TV Track vs Simkl

Where Simkl is genuinely better

Simkl has years of history and it shows in a few places. First, anime: it maintains a very large database that covers TV shows, movies and anime together, and dedicated anime viewers tend to find deeper coverage there. Second, media-server sync: Simkl integrates with Plex and Kodi, so episodes can be tracked as they play through your own setup. Third, reach and maturity: alongside iOS, Android, Windows and web, Simkl offers a Chrome extension, imports from 21 or more services including TV Time, Trakt and BetaSeries, and has an episode calendar, push notifications for new episodes, iCal sync and in-depth stats. If your world revolves around anime or a home media server, Simkl is a strong, proven hub, and TV Track does not try to replace that.

That breadth is real. A Chrome extension means you can add a title to your list straight from a browser tab, and Plex or Kodi integration means a lot of your tracking can happen without you lifting a finger, which is genuinely convenient if you watch mostly through a self-hosted library. The 21 plus import sources also make Simkl an easy landing spot if you are consolidating years of history from several older apps at once. For anime specifically, the depth of alternate titles, seasons and specials is hard to beat, and long-time users have built up watch histories and stats there that they understandably do not want to abandon. None of that is in question here, and if those are your priorities, Simkl remains an excellent choice.

Where TV Track wins

For the everyday job of tracking what you watch on your phone, TV Track is faster, friendlier and completely free. Both apps are free at their core, but TV Track has no ads and no premium tier at all, so nothing you rely on can move behind a paywall later. TV Track is a single installable web app that looks and works identically on iPhone, Android and desktop, with a free native Android app on Google Play. Its TV Time GDPR import is the highest-fidelity around, preserving your real watch dates, and its two-way Trakt sync keeps watched episodes, movies and ratings aligned on app open and on demand. Re-importing never duplicates, so you can safely merge TV Time, Trakt, Letterboxd, Watchfolio and Refract into one library. On top of that you get a free daily release push at 9am, watch stats by time and genre, custom lists with drag-and-drop and custom covers, ratings out of 10 with written reviews and 12 community reactions, comments with photos and GIFs that auto-translate across languages, favorite-character voting per title, and 7 interface languages. Everything stays private by design, with no forced social feed. And you can take it all with you: one click exports your entire account as a .zip of CSV and JSON, so there is no lock-in.

The details add up in daily use. The automatic "up next" queue always surfaces the next unwatched episode for every show you are following, so opening the app answers the one question you actually have, which is what to watch tonight. The release calendar plus that free 9am push means you hear about new episodes the morning they land, without paying for the privilege. Custom lists let you pick a cover and reorder titles by dragging, so a "weekend binge" or "with the family" list looks the way you want it. Ratings run out of 10 with room for a full written review, and live community averages plus 12 quick reactions give each title a pulse without turning the app into a social network you have to manage. Comments support photos and GIFs and auto-translate across languages, which matters when a show has fans in seven different countries, and you can even vote for your favorite character on any title. Under all of it, TV Track is private by design: there is no forced feed, and anime is ordered using TVDB numbering so long-running series stay coherent.

The migration story is the clincher for most people leaving another app. Because re-importing never creates duplicates and preserves your real watch dates, you can bring in TV Time, Trakt, Letterboxd, Watchfolio and Refract in any order and end up with one clean, accurate library rather than a tangle. The two-way Trakt sync then keeps that library honest over time, pushing and pulling watched episodes, movies and ratings whenever you open the app or ask it to. In short, you keep your history, you keep your options open, and you pay nothing.

TV Track vs Simkl, side by side

Comparison based on publicly available information, July 2026. Check simkl.com for current features and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Is TV Track or Simkl better?

It depends on what you watch. Simkl wins if anime is central to your viewing, or if you want Plex and Kodi sync or its Chrome extension, backed by a very large database and a long track record. TV Track wins if you want a fully free, no-ads all-rounder for TV shows and movies with an automatic "up next" queue, a release calendar with free daily reminders, stats, custom lists, ratings and reviews, working the same on iPhone, Android and desktop. Both are free at their core, so the honest way to decide is to try TV Track with your real library.

Can I move from Simkl to TV Track?

Yes, indirectly. TV Track imports in one click from TV Time, Trakt, Letterboxd, Watchfolio and Refract, and many people already mirror their history to one of those services. Re-importing never duplicates and your real watch dates are preserved, so nothing overwrites your library and you can merge multiple sources safely.

Is Simkl free?

Based on publicly available information, Simkl offers free core tracking with no paywall on how many shows you track, plus an optional VIP membership for extra perks. TV Track is fully free with no ads and no premium tier, so everything is included for everyone.

Does Simkl track anime?

Yes. Simkl is especially strong for anime and has a very large database covering TV shows, movies and anime alike. TV Track also tracks anime and uses TVDB episode ordering, but Simkl remains the deeper choice for dedicated anime fans.

Does TV Track have an app?

TV Track is a single installable web app (PWA) that behaves the same on iPhone, Android and desktop, with instant updates, plus a free native Android app on Google Play. Simkl offers iOS, Android, Windows, web and a Chrome extension.