VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

MDBList vs Trakt in 2026 for Self-Hosters

MDBList vs Trakt for self-hosters: compare list tools, published prices, and setup details, with Watcharr as another option.

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

MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. [1] Trakt is free on web, iOS and Android. [2] Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [3] MDBList's sources say it supports building lists, importing lists from other sources, and connecting with Trakt. [4] [1] [1]

OptionPriceWhat it does
MDBListSupporter membership offered; price not published [4]Creates dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists [1]
TraktFree on web, iOS and Android [2]Not published
WatcharrIts code can be read by anyone; free use is limited to non-commercial [3]One public IMDb list becomes a Radarr link and a Sonarr link [3]

The short answer

MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. [1] Trakt says it is free on web, iOS and Android. [2]

MDBList's homepage promotes building and curating lists, tracking progress on movies and shows, discovery, personalization, and use across devices. [4] MDBList's sources also say it can import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and other sources, and sync watchlist, ratings and progress with Trakt. [1] [1]

For a self-hoster comparing tools, the main check is whether the published features match the list flow needed. Watcharr is another option when the starting point is a public IMDb list. [3]

What MDBList and Trakt are built for

MDBList says its service is for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. [1] Its homepage promotes building and curating lists, tracking progress on movies and shows, discovery, personalization, and use across devices. [4]

MDBList says users can import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and other sources. [1] It also says it offers Trakt integration that syncs watchlist, ratings and progress without leaving the MDBList interface. [1]

MDBList provides curated lists such as Most Pirated Movies, Trakt Trending and IMDb Most Popular. [1] MDBList's page shows a login or sign-up link. [4]

Trakt says it is free on web, iOS and Android. [2] Check its own pages for other details.

What Watcharr is built for

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It lets a self-hoster paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [3]

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, including mobile-site and language-path links. [3] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr checks it every 5. [3]

The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [3] Watcharr skips shows it cannot match and tells you which. [3]

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [3] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, and a title on two lists is added only once. [3]

Pricing and fees

MDBList offers a Supporter membership. [4] MDBList does not publish the price of that membership.

Trakt says it is free on web, iOS and Android. [5] Watcharr's price is not published. Anyone can read its code, and free use is limited to non-commercial. [3] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [3]

Setting it up with your server

Watcharr lets a self-hoster use a public IMDb list as links for Radarr and Sonarr. [3] A bookmark clicked inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list using that app's password-like key without sending it anywhere else. [3]

The web app lets you paste, copy and browse. [3] If a user signs in, Watcharr re-reads the list about every 15 minutes and warns when a list fails three reads in a row. [3]

How to connect MDBList or Trakt to Plex, Radarr, or Sonarr is not published here. Check the current pages for the exact connection method before choosing a workflow.

Things to check before you choose

Ask where the media list starts and whether the tool accepts that source. Ask whether the tool provides the type of connection needed for Radarr, Sonarr, or another server app.

Ask how often lists update and what happens when a title cannot be matched. Ask whether an account is needed and whether the published price information covers the way the tool will be used.

Ask what information is available about Trakt's features for the workflow being planned.

How to choose

If the goal is to build and curate lists, import lists from other sources, or sync with Trakt, MDBList's sources say it provides those functions. [4] [1] [1]

If the goal is a service that is free on web, iOS and Android, Trakt says it is. [2]

If the goal is using a public IMDb list with Radarr and Sonarr links, Watcharr's claims say it provides that flow. [3] If several IMDb lists need to be combined into shared Radarr and Sonarr links, Watcharr's claims describe that option for signed-in users. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Is Trakt free?

Trakt says it is free on web, iOS and Android. [2] Check the current Trakt pages for feature details or other pricing, if a specific media workflow or account option matters.

Does MDBList work with Trakt?

MDBList says it offers Trakt integration that syncs watchlist, ratings and progress without leaving the MDBList interface. [1] MDBList also says it can import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and other sources. [1]

Does MDBList require an account?

MDBList's page shows a login or sign-up link. [4] MDBList also offers a Supporter membership. [4] MDBList does not publish the membership price.

How to send an IMDb list to Radarr and Sonarr?

Watcharr says a public IMDb list can become one link for Radarr with movies and one link for Sonarr with shows. [3] A bookmark clicked inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list using that app's password-like key without sending it elsewhere. [3]

Can Watcharr be used commercially?

Watcharr says commercial use is not licensed and no commercial licence is for sale. [3] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [3]

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [3]

Try Watcharr

Sources

  1. MDBList, docs.mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  2. Trakt, trakt.tv, read 2026-10-07
  3. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  4. MDBList, mdblist.com, read 2026-10-07
  5. Trakt, trakt.tv/vip, read 2026-10-07

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