ShortMax App: What It Is, What It Costs and Is It Safe (2026)

ShortMax is a short drama streaming app published by SHORTTV LIMITED. It offers vertical series with episodes of about a minute, free opening episodes, then paid access through coin top-ups or a Weekly Pass Pro subscription, with ads as a free way to unlock more. It is a legitimate store-distributed app, but it is rated 18+ on iOS and renews passes automatically.

This page covers what the ShortMax app is, who is behind it, what it costs, what its privacy disclosures say and how to cancel, based on its store listings checked on 26 September 2026.

What is the ShortMax app?

ShortMax streams short dramas made for phone screens: romance, CEO and werewolf storylines, revenge arcs, hidden marriage and similar tropes, each episode ending on a twist. Its App Store description lists these features:

• HD playback with adjustable speed and Picture-in-Picture
• Offline downloads for saved episodes
• A watchlist and personalised recommendations
• Multilingual subtitles and dubbing, with the listing showing English plus 19 more languages

The listing also claims a library of more than 50,000 short dramas and movies. That figure is the developer's own claim and is not independently verified.

ShortMax runs on iPhone (iOS 15.1 or later), Apple silicon Macs and Android. On Google Play its package name is live.shorttv.apps.

Who makes the ShortMax app?

The seller on the US App Store is SHORTTV LIMITED, which also publishes a second short drama app, DramaRush. The developer website is shorttv.live, and the support address listed in the app description is at the same domain.

The difference in age ratings is worth noticing. The App Store rating cites frequent cartoon or fantasy violence and mature or suggestive themes, so the iOS version is not intended for younger viewers even though Google Play rates it Teen.

How much does the ShortMax app cost?

The app is free to download and the first episodes of each series are free. After that you pay in one of three ways.

Coins or one-time purchases. The US App Store lists one-time purchases at $3.49, $4.99, $9.99, $14.99, $19.99 and $24.99. On Google Play, in-app items range from $0.49 to $199.99 per item.

Weekly Pass Pro. The US App Store lists Weekly Pass Pro at $9.99 and $19.99. It is a subscription, so it keeps renewing every week until you cancel it.

Watching ads. The app shows ads, and recent App Store reviews describe watching ads to earn coins or unlock further episodes. Several reviewers also say the ad load is heavy, so free viewing costs time rather than money.

Prices differ by country and change often, so check the listing in your own store. For how coin and pass models work across the category, see our guide to short drama app monetization.

Is the ShortMax app safe and legit?

ShortMax is a real app from a registered company, sold through the official App Store and Google Play, with published terms of service, a privacy policy and a separate top-up agreement. On that basis it is legitimate. "Safe" depends on what you are worried about:

Data and tracking. The App Store privacy label, which the developer self-reports, says identifiers may be used to track you across other companies' apps and websites. A user ID and device ID may be linked to you for third-party advertising and product personalisation. Usage data, diagnostics, coarse location and search history may be collected without being linked to your identity. If you prefer not to be tracked on iPhone, turn it off under Settings, Privacy and Security, Tracking.

Billing. The pattern that shows up in recent reviews is billing rather than security. Among the 50 most recent US App Store reviews (posted 22 to 24 September 2026), several describe charges continuing after the user believed they had cancelled, and others describe coin prices as expensive. Most of these cases come down to where the subscription was bought and where it was cancelled.

Content. Treat the iOS 18+ rating as the guide for who should use it.

How to cancel a ShortMax subscription

Cancel in the same place you paid. Deleting the app does not cancel anything.

1. Bought on iPhone or iPad. Open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, select ShortMax and cancel. Apple Support describes the same path.
2. Bought on Android. Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, then Payments and subscriptions, Subscriptions, select ShortMax and cancel.
3. Bought on a website. If you subscribed through a web page rather than an app store, the App Store or Play Store will not show it. Cancel through the account on that website or contact the support address in the app listing.

Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date. If you were charged after cancelling, Apple handles refund requests through its Report a Problem page, and Google Play has its own refund request flow in the Play Store help centre.

ShortMax vs other short drama apps

ShortMax competes with ReelShort, DramaBox, GoodShort, NetShort and others that use the same format and paywall. It leads with a weekly pass on its App Store listing, while apps such as GoodShort put coin packs first. Our overview of short drama apps like DramaBox compares the main apps by seller, release date and paid options, and How Does ReelShort Make Money? breaks down the category leader's model.

FAQ

Is the ShortMax app free?

It is free to download and each series opens with free episodes. Most later episodes need coins, a Weekly Pass Pro subscription or watching ads.

Who owns ShortMax?

The App Store and Google Play list the developer as SHORTTV LIMITED, which also publishes DramaRush. The developer website is shorttv.live.

Why does ShortMax keep charging me?

Weekly Pass Pro renews automatically every week. If you are still being charged, check the subscription list in the store you paid with, and check whether you subscribed through a website instead.

Is ShortMax suitable for kids?

The iOS version is rated 18+ on the App Store for mature or suggestive themes and fantasy violence, so it is not designed for children.

Sources and versions

• US App Store listing for ShortMax (seller, release date, age rating, languages, In-App Purchases section, privacy label, description), checked 26 September 2026
• Google Play listing for ShortMax (live.shorttv.apps), US: developer, release date, content rating, ads and in-app purchase labels
• iTunes Search API and the App Store customer reviews feed (50 most recent US reviews, 22 to 24 September 2026)
• Apple Support and Google Play Help pages on cancelling subscriptions and requesting refunds

Building a short drama app?

ROIBest works on the distribution layer for overseas app promotion: PWA-based install paths, landing page and campaign attribution, and push re-engagement. For the launch side of the category, see How to Launch a Short Drama App Overseas.