--- {"title": "How to Compare a Plex Library With a Watchlist", "description": "Learn how Plex library auditors can compare a movie and show library with an IMDb watchlist, check missing titles, and choose a suitable workflow.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-compare-a-library-against-a-watchlist-for-plex-library-auditors/", "date": "2026-10-28"} --- Learn how Plex library auditors can compare a movie and show library with an IMDb watchlist, check missing titles, and choose a suitable workflow. To compare a Plex library against a watchlist, prepare a list of titles to check, review the movies and shows already available in the library, and mark titles that appear to be missing. Watcharr can turn a public IMDb list into separate Radarr and Sonarr links, which lets those apps check the list on a schedule. [^1][^1] Choose a comparison method that makes it easy to review unmatched titles before changing the library. | Option | How it supports the comparison | Cost details | |---|---|---| | Watcharr | Turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. [^1] | Hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] | | Spreadsheet | Record reference titles, library matches, and items needing review. | not published | | Plain text list | Keep a short reference list and mark each title as present, missing, or uncertain. | not published | ## What you need before you start Start with a clear view of the Plex library that needs to be checked. Decide whether the comparison covers movies, shows, or both, and whether it should include every item in the library or a particular collection. Keep the scope consistent so that a missing movie is not confused with a show that was never meant to be included. Prepare the watchlist that will serve as the reference. An IMDb list can provide a set of titles to compare against the library. If Watcharr is part of the workflow, the IMDb list must be public. Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] Have Radarr and Sonarr ready if the workflow uses them to manage movies and shows. Radarr handles movies, while Sonarr handles shows. Decide whether the goal is simply to find missing titles or also to send eligible titles into the existing library workflow. Before making changes, keep a record of the library's current contents and decide how to treat alternate titles, duplicates, and items that cannot be matched confidently. A comparison is more useful when every result can be reviewed before a title is added. ## Step by step 1. **Define the comparison.** Decide which Plex library or libraries are in scope, which watchlist to use, and whether movies and shows should be checked together or separately. Write down any categories that should be excluded from the comparison. 2. **Prepare the reference list.** Open the chosen watchlist and confirm that its titles represent the content being audited. If the list is public on IMDb, it can be used with Watcharr. [^1] Keep the original list available so that individual titles can be checked when results look uncertain. 3. **Review the existing library.** Identify which watchlist titles are already represented in Plex. Compare titles carefully, since spelling differences, alternate titles, and duplicate entries can make a simple name comparison misleading. Mark clear matches separately from titles that need further review. 4. **Separate movies from shows.** Use the appropriate movie and show workflow for the comparison. Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and provides one link for Radarr containing movies and another for Sonarr containing shows. [^1] This separation helps keep each type of title in the appropriate part of the library workflow. 5. **Check the unmatched titles.** Review the titles that do not appear to be in the library. Confirm that each title is genuinely missing rather than present under another name or represented by an existing entry. If Watcharr cannot match a show to a TheTVDB ID through its TVMaze and TMDB lookups, it leaves that show out and identifies the skipped title. [^1] Treat skipped titles as items for manual review rather than assuming they are already in Plex. 6. **Choose what happens next.** If the goal is only an audit, keep the comparison results as a review list. If the goal also includes adding eligible titles, decide who approves changes and check that the existing Radarr or Sonarr workflow is ready to handle them. A watchlist comparison does not replace the need to verify the actual library contents. 7. **Repeat the comparison when the reference changes.** Recheck the library after changes to the watchlist or the collection being audited. Record unresolved matches so that the next review can focus on titles that still need attention. If several people maintain the same library, agree on one review process to avoid duplicate work. ## Tools that can do it Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean. It turns one public IMDb list into one Radarr link for movies and one Sonarr link for 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] These are scheduled checks, not a guarantee that every change appears immediately. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] Watcharr can also display list covers in a row, with each cover opening TMDB details such as the plot, genres, rating, backdrop, and trailer. [^1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, with titles appearing on multiple lists included only once. [^1] This can help organize a comparison when more than one list is part of the reference set. A spreadsheet is another option for a manual audit. Prepare a column for the reference title, a column for whether it appears in the library, and a column for unresolved matches. The actual comparison depends on the titles and library information entered, so check the results before treating them as complete. A plain text list can work for a small, focused review. Keep the reference titles together and mark each one as present, missing, or needing verification. This approach keeps the process simple, but the accuracy depends on checking each title against the library. For a larger audit, compare the available features of each method against the actual task. Check whether the tool accepts the chosen list source, how it identifies matching titles, whether it reports unmatched items, and whether it only reports differences or also passes titles to other apps. These details matter more than choosing a method before the scope of the audit is clear. ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid treating a title mismatch as proof that a movie or show is missing. A different title spelling, an alternate name, or an existing entry can make a match harder to recognize. Review uncertain cases before changing the library. Avoid assuming every show on a reference list will appear in the output of an automated workflow. Watcharr leaves out shows it cannot match to a TheTVDB ID and reports which shows were skipped. [^1] Review those skipped titles separately so that an unresolved match does not become an incorrect audit result. Avoid confusing scheduled checks with immediate updates. Watcharr's Radarr link is checked every 15 minutes and its Sonarr link every 5 minutes, but these are scheduled intervals rather than a promise of instant updates. [^1] Allow for the possibility that a changed list has not yet been picked up. Avoid changing the library before the audit results have been reviewed. Decide whether missing titles should be added, ignored, or investigated, and keep that decision separate from the initial comparison. Avoid overlooking the rules that apply to a tool. 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] Check the applicable licence before using it for commercial work. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can Plex library auditors compare a library with a watchlist? Start with a defined library scope and a reference watchlist. Compare each reference title against the existing library, then separate confirmed matches from titles that appear to be missing and those that need further checking. A spreadsheet or a manually reviewed list can record the results. If the workflow also uses Radarr or Sonarr, keep the audit decision separate from the decision to add a title. ### Can Watcharr compare a Plex library with an IMDb watchlist? Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, the phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] It turns one public IMDb list into one Radarr link for movies and one Sonarr link for shows. [^1] To establish whether a title is already in Plex, review the actual library contents rather than treating the reference list alone as proof of a match. ### Does Watcharr require installation to use its hosted version? The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] Titles can be pasted, copied, and browsed from any screen in the web app, while the one-click sticker appears on bigger screens. [^1] Check the workflow requirements before deciding whether the hosted version is appropriate for the audit. ### Why might a show be missing from a Watcharr list? Watcharr looks up TheTVDB IDs through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and identifies the skipped shows. [^1] A skipped show should be reviewed separately instead of being counted automatically as present or missing in Plex. Confirm the title and its identity before recording the final comparison result. ### How often does Watcharr check a list for Radarr and Sonarr? Radarr checks its Watcharr link every 15 minutes, while Sonarr checks its link every 5 minutes. [^1] These are scheduled intervals, so they should not be treated as a guarantee that a changed list will be reflected immediately. If a comparison depends on a recent list change, check the current results before completing the audit. ### Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists for a household? Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household. [^1] If the same title appears on more than one list, it is added only once to the combined result. [^1] Review the combined list against the library scope before using it as the basis for an audit. ### Can Watcharr be used for a commercial Plex library audit? 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] Review the licence terms that apply to the version in use before including Watcharr in a commercial workflow. Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [^1] - [Visit Watcharr](/go/start-watcharr) ## Sources [^1]: Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-watcharr)