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Is ShortMax Legit? What We Checked (Oct 2026)

Updated

Is ShortMax legit?

ShortMax is a legitimate streaming app run by a Hong Kong company, sold on the App Store and Google Play, with more than 100 million Android installs. Its weak spot is marketing, not security: a recurring complaint is that promotions promise more free viewing than the app delivers.

Who makes ShortMax?

ShortMax is made by SHORTTV LIMITED, which has a registered address in Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong, according to the ShortMax terms. It is the seller on the App Store. On Google Play the listing says SHORTMAX LIMITED, but the "About the developer" box names SHORTTV LIMITED at that Hong Kong address. The official website is shorttv.live.

Ratings in the app stores

ShortMax had 4.6 out of 5 on the US App Store on October 22, 2026, from about 180,000 ratings, and 4.4 out of 5 on Google Play from about 2.14 million reviews. Those are the lowest App Store score and the second-lowest Google Play score among the five drama apps we track.

Common complaints

Critical reviews of ShortMax on the store pages mostly concern promos, cancelling and coin prices.

The first is advertising. Some people installed ShortMax after seeing an ad that promised a day of free viewing and then hit a paywall after a few episodes. ShortMax's replies apologize that the "free trial" wasn't clear and, in one case, offer to look into compensation.

The second is cancelling. A few subscribers say they kept being charged or couldn't find the subscription to cancel. ShortMax's answer is to contact support with your user ID, by email or through Profile > Feedback in the app.

The third is coins: episodes cost a lot of them, and there are few ways to earn more. The App Store replies say this feedback has gone to the product team.

Is it safe to pay on ShortMax?

Inside the official app, yes. ShortMax's terms say all payments go through third-party payment gateways, and ShortMax says it doesn't store your payment account or password. The terms, last updated July 28, 2026, also say:

  • top-ups are final, and refunds are only considered if what you bought can't be used because of a problem on ShortMax's side;
  • your balance can't be transferred, gifted, lent or refunded, and bonus coins expire (the date is in My Wallet);
  • subscriptions renew automatically 24 hours before they expire, and you can cancel auto-renewal any time before that;
  • a subscription bought in the app or on the website doesn't carry over to ShortMax's TikTok Mini Programs.

On the US App Store, ShortMax listed Weekly Pass Pro options from $9.99 to $19.99 when we checked. On privacy, Apple's label says identifiers may be used to track you across other companies' apps and websites; Google Play says device IDs may be shared with third parties, data is encrypted in transit, and you can request deletion.

ShortMax's terms require users to be 18 or the age of majority where they live, and allow minors only under adult supervision. Apple rates it 18+ as well.

How to stay safe

Install ShortMax from the official stores only. The terms say virtual products must come through official ShortMax channels and that anything obtained otherwise can be taken back without compensation, so "free coin" generators and resellers are a dead end at best. Re-uploads on video sites aren't official either.

If an ad promises free episodes, check the offer inside the app before you subscribe, and keep our guide to cancelling a ShortMax subscription handy. Is ShortMax free? covers how far free viewing goes, and our ShortMax catalog lists the free episode count for every series.

Sources