ReelShort
The biggest name in English-language short drama — brilliant binge content, but finishing a single series costs more than a Netflix subscription.
What is it?
Crazy Maple Studio, operated by COL Group (Sunnyvale, CA). Named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2024.
ReelShort is the largest short drama app by revenue, launched in August 2022. It pioneered the English-language short drama format with productions filmed in Los Angeles using US and international casts. Episodes are 1–3 minutes long and built around intense cliffhangers.
100M+ combined iOS + Android downloads. Approximately $1.2 billion gross consumer spend in 2025 (Appfigures), up 119% year-over-year. Biggest show: The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband — over 500 million views. Partnerships include Paramount (October 2025, Regretting You promotion).
How the money works
ReelShort uses a coin system rather than a flat subscription. Coin pricing: $4.99 for 500 coins · $9.99 for 1,000 coins + 150 bonus · $49.99 for 5,000 coins + 5,000 bonus. Each locked episode costs approximately 18 coins. With around 6 free episodes per series and a typical series running 60–90 episodes, finishing a single series costs 792–1,512 coins — roughly $8–$15 at the $9.99 pack rate. Binge multiple series and costs escalate fast. VIP subscription: Weekly $5.99 (intro $3.99) · Annual $99.99 · Monthly available — unlocks unlimited episodes. Earn free coins via daily check-in (7-day streak = 100+ coins), watching ads (15–30 coins each), following on social media, and the referral program. Coins expire — check expiry before earning.
Calculate your cost on ReelShort
A typical short drama series has 60–100 episodes.
If you watch 3 series a month this would be approximately 240 episodes.
What it's best for
- ✓Billionaire romance, CEO romance, forbidden love, revenge arcs, supernatural
- ✓Viewers who want the highest production values in the category
- ✓Anyone who plans to subscribe weekly rather than buy coins
What to watch out for
- !Auto-renewing VIP subscriptions charged 24 hours before renewal
- !Coin auto-unlock charges
- !1.6★ on Trustpilot across 160 reviews — consistent billing complaints
- !A full series costs more than most streaming subscriptions
- !Reward coins expire
Verdict
The biggest name in English-language short drama — brilliant binge content, but finishing a single series costs more than a Netflix subscription.
Want to know which short drama apps are actually free? See our honest guide to free short drama apps, or read what a short drama app actually is.
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