Short drama apps, judged by what they cost you
ReelShort, DramaBox and the rest are free to open and expensive to finish. We check Apple's price lists and read recent user reviews so you know the bill before you get hooked.
Data checked November 13, 2026
The short answer
Every app here is free to start. None is free to finish.
DramaBox has the most App Store ratings (about 896,000). ShortMax had the fewest unhappy reviewers in our sample (4% gave 1 or 2 stars). 4 of the 6 apps list a weekly subscription, at up to $19.99 a week.
The six apps side by side
| App | App Store rating | Ratings | Subscriptions listed | Recent reviews with 1–2 stars | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoodShort | 4.9 | 540,000 | $5.99 to $19.99, weekly | 12% of 200 | 13+ |
| DramaWave | 4.9 | 206,000 | $19.99 to $36.99, weekly | 11% of 100 | 16+ |
| DramaBox | 4.8 | 896,000 | $5.99 to $19.99 | 58% of 50 | 18+ |
| ReelShort | 4.7 | 527,000 | $19.99 | 22% of 150 | 13+ |
| NetShort | 4.7 | 245,000 | $1.49 to $9.99, weekly | 8% of 100 | 18+ |
| ShortMax | 4.6 | 182,000 | $9.99 to $19.99, weekly | 4% of 100 | 18+ |
Ratings, prices and age ratings are from each app's US App Store page. "Recent reviews" are the newest written US App Store reviews we could read for each app. A low price in a range is usually an introductory offer. How we check.
Pick an app
Tools and guides
Common questions
What is the best short drama app?
It depends on what you want. By number of App Store ratings, DramaBox is the most used of the six we track (about 896,000 ratings, 4.8 out of 5). In recent written reviews, ShortMax had the smallest share of 1 and 2 star reviews (4%). All six are free to start and charge to finish a series.
Are short drama apps free?
They are free to download and the first episodes of each series are free. After that, episodes are locked behind coins, ads or a subscription. A full series usually costs money unless you unlock it slowly with ads and daily bonuses.
Why are short drama apps so expensive?
A series is split into dozens of one-to-two-minute episodes and each locked episode has its own price in coins, so the total adds up quickly. Subscriptions are often billed weekly, not monthly: 4 of the 6 apps we track list a weekly plan, at up to $19.99 a week.
Are short drama apps safe?
The big ones are real apps from registered publishers, sold through the App Store and Google Play. The main risk is unexpected charges from auto-renewing subscriptions, not malware. Install only from the official stores.