Shortical: what it costs, whether it's free 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: Shortical is a real short drama app from Short Entertainment LTD, rated 4.7 from 53,798 ratings on the US App Store, 13+, on the store since July 2025. It is free to download and you can also watch on its website, shortical.com. On the series we checked, Room Service, episodes 1–13 are free; the rest need coins or VIP. The US App Store lists weekly VIP at $9.99 and $19.99 and yearly VIP at $149.99 and $199.99. The website sells its own plans with intro prices (for example $8.49 for two weeks, then $25.00 every two weeks). How you cancel depends on where you paid: Apple or Google settings for the app, Profile > Unsubscribe for the website. Deleting the app cancels nothing.
What Shortical is
Shortical is a short drama app: vertical series built for a phone, with episodes of about two minutes that end on a hook. Its App Store description promises "billionaire love, werewolf sagas, time-travel mysteries" and new episodes every day [1]. If the format is new to you, start with what a short drama is.
The listing in numbers
| Item | US App Store (6 Oct 2026) | Italian App Store (6 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Short Entertainment LTD | Short Entertainment LTD |
| Rating | 4.7 (53,798 ratings) | 4.5 (859 ratings) |
| Age rating | 13+ | 13+ |
| Interface languages | 20, including Italian and Polish | same |
| On the App Store since | 3 July 2025 | 3 July 2025 |
| Price | Free, with in-app purchases | Free, with in-app purchases |
That is 53,798 ratings in about fifteen months on the store, and many people searching for how to cancel it.
Who is behind it
The company named in Shortical's terms is Short Entertainment LTD. The terms are governed by the laws of the State of Israel, with disputes going to the courts of Tel Aviv [2]. The terms also say users must be at least 13, and that the app's "features, and Services are based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology" [2]. People sometimes search for "Shortical LLC"; the legal entity in the official documents is a "LTD".
How much does Shortical cost?
Shortical can be paid in two places, and they have different prices and different cancel buttons.
In the app: the App Store prices
The US App Store listing shows ten in-app purchases (read on 6 October 2026) [1]:
| Purchase | Price |
|---|---|
| Weekly VIP | $9.99, $19.99 |
| Yearly VIP | $149.99, $199.99 |
| One-time purchases (coins) | $0.99, $2.99, $6.99, $9.99, $12.99, $24.99 |
The Italian listing shows weekly VIP at €9.99 and €22.99, a monthly VIP at €44.99, and one-time purchases from €0.99 to €34.99 [3]. Prices differ by country, and the store only shows ten items, so this is not the full price list.
On the website: shortical.com plans
Shortical's website plays episodes in the browser. When we opened a locked episode (episode 14 of Room Service) on 6 October 2026, it asked for an email "to save your progress" and showed a plan screen headed "CHEAPER THAN IN THE APP", with a "67% discount reserved" countdown of 8 minutes [4]:
| Web plan (intro offer) | Intro price | Then |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | $7.99 | $15.00 |
| 2 weeks ("most popular") | $8.49 | $25.00 every 2 weeks |
| 1 month | $14.99 | $45.00 |
The fine print on that screen says the two-week intro "then $25.00/2 weeks with auto-renewals unless canceled in your profile settings" [4]. Web payments go through Stripe or Paddle, according to the Subscription Policy [5]. The countdown is a sales technique, not a deadline you have to meet. Read the "then" price, because that is what you pay from the second cycle on.
Worked examples (assumptions, plain arithmetic)
- The two-week web plan you forget: $8.49 + 3 × $25.00 = $83.49 over eight weeks.
- The one-week web plan you forget: $7.99 + 3 × $15.00 = $52.99 over four weeks.
- Weekly VIP in the app for a month: 4 × $9.99 = $39.96, or 4 × $19.99 = $79.96 at the higher price.
- Yearly VIP in the app: $149.99 ÷ 52 ≈ $2.88 a week, if you watch all year. If you stop after a month, it is $149.99 for four weeks.
Is Shortical free?
Partly. The download and the website are free, and each series opens with free episodes. On Room Service the page says "Episodes 1–13 are free. Unlock the rest with coins or Shortical VIP" [4]. At about 110 seconds an episode, that is roughly 24 minutes of free viewing before the paywall.
Episodes that aren't out yet
This is the detail most people miss. Room Service lists 90 episodes, but on 6 October 2026 episodes after 30 showed release countdowns and dates, the last one, episode 90, on 25 July 2027 [4]. The series page calls it "Ongoing — new episodes weekly". So paying today does not let you watch to the end: you can only watch what has been released. If you subscribe for one series, check how many of its episodes are actually out.
Free coins and "mod" versions
Shortical's terms say virtual currency has "no monetary or real world value", that purchases are "final" and non-refundable, and that coins are forfeited if your account is closed [2]. Pages offering unlimited free coins, "mod APK" files or free VIP accounts are not Shortical. They are a common route to stolen accounts and malware. Our guide to free short dramas covers the legal routes.
Is Shortical legit and safe?
What we can verify
Shortical is a real app with a named company, 53,798 ratings on the US App Store, published terms, a subscription policy and a support address ([email protected]) [1][2][5]. Payments go through Apple or Google in the app, and through Stripe or Paddle on the website [5]. That is what a legitimate streaming app looks like.
The things to watch are about money, not about fraud: plans that renew on their own, intro prices that jump on the second cycle, a countdown that pushes you to decide quickly, and two separate places where you might have a subscription.
Check it yourself
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.
A Shortical-specific list
- You know where you paid: in the app (Apple or Google) or on shortical.com.
- You read the price after the intro offer, not only the intro price.
- You checked how many episodes of your series are already released.
- You ignored the countdown and decided at your own pace.
- You set a reminder for the day before the first renewal.
- Whoever watches is at least 13, as the terms require.
Privacy and accounts
The website asks for an email to save your progress and offers sign-in with Google [4]. The terms say you are responsible for all purchases made with your login, "whether or not authorized by you" [2]. On a shared computer, sign out when you finish.
How to cancel Shortical
There are two cancellation paths. Use the one that matches where you paid. Shortical's policy says uninstalling the app does not cancel a subscription, and cancelling stops the next charge while you keep access until the end of the current cycle [5].
If you subscribed on the website (shortical.com)
The Subscription Policy says: "You can manage or cancel your Paid Subscription in your profile, in any time, by navigating to: Profile > Unsubscribe" [5].
- Sign in on shortical.com with the same email or Google account you used to pay.
- Open your Profile.
- Choose Unsubscribe and confirm.
If you can't find it, the policy points to [email protected] [5]. A web subscription does not appear in your iPhone or Google Play settings, which is why many people think they have nothing to cancel.
If you subscribed in the app
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 name, Subscriptions, Shortical, Cancel Subscription [6]. On Android: Google Play, Payments & subscriptions, Subscriptions, Shortical, Cancel subscription [7].
What happens when, on a weekly plan
- Day 1: you subscribeA weekly plan renews by itself every 7 days until you cancel it.
- At least 24 hours before renewal: cancelThat is the deadline the ReelShort listing gives, and Apple says the same for free trials.
- After cancelling: you keep what you paid forAccess runs to the end of the period. Google’s example: a yearly plan bought on January 1 and cancelled on July 1 stays active until December 31.
- Coins: cancelling is not a refundCancelling stops future charges. What happens to coins you already bought depends on each app’s terms.
Sources: ReelShort listing on the App Store, Apple Support, Google Play Help.
Refunds
Shortical's policy says fees are non-refundable "to the extent permitted by applicable law" and that buying a subscription waives the EU withdrawal right [5]. Store purchases are refunded, if at all, by Apple (reportaproblem.apple.com) or Google Play, under their own rules [8]. For web payments, write to [email protected] and keep your Stripe or Paddle receipt.
Shortical compared with other apps
Ratings and weekly prices from each app's US App Store listing: Shortical read on 6 October 2026, the others on 2 October 2026.
| App | Rating (US) | Age | Weekly plan on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|
| TotalShort (our app) | not in the stores yet | 14+ (per series) | VIP $5.99 a week |
| Shortical | 4.7 (53,798) | 13+ | $9.99 or $19.99 |
| ReelShort | 4.7 (504K) | 13+ | $19.99 subscription, billed weekly |
| DramaWave | 4.9 (180K) | 13+ | from $7.99 |
| GoodShort | 4.9 (527K) | 13+ | from $5.99 |
| ShortMax | 4.6 (177K) | 18+ | from $9.99 |
| NetShort | 4.7 (214K) | 13+ | from $19.99 |
Shortical's website sells its own plans and calls them "cheaper than in the app". Check that claim against your own screens: after the intro offer, the one-week web plan renews at $15.00, while the US App Store lists a weekly VIP at $9.99. Where you pay changes the price, and not always in the direction the banner suggests. For the bigger picture, see the best short drama apps and ReelShort.
A different option: TotalShort
We make TotalShort, so we are not neutral. Like Shortical, it plays in the browser. The differences are in the deal:
- Italian stories set on Lake Como, in Puglia, Milan and Ortigia, made with AI and labeled "AI Series" on every title.
- 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.
- VIP is €5.99 a week or €59.99 a year. There is no intro price that jumps later, and no countdown.
- Every episode of our series is already out: no waiting for scheduled releases.
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 limit is plain: 4 series, against Shortical's large catalog. Try episode 1 of The Heiress in an Apron, free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes
Cancelling in the wrong place
You paid on the website, so you look in iPhone Settings, find nothing and assume you're clear. Web plans are cancelled in your Shortical profile.
Reading only the intro price
$8.49 is the first two weeks. From then on it's $25.00 every two weeks.
Paying to finish a series that isn't finished
Scheduled episodes don't unlock early because you paid. Check the release dates first.
Racing the countdown
The 8-minute timer exists to stop you comparing. Close the tab if you need to; plans are always on sale.
Deleting the app
It does not cancel anything, according to Shortical's own policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shortical free?
Partly. Downloading the app and browsing shortical.com are free, and each series starts with free episodes: on Room Service, episodes 1–13. After that you need coins or VIP. On the website, a locked episode opens a plan screen with intro offers such as one week for $7.99 or two weeks for $8.49, which then renew at $15.00 a week or $25.00 every two weeks. Coins have no real-world value under the terms and are non-refundable. Avoid "free coins" generators and modified apps: they are not affiliated with Shortical and are a common way to lose an account or install malware.
How much does Shortical cost?
In the app, the US App Store lists weekly VIP at $9.99 and $19.99, yearly VIP at $149.99 and $199.99, and coin purchases from $0.99 to $24.99 (read on 6 October 2026). The Italian store adds a monthly VIP at €44.99. On the website, plans start with intro prices, for example $14.99 for the first month, then $45.00 a month. Four forgotten weeks of the one-week web plan cost $7.99 + 3 × $15.00 = $52.99. Prices vary by country and promotion, so the amount on the payment screen is the one that counts.
How do I cancel my Shortical subscription?
It depends on where you paid. If you subscribed on shortical.com, sign in and go to Profile > Unsubscribe, as the Subscription Policy describes; that subscription won't appear in Apple or Google settings. If you subscribed in the app, cancel in iPhone Settings > your name > Subscriptions, or in Google Play > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions. Uninstalling the app doesn't cancel anything. After cancelling, you keep access until the end of the current billing cycle and are not charged again. For help, write to [email protected].
Can I cancel Shortical online?
Yes, if you bought the subscription on the website. Sign in at shortical.com with the same email or Google account, open your Profile and choose Unsubscribe. The policy says to do it before the current period ends to avoid the next charge. If you bought VIP inside the iPhone or Android app, the website can't cancel it: that subscription belongs to Apple or Google, and you cancel it in your phone's settings or in Google Play. If you're not sure which one you have, check your email for an Apple, Google, Stripe or Paddle receipt.
Is Shortical safe and legit?
Yes, it's a legitimate app: a named company (Short Entertainment LTD), 4.7 from 53,798 ratings on the US App Store, published terms and a subscription policy, and payments through Apple, Google, Stripe or Paddle. The risks are about spending: auto-renewing plans, intro prices that rise after the first cycle, a countdown that pushes a quick decision, and two places where a subscription can live. Use the official app or website, read the renewal price before you pay, and set a reminder before the first renewal.
Is Shortical worth it?
It depends on the series. If you follow one of its big titles daily, the yearly app plan works out at under $3 a week, provided you keep watching. If you want to binge one story to the end, check its release schedule first: Room Service showed episodes scheduled through July 2027, so paying today unlocks only what is already out. For a single short series, coins or one cheap week may cost less than a plan you forget. Watch the free episodes first and decide when the paywall appears.
Is Shortical made with AI?
Shortical's terms say its "features, and Services are based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology" and include a section on AI-generated content [2]. The terms don't say which series, or which parts of a series, use AI. The website also has a section called "License Your Face". If AI matters to you either way, ask [email protected] about a specific series. For comparison, TotalShort labels every series made with AI as an "AI Series" and lists the tools used.
Why isn't Shortical working?
We can't diagnose a specific error, but three causes are common. You may be signed in with a different account from the one that paid: a web subscription is tied to your Shortical login, an in-app one to your Apple or Google account. Your plan may have lapsed after a failed payment, which the policy says can suspend it. Or the episode may not be released yet, with a countdown or date on the episode list. If none of these fit, contact [email protected] with your receipt.
Sources
- App Store, Shortical official listing, US storefront (developer, rating, age, languages, release date, in-app purchases, description), read on 6 October 2026: Shortical on the App Store.
- Shortical, End User License Agreement, last revised 13 May 2026: shortical.com/terms-of-service.
- App Store, Shortical official listing, Italian storefront (rating, age, in-app purchases in euros), read on 6 October 2026.
- Shortical website, Room Service series page and player (free episodes, release schedule, web plans), visited on 6 October 2026: shortical.com.
- Shortical, Subscription Policy, last revised 10 September 2026: shortical.com/subscription-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.
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