Methodology

How we estimate costs

Vertical-drama apps rarely tell you what a show costs before you're invested: the first episodes are free, then coins. Short Drama Guide publishes a modeled estimate for every show — the range you can expect to pay to finish it, on every platform that carries it.

What we observe

Everything in the model is observable without paying: coin packages and their dollar prices (including first-purchase bonuses), the advertised coin price on the first locked episode, how many episodes are free, the show's total episode count, and subscription plans where they exist. We record each observation with a date and keep the screenshots. Free/paid boundaries come from each platform's public web layer; a handful of app-only titles don't appear there, so their estimates assume 10 free episodes until we observe the real count in-app.

How the estimate is computed

Paid episodes = total episodes minus free ones. The low end of the range multiplies paid episodes by the advertised coin price and the best available coin rate. The high end applies an escalation factor — several platforms quietly charge more coins for later episodes — and the smallest package's worse rate. Where a platform sells a subscription pass, we price that path too: one week of access, since every show we track finishes inside a few hours. The estimate takes whichever is cheaper, coins or the pass, at each end of the range. ShortMax sells only a pass, so its estimate is the pass price.

Freshness

Every estimate carries the date we last checked it. Within 45 days it's marked verified (✓). From 45 to 90 days we tell you it may have changed. Past 90 days we pull the number entirely rather than show you something stale — you'll see the platform's general pricing model instead until we re-verify.

What we don't claim

Estimates are not quotes, and they are not what you "will" be billed — promo pricing, regional differences, and app-store tax handling all move the real number. If you spot a price that's wrong, tell us and we'll re-verify the show.

FAQ

Are your cost estimates exact prices?
No. They are modeled ranges based on each platform's published coin packages, advertised per-episode prices, free-episode counts, and subscription passes. Platforms change pricing without notice, and several escalate per-episode prices late in a series.
Why do you show a range instead of one number?
Two reasons: coin packages have different effective rates (bigger packages are cheaper per coin), and some platforms raise per-episode prices as a series progresses. The low end assumes the best coin rate and no escalation; the high end assumes the smallest package and observed escalation patterns.
What does the 'Checked' date mean?
The date we last observed that platform's pricing for the show. Within 45 days we mark it verified. Between 45 and 90 days we flag that pricing may have changed. Past 90 days we hide the estimate until we re-verify.
Do you get paid when I tap a watch link?
No. Links are direct deep links with no affiliate parameters. If that ever changes, the disclosure will be on every page that carries one.