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ReelShort vs BlinkDrama: free viewing, weekly passes and billing

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

ReelShort logoReelShort6.0/10Freemium · FreeBlinkDrama logoBlinkDrama6.3/10Freemium · $12.50/mo

Quick verdict

BlinkDrama's weekly pass costs 149,000 ₫ (≈ $5.80) on the Vietnam App Store, below ReelShort's 199,000–249,000 ₫ (≈ $9.69). ReelShort is older and also runs on the web.

ReelShort, from US-based Crazy Maple Studio, launched in 2022 and leans towards English-language dramas with roughly one-minute episodes and interactive stories. Episodes unlock with coins, bought or earned by watching ads, or with a VIP subscription, and payments are non-refundable.

BlinkDrama, from Hong Kong's Atlas Ventures, reached the App Store on 29 May 2026 and runs 1–10 minute episodes. Its developer says daily tasks earn coins for unlocking episodes, while a subscription removes ads.

Head-to-head

ReelShort leads on 1, BlinkDrama on 2, 7 even

FeatureReelShortBlinkDrama
How far you get without paying[6],[7],[14],[17]Some episodes are free; the rest need coins (bought or earned by watching ads) or a VIP subscription.Free download with ads; the developer says coins from daily tasks can unlock episodes.
→ The sources AppDuo read give no free-episode count for either app; the difference is how you earn coins, by watching ads on ReelShort or doing daily tasks on BlinkDrama.
Weekly pass[4],[14],[15]Weekly Subscription items at 199,000 ₫ (≈ $7.75) and 249,000 ₫ (≈ $9.69) on the Vietnam App Store; the sources show no USD price.Weekly Pass Pro at $19.99/week on the US App Store (first offer $15.99/week for 2 weeks; the in-app list also shows a $7.99 entry); 149,000 ₫ (≈ $5.80) on the Vietnam App Store, some entries 99,000 ₫ (≈ $3.85).
→ On the same Vietnam store, BlinkDrama's weekly pass costs at least 50,000 ₫ (≈ $1.95) less per week.
Longer plans and one-off purchases[4],[14],[15]Subscription items at 149,000 ₫ (≈ $5.80) and 299,000 ₫ (≈ $11.64) and Subscription with AD at 149,000 ₫ (≈ $5.80), with no billing period stated; one-time purchases at 29,000 ₫ (≈ $1.13) and 59,000 ₫ (≈ $2.30) (Vietnam App Store).Yearly Pass Pro at $149.99/year (about $12.50/month) on the US App Store; no monthly plan.
→ BlinkDrama's plan names state whether they are weekly or yearly, though the yearly price is only listed on the US App Store; three of ReelShort's subscription items give no billing period.
Cancellation deadline and refunds[3],[13]Subscription and coin payments are non-refundable; cancel by the day before the billing date.All fees are USD-denominated and non-refundable; cancel at least 24 hours before renewal.
→ Missing the deadline on either app costs another billing period, so note your renewal date.
Billing complaints and support[1],[9],[13],[14],[17]1.2/5 on Trustpilot (302 reviews), with many reporting trouble cancelling and continued charges; email and a feedback form only.Mixed store reviews: one user cancelled by email in about an hour, another called support unhelpful; email only.
→ Trustpilot shows a repeated pattern of cancellation complaints about ReelShort; for BlinkDrama the sources AppDuo read hold only a few store reviews, and the app is too new to compare.
Store ratings[4],[6],[8],[15],[16],[17]Vietnam App Store 4.8/5 (about 31,000), US App Store 4.7/5 (about 526,000), Google Play 4.1/5 (about 1.99 million).US App Store 4.8/5 (about 33,000), Vietnam App Store 4.7/5 (300), Google Play 4.5/5 (about 525,000).
→ The App Store scores are close, though BlinkDrama has only 300 ratings in Vietnam; the clearest gap is on Google Play, 4.1/5 for ReelShort against 4.5/5 for BlinkDrama.
Languages, subtitles and dubbing[1],[5],[14],[16]The App Store lists 22 interface languages, Vietnamese included; titles are mostly in English, and the sources say nothing on Vietnamese subtitles or dubbing.19 languages, Vietnamese included; the sources say nothing on Vietnamese subtitles or dubbing.
→ Both offer a Vietnamese interface; check a few free episodes for Vietnamese subtitles before paying.
Episode format and where you can watch[1],[6],[14],[17]Episodes of about one minute; Reel Original titles, interactive stories where you pick what happens, the ReelTalk podcast. iOS, Android and web.Episodes of 1–10 minutes with new ones daily; romance, billionaire, werewolf, revenge, time-travel and mystery stories. iOS and Android only.
→ ReelShort adds interactive stories and a web player; BlinkDrama is phone-app only.
Data and ad tracking[2],[6],[14],[17],[18]The policy names ad partners, yet Google Play's Data safety section says nothing is shared with third parties; deletion is by email request.Both store labels declare tracking and device-ID sharing with third parties; the policy includes browser fingerprinting. Deletion can be requested.
→ Both use data for advertising; BlinkDrama's store labels state the tracking and device-ID sharing outright, while ReelShort's Google Play label says nothing is shared, contrary to the partners named in its policy.
Age limits, track record and disputes[3],[4],[7],[10],[11],[12],[13],[14],[16]Terms require 18+, App Store rates it 16+. Running since 2022. At least four Chinese studios accuse it of copying their titles (alleged, no ruling).Terms allow 13+, App Store rates it 18+. On the App Store since 29 May 2026. No disputes found in the sources AppDuo read.
→ ReelShort has a longer record that includes a copyright allegation; BlinkDrama has none on record but only a few months of history.

Prices marked ≈ are converted to USD at the reference rate of Nov 13, 2026 (ExchangeRate-API) so they can be compared. What you pay follows the vendor's price and exchange rate.

Choose ReelShort if…

  • You want to watch on the web, not only in a phone app
  • You enjoy interactive stories where you choose what happens next
  • You prefer English-language dramas from a platform with years of history

Choose BlinkDrama if…

  • You plan to buy a weekly pass and want the lower Vietnam App Store price
  • You like longer episodes of up to 10 minutes, with new ones every day
  • You are happy to do daily tasks for coins instead of paying

What a weekly pass adds up to

Weekly passes on both apps renew until you cancel. Kept for a full month, ReelShort's weekly plan costs over 800,000 ₫ (≈ $31.14). ReelShort's Vietnam App Store page also lists several other subscription items without saying how long each lasts or how they differ, so read the plan name and period on the confirmation screen before you buy. BlinkDrama gives new subscribers $15.99/week for 2 weeks on the US App Store, then $19.99/week. Its $149.99 yearly pass is far cheaper per week, but the Vietnam App Store shows no VND price for it.

When you want to stop paying

Under ReelShort's terms you cancel from the VIP page in the app; cancelling on the billing date itself still triggers the next charge. Its support hours are 12am–8am US Eastern time, every day. The 302 Trustpilot reviews are a small sample next to nearly 2 million Google Play ratings, but they repeat one story: hard to cancel, charged anyway. If you bought ReelShort through a store, you can still ask Apple or Google for a refund. For BlinkDrama, the sources AppDuo read show no public help centre. Users outside the US contract with Atlas Ventures in Hong Kong, US residents with ApexScope Horizon Media Inc.

Where your data goes

ReelShort's policy (updated 20 October 2025) names Tapjoy, Vungle, Unity Ads, Google Analytics and Adjust among its ad and analytics partners. The company says it does not sell personal information but may keep some data for at least 5 years for legal reasons. It collects IP-based location and, with consent, precise location. BlinkDrama's policy (updated 17 September 2026) collects device IDs, transaction history and payment data, and allows transfers to the US and other countries. It says personally identifiable data is not given to ad networks without consent. Google Play says BlinkDrama encrypts data in transit.

Content quality and the copying allegations

ReelShort runs on familiar tropes such as billionaires, werewolves and hidden identities, and Wikipedia notes criticism of its low production values. Since July 2025, at least four Chinese short-drama studios, including Dianzhong Technology and Kuaichuang Network, have accused ReelShort of releasing copies of their titles. According to 36Kr and KrASIA, Crazy Maple Studio did not respond to requests for comment. The reports mention no lawsuit or ruling, and for viewers the practical effect is mainly that some titles may be pulled from the app. For BlinkDrama, AppDuo found no credible report of a lawsuit, fine or data incident, but some store reviews complain of heavy ads, recycled plots and blurred scenes even in paid content.

Frequently asked questions

Do ReelShort and BlinkDrama have Vietnamese subtitles or dubbing?

The sources AppDuo read do not say for either app. What is confirmed is that both have a Vietnamese interface.

Can I finish a whole series without paying?

The sources AppDuo read do not say how many episodes are free or how many coins a series takes on either app. In principle, coins from ads (ReelShort) or daily tasks (BlinkDrama, per its developer) unlock further episodes.

Can under-18s use these apps?

ReelShort's terms are for users 18 and over, although the App Store rates it 16+. BlinkDrama is the reverse: its terms allow users from 13, while the App Store rates it 18+.

What currency do I pay BlinkDrama in from Vietnam?

The Vietnam App Store lists Weekly Pass Pro in VND, but BlinkDrama's terms say all fees are denominated in USD, and the yearly pass is only priced on the US App Store.

Sources

Numbers in the table refer to these sources, read on the dates shown.

  1. 1.Trang chủ ReelShort · Vendor-provided · Nov 12, 2026
  2. 2.Chính sách quyền riêng tư ReelShort · Vendor-provided · Nov 12, 2026
  3. 3.Điều khoản sử dụng ReelShort · Vendor-provided · Nov 12, 2026
  4. 4.App Store (Việt Nam) · store · Nov 12, 2026
  5. 5.App Store (Việt Nam) - ngôn ngữ · store · Nov 10, 2026
  6. 6.Google Play (Việt Nam) · store · Nov 12, 2026
  7. 7.Wikipedia - ReelShort · Community-reported · Nov 12, 2026
  8. 8.App Store (Mỹ) · store · Nov 12, 2026
  9. 9.Trustpilot - Reelshort · review-site · Nov 12, 2026
  10. 10.36Kr - ReelShort plagiarism scandal (2025-07-27) · press · Nov 12, 2026
  11. 11.KrASIA - ReelShort hit with IP theft claim (2025-08-01) · press · Nov 12, 2026
  12. 12.Yangtse Evening News - Kuaichuang infringement warning (2025-09-15) · press · Nov 12, 2026
  13. 13.BlinkDrama Terms & Conditions · Vendor-provided · Nov 13, 2026
  14. 14.App Store listing (US) · store · Nov 13, 2026
  15. 15.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 13, 2026
  16. 16.iTunes Search API (US) · store · Nov 13, 2026
  17. 17.Google Play listing · store · Nov 13, 2026
  18. 18.BlinkDrama Privacy Policy · Vendor-provided · Nov 13, 2026

Prepared by the AppDuo Editorial Team from the sources cited in this article. AI assists with organising and cross-checking data; editorial responsibility remains with AppDuo.

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