Simkl
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you want free, automatic tracking of everything you watch, especially with Kodi, Jellyfin or Stremio setups.
Comparison
Simkl vs Serializd
Simkl and Serializd both land on Worth it.
Serializd
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you want a free, community-driven home for TV tracking, ratings, and reviews.
| Compare | Simkl | Serializd |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Worth it |
| Best for | Heavy TV and anime watchers | TV fans who log episodes |
| Who it's not for | Anyone wanting to stream . it only tracks | Movie-first users . it's TV-only; use Letterboxd |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.16 | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; Gridinsoft scores the site 87/100, and no security page is published. |
| Support quality | No evidence in sources | Ad removal handled manually via founder email |
| Public sentiment | Redditors praise Simkl's tracking depth and integrations while criticizing the official mobile app experience.⁵ | Users and fans repeatedly frame Serializd as the 'Letterboxd for TV' they wanted, and it's a common recommendation in media-tracking threads. |
| Biggest gotcha | VIP and PRO prices aren't shown in the sources reviewed; check the official features-comparison page before paying | Ad removal is a manual email to the founder . expect slow, ad-hoc support. |
Pick Simkl when
- Heavy TV and anime watchers
- Self-hosted media server users
- TV Time migrants
- Watch-history completionists
When Simkl is not a fit
- Anyone wanting to stream . it only tracks
- Casual viewers watching a few shows a year
- Teams or businesses; it's consumer-only
- People demanding a polished mobile app
Pick Serializd when
- TV fans who log episodes
- Letterboxd-style review writers
- TV Time refugees after its shutdown
- People hunting their next show via community lists
When Serializd is not a fit
- Movie-first users . it's TV-only; use Letterboxd
- All-in-one media trackers (books, games, podcasts together)
- Ad-averse users . the free tier runs ads
Sources
- Simkl Lists: TV, Anime, Movies . Google Playplay.google.comreview
- Simkl Lists . App Storeapps.apple.comofficial
- Simkl Review . The Nerdy Studentthenerdystudent.comreview
- Read Customer Service Reviews of simkl.com . Trustpilottrustpilot.comreview
review
- TV Time Alternatives megathread . Redditreddit.comreview
- Trakt.tv vs SIMKL . Wako guidewako.appreview
- Best Trakt Alternatives . Achriomachriom.comreview
official
- Is Simkl free to use?docs.simkl.orgofficial
- Lifetime VIP Plan . Simkl docsdocs.simkl.orgofficial
- SIMKL/script.simkl . Kodi scrobblergithub.comofficial
- jellyfin-plugin-simkl . GitHubgithub.comofficial
- Simkl Keeps Record of Your IM Conversations . TechCrunchtechcrunch.comnews
- Simkl security pagesimkl.comsecurity