
Key Takeaway: SIMKL is the best broad hosted choice for movie, television, and anime tracking. Ryot suits flexible personal records and documented integrations, while Yamtrack offers open-source server tracking. Choose by migration coverage and player compatibility; manual diaries remain useful when social reviews matter more than automatic scrobbling.
Losing a viewing history is frustrating, but choosing the best Trakt alternatives involves more than finding another attractive watchlist. I prioritize services that store their own records and clearly explain what imports or playback integrations actually do. A movie diary, an episode tracker, and a regional streaming guide solve different parts of the problem.
This comparison covers nine active options for movies, television, or both, from hosted communities to self-hosted databases. Each section identifies the practical tracking scope, current access model, and important limitations. You can compare automatic scrobbling with manual logging, decide what must survive migration, and avoid mistaking a Trakt companion app for an independent replacement.
Best Trakt Alternatives: Top Recommendations
| Tracker | Best For | Starting Access | Get Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIMKL | Hosted tracking across movies, TV and anime | Free core tracking | Visit Site |
| Ryot | Flexible personal tracking and integrations | Free self-hosted community edition | Visit Site |
| Yamtrack | Open-source tracking with server automation | Free software; self-hosting required | Visit Site |
| Serializd | Television diaries and community reviews | Free current features | Visit Site |
| Letterboxd | Film diaries, reviews and curated lists | Free film diary and lists | Visit Site |
1) SIMKL
SIMKL is the closest broad replacement for viewers who want movies, television, and anime in one independent account. I rank it first for its combination of progress lists, documented automatic trackers, and Trakt migration options. Core tracking is free, but advanced lists, privacy, exports, and some import access depend on the current plan.
Features:
- Mixed Catalog: Movies, television, and anime share one account, helping you avoid separate records when viewing moves between seasonal animation, ongoing dramas, and feature films.
- Progress Lists: Watching, planned, completed, on hold, and dropped statuses separate unfinished entertainment from abandoned titles, making your backlog easier to review without deleting entries.
- Playback Tracking: Supported apps and extensions record playback automatically; check your player integration because browser tracking does not automatically cover every television streaming application you use.
- Trakt Migration: The importer offers account connection and ZIP routes for history, watchlists, and ratings; confirm access requirements before assuming your migration will be free.
- Separate Sync: Scheduled Trakt imports feed activity into SIMKL but that bridge depends on Trakt; independent tracking needs a direct SIMKL integration or manual updates.
- Premium Controls: Paid tiers add custom lists and profile privacy, while VIP expands exports and backups; choose needed features rather than upgrading your account automatically.
- Anime Detail: Dedicated anime organization distinguishes animation from general television; I value this specialization when recommending one tracker for viewers whose entertainment interests span several different formats.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Movies, TV and anime together | Advanced controls require upgrades |
| Free core progress tracking | Import access can change |
| Direct automatic tracking options | |
| Documented Trakt import routes |
Pricing:
- Free: core tracking with advertising
- PRO: $34.99 billed annually
- VIP: $34.99 billed twice yearly
Link: https://simkl.com/
2) Ryot
Ryot replaces Trakt with a broader personal database for movies, shows, books, games, and other activities. I recommend it for viewers comfortable choosing between self-hosting and a managed cloud account. Documented Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, and Kodi integrations can update progress, while Trakt imports provide several migration routes with clearly stated prerequisites and limitations.
Features:
- Independent Records: Ryot holds viewing progress independently of Trakt, so manually logged films and episodes remain useful after you stop maintaining a separate Trakt profile entirely.
- Server Integrations: Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, and Kodi appear in the documentation, with webhook or polling behavior varying by source; verify your connection before expecting automatic updates.
- ZIP Import: Trakt ZIP exports bring history, ratings, watchlists, collections, lists, and comments into Ryot without an API client ID; TMDB configuration remains required for matching.
- Public Imports: Username and public list imports use Trakt’s API, with a client ID required for self-hosting; private information needs an export route instead.
- Import Reports: Ryot reports failed imports, making unresolved titles easier to inspect; back up first because repeating a transfer can create duplicates rather than repair everything.
- Broader Tracking: Films and television sit beside books, games, and fitness records; I favor that breadth for people wanting one dashboard instead of specialized social apps.
- Pro Boundaries: Some capabilities require Pro, including the browser scrobbler; separate the free community edition from paid features when estimating costs for your intended viewing setup.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Self-hosted or managed access | Self-hosting needs maintenance |
| Several documented media integrations | Some capabilities require Pro |
| Multiple Trakt migration methods | |
| Tracks more than screen entertainment |
Pricing:
- Community: free self-hosted software; hosting separate
- Cloud monthly: $6 per month
- Cloud yearly: $50 per year
Link: https://ryot.io/
3) Yamtrack
Yamtrack is a self-hosted alternative for viewers who want episode-level records and control over their database. I place it third because its official project documents Trakt imports, CSV backup, and automatic tracking from Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby. It also handles other media, but deployment, updates, and dependable backups remain your responsibility as the operator.
Features:
- Episode Records: Track television seasons individually and record episode progress, rather than treating a long series as one completed item; useful when returning after an extended break.
- Detailed History: Save scores, status, progress, repeats, dates, and notes alongside tracking actions, giving your record more context than a simple watched checkbox alone.
- Player Connections: Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby integrations automatically track newly watched media; follow their setup instructions instead of assuming ordinary account login alone enables reliable scrobbling.
- Import Scheduling: Trakt and other trackers support periodic imports; those bridges retain source dependencies, while Yamtrack’s own records continue independently when you stop using that account.
- CSV Backup: Export tracked media to CSV and import it back; I prioritize this documented portability for viewers wanting an exit path from another tracker.
- Release Calendar: An upcoming media calendar supports external subscriptions and optional Apprise notifications; configure preferred channels deliberately so release reminders remain useful rather than becoming distracting.
- Local Ownership: Docker deployment supports SQLite or PostgreSQL and individual accounts, allowing household members separate records while you manage storage, authentication, updates, and regular database backups.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free open-source software | Requires a running server |
| Season and episode tracking | Operator handles updates and backups |
| Documented server automation | |
| CSV export and reimport |
Pricing:
- Software: $0 under its open-source license
- Hosting: your existing hardware or provider cost
- Subscription: no required tracker subscription
Link: https://github.com/FuzzyGrim/Yamtrack
4) Serializd
Serializd is a genuine television-focused replacement with its own account, watched episodes, ratings, reviews, and community lists. I recommend it when discussing shows matters more than automatically detecting playback. Its official Trakt importer transfers selected television data without overwriting existing records, but movies, text reviews, and custom lists are outside that documented migration scope.
Features:
- TV Focus: Shows, seasons, and episodes receive dedicated attention, making Serializd suitable for television enthusiasts; keep a separate diary if films substantially feature in your viewing.
- Manual Logging: Mark watched episodes directly in Serializd; treat it as a manual diary rather than promising automatic playback detection across all of your streaming devices.
- Trakt Transfer: The importer brings watched shows, episode history, ratings, and watchlists; existing watched marks and ratings are skipped rather than overwritten during your migration.
- Missing Categories: Text reviews and custom Trakt lists do not transfer through the importer, so save those separately and recreate only collections you still need.
- Community Discovery: Member reviews and curated lists provide television recommendations; I favor this conversational approach for viewers enjoying unfamiliar series discovered through other people’s opinions.
- Viewing Statistics: Statistics include completed shows and time spent watching, helping you reflect on viewing habits without requiring an automatic connection to a media server.
- Device Access: Web, iOS, and Android access lets you update one account from your preferred screen; these tracking interfaces do not supply actual episodes to watch.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| All current features free | Television only |
| Independent episode tracking | No universal automatic scrobbling |
| Official selective Trakt importer | |
| Active television review community |
Pricing:
- Membership: $0
- Current features: no paid tier
- Playback: external viewing access remains separate
Link: https://www.serializd.com/
5) Letterboxd
Letterboxd is the strongest specialist here for people replacing Trakt’s movie diary and social discovery features. I choose it for film reviews, dated diary entries, ratings, and flexible lists rather than television episode tracking. Its free CSV importer can preserve useful movie records after conversion, while Pro and Patron add optional statistics and profile benefits.
Features:
- Film Diary: Record watched films with dates, ratings, reviews, and rewatch flags, giving repeat viewings a place in history rather than merely counting each movie once.
- Watchlist Sorting: Save films for later and organize themed lists separately; unlimited core films, diary entries, reviews, ratings, and lists are available through a free account.
- CSV Transfer: Import supported CSV into your account, lists, or watchlist; convert Trakt exports to expected columns and inspect matching before confirming a bulk movie transfer.
- Exact Matching: TMDB IDs, IMDb IDs, or Letterboxd links improve matching, while titles need review; calendar dates replace timestamps, so handle time zones before data conversion.
- Film Community: Follow reviewers and explore member collections to discover films; I value written criticism when recommending a tracker for people who discuss cinema.
- Optional Pro: Pro removes third-party ads and adds statistics, streaming filters, and availability notifications; conveniences enhance film diaries without turning them into television scrobbling software.
- Import Limits: The importer limits files to one megabyte and has no undo after confirmation; split large collections carefully and retain your original movie export backup.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free unlimited core movie records | Not an episode tracker |
| Rich film reviews and discovery | Trakt data requires conversion |
| Free CSV import | |
| Useful optional personal statistics |
Pricing:
- Free: core diary, ratings and lists
- Pro: $19 per year before applicable sales tax
- Patron: $49 per year before applicable sales tax
Link: https://letterboxd.com/
6) MyShows
MyShows offers independent movie and television records with an emphasis on episode progress and discussion. I include it for viewers who prefer an established hosted tracker over running their own server. Its PRO features cover rewatches, calendar subscriptions, privacy, and exports, but prospective users should inspect player compatibility and migration options before expecting Trakt-style automation everywhere.
Features:
- Series Progress: Track watched episodes and remaining television viewing through MyShows, helping you resume a series without relying on the history stored in another tracker.
- Movie Records: Movie tracking sits alongside television records, making MyShows broader than television-only diaries; distinguish a planned film from one already completed through your title records.
- Episode Discussion: Comments support discussion of individual releases with other viewers; consider spoilers when browsing conversations before completing an episode or starting a recommended series.
- Rewatch Controls: PRO records repeat viewings and adjusts recent watch dates; hiding specials or skipped episodes reduces clutter in the unwatched list for ongoing shows.
- Calendar Subscription: PRO synchronizes upcoming episodes with personal calendars using iCal; I appreciate separating release reminders from manually recording what you watched each evening.
- Privacy Options: Paid controls restrict profile visibility and connected social details, while PRO exports selected data; check included records before planning a complete viewing history migration.
- Automation Limits: Automatic episode tracking is advertised as a PRO benefit, but compatibility is player-specific; verify your setup instead of assuming support for Trakt integrations.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Movies and television supported | Privacy and export benefits paid |
| Useful episode discussions | Player automation requires verification |
| Optional calendar and rewatch tools | |
| Hosted account avoids server upkeep |
Pricing:
- Core account: free tracking access
- PRO monthly: currently advertised at $2.49
- PRO annual: currently advertised at $19.99
Link: https://en.myshows.me/
7) Watcharr
Watcharr provides an independent watched library for movies, television, anime, and optionally games. I recommend it for people seeking a straightforward self-hosted collection with ratings, thoughts, tags, and discovery. Its documented Trakt importer can move selected records, while media-server integrations and community tools need careful distinction from a guaranteed automatic scrobbling pipeline across every player.
Features:
- Watched Library: Store watching, planned, and completed content with season and episode support; filtering, sorting, and pinning bring important unfinished films and television titles forward.
- Personal Thoughts: Ratings and thoughts add context, while activity history shows watched-item changes, making the library useful as more than a backlog.
- Custom Organization: Tags reflect your viewing habits; I prefer lightweight organization when a large database needs grouping without extensive social features or complex rules.
- Trakt Import: Trakt imports require a public profile and optionally your API key; back up first because transfers are not easily reversible after completion.
- Discovery Pages: Details include trailers, cast, similar titles, and regional providers, helping you explore while keeping actual playback separate from your tracker’s viewing records.
- Server Connections: Jellyfin and Plex integrations are listed; check functions individually, since authentication or a playback button does not establish universal watched-history synchronization support automatically.
- Community Extensions: A community Kodi plugin automates watched updates, but the project gives no assurances for third-party tools; review compatibility before daily use.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free self-hosted software | Server upkeep remains yours |
| Tags, ratings and thoughts | Automation differs by integration |
| Movies, episodes and anime | |
| Documented Trakt import |
Pricing:
- Software: $0 under GPLv3
- Hosting: hardware or provider expenses apply
- Premium membership: no required paid tracker tier
Link: https://watcharr.app/
8) JustWatch
JustWatch combines independent watchlists with provider discovery and manual television progress. I suggest it when the biggest frustration is remembering what to watch and where it is available. It can organize watched episodes and notify you about releases, but it should not be treated as a complete Trakt migration destination or universal media-player scrobbler.
Features:
- Regional Availability: Select your country and services to locate subscriptions, rentals, and purchases; confirm availability on the provider before paying for film or television playback.
- Account Watchlist: A free account keeps your watchlist accessible across devices, saving recommendations without tying the collection to a Trakt account or a streaming subscription.
- TV Progress: Track Show marks seen episodes or seasons and separates continuing, unstarted, and caught-up shows; this provides manual management rather than universal automatic scrobbling.
- Release Notifications: Tracked series can trigger release notifications when enabled, reducing repeated availability checks; device permissions determine whether apps can deliver reminders to phones.
- Custom Lists: Free members get two custom lists, while Pro allows one hundred; shared collections can be filtered for titles available through your selected streaming providers.
- Discovery Filters: Provider filters simplify backlogs; I recommend prioritizing titles included in subscriptions you already hold before renting something simply because it appears prominently in discovery.
- Scope Boundaries: JustWatch organizes choices and progress, but no complete native Trakt importer was confirmed; retain original records if detailed viewing timestamps and rewatches matter most.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Useful regional provider discovery | Not a complete Trakt importer |
| Free cross-device watchlist | Advanced discovery features paid |
| Manual episode and season progress | |
| Shareable custom lists |
Pricing:
- Core account and watchlist: $0
- Pro: monthly price displayed in your app or region
- Movies and shows: provider charges remain separate
Link: https://www.justwatch.com/
9) The Movie Database (TMDB)
The Movie Database is an independent catalog with personal watchlists, favorites, ratings, and mixed movie and television lists. I include it as a simpler discovery-oriented alternative for people who do not need a detailed scrobbling history. Its broad community metadata is useful for organizing recommendations, but it is not a direct replacement for Trakt’s episode automation.
Features:
- Mixed Watchlists: Maintain a movie and television watchlist in your own TMDB account, providing somewhere to save recommendations without needing a linked Trakt profile.
- Custom Collections: Build mixed movie and television lists around themes, cast members, or viewing goals, keeping related recommendations together rather than scattering bookmarks across browser tabs.
- Favorites Ratings: Favorites and ratings identify titles worth revisiting and inform recommendations; treat preferences separately from a timestamped record of every television episode you have watched.
- Catalog Discovery: Browse popular films, releases, seasons, and cast information; I appreciate shared metadata when comparing similarly named titles before organizing them into a collection.
- Regional Context: International metadata supports discovery beyond one country, while streaming information locates providers; availability listings remain informational and need confirmation before purchasing any viewing access.
- Community Contributions: Members discuss titles and improve database details, contributing missing information when appropriate; this collaborative catalog role differs from personal playback tracking through automatic scrobbling.
- Simple Scope: Personal features are free, but full Trakt migration and universal episode scrobbling were not confirmed; choose a dedicated tracker when detailed viewing history matters most.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free personal account | Basic tracking scope |
| Movies and TV in mixed lists | No confirmed complete Trakt importer |
| Extensive community metadata | |
| Favorites and rating features |
Pricing:
- Personal membership: $0
- Personal watchlists and lists: included
- Developer or business API use: separate terms apply
Link: https://www.themoviedb.org/
How We Ranked Independent Trakt Replacements
The ranking prioritizes a tracker’s own records, documented migration paths, supported automation, and clear limits. Specialist diaries remain useful, but they cannot substitute for every Trakt feature.
- Own Database: Each option stores records independently of Trakt, excluding apps displaying or updating a Trakt account through a different interface rather than creating their own database.
- Migration Evidence: Official documentation establishes what transfers, including watched history, dates, ratings, and lists; missing categories are identified instead of assuming an import preserves your account.
- Automation Evidence: Documented player integrations receive priority for scrobbling needs, while manual diaries are labelled accordingly; a supported login alone does not prove playback synchronization exists.
- Practical Cost: Free access, paid boundaries, and hosting expenses influence suitability, with regional or dynamic prices identified rather than presenting an unverified global subscription figure as definitive.
- Usable Focus: Movie diaries, television communities, and discovery lists are evaluated within their scope, helping readers select a match instead of expecting identical capabilities from every ranked platform.
Move Your Trakt History Without Losing Important Records
Migration succeeds when you decide which records matter before importing. Preserve an untouched export, compare matching rules, and review a small sample before transferring years of viewing history.
- Save Originals: Keep an unchanged Trakt export privately, preserving history, ratings, watchlists, and custom lists even when your destination imports only selected categories rather than the entire account.
- Choose Format: SIMKL and Ryot document ZIP routes, while Serializd imports selected television records; Letterboxd expects supported movie CSV columns rather than an unchanged Trakt archive.
- Review Matching: Compare movie identifiers, television seasons, anime specials, and episode numbering before accepting results, since databases describe releases differently and can silently match a similar title.
- Preserve Dates: Check dates and repeat viewings against originals when converting timestamps to calendar dates; correct title counts alone do not establish complete preservation of your viewing history.
- Avoid Repeats: Inspect reports and unmatched items before rerunning a transfer, following overwrite rules; some importers merge missing records while others can create duplicate history requiring cleanup.
Choose Automatic Scrobbling or a Manual Viewing Diary
Automatic tracking depends on your player sending useful playback events. Manual diaries offer a different advantage: deliberate ratings, episode notes, and fewer integration dependencies across your viewing setup.
- Hosted Automation: Examine SIMKL for direct supported tracking, confirming your exact app or extension; a Netflix browser integration does not cover every television device for entertainment.
- Server Automation: Ryot and Yamtrack document media-server connections, making them useful for server owners; verify account mapping and completion status before trusting future automatic updates to viewing progress.
- Manual Diaries: Serializd emphasizes television conversation, while Letterboxd emphasizes films; choose these specialists when opinions and intentional logging matter more than recording every playback event automatically across devices.
- Hybrid Workflows: You can combine a server tracker with a review community, but decide which record is authoritative so conflicting imports do not repeatedly restore outdated watchlist entries.
- Confirm Direction: One-way imports and bidirectional synchronization differ; check which destination changes after playback and whether edits made there are ever sent back to your connected media player.
Check Free Plans, Hosting Costs, and Watch-History Privacy
A free tracker can still charge for privacy, exports, or advanced lists. Self-hosting changes the cost structure and gives you operational responsibility for protecting a database of viewing habits.
- Feature Boundaries: Compare list allowances, visibility, calendars, and exports before committing, because free watched checkboxes can coexist with paid tools needed for your planned long-term personal tracking workflow.
- Recurring Bills: Check billing frequency rather than monthly equivalents; SIMKL VIP is billed twice yearly, while Ryot cloud has distinct monthly and annual payments with different overall costs.
- Hosting Expenses: Yamtrack and Watcharr have no required tracker subscription, but hardware, storage, backups, and hosting cost money; include maintenance time when comparing them with a managed service.
- Profile Visibility: Inspect public lists, social activity, and profile defaults before importing private viewing records, especially when profile privacy or selected data-export capabilities are reserved for paying members.
- Access Cleanup: Keep webhook links and tokens private, remove obsolete connections after verification, and retain exports separately so closing an account does not erase your only history backup.
Keep Firestick Playback Separate from Your New Tracker
A tracker organizes viewing records; your Firestick still needs a playback app. Changing the history destination works only when that app or its media server supports the connection.
- Confirm Compatibility: Look for a documented tracker connection in your player or server; an app supporting Trakt does not automatically support SIMKL or Ryot.
- Use Companion Screens: A phone or browser can update manual diaries while watching on Firestick, so a missing television tracker app need not prevent keeping progress records.
- Verify Playback: Play an authorized sample after configuring a supported connection, confirming title, episode, account, and completion status; authentication success alone does not prove reliable event delivery.
- Existing Trakt Setup: If you retain Trakt, the Trakt Stremio setup guide explains that integration; this connection does not establish native support for another tracker.
- Continue Independently: If your player lacks a replacement integration, use manual logging or a supported server route; keeping a Trakt import bridge retains dependency on Trakt.
Verdict: Which Trakt Replacement Fits Your Viewing?
SIMKL leads for broad hosted tracking across movies, television, and anime, provided its supported integrations and plan boundaries fit your needs. Ryot is the more flexible personal dashboard, while Yamtrack favors self-hosted episode records and server automation. Keep migration coverage, future tracking, and data portability ahead of appearance when deciding where your viewing history should live.
- SIMKL: Best hosted starting point for mixed entertainment, independent progress lists, and supported direct tracking, with advanced features and import access checked separately.
- Ryot: Best flexible dashboard for broader personal records, several migration routes, and documented media integrations, with managed cloud or self-hosted access available.
- Yamtrack: Best open-source server option for episode records, repeat viewing, CSV portability, and automatic updates from supported media servers under your own management.
FAQs
What is the best overall Trakt alternative?
SIMKL is the closest broad hosted alternative for movies, TV, and anime, with independent records and documented tracking integrations. Ryot and Yamtrack are stronger candidates when self-hosting and media-server automation matter more than a ready-made hosted community.
Which Trakt alternatives are free?
SIMKL offers free core tracking, Serializd’s current features are free, and Letterboxd has a free film diary. Yamtrack and Watcharr are free software with separate hosting expenses. Advanced privacy, exports, or discovery features may still require payment elsewhere.
Can I import my Trakt watch history?
SIMKL, Ryot, Yamtrack, Watcharr, and Serializd document Trakt import options with different requirements and coverage. Letterboxd needs supported movie CSV data. Preserve your original export and verify dates, ratings, rewatches, and unmatched episodes before relying on the result.
Which alternatives support automatic scrobbling?
SIMKL supports documented automatic trackers, while Ryot and Yamtrack list several media-server integrations. Support depends on the exact player and connection. Serializd and Letterboxd should be approached as manual diaries rather than universal automatic playback detectors.
Is TV Time still a recommended alternative?
TV Time’s official website now displays a farewell message thanking its community, so it is excluded from this active-options ranking. Choose a currently maintained service and verify its import coverage rather than following older comparisons that still recommend it.
Is a Trakt addon the same as an independent tracker?
A Trakt addon connects a player to Trakt and still relies on that service. The best Trakt addons guide covers those integrations. An independent tracker stores its own records and needs a supported direct connection or manual logging.
