MoboReels: what it is, what it really costs and how to cancel
We make TotalShort, a short drama app: we say so wherever it matters. Facts about other apps come from their official App Store and Google Play pages and may change.
In short: MoboReels is a real short drama app. CHANGDU (HK) TECHNOLOGY LIMITED publishes it, it's been on the App Store since July 2023, the US listing shows 4.5 from 40,590 ratings, and it's rated 16+. Episodes run 1 to 3 minutes. It's free to download; then you pay. The US listing shows a "Weekly VIP" at $19.99 and $29.99, a "Monthly VIP" at $49.99, coin packs from $9.99 to $49.99 and "Check-in Rewards Packs" from $14.99 to $28.99. The $29.99 weekly plan, kept for a year, comes to $1,559.48. Listing read on October 6, 2026.
What MoboReels is
What the developer says it is
The description promises original, professionally produced short dramas, each episode "just 1–3 minutes" but packed with twists, romance, revenge and suspense, with brand-new stories every week [1]. The genres it names are billionaire and CEO romance, werewolf sagas and dark fantasy, mafia dramas, time travel and martial arts, thrillers and underdog comebacks. New to the format? Start with what a short drama is.
Who's behind it
The publisher is CHANGDU (HK) TECHNOLOGY LIMITED [1]. The same App Store page lists its other apps, mostly novel-reading apps such as MoboReader and ManoBook [1]. Wikipedia places MoboReels among the market's apps right after the three biggest, alongside ShortMax, NetShort, DramaWave, FlickReels, Kalos TV and My Drama [3].
The features it lists
The description promises multi-language subtitles, offline downloads so you can watch without Wi-Fi, and a "Premium" ad-free experience [1]. Its terms of use, privacy policy and subscription terms link to pages on cdreader.com.
The facts we could verify
Everything below comes from the official App Store listings, read on October 6, 2026 [1][2].
| Item | What the listing says |
|---|---|
| Publisher | CHANGDU (HK) TECHNOLOGY LIMITED |
| US rating | 4.5 out of 5, 40,590 ratings |
| Italian rating | 4.5 out of 5, about 2,300 ratings |
| Age rating | 16+ |
| Interface language | English only |
| On the App Store since | July 2023 |
| Requires | iOS 14 or later |
| Price | Free, with in-app purchases |
How much MoboReels costs
Every purchase the US listing shows
| Purchase | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Weekly VIP | $19.99, $29.99 |
| Monthly VIP | $49.99 |
| Coins Pack | $9.99, $14.99, $19.99, $49.99 |
| Check-in Rewards Pack | $14.99, $19.99, $28.99 |
Apple shows up to ten purchases per listing, so there may be more. The Italian listing shows the same kinds of purchase in euros, with a Weekly VIP at €9.99 and €34.99 [2]. Prices change by country; your own purchase sheet is the one that counts.
The highest weekly VIP in our comparison
At $29.99, MoboReels' weekly VIP is higher than any weekly VIP in our comparison dataset, where the top one is NetShort at $19.99. The listing doesn't explain what separates the $19.99 plan from the $29.99 one, or the weekly plans from the monthly one; Apple's purchase sheet tells you exactly what you're buying.
A month and a year, in numbers
| Scenario | Math | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly VIP at $19.99 for 4 weeks | 4 × $19.99 | $79.96 |
| Weekly VIP at $29.99 for 4 weeks | 4 × $29.99 | $119.96 |
| Monthly VIP at $49.99 for a year | 12 × $49.99 | $599.88 |
| Weekly VIP at $29.99 for a year | 52 × $29.99 | $1,559.48 |
That's arithmetic on listed prices, not a forecast of your bill. It shows why the weekly plan is the one to watch: a year of the $29.99 weekly plan costs more than two and a half times a year of the monthly one.
What the listing leaves out
How many coins each pack contains, how many an episode costs, and what's inside a "Check-in Rewards Pack" aren't stated. Without those numbers you can't price a series from the listing, and we won't guess.
Is MoboReels free?
What's free
Downloading is free [1]. How many episodes of each series are free isn't stated, so you find out when you open one. The description lists ad-free viewing as a "Premium" feature [1], so expect ads in the free version.
Watching for free without getting burned
Watch what's free, then stop and decide with a clear head. Skip modded versions and "free coins" sites: they aren't official and they put your account at risk. The legal ways to watch without paying are in our guide to free short dramas.
Is MoboReels legit?
Why it's a real app
It has a named publisher, it's been on the store since 2023, it has tens of thousands of US ratings, and charges go through Apple or Google [1]. Wikipedia lists it among the market's main apps [3]. Legit isn't the same as cheap, though: with a weekly plan up to $29.99, the real risk is a renewal you forgot about.
What the privacy label says
According to the privacy section of the listing, identifiers may be used to track you across other companies' apps and websites; contact info may be linked to your identity; identifiers and diagnostics are collected without being linked to you [2]. If tracking bothers you, decline it when iOS asks.
The checklist
Seven checks before you pay any short drama app
- Who publishes it?A named developer on the official store listing, not a link from a social post.
- How many ratings?A 4.9 from 200 ratings means less than a 4.7 from 200,000.
- What is the billing period?Weekly, monthly or yearly: it is on the purchase sheet, read it before you confirm.
- Does it renew by itself?Subscriptions renew until you cancel with Apple or Google.
- What does one unlock cost?Turn coins into money before you spend them.
- Is there a free route?Free episodes, bonuses or ads: see how far they really get you.
- Does the age rating fit?Stores rate these apps from 13+ to 18+; check who will watch.
How not to spend more than you meant to
iPhone: block in-app purchases
Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then Apps & Websites, then App Store, tap In-app Purchases and choose Blocked [4]. Unblock them only on the evening you mean to buy. With Family Sharing, Ask to Buy sends every request to an adult.
Android: purchase verification and a budget
In the Google Play app, tap your profile picture, then Payments & subscriptions, then Purchase verification, and require it for every purchase [5]. Google's subscription center lets you set a monthly budget [6].
The 24-hour rule
The description itself says you can cancel your subscription at any time at least 24 hours before your renewal date [1]. The day you subscribe, set a reminder two days before.
Who MoboReels suits, and who should look elsewhere
You love billionaire, werewolf and mafia stories
That's the core of the catalog the description lays out [1]. Use the free part to find the one series you'd actually finish before paying.
You travel or have patchy signal
Offline downloads are among the listed features [1]. Check whether they need Premium before you count on them for a flight.
You want something cheaper
If the weekly prices put you off, compare them with the other apps in the table below; several list weekly plans well under $29.99.
You're buying for a teenager
It's rated 16+. Decide whether that fits, then turn on Ask to Buy or block in-app purchases before installing.
MoboReels next to other short drama apps
MoboReels isn't in our comparison dataset, which covers seven apps with App Store data read on October 2, 2026. The table helps you compare the alternatives; it isn't a ranking. See also the best short drama apps, and our guides to My Drama and DramaShorts, other widely searched apps outside the dataset.
| App | Developer | Rating | Age | Languages | Listed purchases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TotalShort our app | Agape Group GmbH | Not in the stores yet | 14+ (per series) | EN, IT | €0.99 and up (EUR) |
| ReelShort | NewLeaf Publishing | 4.7 (504K) | 13+ | 22 | $4.99–$29.99 |
| DramaBox | STORYMATRIX PTE. LTD. | 4.8 (867K) | 18+ | 16 | $4.99–$19.99 |
| ShortMax | SHORTTV LIMITED | 4.6 (177K) | 18+ | 20 | $3.49–$24.99 |
| DramaWave | SKYWORK AI PTE LTD | 4.9 (180K) | 13+ | 25 | $6.99–$36.99 |
| NetShort | NETSTORY PTE. LTD. | 4.7 (214K) | 13+ | 17 | $6.99–$29.99 |
| FlareFlow | FlareFlow Pte. Ltd. | 4.7 (11K) | 13+ | English only | $2.99–$39.99 |
| GoodShort | SINGAPORE NEW READING TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD. | 4.9 (527K) | 13+ | 14 | $4.99–$24.99 |
Source: official App Store listings, US storefront, read on October 2, 2026. “Listed purchases” is the range of in-app purchase prices shown on the listing, in US dollars; it is not a price list and changes by country.
Only apps whose listing labels a purchase as weekly. Read on October 2, 2026. ReelShort and DramaBox list subscriptions without stating the period on the listing, so they are not charted. TotalShort: our weekly VIP price for the US App Store, set for launch; the app isn’t in the stores yet.
The TotalShort option
We make TotalShort, so weigh this section accordingly. It's a short drama app with a small catalog: four Italian-set series, made with AI and labeled as such, in episodes of 34 to 64 seconds. The first 8 episodes of every series are free, then one a day per series, and today you watch in your browser at totalshort.com with no sign-up.
The arithmetic of finishing a TotalShort series
- 8 episodes
- freeevery series
- Episodes 9–12
- 4 × 30 coins= 120 coins = €1.20
- Or the free daily episode
- 1 per series per dayfree in 4 days
- VIP break-even
- €5.99 ÷ €0.30≈ 20 paid episodes a week
Coins are worth €0.01 each. Prices of coin packs and VIP are shown in the app before every purchase. They are in euros; on the US App Store the weekly VIP is set at $5.99, and the store always shows your country’s price before you pay.
The honest limits: four series is nothing next to MoboReels' catalog, there are no live actors, and our iPhone and Android apps are coming soon. To see whether the format works for you before paying anyone, try episode 1 of If I Could Do It All Again.
How to cancel MoboReels
You don't cancel inside the app. You cancel with the store that bills you, Apple or Google.
Where to tap to cancel
iPhone and iPad
- Settings
- Your name, at the top
- Subscriptions
- The app’s subscription
- Cancel Subscription
Android
- Play Store
- Profile picture, top right
- Payments & subscriptions
- Subscriptions
- The app’s subscription
- Cancel subscription
Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription. On iPhone you may have to scroll to see the button, and an expiration message in red means it is already cancelled. Can’t find it? On iPhone, look for the Apple receipt in your email to see which Apple Account paid; on Android it may be on another Google account, so switch accounts in the Play Store.
Sources: Apple Support, Google Play Help. Menu labels can change slightly between versions.
What happens next
You keep access until the end of the period you already paid for, and deleting the app cancels nothing. Refunds are up to Apple (reportaproblem.apple.com) or Google Play, not MoboReels [7][8]. Our cancellation guide covers every case.
Common mistakes
Picking a VIP without checking which one
There are two weekly VIPs on the listing, $19.99 and $29.99, plus a monthly one. Check on Apple's sheet which one you're buying.
Reading "Weekly" as a one-off
Weekly means it renews every week until you cancel. If you only wanted to try once, a coin pack is more predictable.
Buying a "Check-in Rewards Pack" blind
The listing doesn't say what's in it. Read the description on the purchase sheet before you tap Confirm.
Deleting the app to stop paying
Deleting the app doesn't touch the subscription. Cancel it in Apple's or Google's settings.
Cancelling on renewal day
The description asks you to cancel at least 24 hours before renewal [1]. Do it as soon as you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MoboReels app?
It's a short drama app: vertical series with episodes of 1 to 3 minutes, according to the developer's description, across genres from billionaire romance and werewolves to mafia and thrillers [1]. CHANGDU (HK) TECHNOLOGY LIMITED publishes it; the company mainly makes novel-reading apps such as MoboReader. It's been on the App Store since July 2023, it's rated 16+, and the US listing shows 4.5 from 40,590 ratings. Wikipedia lists it among the main apps after ReelShort, DramaBox and GoodShort [3]. It's free to download and you pay with coins or VIP.
Is MoboReels free?
It's free to download, with in-app purchases [1]. The description doesn't say how many episodes of each series are free. It lists ad-free viewing as a "Premium" feature, so expect ads in the free version. To keep watching you need coins or a VIP: on the US listing the weekly VIP is $19.99 or $29.99 and coin packs start at $9.99. For comparison, on TotalShort the first 8 episodes of every series are free and one more unlocks each day.
How much does MoboReels cost?
On the US listing read on October 6, 2026: Weekly VIP at $19.99 and $29.99; Monthly VIP at $49.99; Coins Pack at $9.99, $14.99, $19.99 and $49.99; Check-in Rewards Pack at $14.99, $19.99 and $28.99 [1]. The $29.99 weekly VIP is higher than any weekly VIP in our comparison dataset, and kept for a year it comes to $1,559.48. The listing doesn't say how many coins an episode costs or what the packs contain, so read the purchase sheet before you confirm.
Is MoboReels legit?
Yes, in the sense that matters: it's a real app from a named publisher, on the store since 2023, with tens of thousands of ratings and payments handled by Apple or Google [1]. Wikipedia lists it among the market's main apps [3]. That doesn't mean every series is worth the price, and with a weekly VIP up to $29.99 the thing to avoid is a forgotten renewal. Install it only from the App Store or Google Play and set a purchase limit before you pay.
Is MoboReels worth it?
It depends on how you watch. If you'd binge a series in one weekend, a single week of VIP might cost less than coins, provided the VIP covers that series; at $29.99 a week, though, it's an expensive weekend. If you watch a few episodes a week, a small coin pack keeps you from a recurring charge. Either way, read the billing period, set a reminder, and compare with the weekly prices in our best short drama apps guide, several of which are lower.
Can you download MoboReels episodes?
The description says yes: it lists downloading your favorites to watch offline, on a flight or a subway ride [1]. It doesn't say whether downloads are part of the free version or only Premium, so check in the app before you rely on it for a trip.
Is MoboReels safe for kids?
It's rated 16+ on the App Store [1], and its genres include dark fantasy, mafia and revenge. If a younger teen will use the phone, weigh that rating first. On iPhone, Ask to Buy or blocking in-app purchases in Screen Time prevents surprise spending [4]; on Android, Google Play purchase verification does the same [5]. With weekly plans up to $29.99, set these up before installing.
How do I cancel MoboReels?
Not in the app. On iPhone: Settings, your name, Subscriptions, MoboReels, Cancel Subscription; an expiration date in red means it's already cancelled [7]. On Android: Play Store, profile picture, Payments & subscriptions, Subscriptions, MoboReels, Cancel subscription [8]. The description asks you to cancel at least 24 hours before renewal [1]. Deleting the app cancels nothing. Ask Apple or Google Play for refunds. Our cancellation guide covers the rest.
Sources
- App Store, "MoboReels: Short Drama Series" listing, US storefront (publisher, rating, age, language, in-app purchases, description, other apps by the publisher), read on October 6, 2026: apps.apple.com.
- App Store, "MoboReels: Short Drama Series" listing, Italian storefront (rating, in-app purchases in euros, privacy label), read on October 6, 2026: apps.apple.com.
- Wikipedia, "Microdrama": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdrama, read on October 6, 2026.
- Apple Support, "Prevent in-app purchases with Screen Time": support.apple.com.
- Google Play Help, "Set up purchase verification": support.google.com.
- Google Play Help, "Subscription center and budget": support.google.com.
- Apple Support, "Cancel a subscription from Apple": support.apple.com.
- Google Play Help, "Cancel, pause, or change a subscription on Google Play": support.google.com.
Want to see the format before paying anyone? Watch the free episodes on TotalShort.
Watch it on your phone
Open totalshort.com on your phone: it works in the browser, nothing to install. The iPhone and Android app is coming soon.
Watch on your phone: point your camera at the code.