If you’ve ever finished a great show and couldn’t remember whether you watched the finale, or recommended a film only to realize you’d already seen it twice, you need a watch tracker. These apps let you log every movie and episode, rate what you’ve seen, build a watchlist for what’s next, and even discover new titles based on your taste.
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There isn’t one single ‘best’ app to track movies and TV shows watched — it depends on whether you want automatic tracking, a social community, or a clean diary. Below is a direct breakdown of the top movie tracker apps and TV tracker apps in 2026, including the one free app that handles both without manual logging.
Quick Answer
If you want one free app to track both movies and TV shows automatically, use Simkl or Trakt — both scrobble what you watch from Netflix, Plex, and other services with no manual entry. For movies only, Letterboxd is the gold standard for reviews and community. For TV only, Serializd or Trakt are the top picks.
Best Apps for Tracking Movies
Letterboxd is the most popular dedicated movie tracker app, and for good reason. You can log every film in a diary, rate it, write a review, build themed lists, and follow friends and critics to see what they’re watching. The free tier is generous — unlimited logging, ratings, and lists with no paywall. Letterboxd Pro (currently $19.00 per year) removes ads, unlocks detailed personal stats, and lets you filter your watchlist by which streaming services you subscribe to; there’s also a higher Patron tier for extra customization.
Letterboxd covers films only, so if you also watch a lot of TV you’ll need a second app. IMDb’s built-in watchlist is a decent fallback if you already use IMDb for lookups, but it’s basic — no diary, no reviews, no social layer. Think of it as a sticky note rather than a proper film tracker app.
Best Apps for Tracking TV Shows
Trakt is the power-user choice for TV. Its standout feature is automatic scrobbling: connect Trakt to Plex, Kodi, Emby, or a browser extension and it logs episodes as you watch them, with no manual entry. The free tier covers core tracking, while Trakt VIP (currently $60 per year, or about $5/month) adds unlimited history, advanced filtering, unlimited personal lists, year-in-review stats, and rewatch logging.
Serializd is the newer, cleaner alternative — often described as ‘Letterboxd for TV.’ It’s completely free, has a polished interface, and lets you write season-level reviews rather than just ticking off episodes. It lacks scrobbling, so you log manually, but the community is growing quickly and it can import your history from Trakt or TV Time.
TV Time is another long-running option with a strong community angle — you can react to individual episodes and see how other fans responded. It’s good for following currently-airing shows where the social buzz around each episode matters to you.
Best Apps for Tracking Both Movies and TV Shows
If you want a single app to track movies and TV shows watched without keeping two separate logs, Simkl is the strongest free pick. It scrobbles automatically from Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, Plex, Kodi, and VLC via browser extension or media-server connection, covers movies, TV, and anime in one library, and lets you import existing history from Trakt, Letterboxd, or TV Time — so switching over doesn’t mean starting from zero.
Trakt also handles both movies and TV shows under one roof and remains the most complete all-in-one tracker if you want deeper stats and don’t mind a less social feel. Moviebase is another solid option, particularly on Android, letting you manage movies and series, follow season progress, and monitor upcoming releases in one place.
JustWatch deserves a mention even though it isn’t really a tracker: it’s a ‘where to watch’ search engine covering streaming services in most countries. Type in any movie or show and it tells you which service currently has it. Pair JustWatch with any tracker above and you’ll never waste time hunting for something you can’t actually watch.
How to Choose the Right Tracker for You
Match the app to how you actually watch. If you’re mostly a film person who wants to write reviews and build lists, pick Letterboxd — nothing else matches its community for movies. If you binge a lot of TV across multiple streaming services and don’t want to log anything by hand, pick Simkl or Trakt for automatic scrobbling. If you want a clean, low-friction diary specifically for TV without a subscription, Serializd is the best fit.
For most people who watch both movies and shows regularly, the highest-value setup is Letterboxd for films plus Simkl or Trakt for everything else — that combination covers automatic tracking, reviews, and social discovery without forcing a single app to do a job it wasn’t built for.
Tips and Common Mistakes
Don’t try to maintain two full tracking apps for the same type of content — it becomes a chore fast and you’ll abandon both. Pick one app per media type and commit. The most common regret is not starting sooner; once your log has a few months of history, the stats and recommendations get genuinely useful.
If you choose Trakt or Simkl, spend fifteen minutes connecting your streaming services and media players up front. Automatic scrobbling is the whole point — manually logging every episode defeats the purpose. For Letterboxd, use the ‘diary’ view rather than just the watchlist; the date-stamped diary is what makes your history actually searchable later. Finally, check JustWatch before adding something to your watchlist so you’re only queuing up titles you can watch right now.
movie and TV tracking apps FAQs
What’s the best app to track movies and TV shows watched?
Simkl and Trakt are the top choices because both track movies and TV shows in one place and can log what you watch automatically. If you’d rather use separate apps, pair Letterboxd for movies with Serializd or Trakt for TV.
What’s the best app to track just movies watched?
Letterboxd is the best dedicated movie tracker app. It lets you log every film in a diary, rate and review it, and build lists, with a free tier that covers unlimited logging.
Is Letterboxd only for movies?
Yes — Letterboxd tracks films only, not TV shows or episodes. For TV tracking you’ll need a separate app like Trakt, Serializd, or Simkl.
Can Trakt automatically log what I watch on Netflix or Max?
Yes. Trakt supports automatic scrobbling for many platforms, including Netflix and Max, through browser extensions, Plex, Kodi, or Emby. Setup takes a few minutes and then works hands-free.
What’s the best free option to keep track of tv shows and movies watched together?
Simkl is the best free option for tracking both movies and TV shows in a single app, with automatic scrobbling from Netflix and other services. Trakt’s free tier is a close second, though its VIP upgrade unlocks more history and stats.
What is a film tracker app, and do I need one?
A film tracker app logs every movie you watch, along with ratings, reviews, and watchlists, so you never forget what you’ve already seen. If you watch more than a few films a month, an app like Letterboxd makes your history searchable and turns your taste into better recommendations.
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