Kometa vs Simkl in 2026
Compare Kometa, Simkl and Watcharr for a self-hosted media setup using IMDb lists, Radarr and Sonarr.
VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.
Kometa and Simkl can be considered alongside Watcharr when choosing a tool around IMDb lists and a self-hosted media setup, but the supplied facts do not describe what Kometa or Simkl do. Watcharr lets you paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one link for Sonarr with the shows. [1] Watcharr is a hosted web app that needs nothing to install and no account. [1]
| Option | Price | IMDb list handling | Server setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kometa | not published | not published | not published |
| Simkl | not published | not published | not published |
| Watcharr | not published | It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. [1] | The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [1] |
The short answer
Kometa and Simkl can be considered alongside Watcharr for a self-hosted media setup, but the supplied facts do not describe what Kometa or Simkl do. Watcharr lets 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 act like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks the movie link every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks the show link every 5 minutes. [1] A self-hoster can compare these options by checking which source describes the exact lists, apps and setup they need.
What Kometa and Simkl are built for
The supplied facts for this page do not describe what Kometa does. The supplied facts for this page do not describe what Simkl does. Because no source line describes either tool, this page does not repeat descriptions it cannot back up. Check Kometa's own pages for what it does with lists and a self-hosted server, and check Simkl's own pages for the same. Look for the services each one connects to and the setup steps each one describes, then match those against the reader's own server.
What Watcharr is built for
Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. Watcharr lets you paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [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] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [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]
Pricing and fees
The supplied facts do not publish prices or fees for Kometa. The supplied facts do not publish prices or fees for Simkl. Watcharr's supplied claims do not publish a price or fee. [1] The table shows the available pricing information without adding costs that are not published. No card fee or other charge from a payment service is stated for any of the three, so that part is not published here.
Setting it up with your server
The supplied facts do not describe how Kometa or Simkl connect to a server, so check their own pages for how they use Plex, Radarr or Sonarr. Watcharr's hosted version 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] You can paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. [1] Watcharr can also look up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leave out shows it cannot match, and tell you which ones it skipped. [1]
Things to check before you choose
Check which list sources you need and whether the tool describes support for them. Check how the tool connects with your existing media apps and what information it needs from those apps. Check whether you need combined lists for a household, title details, refresh behavior or a backup when a list read fails. Watcharr's claims cover some of these areas, including combined IMDb lists, title details, refresh behavior and keeping the last correctly loaded list available. [1] [1] [1] [1]
How to choose
If you need one IMDb list turned into separate Radarr and Sonarr links, Watcharr's claims say it does that. [1] If you need a hosted option that needs nothing to install and no account, Watcharr's claims say it provides that. [1] If you need several IMDb lists combined into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for a household, Watcharr's claims say signed-in users can do that. [1] If a read of a list fails, Watcharr's claims say the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [1] For Kometa and Simkl, check their own pages for the features and setup details that matter to your server.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kometa described as an IMDb list sync tool?
The facts approved for this page do not describe what Kometa does or whether it handles IMDb lists. Check Kometa's own pages for current details about supported lists, setup steps and how it connects with a self-hosted media server. Match only what its own pages state against the lists and apps you run.
Is Simkl described as an IMDb list sync tool?
The facts approved for this page do not describe what Simkl does or whether it handles IMDb lists. Check Simkl's own pages for current details about supported lists, setup steps and how it connects with a self-hosted media server. Match only what its own pages state against the lists and apps you run.
Can Watcharr use a public IMDb list?
Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or 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] The links are built from the list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [1]
Does Watcharr need an installation step?
The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. [1] You can paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. [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]
Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists?
Signed-in Watcharr 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 a list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [1] Check which list sources matter to you before choosing.
Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [1]
Try WatcharrSources
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