TikTok Tests Paid Microdrama App LimeShorts in the U.S.

TikTok has been quietly testing a paid microdrama app called LimeShorts in the U.S. since March, according to Business Insider. Viewers can watch the opening episodes of a vertical series for free, then pay for access to the full library or buy digital coins to unlock individual episodes. Business Insider reported subscription prices of $20 a week or $200 a year, with coin packs ranging from $5 for 500 coins to $70 for 8,500.

The live U.S. App Store listing does not present that pricing consistently. Its in-app purchase panel lists a $19.99 Weekly Pass and a $199.99 Annual Pass, matching Business Insider's figures after rounding. The subscription agreement in the same listing describes weekly and yearly renewal periods, then states prices of $19.99 per month and $149.99 per year. Apple also displays one-time purchases from 99 cents to $69.99. A spokesperson told Business Insider the pricing may change while TikTok tests different options.

LimeShorts says it offers thousands of short-drama episodes spanning comedy, romance, thriller and mystery. Its store copy advertises ad-free full-library subscriptions, coin-based episode access and exclusive original content. Business Insider reported that the current catalog comes entirely from third-party partners. At this stage, LimeShorts is distributing partner-supplied titles, and the public record does not describe an in-house production studio.

The app also carries the technical history of Mytopia, an earlier web-novel product that Business Insider identified as a ByteDance app. LimeShorts uses the same Apple app ID and the Android package name remains ebooks.reader.mytopia; older version notes and user reviews on both storefronts still refer to Mytopia. Apple and Google list Singapore-based POLIGON PTE. LTD. as the seller or developer. Business Insider's reporting establishes the link to TikTok; the publisher names shown in the stores do not.

TikTok already distributes microdramas through the free PineDrama app and has tested a dedicated short-drama feed inside TikTok, Business Insider reported. The company has also released the Screen Time micro-series with Issa Rae's HOORAE and launched a four-week micro-series writing program with Sundance Collab in June. LimeShorts adds direct viewer payments through recurring passes and episode-level purchases.

TikTok has not disclosed how many people are in the U.S. test, how many have paid, what share of coin spending reaches content partners or which price will survive the experiment. Until those details emerge, LimeShorts shows the transaction design TikTok is testing more clearly than it shows whether U.S. viewers will accept it.