JustWatch, Letterboxd, Trakt: Which App Should You Use to Manage Your Watchlist?

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Struggling to remember which episodes you've watched or how to find where your favorite movie is streaming? On iOS Today, the hosts explore the top apps and strategies to help you track, organize, and stay up-to-date with everything you want to watch. Especially useful as streaming services and content options multiply.

Why Managing Your Watchlist Is Essential

With so many streaming services, remembering what you want to see—and where it’s available—has become confusing. Missing new episodes or losing track of films you love is all too common.

On iOS Today, Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard found that relying solely on the built-in Apple TV app won't always give you the full picture, especially since some major services like Netflix don’t fully integrate. Supplementing Apple's options with dedicated watchlist apps helps keep everything together.

Top Apps for Tracking What to Watch

JustWatch: Find Where to Stream Anything

JustWatch is a free app and website that lets you search for movies and shows and instantly see where they’re available for streaming, renting, or purchase, tailored to your country and subscriptions. Rosemary Orchard explained that you can mark which services you subscribe to, so your results are personalized (for example, showing you if The Princess Bride is available on Amazon, Apple TV, or with ads on YouTube).

JustWatch stands out for its neutrality. Unlike some competitors, it doesn't unfairly prioritize certain platforms due to advertising partnerships. It works worldwide and is perfect for sharing viewing ideas with friends wherever they are.

Letterboxd: Social Movie Logging

Letterboxd is praised as a cultural phenomenon for film fans. You can log, rate, and review films, and see your friends’ takes, making it a social conversation starter. Mikah Sargent noted it's less about show tracking and more about film discovery, personal ratings, and social sharing (think “Top 5 Movies" and community reviews). It’s free with optional paid features for removing ads.

Trakt: A Flexible List and History Tracker

Trakt (also a website and app) is ideal for managing multiple watchlists, tracking watched history across movies and TV, and even integrating with your own home media server (like Plex). Free to use, with a premium option for extra features like syncing to personal Plex libraries.

Rosemary Orchard highlighted Trakt's calendar view, which shows upcoming and recent air dates for your marked shows, with no need to guess when Zootopia 2 or your next series will drop! You can build different lists (holiday movies, shows to watch with friends, etc.) and keep them private or shareable.

Apple TV's Up Next Queue

The built-in Apple TV app features an “Up Next” queue to track progress for most major streaming apps—except Netflix, which doesn’t integrate in the US. When new episodes drop, you’re notified right away.

Mikah Sargent’s tips:

• If a show fails to load, force-quit the third-party app and reopen it, or use “Go to Episode” for better results.
• Curate your Up Next queue by quickly removing irrelevant shows for a tailored experience.

The Big Screen Takeaway

• No single app covers everything perfectly—especially since services like Netflix restrict integration. Layering multiple solutions (Apple TV Up Next + JustWatch/Trakt/Letterboxd) is the winning approach.
• JustWatch is the best for figuring out “where can I stream this?”
• Trakt offers the richest set of tools for serious list-makers and those who watch on multiple devices.
• Letterboxd is a must for movie enthusiasts who love social discovery and sharing.
• Don’t overlook buying digital copies of favorites on Apple TV to guarantee permanent access, as streaming rights often change.

For the most stress-free viewing experience, set up the right tools now, and holiday binge-watching (or just everyday watching) will get a lot easier. Whether you’re organizing a family movie night, trying to keep up with new episodes, or sharing your faves with friends, these apps save you time, money, and hassle.

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