Comparisons
CouchReel vs Simkl (2026)
Updated Sep 16, 2026
Last checked 2026-09-16 (live re-verified — all figures below confirmed unchanged from the 2026-09-15 check).
Simkl is the automation-heavy tracker for people who want everything logged without touching a checkbox — scrobbling from Plex, Kodi, Netflix, Crunchyroll and more, across TV, anime, and movies in one catalog (140K+ TV shows, 14.8K+ anime, 1.18M+ movies as of this check).
What Simkl does well
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Automatic tracking is the headline feature: connect a media server or streaming service once and Simkl logs what you watch without manual check-ins.
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The widest content scope of any tracker in this set — TV, anime, and movies together, with 2-way MyAnimeList sync for anime fans (VIP).
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A real developer API and 20+ free import sources (Letterboxd, MAL, Anilist, IMDb, Netflix, Kitsu, BetaSeries, custom CSV) for getting started.
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All-time stats are free forever for every account.
Where Simkl stops
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The free tier is ad-supported and feature-limited. Custom lists, rewatch tracking, personalized recommendations, a private profile, and manual CSV backup are gated behind PRO or VIP — the free plan runs on the five default watchlists (Watching, Plan to Watch, Completed, On Hold, Dropped) plus ads, unless you earn free PRO by visiting 20+ days a month.
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Two paid tiers, both real money: PRO is $34.99/year ($2.91/mo); VIP is $34.99 billed twice a year ($69.98/year, live-verified 2026-09-16) for JSON/CSV/RSS export, auto-backup, and iCal sync. A Lifetime VIP option runs $249 one-time. (Also newly observed, not previously documented: a $2.99/mo "Students and Teachers" VIP-monthly plan and a $1/mo "Supporter" tier — niche variants that don't change the core PRO/VIP/Lifetime anchors used elsewhere.)
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Importing from Trakt or TV Time, or restoring a JSON backup, is a paid-only feature — a free account can import from 20+ other services but not from two of the largest trackers a switcher is likely coming from.
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No household or shared-decision concept. Automation and stats are all scoped to one account; "watch with friends" (PRO+) compares two people's lists, but there's no joint watchlist or a pick made for the room.
What CouchReel does differently
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Free means free for the core loop — no ad-supported tier gating basic lists, and no upsell required to import from Trakt or TV Time specifically.
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A decision engine, not just automated logging. Simkl tells you what you've watched, fast and hands-off; CouchReel tells you what to watch tonight, for everyone in the room.
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Built for the household, where Simkl's automation and stats are built for the individual account, even in its social "watch with friends" feature.
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A real web app plus native apps from one codebase — Simkl's apps span more platforms (Kodi, Windows, browser extensions) individually, but nothing there is shared-household aware.
The one-line version
Simkl is the best automatic, hands-off tracker for solo completionists across TV, anime, and movies — with real money behind its deeper features. CouchReel is free at the core, decides for the room instead of just logging for one person, and doesn't charge extra to import your Trakt or TV Time history.