product/service is unusable for the reason of ShortMax”. Taken literally, that leaves little room for a refund just because you forgot to cancel. However, Apple and Google have their own refund processes covering store purchases, and these run separately from the app’s terms. You can ask for a refund on an iPhone purchase via Apple’s Report a Problem page, with Apple usually replying within 24 to 48 hours. According to Google, on Android you might be able to receive a refund directly from Google Play within 48 hours of purchase. Writing to ShortMax customer service is what remains after that window, because Google points you to the developer. Explain what happened briefly and attach your receipt, because a refund is not guaranteed.

How to Contact ShortMax Customer Service

Mainly, ShortMax customer service works by email. Write to the service email listed in ShortMax’s terms of service, which are published on the official ShortMax website. Treat with caution 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 include in replies to Google Play reviews. The subject line “Cancel Subscription – Urgent” is suggested in the same replies for cancellation problems. When replies are slow and the charge came through a store, pursuing the Apple or Google refund route at the same time is possible. Since a complete first message saves time, add the items below.

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

Where Each ShortMax Task Gets Done

Much of the frustration comes from trying to fix a problem in the wrong place. The stores handle the money for store purchases, while the app handles your account, coins and viewing. With whatever the app and the stores cannot settle on their own, email support steps in. Treat the table below as a handy map before you start tapping through menus. The table reflects 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.

Task	Where to go	Good to know
Sign in or change accounts	Inside the ShortMax app	Facebook, Google, Apple, or bound email or phone
Review or cancel in the app	The ShortMax app	“About Subscription”, according to the terms
Stop a pass bought on iPhone	App Store	Settings, your name, then 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 for a Google Play charge	Google Play, then email	Possible within 48 hours; later on, contact the developer
Lost coins, lockouts, billing disputes	By email	Service email listed in the terms, with your UID