Letterboxd vs Trakt for keeping your viewing history

Think about the question you will ask next year

“Which films did I see on holiday?” calls for a diary. “Where did I stop in this series?” calls for episode progress. Both are viewing history, but they require different detail and maintenance.

Start with three records you care about: a film watched on a known date, a series stopped halfway through a season and a film you watched twice. Use those to judge the tool you intend to keep for years.

How the records differ

Priority	Letterboxd direction	Trakt direction
A film diary with written reactions	Central documented use	Check how you want ratings and history represented
Finding the next unwatched episode	Evaluate your specific TV needs	Documented Continue Watching workflow
Activity captured from another player	Check a supported route rather than assuming one	Supported connections and app ecosystem matter
Exporting your record	Account ZIP with CSV files	Current account Data export
Social value	People and film discussions you follow	People and tracking routines you use

The best choice depends on which column matches the work you want to avoid or enjoy.

When Letterboxd fits the habit

A diary entry can preserve a date, a reaction and the context of a viewing. That is useful if writing about a film is part of the pleasure. Reviews and lists can also become a way to find other people whose judgments you want to follow.

Imagine returning to a film five years later. A new entry can preserve the difference between your two reactions. Before importing an old record, check how dates, review text and rewatch flags are represented. Letterboxd's import documentation specifies supported fields rather than promising that every source file will transfer perfectly.

When Trakt fits the habit

Trakt's current Continue Watching documentation describes showing the next available episode from a viewer's activity. Its settings describe connected applications and supported streaming connections. These are useful when maintaining progress across shows is the main task.

For example, if you alternate between two series, the record should tell you the correct next episode for each. Check specials and episode order rather than assuming the presence of a show means the progression matches your provider.

Automatic tracking also depends on the particular connection. Confirm the service, device and plan you will use. A list of supported integrations does not make every playback environment automatic.

Preserve the source before changing homes

Download an export when available, keep it untouched and test the destination with representative records. Inspect dates and repeat plays, not only the total title count. Check that list notes and written reviews you care about remain accessible.

Avoid following old backup instructions blindly. Trakt's March 2026 update retired its previous Automatic Backups feature while retaining manual export routes. Current documentation matters more than an old feature checklist.

Let discovery be a separate decision

A good history tool can stay even if you want different recommendations. Use ReelRecs to inspect a few unseen candidates through the personal discovery flow, while continuing to record viewing where it works best.

This is a companion approach, not an asserted account integration. The comparison is based on current official documentation; no migration or playback-sync performance test is claimed.