BingeTracker vs Simkl: Which Should You Use?
Simkl became the default landing spot for a lot of people after TV Time shut down, and for good reason. It's broad, free to start, and strong on anime. BingeTracker is narrower and built around return dates. Here's how they line up, with Simkl's tiers taken from its own pricing and documentation pages.
Features and pricing verified against Simkl's own pricing page in August 2026. Plans change — check before you buy.
Feature comparison
| Feature | BingeTracker | Simkl |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Track up to 5 shows free | Generous free tracking, with ads |
| Renewed / cancelled / returning status | Core feature — status shown on every show | Shown as show metadata, not the product's focus |
| Return-date & episode notifications | Automatic scans plus email/push alerts (Premium) | Email and app notifications for new episodes |
| Calendar sync (.ics) | Personal iCalendar feed (Premium) | iCal calendar sync (VIP only) |
| Automatic tracking | Not offered — tracking is manual by design | Yes — browser extension and Plex/Kodi/Emby sync |
| Friends / social | Friends, activity feed, see who's tracking a show (Premium) | "Watch with friends" (PRO/VIP), public profiles |
| CSV import from TV Time | Built-in importer for TV Time CSV exports | Importers for several services; TV Time support varies |
| Data export | Calendar feed today; CSV/JSON export on the roadmap | Manual CSV backup (PRO); RSS/JSON/CSV export and Google Drive backup (VIP) |
| Movies & anime | TV shows only | TV, movies and anime, with MyAnimeList two-way sync (VIP) |
| Ads on free tier | None | Yes — removed on PRO and VIP |
| Paid pricing | $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr | PRO $34.99/yr; VIP $34.99 every 6 months; Lifetime VIP $249 |
Simkl PRO is $34.99/year, VIP is $34.99 every six months, and Lifetime VIP is a one-time $249. BingeTracker Premium is $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
What Simkl does well
Simkl does a lot for free. Automatic tracking through its browser extension and media-server sync means your history fills itself in, anime coverage is genuinely excellent (including two-way MyAnimeList sync on VIP), and it handles movies alongside TV. Custom lists, recommendations, rewatch tracking and a large community round it out, and a lifetime VIP option exists if you hate subscriptions. If you want one place for every format and you don't mind ads on the free tier, Simkl is a strong pick.
What BingeTracker does well
BingeTracker is built around a single question: is this show coming back, and when? Statuses are explicit, air dates are cross-checked nightly against a second data source so timezone off-by-one errors get corrected automatically, and each card tells you whether the season drops all at once or weekly. It imports TV Time CSV exports directly, has no ads on any tier, and syncs upcoming episodes into Apple or Google Calendar. It doesn't track movies or anime seasons, and there's no scrobbler.
Which should you use?
Choose Simkl if you want broad, automatic tracking across TV, movies and anime and are happy with ads until you upgrade. Choose BingeTracker if your actual frustration is losing track of which shows are returning and when — that's the whole product, and you can test it free.
Try BingeTracker free
Track up to 5 shows free — no card required. Premium is $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
Try BingeTracker Free