What is StardustTV? Safety, cost and what you get free

StardustTV is a real app from a named publisher, with one of the higher rating averages you'll see in this category. It's also unusually direct about two things: its dramas are made with help from AI, and its subscription is a weekly charge that unlocks everything. That makes it simpler to judge than most, as long as you check which of its several prices you're about to confirm.

What is StardustTV

StardustTV, listed on the US App Store as "StardustTV - Short Drama&Movie", is a streaming app for vertical short dramas. The seller is Hongxing Media Co., Limited. It launched on July 3, 2024, and version 2.46.0 came out on September 28, 2026.

The description's headline is "Original Dramas Powered by AI". The developer says it "uses AI-assisted production" for larger scenes and action, and claims "thousands of short dramas" in genres like romance, revenge, billionaire stories, family conflict and forbidden love. The catalog size is the company's claim; we haven't counted it. The listing doesn't say how much of each series is AI-made versus filmed, so "AI-assisted" is as precise as we can be.

That puts StardustTV in the same group as other apps on our AI short drama apps list, including our own.

We read the US App Store listing only. Android users should check the Google Play page names the same publisher.

How much a StardustTV subscription costs

Prices on the US App Store listing

The description is clear on the core deal: the subscription is "valid for 7 days", "billed weekly", and renews automatically, with the charge made within the 24 hours before each period ends. While you're subscribed, "you can watch all stories for free". It also says the "actual price may vary by region".

The rest of the list is less clear. Weekly lines appear at $19.99, $24.99 and $29.99, oddly with the "discount" line costing more than one regular line. Two lines just called "Subscription" at $1.99 and $14.99 don't state a period, and the listing doesn't describe the $9.99 one-time purchase. We won't guess what each is. The payment sheet in the app shows the price and period before you pay, and that's what counts.

On coins, 500 for $4.99 and 2,000 for $19.99 both come to roughly $0.01 per coin, so the larger pack gives no discount. The listing doesn't say how many coins an episode costs. Our guide on how coins work covers the general model.

Example: how much the weekly price matters

Our own arithmetic, using the US listing prices for a subscription kept four weeks:

• At $19.99 a week: 4 × $19.99 = $79.96.
• At $29.99 a week: 4 × $29.99 = $119.96.
• Difference: $40.00 for the same four weeks.

Left running for a quarter, 13 renewals at $19.99 come to $259.87. If you only want one series, subscribe, cancel straight away in your Apple settings, and watch until the week runs out. That's the whole trick to keeping a weekly app cheap.

Is StardustTV free?

The download is free, and the subscription turns everything on: the description says subscribers can watch all stories. What it doesn't say is how many episodes you can watch without paying, or what an episode costs in coins. We haven't verified those numbers, so we won't print any.

Start a series and see where the first lock falls. If the free part ends sooner than you'd like, compare the weekly price with buying coins for just the episodes you need. Our list of free short drama apps covers apps that publish a free allowance. Sites offering StardustTV dramas free are not run by the publisher and are a common route to scams.

Is StardustTV app safe

StardustTV is legit in the plain sense: a named seller on the official App Store, regular updates since mid-2024, and 4.72 stars from 78,528 US ratings. Apple processes payments, so the app doesn't see your card.

A high average tells you people are broadly happy. It doesn't tell you whether a $19.99-or-more weekly charge suits you. Points worth weighing:

• Age rating. 13+ on the App Store page, so the store considers it suitable for teens. Spending is the bigger issue on a teen's phone.
• Weekly renewal. The subscription renews every 7 days until cancelled at least 24 hours before renewal.
• Many price lines. Seven subscription entries make it easy to confirm a pricier one than you expected.
• AI content. The developer discloses AI-assisted production, which is more than many apps say. If that matters to you, now you know.

Check the store page names Hongxing Media Co., Limited before installing. For problems, the listing points to Profile, Help & Feedback, Send Feedback in the app, or the email updates@stardust-tv.com. On shared phones, Apple's Screen Time purchase controls and Google Play's purchase verification block accidental purchases. More checks are in our guide on whether short drama apps are safe.

How to cancel StardustTV

A StardustTV subscription bought on iPhone belongs to your Apple account, so you cancel it in Apple's subscription settings. Removing the app doesn't stop the weekly charge.

Apple's instructions are on its cancel a subscription page; for Android purchases, see the Google Play subscriptions page.

StardustTV-specific notes. The listing asks you to cancel at least 24 hours before renewal, since the charge lands within that window. With weekly billing, that deadline comes around fast, so cancel the same day you subscribe if you only want one week. Afterward, the subscription list should show an expiry date. If StardustTV isn't listed, you may only have bought coins or the one-time purchase, which don't renew.

Refunds go through Apple's refund page. Our cancellation guide walks through the same steps for other apps.

Who StardustTV suits

• Binge watchers. One weekly charge unlocks all stories, per the description, which is easier to manage than coin-by-coin spending if you watch a lot in a short burst.
• Viewers curious about AI-assisted drama. StardustTV is open about it, and its rating average suggests many viewers are fine with it.
• Multilingual households. 15 languages are listed, including Russian and Vietnamese.

It suits less well anyone who wants a cheap entry point: the lowest clearly weekly line is $19.99. If you'd rather pay monthly, Playlet lists a Monthly Pass; Kalos TV is another app with weekly options worth comparing.

StardustTV vs TotalShort

TotalShort is our app, so read this comparison knowing that. Both apps use AI in production, and StardustTV is much bigger.

StardustTV wins on catalog size, ratings, language count and an iPhone app available now. TotalShort labels every series as AI-made on the series itself, states a free allowance for each one, keeps coins from expiring, asks for confirmation before every unlock, and needs no sign-up. Its stories are Italian, with Italian audio and subtitles in 13 languages including English; some series also have English audio. After the 8 free episodes, finishing a 12-episode series costs 4 × 30 = 120 coins, or €1.20.

Get TotalShort on Google Play; the iPhone version is coming soon. Details on our app are in the TotalShort review, and every app is compared in our ranking.

Frequently asked questions

What is StardustTV?

StardustTV is a short drama streaming app published by Hongxing Media Co., Limited, available on the App Store since July 3, 2024. It offers vertical drama series in genres like romance, revenge, billionaire stories and forbidden love. The developer describes them as "Original Dramas Powered by AI" and says it uses AI-assisted production for bigger scenes and action. It has 4.72 stars from 78,528 US ratings, read October 15, 2026.

Is the StardustTV app safe?

It's a legitimate app from a named publisher on the official App Store, with payments handled by Apple. The App Store page rates it 13+. The main risks are financial: the subscription renews weekly, and the listing shows several subscription prices from $19.99 to $29.99 a week. Install from the official store, read the payment sheet before confirming, and use purchase controls on shared phones. Support is in the app or at updates@stardust-tv.com.

Is StardustTV free?

Downloading is free, and subscribers can "watch all stories for free", according to the description. Without a subscription, the listing doesn't say how many episodes are free or how many coins an episode costs, and we haven't verified those numbers. Open the series you want and check where the first locked episode is. Coins cost about $0.01 each, sold in packs of 500 for $4.99 and 2,000 for $19.99.

How much is the StardustTV subscription?

The description says the subscription is valid for 7 days and billed weekly. The US listing shows weekly lines at $19.99, $24.99 and $29.99, plus other subscription entries at $1.99, $14.99 and $19.99 with no period stated. The developer notes the actual price may vary by region. Four weeks at $19.99 comes to $79.96. Confirm the exact price and period on the payment sheet before you pay.

Does StardustTV use AI?

Yes, by its own description. The listing calls its content "Original Dramas Powered by AI" and says it uses AI-assisted production for larger scenes and action. It doesn't say how much of each series is generated versus filmed. TotalShort, our app, is fully AI-made and labels every series as such, so the two sit in the same broad category with different approaches.

How do I cancel my StardustTV subscription?

On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, select StardustTV and tap Cancel Subscription. Cancel at least 24 hours before renewal, since the listing says the charge is made within that window. Deleting the app does not cancel. You keep access until the 7-day period ends. For billing questions, use Profile, Help & Feedback in the app, or email updates@stardust-tv.com.

Is StardustTV good for teenagers?

The App Store page rates it 13+, so the store considers the content suitable for teens. The bigger concern is cost: a weekly subscription of $19.99 or more adds up quickly. If a teenager uses the phone, turn on Apple's Screen Time purchase restrictions or Google Play's purchase verification so nothing can be bought without your approval.

Sources

1. App Store (US), "StardustTV - Short Drama&Movie" by Hongxing Media Co., Limited (app id 6502377927): rating, age rating, release date, version, languages, in-app purchases, description and support contact, read October 15, 2026.
2. App Store (US), Playlet and Kalos TV listings: pricing referenced for comparison, read October 15, 2026.
3. Apple Support, "Cancel a subscription from Apple", read October 15, 2026: support.apple.com/en-us/118428.
4. Apple Support, "Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple", read October 15, 2026: support.apple.com/en-us/118223.
5. Apple Support, "Turn off Apple In-App Purchases from Screen Time on your iPhone or iPad", read October 15, 2026: support.apple.com/en-us/102470.
6. Google Play Help, "Cancel, pause, or change a subscription on Google Play", read October 15, 2026: support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481.
7. Google Play Help, "Purchase verification for Google Play", read October 15, 2026: support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1626831.
8. Google Play, TotalShort: Short Drama Series listing (Agape Group GmbH), read October 15, 2026: play.google.com.