Between August 2024 and August 2026, monthly US Google searches for DramaBox and ReelShort were tracked. The figures come from Google Ads data, as compiled by GASP.
GASP serves as an independent resource for short dramas and AI films.
GASP's publicly available data covering 7,572 short dramas indicates that DramaBox has overtaken ReelShort in US search volume, recording 110,000 monthly searches versus 90,500.
Short dramas are sold one episode at a time, so nobody sees the full price until they have paid it.”— GASP spokesperson
DE, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Completing a standard drama on ReelShort requires $28.14 when purchased coin-by-coin per episode, and just 17% of a typical drama is viewable before charges begin, based on a public dataset maintained by the independent guide GASP.
This collection, titled "Short dramas in numbers," appears on GASP's research section and encompasses 7,572 dramas from ReelShort, DramaBox, ShortMax, and GoodShort. The information is compiled from daily readings of what each app publicly shares about its own dramas, combined with Google's monthly US search statistics.
Regarding pricing, the latest edition shows that a one-week pass offers the most economical route to complete 712 of the 833 ReelShort dramas for which pricing could be determined. The complimentary portion stands at 17% for a typical ReelShort drama and 18% for a standard DramaBox drama.
In terms of audience, US Google searches now favor DramaBox over ReelShort: 110,000 compared to 90,500 in August 2026. Two years prior, both apps were tied at 27,100. Interest in the phrase "vertical drama" climbed from 210 monthly searches in August 2024 to 5,400 in August 2026, representing a 26-fold increase.
The dataset additionally examines follow-up searches after a drama's title. Out of 1,313 drama titles entered into Google, 89% generate a search suggestion directing users to an unauthorized copy.
"Short dramas are sold one episode at a time, so nobody sees the full price until they have paid it," noted a GASP spokesperson. "We review the public pages daily and total the figures, giving viewers the ability to see a drama's cost before they begin."
The spokesperson continued: "The search suggestions reveal the same issue from the opposite angle. When nine out of ten titles steer people toward an unofficial copy, the pricing and the limited free content play a significant role."
For every drama, GASP's website provides the episode count, the number available for free, the completion cost, and viewing options. GASP also offers a price comparison across apps.
Methodology details: search counts come from Google's own monthly US figures, released through Google Ads, which rounds them into ranges. Search suggestions reflect what users type, not frequency. Prices, free episodes, and release dates are taken from each drama's public page on the app's own website. The dataset excludes in-app activity, and DramaBox does not disclose a per-episode price. The tables are available for download and citation with a link.
About GASP
GASP (https://gasptv.com) functions as an independent guide to short dramas and AI films. It monitors what short drama apps release, the cost of each drama, and how much is free, while also curating AI films from any tool or country. Operated by working AI filmmakers and channel operators, GASP states its team's channels reach over 3.8 million Facebook followers. GASP neither runs an app nor sells a tool, and it has no affiliation with the apps it covers. Logos and editor facts are located at https://gasptv.com/press/.
Benny Yu
GASP
hello@gasptv.com
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