VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

How to check a watchlist on the go for mobile first trackers in 2026

Learn how to check an IMDb watchlist on a phone, keep track of movies and shows, and choose a way to pass titles into Radarr and Sonarr.

By VLClean ยท

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

To check a watchlist while away from a computer, open the list on your phone, review the titles, and decide how to keep track of changes. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists, then gives you one link for Radarr with movies and another for Sonarr with shows. [1]

OptionWhat it doesCost details
WatcharrProvides separate IMDb list links for Radarr movies and Sonarr shows. [1]not published
IMDb websiteProvides public watchlists and lists that Watcharr can accept from desktop, phone, and other-language pages. [1]not published
RadarrChecks the Watcharr movie link every 15 minutes. [1]not published
SonarrChecks the Watcharr show link every 5 minutes. [1]not published

What you need before you start

Start with the watchlist you want to check and decide what you need to learn from it. You might want to browse the titles while travelling, check whether a list has changed, or keep movies and shows ready for your home media library. These are different tasks, so choose a method that covers the one that matters.

Keep the list somewhere you can open from your phone. If it is an IMDb list, check that it is public before choosing a tool that reads it. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb pages in other languages. [1]

If your aim is to send titles to your media library, have Radarr ready for movies and Sonarr ready for shows. Watcharr gives you one link for Radarr with movies and another for Sonarr with shows from a public IMDb list. [1]

Decide whether you only need to browse titles or want a list that updates for your media apps. A phone browser may be enough for a quick check. A list that feeds into Radarr or Sonarr needs a method designed to pass titles to those apps.

Finally, check whether the method needs an account, an installation, or access to your media apps. Watcharr's hosted version needs no installation or account. [1] This makes it possible to start with the hosted page before deciding whether to run anything yourself.

Step by step

  1. Open the watchlist on your phone. Use the site or app where the list lives. Check that the list contains the movies and shows you expect, and confirm that you are looking at the intended list rather than a different collection.
  1. Decide what you want to check. For a quick browse, look through the titles and open the details you need. If you are tracking titles for a home media library, decide whether the list should simply be reviewed on your phone or passed into Radarr and Sonarr.
  1. Check whether the list is public. If you want to use Watcharr, the IMDb watchlist or list must be public. Watcharr accepts public lists from IMDb's desktop site, phone site, and other-language pages. [1] If the list is private, check the source site's sharing settings or choose another method that supports your intended workflow.
  1. Choose how titles will reach your library. If the goal is to use an IMDb list with Radarr and Sonarr, Watcharr separates the movies and shows into two links. [1] This gives each app its own list to check. Radarr checks its link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. [1] These are scheduled checks, not a promise that a change will appear immediately.
  1. Review the title details. When checking a title, confirm that it is the right movie or show before acting on it. Watcharr displays list covers in a row, and each cover opens details from TMDB, including the plot, genres, rating, backdrop, and trailer. [1] This provides additional information when a title's name alone is not enough to identify it.
  1. Add the list to the relevant app if needed. Watcharr provides a bookmark that you click inside Radarr or Sonarr to add the list. It uses that app's connection code without sending the code anywhere else. [1] Follow the instructions for the app you are using and check that the list appears where expected.
  1. Check back after a change. If you add a title to IMDb, allow time for the scheduled checks before deciding that the list has failed to update. If you use Watcharr while signed in, it re-reads the list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. [1]
  1. Keep the phone workflow simple. Save the list location in your browser or use the available bookmark features when appropriate. Watcharr lets you paste, copy, and browse from any screen in its web app, while its one-click sticker appears on bigger screens. [1] If you cannot see that sticker on a phone, use the web app's available copy and browse actions instead.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean. It accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists, then gives you one link for Radarr with movies and one for Sonarr with shows. [1] Each link acts like a small server for the receiving app, which checks it on a schedule. [1] The hosted version needs no installation or account. [1] Its code is available 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]

IMDb's website is an option for opening and reviewing the source list directly. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and other-language pages. [1] If the task is only to look through a list, start by checking the list on the source site. If you also want Radarr and Sonarr to receive titles, check whether the additional workflow is needed.

Radarr handles movies in the workflow described here. Watcharr gives Radarr a link containing the movies from a public IMDb list. [1] Radarr checks that link every 15 minutes. [1] Check the app's list settings after adding the link to confirm that the intended list is in place.

Sonarr handles shows in the workflow described here. Watcharr gives Sonarr a separate link containing shows from the IMDb list. [1] Sonarr checks that link every 5 minutes. [1] Watcharr looks up TheTVDB identifiers through TVMaze and TMDB, skips shows it cannot match, and reports which shows were skipped. [1]

Other list and tracking tools may also be worth considering, but no verified feature details are available here for additional rivals. Before choosing another option, check which list sources it accepts, whether it can be used comfortably on a phone, how often it checks for changes, and whether it passes titles into the apps already in use.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid assuming that a list is public just because it opens while signed in. Check its visibility before connecting it to another service. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists. [1]

Avoid treating a scheduled check as an immediate update. Radarr checks Watcharr's movie link every 15 minutes, and Sonarr checks its show link every 5 minutes. [1] Scheduled runs can be delayed, so check the source list and the receiving app before deciding that something has gone wrong.

Avoid assuming every show on an IMDb list will reach Sonarr. Watcharr looks up TheTVDB identifiers through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [1] Review skipped titles if a show is missing from the receiving app.

Avoid using a phone-only workflow without checking how it handles app setup. Watcharr's web app supports pasting, copying, and browsing from any screen, but its one-click sticker appears on bigger screens. [1] Check the available actions on your phone before relying on a desktop-specific control.

Avoid overlooking licence terms if you plan to run the software yourself or use it for business. Watcharr's code is available under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. [1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [1] Read the applicable licence before deciding how to use it.

Things to check before you choose

Start with the source of your watchlist. Confirm that the tool accepts the site and list type you use, and check whether the list needs to be public. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from desktop, phone, and other-language pages. [1]

Next, check what should happen after you add or change a title. If you want titles to reach Radarr and Sonarr, confirm that the tool separates movies from shows and check the receiving apps' update schedules. Watcharr supplies separate links for Radarr and Sonarr. [1]

For a mobile-first routine, check whether the main actions work on a phone screen, whether the tool requires an account, and whether it needs to be installed. Watcharr's hosted version requires no installation or account. [1]

If self-hosting or commercial use matters, read the licence terms before choosing. Watcharr's code is available 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]

Frequently asked questions

How can Watcharr help check an IMDb watchlist on a phone?

Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, phone site, or other-language pages. [1] It gives you one link for Radarr with movies and one for Sonarr with shows. [1] The web app supports pasting, copying, and browsing from any screen. [1] Check the list's visibility and decide whether you only need to browse titles or also want them passed to your media apps.

Does Watcharr need an account to check a watchlist?

The hosted version of Watcharr needs no installation and no account. [1] Its list links are built from the IMDb list's identifier, so the same list keeps the same two links. [1] Signed-in users can also combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, with a title on multiple lists added only once. [1]

How often does Watcharr update a list in Radarr and Sonarr?

Radarr checks Watcharr's movie link every 15 minutes, and Sonarr checks its show link every 5 minutes. [1] These are scheduled checks, so changes are not guaranteed to appear immediately. If signed in, Watcharr re-reads the source list about every 15 minutes and warns when a list fails three reads in a row. [1] Allow for delays before troubleshooting a missing title.

Why might a show be missing from Sonarr when using Watcharr?

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB identifiers through TVMaze and TMDB. It leaves out shows it cannot match and tells you which ones were skipped. [1] If a show does not appear in Sonarr, check the skipped-title information and confirm that the show is identifiable in the source list. A missing title does not necessarily mean that the entire list has failed to update.

Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists for one household?

Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household. A title appearing on two lists is added only once. [1] This can reduce the need to manage separate links for each source list. Check that the lists are public and that the combined collection matches the titles intended for the receiving apps.

Can Watcharr be self-hosted for commercial use?

Self-hosting means running the software yourself rather than using its hosted version. Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. [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] Review the licence that applies to the version you intend to use before deciding whether to self-host it.

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

Try Watcharr

Sources

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

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