Best IMDb list sync tools for show release planners in 2026

Compare IMDb list sync tools for show release planners and see how each handles lists, releases, and setup.

By VLClean · 2026-10-19

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

Show release planners usually keep a watch list on IMDb so that new episodes and movies are picked up when they come out. Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into two links, one for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] The rest of this page compares how each option builds on an IMDb list, what a show release planner has to set up, and where costs or limits appear.

Option	What it does for show release planners	Cost details
MDBList	A tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists. ^[2]	not published
Trakt	Free on web, iOS and Android. ^[3]	Free on web, iOS and Android ^[4]
Traktarr	Uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. ^[5]	not published
Simkl	Lists 140,994 TV Shows and 1,197,907 Movies in its catalog. ^[6] ^[6]	not published
Ryot	Tracks books, movies, TV shows, workouts, and daily habits. ^[7]	not published
Kometa	Customizes media library metadata, collections, and overlays. ^[8]	not published
Listrr	Creates personalized lists for shows and movies with many filters. ^[9]	not published
FlexGet	Supports torrents, nzbs, podcasts, comics, TV, movies, RSS, HTML, CSV and more. ^[10]	not published
Watcharr	One public IMDb list becomes one Radarr link and one Sonarr link. ^[1]	not published

What show release planners need from IMDb list sync tools

Show release planners keep a watch list of upcoming movies and shows so that new releases are added to the library at the right time. The planner usually works from an IMDb list they already maintain, and the main job is for that list to reach the apps that download titles. A useful sync tool turns one list into something Radarr and Sonarr, the apps that handle movies and shows, can read on their own. The right choice depends on how the list is kept, how often titles are checked, and what the planner is willing to set up. Some options work from a pasted link, while others need configuration files, a script, or an account. Planners should also check how a tool handles shows it cannot match and what happens when the list cannot be read. The tools below differ in list sources, update timing, and setup, so the fit depends on the planner's existing workflow and how hands-off they want the process to be.

MDBList for show release planners

MDBList is a service whose homepage promotes building and curating lists, tracking progress on movies and shows, and use across devices. ^[11] The site has a Streaming Charts section. ^[11] The site footer links to an API. ^[11] A show release planner can weigh whether a separate list service fits how they already keep titles, and check what the tool needs to connect to the rest of the setup.

Traktarr for show release planners

Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. ^[5] It supports multiple authenticated users. ^[5] Official Trakt lists it supports include Trending, Popular, Anticipated, Box Office, Most Watched, and Most Played. ^[5] A planner who works from official Trakt lists can see whether that matches how they track upcoming releases, and who it serves beyond one user.

FlexGet for show release planners

FlexGet can be run in daemon mode. ^[10] FlexGet uses YAML for configuration. ^[10] FlexGet supports torrents, nzbs, podcasts, comics, TV, movies, RSS, HTML, CSV and more. ^[10] A show release planner should weigh whether a config file based setup fits, and what it supports beyond movies and shows.

Simkl for show release planners

Simkl automatically tracks what users are watching. ^[6] Simkl lists 140,994 TV Shows in its catalog. ^[6] Simkl provides an API for developers based on watch history. ^[6] A show release planner can weigh whether automatic tracking and an API fit how they keep watch history.

Watcharr for show release planners

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] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1] It looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[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]

Matching the tool to the job

For turning one public IMDb list into ready links for Radarr and Sonarr, Watcharr gives one link with the movies and one with the shows. ^[1] Watcharr checks the list on a schedule and keeps serving the last good list if a read fails. ^[1] ^[1] For planners who track from Trakt, Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. ^[5] For planners who want automatic tracking, Simkl automatically tracks what users are watching. ^[6] For planners who prefer a config file based tool, FlexGet uses YAML for configuration and can be run in daemon mode. ^[10] ^[10] For planners who already keep lists on a separate service, MDBList's homepage promotes building and curating lists and tracking progress on movies and shows. ^[11]

Questions to ask before you choose

Before choosing an IMDb list sync tool, decide how the release list will be kept and how it will reach the library. Check whether the tool works from a pasted IMDb list, a config file, a script, or an account. Ask how often titles are checked and what happens when a title cannot be matched or a list cannot be read. Check who the tool supports, whether one person only or several users, and what the planner has to set up first. Also check the cost structure, what the tool can and cannot pull from IMDb, and whether the way it updates matches the way the planner puts out new releases.

Frequently asked questions

Can Watcharr sync an IMDb list with Radarr and Sonarr?

You paste one public IMDb list and Watcharr gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1] The same list always gives the same two links, because the links are built from the IMDb list's id. ^[1]

Does Watcharr skip shows it cannot match?

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] When you are signed in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1]

Which lists does Watcharr accept?

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title that is on two lists is added only once. ^[1]

Does Watcharr need anything installed to run?

The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. ^[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] Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. ^[1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1]

How do the tools on this page compare for show release planners?

Options differ in list sources, update timing, and setup. Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. ^[5] FlexGet uses YAML for configuration and can be run in daemon mode. ^[10] ^[10] Simkl automatically tracks what users are watching. ^[6] MDBList's homepage promotes building and curating lists and tracking progress on movies and shows. ^[11] Prices for most options are not published here, so check each tool's page.

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

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