Best IMDb list sync tools for classic film explorers in 2026

Compare IMDb list sync tools for classic film explorers, with what each one does, how it gets lists, and what to check before you pick one.

By VLClean · 2026-11-01

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

This page compares IMDb list sync tools for classic film explorers and sets out what each option publishes about itself. Watcharr is one option.

Option	What it does	Cost or access details
Watcharr	Turns one public IMDb list into one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1]	The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1]
Traktarr	Uses Trakt to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr, respectively. ^[2]	Cost: not published.
MDBList	Builds dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. ^[3]	Requires a login or sign-up to use the service. ^[4] A Supporter membership is offered. ^[4]
Listrr	Builds personalized lists for shows and movies with filters. ^[5] Lists update automatically. ^[5]	not published
Trakt	not published	Free on web, iOS and Android. ^[6]
Simkl	Tracks shows, anime and movies. ^[7]	The source lists Free, Pro and VIP membership options, and this page gives no prices. ^[7]
Ryot	Tracks books, movies, TV shows, workouts, and daily habits. ^[8]	Its page shows a Start Free Trial button. ^[8] Check the trial's terms on its page before you sign up.
Kometa	Lets users customize metadata, collections and overlays in a media library. ^[9]	not published
FlexGet	The page names version 3.20.13; check its release notes before you install. ^[10]	not published

What classic film explorers need from IMDb list sync tools

Classic film explorers usually follow a thread through older films, such as a director's early work, a studio's silent years, or a genre like early noir. They keep those titles in an IMDb list and want the same titles to show up in the apps that manage their movie and show library, without typing each one in by hand.

Older titles can be harder to match to the show and movie databases those apps use, so a tool that reports the titles it could not match saves time. Some explorers keep lists private or follow IMDb pages in another language, so the list types a tool accepts matter from the start. Explorers who move between a phone and a desktop may also want to know how a tool behaves on each screen.

Watcharr for classic film explorers

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Each link works like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. ^[1] It looks up show ids from TheTVDB, a show database, through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] The page shows the list's covers in a row, each opening The Movie Database (TMDB) with its plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[1]

If you sign in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title on two lists is added only once. ^[1]

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click bookmark sticker appears on bigger screens. ^[1]

Traktarr for classic film explorers

Traktarr uses Trakt to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr, respectively. ^[2] It needs Python 3.5 or newer to run. ^[2] It supports multiple signed-in users. ^[2]

MDBList for classic film explorers

MDBList creates auto-updating movie and show lists. ^[3] It requires a login or sign-up to use the service. ^[4] A Supporter membership is offered. ^[4]

Listrr for classic film explorers

Listrr builds personalized lists for shows and movies with filters. ^[5] Lists update automatically. ^[5] You can filter by streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Disney+. ^[5]

Matching the tool to the job

If the goal is one IMDb list that feeds both the movie app and the show app, Watcharr gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Traktarr also uses Trakt to find shows and movies to add to Radarr and Sonarr. ^[2]

If the goal is keeping several lists together for a shared library, Watcharr's signed-in option can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link, and a title on two lists is added only once. ^[1]

If the goal is finding out which titles did not match, Watcharr leaves out shows it can't match and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1]

If the goal is keeping a list current as IMDb changes, Watcharr re-reads a signed-in list about every 15 minutes and warns you after three failed reads in a row. ^[1]

If the goal is sorting titles with filters, Listrr builds personalized lists with filters. ^[5] MDBList builds dynamic, auto-updating lists tailored to user preferences. ^[3]

If the goal is a membership, MDBList offers a Supporter membership. ^[4]

Questions to ask before you choose

Before you choose, ask whether the tool takes the kind of list you keep, whether that is a public list, a private list, or a list on an IMDb page in another language. Ask how it handles shows it cannot match, and whether it tells you which ones it skipped. Check how often a list refreshes, and what happens when a read of the list fails. Ask whether the tool needs anything installed on your computer, or whether it runs in a web page. Look at how the list reaches your movie and show apps, and whether you would rather set it up with a bookmark or by pasting a link. Finally, check the cost and sign-in details on each tool's page, and read any licence before you use the tool for business.

Frequently asked questions

Which IMDb list sync tool should classic film explorers compare first?

Start with the kind of list you keep, whether public, private, or in another language, and how each tool handles titles it cannot match. Then check how often a list refreshes and whether a failed read leaves you with the last good list. The table on this page sets out what each option publishes about itself, and the sections describe the options in turn. Check each tool's own page for prices and sign-in details before you decide.

Can Watcharr work with a classic film IMDb list without installing anything?

Yes. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. ^[1]

Does Watcharr accept IMDb lists from other languages?

It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] Shows it cannot match are left out, and the page says which ones were skipped. ^[1] The links are built from the list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Can Traktarr add movies and shows to Radarr and Sonarr?

Traktarr uses Trakt to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr, respectively. ^[2] It needs Python 3.5 or newer to run. ^[2] It supports multiple signed-in users. ^[2] Check its own page for the list types it accepts before you choose.

Can Watcharr be used commercially?

Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. ^[1] Anyone who wants to use the code for business should read the licence text in full before deciding anything.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Try Watcharr