I Like Movies vs Trakt
This page is written by the developer of I Like Movies. A comparison written by one side is not neutral, so it names where the other app is the better choice and does not score anything.
I Like Movies as a Trakt alternative
Trakt is the tracking backbone of the home-media world. It records what you watch automatically from media servers and players, and a whole ecosystem of apps is built on top of it.
I Like Movies is a phone app with no setup, aimed at the moment before you press play rather than the record of having pressed it. Which one fits depends almost entirely on how you watch.
Where Trakt is better
Automatic tracking
This is the reason Trakt exists. Plex, Kodi, Infuse and a long list of players scrobble to it, so your history writes itself. I Like Movies has no scrobbling at all; you mark things watched yourself. If you run a media server, Trakt is the right tool and this page will save you the install.
The ecosystem
Trakt’s API powers dozens of third-party apps, and your Trakt account follows you across all of them. I Like Movies is one app, not a platform.
Cross-platform reach
Trakt has a full web app and clients on effectively everything. I Like Movies is Android only today, with iOS in development.
Depth of history features
Years of check-ins, comments, lists and VIP statistics. A mature product with a decade of accumulated features for people who love the record itself.
What is different in I Like Movies
Nothing to set up
No media server, no connections, no player integrations. Install the app, import from Letterboxd or IMDb if you have a history there, and it works.
Built for deciding, not just recording
AI collections rebuilt monthly from your own ratings, an assistant you can ask in plain language, and streaming availability per country. Trakt records what you watched; this is mostly about what you watch next.
A household shares one library
One watchlist and one watched history for the people you live with. Trakt accounts are personal; lists can be shared, but there is no shared household library.
No ads at any tier
I Like Movies has no advertising. Trakt is free with ads and sells VIP to remove them and unlock extras.
Feature by feature
| Feature | I Like Movies | Trakt |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android (iOS in development) | Web, iOS, Android, many third-party apps |
| Automatic scrobbling | No | Yes, from media servers and players |
| TV and episode tracking | Yes, per episode | Yes, per episode |
| AI recommendations | Yes, from your own ratings | No |
| Shared household library | Yes | No, personal accounts |
| Streaming availability | Yes, per country | Yes |
| Third-party app ecosystem | No | Yes, a large one |
| Import | Letterboxd .zip, IMDb .csv | Several importers |
| Price | Free, no ads | Free with ads; VIP subscription |
Moving your library
There is no Trakt import, and it is better you know that before installing. Imports read a Letterboxd .zip or an IMDb .csv, and a Trakt export is neither, so a Trakt library starts fresh here and rebuilds as you use the app. Marking a season watched takes a tap.
What I Like Movies does not do
- There is no iPhone app yet. I Like Movies is Android only today; an iOS version is in development.
- There is no automatic tracking. Nothing scrobbles from a media server, a browser or a streaming app; you mark things watched yourself.
- There are no public reviews. Notes are private, and there is no feed of strangers to read.
- There is no web app. The library lives on the server, but you reach it from the phone app.
- There is no offline mode. The app needs an internet connection.
- Imports read a Letterboxd .zip or an IMDb .csv only. There is no importer for Trakt, Simkl or TV Time exports.
The honest verdict
If your watching flows through Plex, Kodi or anything that scrobbles, stay on Trakt. Manual tracking after years of automatic tracking feels like a downgrade because it is one.
If you watch on streaming apps, track by hand anyway, and want the deciding half of the problem solved on your phone, with your household on one list, I Like Movies is built for exactly that.
Questions people ask
Can I import my Trakt history into I Like Movies?
No. Imports read a Letterboxd .zip or an IMDb .csv export, and a Trakt export is a different format. A Trakt library starts fresh here. If your ratings also live on Letterboxd or IMDb, importing from there recovers most of it.
Does I Like Movies scrobble from Plex or Kodi?
No. There is no automatic tracking of any kind. You mark films and episodes watched yourself. If scrobbling is essential to you, Trakt is the better choice.
Does I Like Movies track episodes like Trakt does?
Yes. TV series are tracked at episode level, with season progress, and the app distinguishes a series that has ended from one between seasons.
Is I Like Movies free?
Yes, free with no advertising. Trakt is free with ads and offers a VIP subscription that removes them and adds features.
More comparisons: Letterboxd, Simkl, IMDb, Serializd, Maimovie, Moviebase, JustWatch, Matinee. Or browse every guide and watch order.