Watcharr vs MDBList in 2026

Watcharr vs MDBList compared for self-hosters: what each does, what its sources say about price and sign-in, and how each connects to Radarr and Sonarr.

By VLClean · 2026-10-10

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

MDBList is a tool for creating auto-updating movie and show lists ^[1]. Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link ^[2]. MDBList can be used for building, curating and tracking lists, according to its homepage. ^[3]

Option	Own price	Card fee	Account
MDBList	A Supporter link is shown, with Memberful and Patreon named ^[3]	not published	Login or sign-up required ^[3]
Watcharr	not published	not published	Hosted version needs no account ^[2]

The short answer

MDBList is a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to user preferences. ^[1] Watcharr takes one public IMDb list and gives you one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[2]

On needs: if you want to build and curate lists, track progress and discover titles, MDBList's homepage promotes those things. ^[3] If you want an IMDb list split into a Radarr link and a Sonarr link, Watcharr says it does that. ^[2] If you want the hosted version without an account, Watcharr says it needs nothing to install and no account. ^[2] MDBList requires login or sign-up. ^[3]

What MDBList is built for

MDBList pitches its service with the tagline "Discover. Track. Build." ^[3] Its homepage promotes building and curating lists, tracking progress on movies and shows, discovery, personalization, and use across devices. ^[3]

Its own page calls it a tool for creating dynamic, auto-updating movie and show lists tailored to your preferences. ^[1] It provides prepopulated curated lists such as Most Pirated Movies, Trakt Trending, and IMDb Most Popular. ^[1] It lets users import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. ^[1]

It combines ratings from platforms including IMDb, TMDb, Letterboxd, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, MyAnimeList, and RogerEbert, and is integrated with Stremio. ^[1] It offers Trakt.tv integration for watchlist, ratings, and progress without leaving its interface. ^[1] The site also has a Streaming Charts section ^[3] and its footer promotes a Reeel mobile app. ^[3]

What Watcharr is built for

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, including mobile-site and language-path links. ^[2] You paste one list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[2]

Radarr checks each link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[2] The same list always gives the same two links. ^[2] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[2]

For shows, it skips the ones it can't match and tells you which ones. ^[2] 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. ^[2] 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. ^[2]

Pricing and fees

MDBList's page shows a "Join as a Supporter" link, with Memberful and Patreon named beside it. ^[3] The facts gathered for this page give no price for it. Check the Supporter page before you rely on any figure.

For Watcharr, the approved claims state no price. The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[2] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. ^[2] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[2]

Neither source here states a card fee, so that part is not published for either tool.

Setting it up with your server

MDBList's pages, as gathered here, do not describe how to connect it to Plex, Radarr or Sonarr. Its pages mention Stremio integration. ^[1] An API is listed in its footer. ^[3] Check its own documentation for how its lists reach your server.

You paste one public IMDb list and copy the Radarr link and the Sonarr link. ^[2] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you without sending your key anywhere else. ^[2] In the web app you can paste, copy and browse from any screen, and the button that adds the list for you shows on bigger screens. ^[2]

After that, Radarr checks the link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[2] The page also shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[2]

Things to check before you choose

Ask these of either tool.

Does it hand your list to Radarr and Sonarr in a form they accept, and how often do they check it?
What happens to the list when a source cannot be read?
What happens to shows it cannot match to an ID Sonarr uses?
Do you need an account, and what does it cost today?
Which list sources does it take, and are they public or private?
Can several lists be combined for a household?
Does the licence fit how you plan to use it?
Where does your Radarr or Sonarr API key go?
How does it fit with Plex?

How to choose

If you want to build and curate lists and track your progress on movies and shows, MDBList's homepage describes this. ^[3] If you want prepopulated lists such as Trakt Trending or IMDb Most Popular, MDBList provides them. ^[1] If you use Trakt.tv and want it connected, MDBList offers that integration. ^[1]

If you want a public IMDb list or watchlist split into a Radarr link and a Sonarr link, Watcharr describes that. ^[2] If you want one pair of links for a household from several lists, Watcharr's signed-in feature covers that. ^[2] If you want a hosted tool with no account, Watcharr says it needs none. ^[2] If your use is commercial, note that Watcharr does not license it. ^[2]

Frequently asked questions

Is MDBList free to use?

The facts gathered here do not state a price. MDBList's page shows a "Join as a Supporter" link, with Memberful and Patreon named beside it. ^[3] MDBList shows a login or sign-up link. ^[3] Check the Supporter page for current terms and what it includes.

What does Watcharr do with an IMDb list?

You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[2] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list, including mobile-site and language-path links. ^[2]

Can MDBList import IMDb lists?

MDBList lets users import external lists from Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sources. ^[1] The facts gathered here do not say how those lists reach Radarr or Sonarr, so check its documentation for that step before relying on it.

How often do Radarr and Sonarr check a Watcharr list?

Radarr checks each link every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[2] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[2]

Can Watcharr be used for a business?

Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[2] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. ^[2] Read the licence text for your case.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[2]

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