Cinopsys vs Showly: a side-by-side look

Last checked October 21, 2026

The short answer

Showly is an open-source Android client built on Trakt and needs a Trakt account. Cinopsys also uses Trakt but connects to Simkl, MDBList and WeTrakr too, works without any account, and adds widgets, statistics and scheduled backups. Pick Showly for open source, Cinopsys for more services and features.

Showly and Cinopsys both put a friendly Android app on top of your Trakt account, so people often ask which one to install. They are built around different ideas: Showly is a focused, open-source Trakt client, while Cinopsys connects to four services and also works with no account at all. This page lays out the differences so you can choose.

Cinopsys and Showly at a glance

Showly column reflects Showly's public descriptions as of October 2026. The Showly column says no where Showly is described as Trakt-only or without that feature; it says not verified where we could not confirm.

What Showly does well

Showly is a clean, open-source movie and TV tracker built on Trakt, and it is now maintained under Trakt's own umbrella. If you value open source and a straightforward, well-supported Trakt experience, it is a lovely app, and nothing in this comparison should talk you out of it.

Its focus is also its limit. Showly is Trakt-only: there is no Simkl option and no independent local library, so you need a Trakt account to track anything. The app is ad-supported, and it offers an optional Showly Premium that, according to its description, adds a news section, a light theme, custom images and quick rate.

Where Cinopsys differs

• Four services, or none. Cinopsys connects to Trakt, Simkl, MDBList and WeTrakr. Your watch history and watchlist stay in step both ways with each, and you can stay signed in to several and switch between them, each with its own library.
• Works without an account. Changes save on your phone first and sync in the background, so you can track privately with nothing connected.
• Backups you control. Scheduled backups go to Google Drive or a folder on your device, daily, weekly or monthly, and you can restore at any time.
• Seven home-screen widgets: shows calendar, movies calendar, anime calendar, show progress, anime progress, movie watchlist and search.
• Calendar and alerts. A personal calendar of episodes and movies with premiere and finale tags, plus alerts for new episodes, upcoming movies, streaming availability and digital releases.
• Statistics. Hours watched, top genres, rating breakdown and streaks, plus On this day and a month in review.

Using Trakt in each app

Both apps sign in to Trakt, so your history lives on Trakt either way. In Cinopsys, Trakt adds collection tracking, favorites, smart lists, list reordering and comments, and you can create and edit lists. Which of those Trakt features Showly exposes is not verified here, so check its listing if one matters to you.

Because the data sits in your Trakt account rather than in either app, you are not locked in. Nothing stops you installing both and signing in to the same Trakt account to see which interface you prefer.

Who each app suits

Showly suits someone who already lives on Trakt, wants an app whose source code is open, and is happy with a focused feature set. It does one job and keeps to it, and the fact that it is maintained under Trakt's umbrella is reassuring if Trakt is where your library lives.

Cinopsys suits someone who wants flexibility: a library that can start on the phone and later move to Trakt, Simkl, MDBList or WeTrakr, a calendar and alerts for what is airing, widgets on the home screen, and statistics about what you have watched. It is a larger app because it tries to cover more ground. If you only ever want a lean Trakt front end, that extra reach may not matter to you, and that is a fair reason to choose Showly.

Which should you choose?

• You want open source and live entirely on Trakt: Showly.
• You want Simkl, MDBList or WeTrakr as well as Trakt, or no account at all: Cinopsys.
• You want home-screen widgets and scheduled backups: Cinopsys.
• You want the simplest possible Trakt front end: Showly, or see Trakt clients compared for Cinexplore too.

Frequently asked questions