PRODUCT RESEARCH
Soda Reels
This research note is kept separate from the app profile so the main page stays focused on ranking data.
One-line positioning
Soda Reels is a free vertical short-drama platform launched by Chengdu-based Jinchuan Lingyun, offering full libraries free of charge and monetizing through in-app ads plus a VIP ad-free subscription. It ranked first on the 2025 annual short-drama download dark-horse chart. Public records show the iOS version is operated by STATION DEPART POINT and the Android version by LY Technology; the link to mainland operator Jinchuan Lingyun (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd. rests on industry media and app-data platforms, with equity linkage not yet confirmed in registry records.
Product & company
Store and privacy-policy records identify the operators as: iOS seller and data controller STATION DEPART POINT (bundle com.sodareels.drama, privacy policy at sodareels.com) and Android developer LY Technology (package com.sodareels.drama.short). Industry media, app-data platforms and registry info point to Jinchuan Lingyun (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd. as the mainland operator (legal rep Yu Qiaodan, founded 2024); direct equity linkage between the overseas seller and the mainland company is not yet visible in public registry records, so the relationship is marked as related but still subject to further verification.
Business model & format
Soda Reels keeps its full catalog free and monetizes primarily through in-app advertising (IAA), with minor VIP subscriptions for ad-free viewing. The app is listed on both paid and free ranking charts; verification found no per-episode paywall and an ad-led revenue base, and industry reports classify it as an IAA app. Both paid and free entries are maintained here to track any shift in its monetization mix.
Growth & market
Ranked first on the 2025 annual overseas short-drama download dark-horse chart (IAA category), alongside RapidTV and HappyShort in the top three. Google Play installs reached roughly 34 million (as of March 2026), with Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico as the top three download markets contributing about 39% combined. The iOS version launched on February 17, 2026 and reached the upper US free entertainment chart. Growth relies on paid user acquisition, with translated and Western-localized titles as the content base.
Risks & watchpoints
Corporate ownership is not fully closed: no public registry evidence directly links the iOS seller and data controller STATION DEPART POINT to mainland company Jinchuan Lingyun (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd. The Android developer name has shifted between LY Technology and JINCHUANLINGYUN, so developer or package changes need monitoring. The translated-title-heavy content mix carries copyright-compliance risks; the IAA model yields low revenue per download, pressuring the user-acquisition-driven economics.