MDBList vs Traktarr in 2026
MDBList vs Traktarr for self-hosters: what each tool does, what its sources say about price and setup, and how Watcharr compares for IMDb lists.
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. [1] Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find movies and shows to add to Radarr and Sonarr. [2] Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link and a Sonarr link. [3]
| Option | Own price or plan | Card fee | Main source of lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDBList | Supporter sign-up; price not published [4] | not published | Its own lists, plus imported lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and others [1] |
| Traktarr | not published | not published | Trakt.tv [2] |
| Watcharr | not published | not published | One public IMDb list [3] |
The short answer
MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists. [1] Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [2] Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives you one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [3]
If you want to keep your Trakt.tv watchlist, ratings and progress in step with a list site, MDBList's page says it offers that. [1] If you want a program that uses Trakt.tv to find movies and shows for Radarr and Sonarr, Traktarr's page says that is what it does, and it lists an automatic scheduled setup. [2] [2] If your source is a public IMDb watchlist or list, Watcharr says it accepts those. [3]
What MDBList and Traktarr are built for
MDBList. Its homepage promotes building and curating lists, tracking progress on movies and shows, discovery, personalization, and use across devices. [4] It provides curated lists such as Most Pirated Movies, Trakt Trending, and IMDb Most Popular. [1] Users can import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. [1] It combines ratings from IMDb, TMDb, Letterboxd, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, MyAnimeList, and RogerEbert. [1] The site also has a Streaming Charts section and a Reeel mobile app. [4] [4]
Traktarr. It uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [2] Its page lists support for official Trakt lists and public lists. [2] [2] It also supports private lists. [2] It can add single or multiple movies to Radarr, and single or multiple shows to Sonarr. [2] [2] [2] [2] It supports multiple authenticated users. [2]
What Watcharr is built for
Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [3] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, including mobile-site and language-path links. [3]
Radarr checks the link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [3] The same list always gives the same two links. [3] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [3]
For shows, it matches each show so Sonarr can add it, skips ones it can't match, and tells you which. [3] 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. [3] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title on two lists is added only once. [3] The page also shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. [3]
Pricing and fees
MDBList's page has a Supporter sign-up link. [4] MDBList's price is not published. MDBList's page also shows a Login / Sign Up link. [4]
Traktarr's price is not published.
Watcharr's price is not published. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [3] 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, and older versions remain under MIT. [3]
Card fee: not published for any option.
Setting it up with your server
MDBList. Check MDBList's pages for a Radarr or Sonarr connection. Its page shows a Login / Sign Up link. [4] Check its own pages for how its lists reach your server.
Traktarr. It adds movies to Radarr and shows to Sonarr. [2] [2] It needs the Python programming tool installed, version 3.5 or newer. [2] Its page names Debian, a Linux system, and says it can work in other operating systems as well. [2] Its page lists an automatic scheduled setup. [2] Check Traktarr's page if Plex matters to you.
Watcharr. You paste, copy and browse in the web app on any screen, and on bigger screens a one-click button also shows. [3] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's own access key without sending it anywhere else. [3] Radarr then checks the link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [3] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [3]
Things to check before you choose
Where do your lists live today: Trakt.tv, IMDb, or somewhere else? Ask each tool whether its own pages name that source.
Do you need the tool to talk to Radarr and Sonarr directly, or will you add titles yourself from a list site? Ask what the tool does after a list is built.
Can you run what it needs? Some tools need the Python programming tool installed on your machine. Check the requirements on each page.
Do you need private lists, or several people sharing one setup? Check how each tool handles that.
What will it cost, and does the licence cover how you plan to use it? Where a price is not published, ask before you rely on it.
How often does it refresh, and what happens when a read fails? Look for the answer in the tool's own description.
How to choose
If you want to build and curate lists, follow ratings from several sites, or keep Trakt.tv progress in one place, MDBList's pages describe those features. [4] [1] [1]
If your lists are on Trakt.tv and you want movies sent to Radarr and shows sent to Sonarr, Traktarr's page says that is what it does. [2] If you also want more than one user, its page lists that. [2] It also supports private lists. [2]
If your list is a public IMDb list and you want ready-made links for Radarr and Sonarr, Watcharr says it does that. [3] If a household shares several IMDb lists, it can combine them for signed-in users. [3] If you plan any commercial use, note that it is not licensed. [3]
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MDBList and Traktarr?
MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists. [1] Traktarr uses Trakt.tv to find shows and movies to add to Sonarr and Radarr. [2] MDBList centres on creating lists. [1] Traktarr centres on adding titles to Sonarr and Radarr. [2]
Does Traktarr work with Radarr and Sonarr?
Its page says it can add single or multiple movies to Radarr. [2] [2] It can also add single or multiple shows to Sonarr. [2] [2] Check Traktarr's page if Plex matters to you.
Is MDBList free or paid?
MDBList's page has a Supporter sign-up link. [4] The price is not published. Its page also shows a Login / Sign Up link. [4] Check its own site for what the membership includes and costs.
What does Traktarr need to run?
It needs the Python programming tool installed, version 3.5 or newer. [2] Its page names Debian, a Linux system, and says it can work in other operating systems as well. [2] It also lists an automatic scheduled setup. [2] Its price is not published.
How can an IMDb list work with Radarr and Sonarr?
Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives you one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [3] Radarr checks the link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [3] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [3]
Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [3]
Try WatcharrSources
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