How to build watchlists from public lists for TMDB list users in 2026

Learn how to build watchlists from public lists, prepare titles, compare list tools, and send movies and shows to a Radarr or Sonarr library.

By VLClean · 2026-10-28

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

To build watchlists from public lists, choose a public list, decide where its movie and show titles should go, and check how the chosen tool handles updates and unmatched titles. Watcharr accepts public IMDb lists and provides separate links for Radarr movies and Sonarr shows. ^[1]

Option	How it handles public lists	Cost details
Watcharr	Accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists, then provides separate links for Radarr movies and Sonarr shows. ^[1] ^[1]	The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] A price is not published.
A TMDB list tool	Check whether the chosen tool accepts public TMDB lists directly. No verified rival source facts were provided.	not published
A shared list or spreadsheet	Collects title names and source details in a shared place. Check how titles will be matched and transferred to the intended destination.	not published

What you need before you start

Start by deciding what the watchlist should contain and where its titles should go. A public list can be a starting point for collecting movie and show ideas, but the right process depends on whether the goal is to browse titles, keep a personal watchlist, or send titles to a media library.

Choose the public list you want to use and check that it can be viewed without signing in. Keep its original address available so you can identify the source and return to it when needed. If the list contains both movies and shows, decide whether they should stay together for browsing or be separated for library management.

Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs for finding and adding movies and shows to a library. Have them ready if the goal is to send movie titles to Radarr and show titles to Sonarr. Decide which titles should be added and whether any should be reviewed before they enter the library.

Also decide whether one person will manage the list or whether several people need to combine their public lists. Check the chosen tool's accepted list sources, update schedule, handling of titles it cannot match, and any licence restrictions before relying on it.

A TMDB list user should not assume that every tool accepts TMDB lists as an input. Check the supported source directly, especially when the starting point is a public list on a different movie or television website.

Step by step

Choose the source list. Find a public list containing the movies or shows you want to collect. Check that the list is publicly accessible and that its contents match the purpose of the watchlist.

Decide where the titles should go. If the goal is simply to keep a list for browsing, choose a tool that supports that use. If the goal is to add movies and shows to a media library, decide whether movies should go to Radarr and shows to Sonarr. This makes it easier to spot a tool that does not support the required destination.

Check the accepted list sources. Before copying a list address, confirm which sites and list types the tool accepts. A public list on one service is not automatically usable by another service. Check whether the tool accepts public lists, personal watchlists, or both, and whether it supports the particular version of the source website you use.

Add the public list. Follow the chosen tool's instructions for supplying the list. If the tool separates movies and shows, review both resulting collections. Check that the titles make sense for each destination and note any titles that the tool could not identify.

Review title matching. Movie and show databases do not always identify titles in the same way. Check how the tool matches titles to the records needed by the destination application. For shows, confirm what happens when a title has no matching television database identifier. Do not assume that every entry will be transferred successfully.

Check how updates happen. Decide whether the watchlist should reflect changes to the source list over time. Check how often the chosen tool checks for changes, whether scheduled checks can be delayed, and what happens if the source list cannot be read. If the tool retains a previously loaded copy, confirm how it handles a failed update.

Connect the destination if needed. If titles need to reach Radarr or Sonarr, follow the chosen tool's instructions for linking the relevant application. Read the access and privacy details before entering any application credentials. Use the documented method rather than sharing credentials through a list address or message.

Verify the result. Compare the resulting titles with the public source list. Check the movie and show destinations separately, and review any reported matching problems. If the list is meant to be shared with a household, confirm that everyone understands which source lists contribute to the combined collection.

Keep the process understandable. Record the source list and the destination for each collection. If the source changes or the watchlist stops updating, this information makes it easier to find the cause without rebuilding the entire process.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean. ^[1] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] 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 acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5 minutes. ^[1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, while older versions remain under MIT. ^[1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1]

A public list on TMDB. If the starting list is on TMDB, first check whether the tool you are considering accepts TMDB lists directly. Watcharr's documented input is a public IMDb watchlist or list, so a TMDB list should not be assumed to work as a direct input. ^[1] Check the chosen tool's source support before changing or copying a list.

A personal watchlist tool. A dedicated watchlist tool may suit a process focused on saving titles to browse later. Before choosing one, check which public sources it accepts, how it handles both movies and shows, and whether its lists can be shared or updated. No specific rival tool is named here because no verified rival facts were provided.

A shared list or spreadsheet. A shared list can provide a simple place to collect title names and source details. Before relying on it, check how people will avoid duplicate entries, how titles will be identified, and how the collection will reach the media library if Radarr or Sonarr is part of the process.

The options serve different purposes. Compare source support, title matching, update behavior, sharing, destination support, and licence terms before choosing one. A tool that can display a list is not necessarily able to pass its titles into a media library.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid assuming that a public list from one website can be imported directly into every watchlist tool. Confirm the supported source and list type before spending time preparing the list.

Avoid treating movies and shows as interchangeable entries. If the destination uses Radarr for movies and Sonarr for shows, check that each title reaches the intended destination. Also review any titles that cannot be matched to the identifiers the destination requires.

Avoid assuming that an update happens as soon as the source list changes. Check the tool's schedule, whether a scheduled check can be delayed, and what happens after a failed read. If the tool keeps a previously loaded list after a failure, understand how it reports that situation.

Avoid sharing application credentials without checking how the tool uses them. Read its access instructions and make sure the method is appropriate for the application being connected.

Avoid overlooking licensing conditions. Watcharr's code is available under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and commercial use is not licensed. ^[1] ^[1] Check the applicable licence before using any tool for a business purpose.

Finally, avoid choosing a tool based on assumptions about its source support or missing features. When the documentation is silent, ask the provider or check the current instructions instead of treating an unconfirmed feature as available.

Things to check before you choose

Confirm that the tool accepts the source list you already have. Check whether it can separate movies from shows, what happens when a title cannot be matched, and whether updates happen automatically or require manual work.

If several people contribute lists, check whether they can be combined and how duplicates are handled. If Radarr or Sonarr will receive the titles, check how the connection works and what access the tool needs.

Finally, review installation requirements, account requirements, privacy information, and licence terms. These details determine whether the workflow is practical for the intended watchlist and media library.

Frequently asked questions

Can Watcharr build watchlists from public TMDB lists?

Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] Its documented input is IMDb, so a public TMDB list should not be assumed to work directly. Check whether the chosen tool supports TMDB lists before starting, or identify a supported public source that contains the titles you need.

How does Watcharr separate movies and shows?

You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] This separates the titles by destination rather than requiring a single mixed list to serve both applications. Review the resulting collections to confirm that the titles have been matched as expected.

How often does Watcharr update Radarr and Sonarr lists?

Each Watcharr link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5 minutes. ^[1] These are scheduled checks, not a guarantee that every change appears immediately. Check the list and its reported status if a source update does not appear when expected.

Can Watcharr combine several public lists?

Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, and a title present on two lists is added only once. ^[1] The documented combined-list feature is for IMDb lists. Check the source requirements before planning a combined collection that starts with lists on other services.

Does Watcharr need to be installed?

The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] Because the hosted version runs on its own hosting, you do not need a server of your own to use it. ^[1] Check the hosted version's current instructions to understand how to use it, and review the licence if considering another way to run or adapt the software.

What happens when Watcharr cannot match a show?

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB identifiers through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] Review those reported titles instead of assuming that every show from the source list will reach Sonarr. Check the original list and the available title details when a show is missing from the resulting collection.

Can Watcharr be used for commercial purposes?

Commercial use of Watcharr 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, while older versions remain under MIT. ^[1] Review the applicable licence terms before deciding whether a planned use is permitted.

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

Try Watcharr

Sources

Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)