Best Free TV Time Alternatives After the Shutdown
TV Time is closing July 15, 2026. These free alternatives let you track episodes without paying — including Moviebase, Trakt, Simkl and Serializd.
You Do Not Have to Pay to Replace TV Time
TV Time's service ends after July 15, 2026. The app leaves the App Store and Google Play, tvtime.com goes offline, and all account data is deleted after that date. TV Time was free to use — Whip Media said the reason for closing was that it was "no longer sustainable to continue operating the service as a free app, and there was not enough demand for a paid app." So it is fair to want a replacement that is also free.
Good news: several strong trackers cost nothing to use for everyday episode tracking. The catch is the fine print. "Free" and "freemium" are not the same thing, and each app draws the paywall in a different place. This guide is honest about exactly what you get without paying, and what sits behind an optional upgrade.
When you judge a free tracker, check three things beyond the price tag. First, does the free tier actually include episode progress tracking, or is it limited to a small number of shows? Second, can you import your TV Time history without paying, since that is the urgent task before July 15? Third, is your data portable on the free plan, so you can leave later without losing anything? An app that charges for those is not really free. The five below all clear that bar, but they draw other lines in different places.
Free Ways to Track Your Shows
MoviebaseBest free all-rounder
Episode tracking, Trakt sync, and viewing stats are all free. The only paid option removes ads.
traktFree with optional VIP
Tracking and the built-in TV Time importer are free; VIP is optional.
SIMKLFree clone
A free tracker with a direct TV Time ZIP importer and a familiar layout.
SeriesGuideFree and open
A free, open-source Android tracker with Trakt connectivity.
| App | Free tier includes | What is paywalled | Cost to track |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moviebase | Episode tracking, Trakt sync, lists, viewing stats | Ad removal only | Free |
| Trakt | Tracking, TV Time importer, Plex/Kodi scrobbling | Optional VIP extras | Free |
| Simkl | Episode tracking, TV Time ZIP import | Optional upgrade | Free |
| Serializd | Tracking, reviews, social feed | Optional upgrade | Free |
| SeriesGuide | Episode tracking, Trakt sync | Optional supporter unlocks | Free |
The Best Free TV Time Alternatives
1. Moviebase — free tracking, stats included
Moviebase is the pick if you want the most for nothing on Android. Episode progress tracking, watchlists, unlimited custom lists, the release calendar with new-episode notifications, bidirectional Trakt sync, and viewing statistics — the genre, network, and time graphs many apps reserve for paid tiers — are all part of the free app. The only thing behind a paywall is an optional purchase that removes ads. Nothing you need to track your shows is locked away.
That matters after TV Time, because "free" services can quietly gate the useful parts. Moviebase keeps its stats and its Trakt sync free, which is unusual. To recover your history without spending anything, export from TV Time, use Trakt's free built-in TV Time importer, and connect Trakt in Moviebase — the sync is bidirectional, so your data comes in and stays portable. See the head-to-head in Moviebase vs TV Time.
Be clear on the limits: Moviebase is Android only, its community is smaller than TV Time's, and there is no social layer or badges. Free does not buy you a comments feed here.
Best for: Android users who want free episode tracking, free stats, and portability in one app.
2. Trakt — free, with the importer included
Trakt has a genuinely useful free tier, and crucially the built-in TV Time importer is available without paying. That alone makes it the most important free stop for anyone leaving TV Time, because getting your history off the old service is the urgent part. Free Trakt also handles tracking and scrobbling from Plex and Kodi.
Trakt does offer an optional VIP subscription that adds extras on top, but you can transfer your data, keep tracking, and sync to other apps entirely on the free plan. The tradeoff is the same as always: the mobile interface is more functional than polished, which is why many people use free Trakt as the portability layer and a nicer app as the front end.
Best for: Anyone who wants the free TV Time importer and long-term portability.
3. Simkl — free and familiar
Simkl is free and ships a built-in TV Time ZIP importer, so it is the closest free like-for-like swap. The layout will feel familiar quickly, and it handles anime well.
The honest caveat is not the price but the load: Simkl's servers have reportedly buckled under the migration surge, so free-tier imports and sync can be slow or fail during peak periods right now. Keep your TV Time export saved so you can retry. There is an optional upgrade, but the core tracking is free.
Best for: People who want a free, TV-Time-like app and can tolerate current server strain.
4. Serializd — free and social
Serializd is free and leans into the social side that many TV Time users will miss — reviews, ratings, and a clean visual feed, in the spirit of Letterboxd for television. If the community feeling is what you are chasing on a budget, it is worth trying.
Two honest notes. Serializd is web-first, so it is not a polished native mobile app, and it does not offer a one-click TV Time importer the way Trakt and Simkl do, so bringing history in is less automatic. As a free social home, though, it fills a gap the more utilitarian trackers leave open. (Serializd is not shown in the app lineup above because it is web-first rather than a store app, but it belongs on any free shortlist.)
Best for: Users who want a free, review-driven, social TV feed.
5. SeriesGuide — free and open source
SeriesGuide is a free, open-source Android tracker built for speed. It focuses on marking episodes quickly and keeping a tidy list of what is airing, and it connects to Trakt so your data stays portable. Optional supporter unlocks exist, but the core tracking is free.
The tradeoff is scope. SeriesGuide is TV-first and utilitarian, so if you also want movie tracking, discovery, and rich stats, Moviebase covers more without charging for the essentials.
Best for: Android users who want a fast, free, open tracker.
Want to level up your movie tracking?
Moviebase tracks your watchlist, sends episode alerts, and syncs with Trakt.
Free vs Freemium: Read the Fine Print
Every app on this list lets you track shows for free, but the paywalls sit in different places:
- Moviebase paywalls only ad removal. Tracking, Trakt sync, and stats are free.
- Trakt keeps tracking and the TV Time importer free; VIP is optional.
- Simkl keeps core tracking free; an upgrade is optional.
- Serializd is free to use, with an optional upgrade.
- SeriesGuide is free and open source, with optional supporter unlocks.
The practical move is the same for all of them: import your history into Trakt for free first, then choose the free app you most enjoy opening. Because Moviebase and SeriesGuide both read from Trakt, your data follows you at no cost, and you avoid the lock-in that made the TV Time shutdown painful.
For the complete picture beyond just the free options, see all TV Time alternatives. If your Android device is the deciding factor, read the best Android alternative. And if movies are as important to you as TV, compare the best free movie trackers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Source Notes
This guide is based on TV Time's official shutdown notice and Whip Media's stated reasons, alongside TechCrunch's July 2026 reporting. The free-versus-freemium breakdown reflects each app's own documentation and public discussion across Reddit, MacRumors forums, ResetEra, and AlternativeTo, including reports of Trakt's import accuracy and Simkl's server strain. Moviebase details describe its free, TMDB-powered, Trakt-syncing Android app.