VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

IMDb list sync tools for movie collectors in 2026

Compare Watcharr, MDBList, Trakt and Traktarr for turning IMDb lists into Radarr and Sonarr additions, with questions to ask before you pick.

By VLClean ยท

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

Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link and a Sonarr link. [1] MDBList imports IMDb lists. [2] Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [3] Match the tool to where your lists live.

OptionWhere its lists come fromAccount or access
WatcharrOne public IMDb list or watchlist you paste [4]The hosted version needs no account [5]
MDBListImports from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and other sources [2]Login or sign-up required [6]
Traktnot publishedFree on web, iOS and Android [7]
TraktarrOfficial Trakt lists [8]Needs the Python programming language installed, version 3.5 or newer [9]

What movie collectors need from IMDb list sync tools

A movie collector usually keeps wanted titles on a list and wants those titles to reach a download manager without retyping them. The common pairing is Radarr for movies and Sonarr for shows.

The first job is getting a list out of IMDb and into those apps. The second is keeping it current as the list grows. The third is handling mixed lists, because one IMDb list often holds both movies and shows.

Limits matter as much as features. Some tools need an account, some need you to run software yourself, and some read lists from a different service than IMDb. A list that is private may not be readable by a tool that only handles public lists.

Before you compare tools, note where your lists live today, whether they are public, and whether you want titles added on a schedule or only when you ask.

Watcharr for movie collectors

You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [1] Radarr checks the movie link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks the show link every 5. [10] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, including mobile-site and language-path links. [4]

If a show cannot be matched, it is left out and Watcharr tells you which ones it skipped. [11] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [12]

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [5] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [13]

MDBList for movie collectors

MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. [14] It lets users import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. [2]

It provides ready-made lists such as Most Pirated Movies, Trakt Trending, and IMDb Most Popular. [15] It requires login or sign-up to use the service. [6]

MDBList offers a Supporter membership, and its page links Memberful and Patreon for Supporter benefits. [16] Check what the Supporter membership covers before you rely on a feature.

Trakt for movie collectors

Trakt is free on web, iOS and Android. [7]

The facts available here say little more about it, so check its pages for how lists are made and whether they can be pulled into Radarr or Sonarr. Traktarr, covered next, uses Trakt to find titles to add. [3]

Traktarr for movie collectors

Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [3] It lists public and private list types for Trakt. [17] [18]

It can add single movies to Radarr [19] and multiple movies at once. [20] It can add single shows to Sonarr [21] and multiple shows. [22]

It has an automatic scheduled mode. [23] It supports multiple authenticated users. [24] Its source in these facts names Trakt as the list source, so check how your IMDb lists would get there.

Matching the tool to the job

Turning one public IMDb list into Radarr and Sonarr feeds. Watcharr gives one link for each app from a pasted list. [1]

Keeping a list current. Watcharr's links are checked by Radarr every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [10] Traktarr has an automatic scheduled mode. [23]

Sharing one list across a household. Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link, and a title on two lists is added only once. [25] Traktarr supports multiple authenticated users. [24]

Importing IMDb lists into a wider list service. MDBList lets users import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. [2]

Working from Trakt lists. Traktarr lists public and private list types for Trakt. [17] [18] Trakt itself is free on web, iOS and Android. [26]

Browsing titles. Watcharr shows a list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. [27]

Questions to ask before you choose

Are your lists public? Watcharr takes public IMDb lists. [4] Traktarr lists private lists among its supported types for Trakt. [18]

Do you want an account? The hosted Watcharr needs none. [5] MDBList requires login or sign-up. [6]

Do you want to run software yourself? Traktarr has an automatic scheduled mode, so check what it needs to run before you choose. [23]

Will the tool tell you when something goes wrong? Watcharr warns signed-in users when a list fails three reads in a row. [28]

Does the licence fit your use? Watcharr's code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. [29]

What does a paid membership change? For MDBList, check what the Supporter membership includes. [16]

Frequently asked questions

How to sync an IMDb list to Radarr?

With Watcharr, you paste one public IMDb list and get a link for Radarr with the movies. [1] Radarr then checks that link every 15 minutes. [10] Other tools on this page start from different list sources, so check where your list lives first.

Can one IMDb list feed both Radarr and Sonarr?

Watcharr gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows from a single pasted public IMDb list. [1] Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. [10] Shows it cannot match are left out and listed for you. [11]

Does MDBList import IMDb lists?

MDBList lets users import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. [2] It requires login or sign-up to use the service. [6] Check what its Supporter membership includes before relying on any feature, since the facts here do not say.

What does Traktarr do with Sonarr and Radarr?

Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [3] It has an automatic scheduled mode. [23] Its lists come from Trakt, so check how IMDb lists would reach it.

Can Watcharr be used for a business?

Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [13] Watcharr's code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. [29] Read the licence before using it for anything beyond personal collecting.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [29]

Try Watcharr

Sources

  1. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  2. MDBList, docs.mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  3. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  4. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  5. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  6. MDBList, mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  7. Trakt, trakt.tv, read 2026-10-07
  8. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  9. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  10. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  11. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  12. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  13. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  14. MDBList, docs.mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  15. MDBList, docs.mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  16. MDBList, mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  17. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  18. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  19. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  20. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  21. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  22. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  23. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  24. Traktarr, github.com/l3uddz/traktarr, read 2026-10-07
  25. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  26. Trakt, trakt.tv/vip, read 2026-10-07
  27. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  28. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  29. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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