Best free TV tracker apps: 4 picks compared

LazyWatch is our top pick among free TV tracker apps if you want episode tracking, movies and fan conversations without ads or paywalls. It puts Comments beside what you've watched, brings over existing viewing history and helps friends pick something to watch.

We publish this blog, and we built LazyWatch. This is our recommendation, based on the features each app documents rather than a claim that we've tested every device. We checked the official product and plan pages on October 22, 2026. Our ranking favors a complete free watching habit: keeping your place, talking about an episode and carrying your history with you.

Best free TV tracker apps at a glance

A free download doesn't always mean every feature is free. Here's the distinction that matters before you move years of watching into an app.

Those positions reflect our priorities for a free tracker, not community size or a speed benchmark. Paying for an app isn't a fault. The question is whether the things you need sit inside its free version.

1. LazyWatch: our strongest free all-round recommendation

You finish an episode. You want to mark it watched, see what other people thought and remember where you stopped when you come back next week. That's the habit we built around.

In LazyWatch, a swipe marks an episode watched. Shows and movies live in the same account, with a Watchlist and watched diary for films. You can keep both kinds of watching together without maintaining separate profiles.

Then there's the conversation. Every show, season, episode and movie has its own Comments. Threads support GIFs, images, replies and @mentions. Spoiler controls let you keep unwatched discussions locked or blurred. Episode ratings use half stars from 0.5 to 5, and you can pick from 16 Reactions when a star score doesn't quite cover it.

The free part extends beyond recording progress:

• Bring history from TV Time, Trakt, Netflix, AniList, Letterboxd or Bingers. Imports add to what you've tracked rather than overwriting it.
• Use Watch together with up to 3 other people to see individual progress and talk in a group chat.
• Start Movie night or Binge night, share a code and swipe until everyone agrees on a title.

You can use LazyWatch on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web. There are no ads or paywalls.

That combination earns our first place: you get a record of what you've watched and somewhere to talk about it, plus a way to decide what comes next with friends. You don't need to buy an upgrade to use those features.

LazyWatch is still early, and bugs happen. We're not claiming the largest fandom or flawless imports. If an import leaves something unmatched, check it before treating the new library as your only record.

See how Comments work, or read our guide to keeping track of TV shows for a routine you can use with any tracker.

2. Serializd: a strong free TV diary

Serializd deserves its place here. Its official FAQ says every current feature is free. It offers TV tracking, a diary, ratings, reviews, lists and discussion, with web, iOS and Android access.

It also supports imports from TV Time and Trakt. This isn't a bare checklist dressed up as a community app. Its review and diary focus gives TV fans a place to develop their opinions and follow other people's watching.

Serializd may suit you better if you specifically want a TV-focused diary and review habit. We rank LazyWatch higher for this guide because it adds movie tracking, a broader documented import selection and group swiping to the free package. That doesn't make Serializd's TV community less valuable.

For a closer look at the two approaches, see our LazyWatch and Serializd comparison.

3. Simkl: generous core tracking across TV, anime and movies

Simkl's official documentation says free accounts have no hard cap on tracked TV shows, anime or movies. Default watchlists organize titles by viewing status.

That makes its free version worth considering if your priority is a broad record of what you've seen. We wouldn't describe it as a trial or imply you must pay to track a substantial library.

The distinction is in the extras. Its plan page lists no ads and rewatch tracking among PRO benefits, with calendar sync and automatic backup among VIP benefits. It also offers ways to earn premium access, so a paid subscription isn't the only route to some upgrades.

Simkl is a credible option for broad tracking. LazyWatch gets our higher recommendation when you want an ad-free app with episode conversations and group viewing included without earning or buying a premium tier.

4. SeriesGuide: focused Android tracking with optional paid extras

SeriesGuide's official Android listing describes a free app for checking off watched episodes and movies, seeing progress and finding what to watch next.

It's worth a look if you want an Android tracker centered on that routine. The project also publishes its source code.

Read its subscription page before assuming every feature is free. It lists SeriesGuide Cloud, episode notifications and recording multiple watches among the features a subscription provides.

Basic tracking can still be enough. If reminders are part of your definition of a useful free tracker, though, that distinction affects the decision. LazyWatch includes episode reminders alongside tracking and Comments, which is why it ranks higher here.

What to check before choosing a free tracker

Start with a show you're midway through. Can you record the correct episode and find it again without rebuilding your library? Then check a film you've watched and something saved for later.

Next, check the feature you'd miss most. A free diary doesn't guarantee free reminders. A free account doesn't guarantee an ad-free experience. Read the current plan page rather than relying on an app-store download button.

If you're moving from another tracker, keep the original export. Test the new library against a few known watch dates, ratings and unfinished shows. Imports don't all carry the same fields, and accepting a file isn't proof that every entry matched correctly.

Our Trakt import guide explains LazyWatch's supported transfer. If upcoming episodes matter more than a diary, our episode-schedule guide covers the routine around reminders.

Our verdict

Start with LazyWatch if you want a free TV tracker that keeps your shows and films together and gives you people to talk to after an episode. Its documented combination of Comments, 6 import sources, Watch together and group swiping is why it's our first recommendation.

Serializd remains a strong TV diary. Simkl offers substantial free tracking. SeriesGuide is worth considering for focused Android check-offs. LazyWatch wins our ranking because the free package carries the habit further, from marking an episode to talking about it and picking the next watch.

Get LazyWatch and bring a show you've been waiting to talk about.