Cinopsys vs SeriesGuide: a side-by-side look

Last checked October 21, 2026

The short answer

SeriesGuide is a long-running, open-source Android tracker focused on TV, with Trakt sync. Cinopsys tracks movies and TV together, works without an account, and connects to Trakt, Simkl, MDBList and WeTrakr. Both sync with Trakt. Choose SeriesGuide for TV-first tracking, Cinopsys for movies and TV with more services.

SeriesGuide is one of the longest-running TV trackers on Android, and a favourite of people who like to manage every episode. Cinopsys covers TV and movies, and connects to four services. They overlap on Trakt, and differ in focus. Here is a fair look at both.

Cinopsys and SeriesGuide at a glance

SeriesGuide column reflects public descriptions as of October 2026: TV-first, open source, Trakt sync and no Simkl sync. Rows marked not verified are ones we could not confirm.

What SeriesGuide does well

SeriesGuide is a long-running, open-source Android app focused on television. Its strength is episode management, and it syncs with Trakt, so your history is portable. It has earned a loyal following among TV completionists who want a dependable tracker that has been around for years.

Its focus shows in a couple of places. It is TV-first, with movies in a secondary role, and its interface is more utilitarian than polished. Some features, such as Cloud sync, episode notifications and multiple watches, sit behind an optional paid subscription, according to its listing.

Where Cinopsys differs

• Movies and TV as equals. A movie watchlist and a TV watchlist, an Up Next view of the next episode of every show you follow, and the option to put a show on hold.
• More services. Cinopsys connects to Trakt, Simkl, MDBList and WeTrakr. Watch history and watchlist stay in step both ways with each.
• Works without an account, saving to your phone first and syncing in the background.
• Calendar, alerts and widgets. A personal calendar with premiere and finale tags, alerts for new episodes, upcoming movies and streaming availability, and seven home-screen widgets.
• Where to watch. See where to stream, rent or buy in your region and get an alert when a watchlist title arrives.
• Backups. Scheduled backups to Google Drive or a folder on your device.

What they share

Both apps sync with Trakt, so a library built in one can be read by the other. Both are Android apps. And both treat your watch history as something you should be able to take with you, rather than something locked inside one app.

Moving between the two

Because both apps sync with Trakt, you are not committing to one for good. Your watched episodes, ratings and watchlist live in your Trakt account, so you can try Cinopsys alongside SeriesGuide, sign in to the same Trakt account, and see which interface you reach for. If you later decide to keep your library on Simkl, MDBList or WeTrakr instead, Cinopsys can connect to those as well.

If you are coming from TV Time, our TV Time alternatives guide covers both apps alongside Simkl, Trakt and Serializd, and the Android tracker roundup places them next to Moviebase, Showly and Cinexplore.

Which should you choose?

• You are a TV completionist who wants a proven open-source tracker: SeriesGuide.
• You want movies and TV together, with widgets and a calendar: Cinopsys.
• You use Simkl, MDBList or WeTrakr: Cinopsys, since SeriesGuide is not described as supporting Simkl and the others are not verified.
• You want to start with no account at all: Cinopsys.

Frequently asked questions