Letterboxd ranked first among six movie tracking apps tested over several months, winning on a best-in-class movie diary, beautiful year-in-review stats, and a massive community that connects logs to discussion, despite keeping the full stats behind a paid Pro subscription. Trakt ranked second for tracking both movies and TV with episode-level detail and automatic scrobbling from media players like Plex.
If you watch more than a couple of movies a week, you've probably lost track of what you've seen. Movie tracking apps solve that — but they vary wildly in quality. Some are glorified spreadsheets, others are full-blown social networks.
We tested 6 of the most popular movie tracking apps over several months. We evaluated logging speed, stats quality, diary features, and whether each app actually helped us watch more intentionally. This review is published by TasteRay, and we've been upfront about where we rank.
Our Methodology
Each app was used for at least 30 days by two team members. We logged every movie watched, tested diary and list features, evaluated stats dashboards, and measured how quickly we could log a title from start to finish. We also compared export options and data portability.
The Rankings
Letterboxd
Pros
- Best-in-class movie diary with date, rating, and review per entry
- Beautiful year-in-review stats and lifetime viewing stats
- Massive community means your logs connect to discussions
- Lists feature is excellent for organizing watches by theme
- Export your data anytime as CSV
Cons
- Paid Pro subscription needed for full stats
- No TV series tracking
- Mobile app can feel slow when logging quickly
- Search can be clunky for lesser-known titles
The gold standard for movie tracking. If logging and stats are your priority, Letterboxd is the clear winner.
Trakt
Pros
- Tracks both movies and TV shows with episode-level granularity
- Automatic scrobbling from media players like Plex and Kodi
- Detailed stats and viewing history
- Excellent API and third-party app ecosystem
- Calendar view of upcoming episodes is very useful
Cons
- Interface feels dated compared to competitors
- VIP subscription ($30/year) needed for full features
- Community is smaller and less active than Letterboxd
- Mobile apps are third-party, not official
Best for tracking both movies and TV, especially if you use media center apps. The scrobbling integration is unmatched.
TV Time
Pros
- Episode-level tracking with progress indicators per show
- Clean mobile-first design
- Tracks both TV and movies
- Social features let you react to episodes with friends
Cons
- Movie tracking feels bolted on — TV is the focus
- Stats are basic compared to Letterboxd or Trakt
- Ads in free tier are intrusive
- Data export options are limited
Strong for TV tracking, weaker for movies. Best if TV shows are your primary focus.
IMDb
Pros
- Largest movie database in the world
- Watchlist and rating features are simple and reliable
- Your ratings carry weight — they feed into IMDb scores
- Free to use
Cons
- No diary feature — just a flat list of ratings
- No meaningful stats or year-in-review
- Interface is cluttered with ads and promotional content
- Tracking features feel like an afterthought to the database
Fine for simple rating and watchlisting, but not a serious tracking tool.
TasteRay
Pros
- AI-powered discovery means you always have something worth logging next
- Free with no limitations
- Works across all streaming platforms
- Mood-based recommendations help you watch more intentionally
Cons
- No movie diary or logging features
- No viewing stats or history tracking
- No social features
- Not built as a tracking tool — focused on discovery
Not a tracking app. But if your real problem is finding what to watch next — not logging what you already watched — TasteRay fills a gap that trackers don't.
Criticker
Pros
- Unique TCI (Taste Compatibility Index) for matching with other users
- Rating system encourages honest scoring
- Predictions improve the more you rate
Cons
- Severely dated interface
- Very small user base
- No mobile app
- Diary and stats features are minimal
- No streaming availability info
An interesting niche tool, but the dated experience makes it hard to recommend as a primary tracker.
Sources and further reading
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FAQs about Best Movie Tracking Apps in 2026 (We Tested 6)
Can I transfer my data between tracking apps?
Transferring data between tracking apps is possible for most of the six tools compared here, though the ease varies. Letterboxd and Trakt, ranked first and second, both offer straightforward CSV export, IMDb lets you export your ratings too, while TV Time and Criticker support more limited export options that may not carry every field.
Do any movie tracking apps work with smart TVs?
Trakt, ranked second in this comparison, is the strongest option for automatic tracking through smart TVs and media centers. Its integration with Plex, Kodi, and similar players logs what you watch without any manual entry, which none of the other five apps in this ranking currently replicate at the same depth.
Is Letterboxd Pro worth it for tracking?
Letterboxd Pro, the paid tier of the top-ranked app in this comparison, is worth it if you watch more than about 50 movies a year and actually care about the stats. The year-in-review, genre breakdowns, and advanced filtering on the paid tier reward serious trackers far more than casual loggers who watch occasionally.