Pocket FM: is it free, what coins cost 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: Pocket FM is an audio series app, not a video one: episodic stories you listen to, in romance, fantasy, werewolf, thriller and horror. It's published by Pocket FM Corp, rated 4.7 from 271,742 ratings on the US App Store, 13+. It's free to download, and its help center promises at least one free episode a day on the series you're following, provided you've finished the episodes already unlocked. You can also unlock episodes by watching ad videos, by waiting for timed free unlocks, or with coins. On the US App Store coins cost from $0.99 to $19.99. Coins never expire, purchases are not refunded, and auto-unlock spends your coins automatically with no off switch for now. A subscription, if you have one, is cancelled in the app's settings or in Apple or Google.
What Pocket FM is
Pocket FM describes itself as "the world's #1 audio dramas platform" with "250M+ listeners" and "over 100,000 hours of original audio content" [1]. Those are the developer's own figures. The format is close to a short drama, but for the ears: long serial stories cut into short episodes that end on a cliffhanger, with new episodes every day across hundreds of active shows. The listing names romance, drama, fantasy and sci-fi, "romantasy and werewolf", thriller, horror and mystery.
The listing in numbers
| Item | US App Store (6 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Name | Pocket FM: Audio Dramas |
| Developer | Pocket FM Corp |
| Rating | 4.7 (271,742 ratings) |
| Age rating | 13+ |
| Interface languages | English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish |
| On the store since | January 2021 |
| Price | Free, with in-app purchases |
Who is behind it
Pocket FM's terms name two companies: Pocket Entertainment Ventures Private Limited for users in India, and Pocket FM Corp., with a mailing address in Lewes, Delaware, for everyone else. Outside India the terms are governed by the laws of Delaware and the United States [2].
Is Pocket FM free?
Partly, and in more ways than most video apps. According to Pocket FM's help center [3]:
- Free episodes at the start. A selection of episodes of each series is free.
- One free episode a day. Pocket FM commits to "at least one daily episode for free to every listener on their most recently followed audio series". The limit resets every 24 hours.
- Timed free unlocks. Some locked episodes show a wait time: for example, free in 48 hours, or 8 coins now.
- Ads. You can watch ad videos to unlock episodes. The help center's example: 14 ad videos for the next 2 episodes.
- Free coins. Coins can be "earned for free by performing tasks and watching videos".
Why your daily free episode isn't unlocking
This is one of the most searched problems ("free episodes paused"), and the help center explains three causes [3]:
- You haven't fully listened to the latest unlocked episodes. The daily unlock comes after you've caught up.
- You've reached scheduled episodes, marked with a timer and "Releasing in X days". They don't qualify for the daily free unlock until they're released. You can pay coins to hear them early: in the help center's example, wait 14 days or pay 10 coins.
- The series has ended. Finished series don't get daily free unlocks.
Some episodes are coins-only
Not every locked episode can be waited out. The help center says "some locked episodes can only be unlocked using Pocket FM coins": its example costs 9 coins and isn't part of the daily unlock [3]. Check the label on the episode before you plan to listen for free.
How much does Pocket FM cost?
Coin prices on the App Store
The US listing shows ten in-app purchases, all coin packs: $0.99, $1.99, $4.99, $9.99 and $19.99, each listed twice [1]. The listing calls this a "micropayment model": you pay for the episodes you want, "no subscription lock-in". It also mentions a No-Ads pack for ad-free listening.
How much is one episode?
It depends. The help center's own examples show locked episodes at 8, 9 and 10 coins [3]. The App Store doesn't say how many coins each pack contains, so a price per episode in dollars can only be read in the app. Pocket FM's terms also say coin prices can differ "temporarily or in selected markets or for selected user groups" to test price levels [2]. Two people can see different prices for the same pack.
Worked examples (assumptions, plain arithmetic)
- A $4.99 pack every week for a month: 4 × $4.99 = $19.96.
- A $19.99 pack twice a month for three months: 6 × $19.99 = $119.94.
- Small top-ups add up: ten $0.99 packs = $9.90, almost the price of one $9.99 pack. Compare the coins in each pack in My Store before buying small.
Auto-unlock: the setting that spends for you
Auto-unlock uses your coins to open the next locked episode automatically so playback never stops. The help center says: "there is no option to turn off Auto Unlock for now" [3]. Its own advice to avoid unwanted spending:
- Check the Coins Spent tab in My Store to see which episodes used your coins.
- Use the Sleep Timer on the player page, because coins are often spent when episodes keep playing after you fall asleep.
- Check how many episodes a story has, and pause at the last free one.
Autoplay is a different thing: it moves you to another series when you run out of unlocked episodes or finish a show [3].
Pocket FM promo codes and free coins
"Pocket FM promo code" is one of the most searched phrases about the app. The official answer is short: promo codes "are commonly distributed through our network of partners", and you should check the My Store page for ongoing offers [3]. You enter a code in My Store, in the Promo code section, and the help center reminds you to check its expiry date.
Be careful with lists of "promo codes today" and "free coins" sites. Pocket FM's security page says it will never ask for card details, bank details or passwords by email, text or phone, never ask you to pay through third-party websites or apps, and never ask you to install remote-access software [4]. Anything that does is not Pocket FM.
Is Pocket FM safe and legit?
What we can verify
Pocket FM is a large, established app: a named publisher, 271,742 ratings on the US App Store, published terms, a public help center and a security page [1][2][3][4]. Payments for coins go through Apple or Google in the app. As a business, it's legitimate.
Where the money risks are
- Auto-unlock can't be switched off, so a series left playing can spend coins.
- No refunds. The terms say "all purchases of coins are final and non-refundable", and the help center says refunds are "not applicable once a purchase is made" [2][3].
- Prices can vary by user group, so screenshots of other people's prices may not match yours [2].
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.
Age and payments
The App Store rates Pocket FM 13+. The terms add that you must be 18, or the age of majority where you live, to make a purchase, and that minors need a parent or guardian to complete the transaction [2]. On a shared phone, turn on purchase approval.
Is Pocket FM AI-generated?
The App Store listing describes the content as "original audio fiction" built by "550,000+ creators including the world's best authors, storytellers, narrators, and voice-over artists" [1]. It also advertises two AI features: AI Recaps, a personalised audio summary of episodes you missed, and Characterbot, a chat with an AI version of characters. The listing doesn't say that the stories or voices are AI-generated. If AI narration matters to you, check the credits of a specific show.
How to cancel Pocket FM
Most people on iPhone only buy coins, which don't renew. If you do have a subscription, cancel it where you bought it. The help center lists three routes [3]:
In the Pocket FM app
- Open the app and tap your Profile icon.
- Open Settings (gear icon, top right).
- Tap Manage Subscription, then Cancel Subscription.
On iPhone or Android
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.
On iPhone: Settings, your Apple ID, Subscriptions, Pocket FM, Cancel Subscription [5]. On Android: Google Play, profile icon, Payments & subscriptions, Subscriptions, Pocket FM, Cancel subscription [6].
Refunds and deleting your account
Pocket FM doesn't refund purchases once made [3]. For App Store purchases you can still ask Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com; whether it's granted is Apple's decision [7]. Deleting your account (My Library, the three dots, Support, Delete Account) deactivates it within 72 hours and permanently removes your data, including remaining coins, after 30 days [3]. Spend or give up your coins first.
Listening or watching: Pocket FM next to short drama apps
Pocket FM is audio. If you like its stories but want to see them, short drama apps tell the same kind of story on video. A quick comparison from each app's US App Store listing (Pocket FM read on 6 October 2026, the others on 2 October 2026):
| App | Format | Rating (US) | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| TotalShort (our app) | video, in the browser | not in the stores yet | 8 free episodes per series, then 1 free a day or 30 coins (€0.30) |
| Pocket FM | audio | 4.7 (271,742) | coin packs $0.99–$19.99, ads, daily free episode |
| ReelShort | video | 4.7 (504K) | $19.99 weekly subscription or coins |
| DramaBox | video | 4.8 (867K) | Membership $5.99–$19.99 or offers |
For the video side, see the best short drama apps and our guide to free short dramas.
If you'd rather watch: TotalShort
We make TotalShort, so we're not neutral. It's not audio, and it's small, but the stories hit the same notes Pocket FM listeners love: secret heiresses, fake engagements, revenge and second chances, set in Italy.
- The first 8 episodes of every series are free, then 1 free episode a day per series.
- An episode costs 30 coins (€0.30). Coins never expire, and every unlock asks you to confirm: nothing spends while you sleep.
- Episodes run about a minute and it plays in any browser, with nothing to install.
- Every series is made with AI and labeled "AI Series".
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.
Try episode 1 of The Ex-Wife, free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes
Falling asleep with a series playing
Auto-unlock keeps spending coins. Set the sleep timer.
Waiting for a daily free episode that can't come
Scheduled episodes and finished series don't get daily unlocks.
Trusting "free coins" sites
Promo codes come from Pocket FM's partners and show up in My Store. Sites asking for your login or card are scams.
Deleting the account with coins left
Remaining coins are permanently removed with the account.
Expecting a refund
Pocket FM doesn't refund coin purchases. Buy small packs until you know how much you'll listen.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pocket FM free?
Partly. A selection of each series' episodes is free, and Pocket FM promises at least one free episode every 24 hours on the series you're following, once you've listened to all the episodes already unlocked. Some locked episodes unlock for free after a wait, and you can unlock others by watching ad videos: the help center's example is 14 ads for 2 episodes. You can also earn coins through tasks. What doesn't work for free: scheduled episodes before their release date, finished series, and episodes marked as coins-only. Everything else is paid with coins.
How much do Pocket FM coins cost?
On the US App Store (6 October 2026), coin packs cost $0.99, $1.99, $4.99, $9.99 and $19.99. The listing doesn't say how many coins each pack holds, so check in the app's My Store. The help center's examples show locked episodes at 8 to 10 coins. Pocket FM's terms say prices can differ by market and by user group, so your price may not match someone else's. Coins never expire, but purchases are final and non-refundable.
Why aren't my Pocket FM free episodes unlocking?
According to Pocket FM's help center, there are three usual reasons. You haven't fully listened to the latest unlocked episodes: the daily free unlock arrives after you catch up. You've reached scheduled episodes, which show "Releasing in X days" and don't qualify until they're out. Or the series has already ended, and finished series don't get daily unlocks. The daily limit resets every 24 hours. If none of these apply, contact Pocket FM support from the app.
How do I stop Pocket FM using my coins automatically?
You can't switch auto-unlock off at the moment; Pocket FM's help center says so and says it's working on more control. To limit it: use the sleep timer on the player page so episodes don't keep playing after you stop listening, check the Coins Spent tab in My Store, and pause at the last free episode of a series. Don't confuse it with autoplay, which only moves you to another series.
How do I cancel my Pocket FM subscription?
In the app: Profile, Settings (gear icon), Manage Subscription, Cancel Subscription. If you subscribed through Apple: Settings, your Apple ID, Subscriptions, Pocket FM, Cancel Subscription. Through Google Play: profile icon, Payments & subscriptions, Subscriptions, Pocket FM, Cancel subscription. Cancelling stops future charges. Pocket FM doesn't refund past purchases, and coin packs aren't subscriptions, so they don't need cancelling.
Where can I get a Pocket FM promo code?
Pocket FM says promo codes "are commonly distributed through our network of partners" and recommends checking the My Store page for current offers. You redeem a code in My Store, in the Promo code section, and it has an expiry date. Be wary of sites listing "free coins promo codes today": Pocket FM never asks for your password or card details by message and never asks you to pay on third-party sites, so any page that does isn't Pocket FM.
Is Pocket FM AI-generated?
The App Store listing presents the stories as original audio fiction by more than 550,000 creators, including authors, narrators and voice-over artists. It does advertise AI features: AI Recaps, which summarise episodes you missed, and Characterbot, an AI chat with story characters. The listing doesn't say that the stories or narration are made with AI. For comparison, TotalShort's video series are made with AI and labeled "AI Series" on every title.
Is Pocket FM safe?
The official app is legitimate: Pocket FM Corp publishes it, it has 271,742 ratings on the US App Store, and it has public terms, a help center and a security page. The risks are about money: auto-unlock spends coins without an off switch, purchases aren't refunded, and fake promo-code sites try to steal logins. Install it only from the App Store or Google Play, use the sleep timer, and enable purchase approval on a child's phone, since the terms require buyers to be 18 or have a parent complete the purchase.
Sources
- App Store, Pocket FM official listing, US storefront (developer, rating, age, languages, in-app purchases, description, AI features), read on 6 October 2026: Pocket FM on the App Store.
- Pocket FM, Terms of Service, updated 24 June 2026 (companies, governing law, coins, refunds, pricing, age for purchases): pocketfm.com/terms-of-service.
- Pocket FM Help Center (free episodes, daily unlock, scheduled episodes, ads, coins, auto-unlock, promo codes, refunds, cancellation, account deletion), read on 6 October 2026: pocketfm.freshdesk.com.
- Pocket FM, Security Advice Policy, updated 25 July 2025: pocketfm.com/security-advice-policy.
- Apple Support, "Cancel a subscription from Apple": support.apple.com/en-us/118428.
- Google Play Help, "Cancel, pause, or change a subscription on Google Play": support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481.
- Apple Support, "Request a refund for apps or content": support.apple.com/en-us/118223.
Want to watch a short drama instead of listening? Start from the TotalShort home page and press play on a free episode.
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.