Leaving Simkl? For movies and TV with automatic tracking, Trakt is the closest match. For a free, social TV diary, try Serializd. If films are all you care about, Letterboxd. If you want to own your data and keep anime in the same place, self-host Yamtrack. For a "what should I watch next?" list, goodrecmovies, though it can't read a Simkl export yet.
Last updated: October 2026
What Simkl does well
Know what you're replacing before you go. Simkl tracks TV, anime and movies in one account. It auto-tracks from Plex (by webhook, which needs Plex Pass), Kodi and Emby, and it has iOS, Android and Windows apps plus browser extensions (simkl.com). Its free plan covers core tracking. Some features are PRO or VIP, including imports from Trakt, TV Time and backup files (simkl.com/vip). The VIP page didn't list plan prices when we checked on October 29, 2026. For a feature-by-feature Simkl vs Trakt comparison, see the Simkl vs Trakt section of our Trakt alternatives post.
Getting your data out of Simkl
Simkl's backup page is at simkl.com/apps/backup. It offers a CSV export and a ZIP of JSON files. Simkl's docs list CSV as a PRO feature, and they disagree with each other about whether the JSON backup is free (export options). VIP members also get an automatic monthly backup. Grab whatever your plan allows before you close the account.
Simkl alternatives at a glance
As of October 29, 2026:
| Service | Best for | Tracks | Free tier | Imports from Simkl | Apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trakt | Movies and TV, auto-tracking | Movies, TV | Yes, with list caps; VIP $5.99/mo | Not listed | iOS, Android, TV apps, web |
| Serializd | Social TV diary | TV only | Fully free | No (TV Time and Trakt only) | iOS, Android, web |
| Letterboxd | Film diary and reviews | Films only | Yes; Pro $18.99/yr (US App Store) | No | iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, web |
| Yamtrack | Self-hosted, anime included | Movies, TV, anime and more | Free, you host it | Yes | Web (self-hosted) |
| goodrecmovies | What to watch next | Movies and series | Free import and suggestions | No | Web |
The picks
Trakt
The broadest movie and TV tracker, with check-ins, history, ratings and lists. Plex Sync and Streaming Sync handle the logging for you, and Streaming Sync is VIP. VIP is $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year on the US App Store. Trakt's importer takes IMDb, Letterboxd and TV Time files, but Simkl isn't on its list. Our Trakt alternatives post goes deeper on Trakt's free limits.
Serializd
The "Letterboxd for TV": rate episodes and seasons, keep a TV diary and follow friends. It's completely free and runs on web, iOS and Android. It imports from TV Time and Trakt, not Simkl, and it doesn't track films (serializd.com).
Letterboxd (films only)
The film diary and review community. It doesn't track recurring TV shows (Letterboxd support), so it only replaces the movie half of Simkl. It imports its own CSV format and IMDb exports (letterboxd.com). If you go this way, reshaping a Simkl CSV into Letterboxd's format is a do-it-yourself job.
Self-hosted
- Yamtrack: tracks movies, TV, anime and more. It imports from Trakt, Simkl, MyAnimeList, AniList and Kitsu, and can re-import on a schedule (GitHub).
- Scrob: Plex, Jellyfin and Emby scrobbling, and it imports from Trakt and Simkl (scrob.app).
- Ryot and Movary: covered in the self-hosted section of our Trakt alternatives post.
goodrecmovies (suggestions, not a tracker)
goodrecmovies doesn't track episodes, and it can't import a Simkl export today. What it does: you rate what you've seen, and it suggests what to watch next from your history, with a Taste Card. Importing is free with a Google sign-in, and it takes Letterboxd, Trakt and TV Time files at /import. We don't know of a way to get Simkl history into one of those formats, so for now you'd start fresh.
FAQ
What is the best Simkl alternative? Trakt, if you want movies and TV with automatic tracking. Serializd, if you want a free TV diary.
Is there a free Simkl alternative? Serializd is fully free. Trakt and Letterboxd have free plans. Yamtrack is free if you host it yourself.
How do I export my Simkl data? Use simkl.com/apps/backup. CSV export is PRO; check the page for what your plan includes.
Which trackers can import from Simkl? Self-hosted Yamtrack and Scrob list Simkl as an import source. Trakt, Serializd and Letterboxd don't.
What's a good Simkl alternative for anime? Yamtrack tracks anime and imports from Simkl, MyAnimeList, AniList and Kitsu, but you have to host it.
More switching guides
Ready to bring your history over? Start at goodrecmovies.com/import.