How to maintain release lists for release trackers in 2026

Learn how release trackers keep IMDb release lists current so new movies and shows are added to the library.

By VLClean · 2026-10-24

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

Release trackers can maintain release lists by preparing public IMDb lists, choosing how lists reach the tracker, and reviewing what each list adds.

Option	How release lists are maintained	Update check	Cost details
Watcharr	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 link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1]	not published
Direct tracker list import	Titles are added straight into the tracker's own import list feature.	not published	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the release tracker that adds to the library already runs, since the release lists feed titles into it. Decide which movies and shows belong on each list, and whether anyone else in the household adds titles.

Have Radarr and Sonarr ready before maintaining release lists.

Prepare the public IMDb lists and watchlists that will serve as the source of new titles. A list must be public so it can be read, and kept tidy so the tracker only picks up titles that belong.

Decide who reviews what the tracker adds and on which day of the week. Keep the list rules simple, such as whether a list holds new titles only or also older releases that are wanted later.

Step by step

Choose the public IMDb lists and watchlists that will feed the release tracker, and keep each one to a clear purpose such as new movies or new shows.

Decide how each list reaches the tracker, and add it in the way the tracker supports so that titles on the list move into the library.

Check that each added list reads correctly, and confirm that a newly added title on the list appears in the tracker.

Review what the tracker adds on a regular day each week, and remove titles that no longer belong.

Update the source lists as tastes change, and tell anyone who shares the lists when a list changes so the tracker keeps matching it.

Check from time to time that the lists still load and that nothing was skipped, and fix any list that stops reading before it holds back new titles.

Tools that can do it

The Watcharr tool is made by the team that publishes this site. Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives two links, one 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]

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 accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] The page shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[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]

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] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account, and you paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app. ^[1] ^[1]

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; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1]

No other tool is named here because no source facts about other tools were provided. Before choosing a tool, check how it keeps release lists current, handles titles it cannot match, and moves titles into the release tracker.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid keeping release lists private when the tracker needs to read them. A list that cannot be read never reaches the library, so confirm the list is public before relying on it.

Avoid letting a list grow without review. Prune the source list on a set day so the tracker keeps reading only titles that belong.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it handles the way titles move into the release tracker. The process should be clear for whoever manages the lists and whoever reads the results.

Avoid skipping checks after a list stops reading. Check how the chosen tool handles a failed read, and check which titles, if any, the tracker missed.

Frequently asked questions

How can release trackers keep release lists current?

A release tracker stays current when a public list feeds it and the tracker reads that list on a schedule. Decide which public IMDb lists will provide titles, add them in the way the tracker supports, and review what the tracker picks up on a set day. Keeping the source list tidy and public is what lets new titles reach the library.

Can Watcharr feed release lists into Radarr and Sonarr?

Yes. Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives two links, one 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] A bookmark inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list without sending the app's API key anywhere else. ^[1]

Does maintaining a release list with Watcharr require installing anything?

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app. ^[1] The hosted version is made by the team that publishes this site. For those who host it themselves, Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. ^[1]

Does Watcharr add every show on the list to Sonarr?

No. Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] So a show without a matching id is not sent to the tracker. Check the list after it is added to see which titles were skipped and whether any of them should be handled another way.

What should be checked before choosing a release list tool?

Check how a tool keeps release lists current, how it handles titles it cannot match, and how titles move into the release tracker. Confirm what installation and account are needed, and review the licence before use since Watcharr allows no commercial use and sells no commercial licence. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the release tracker is managed before choosing a tool.

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)