Cinopsys
- Trakt's free tier limits the size of your watchlist and the number/size of custom lists; the bigger allowances are part of paid VIP.
- Cinopsys is local-first — your library lives on your device, so it isn't bound by a connected service's caps.
- A setting lets Cinopsys keep titles even if they're removed on a connected service.
- Add Google Drive backup and your full collection is safe and portable.
If you're a heavy tracker, you may have run into a message from Trakt telling you a list is full. It's a reasonable way for Trakt to fund the service — but it can be frustrating when you just want to keep a long list of things to watch. Here's how to think about it.
What Trakt limits on the free tier
Trakt has tuned its free limits over time. As of 2026, free accounts get a watchlist capped at a few hundred items and a small number of personal lists, each with its own item cap, while unlimited lists and larger allowances are part of paid VIP. Exact numbers change, so always check Trakt's own pages for the current figures — but the shape is consistent: free is generous-ish, VIP is unlimited.
If Trakt is central to how you track, VIP is genuinely worth supporting — it keeps the platform you rely on running. This guide is simply about making sure your own library is never the thing that gets trimmed.
Why Cinopsys isn't bound by those caps
Cinopsys keeps your library on your device first. Connecting Trakt (or Simkl) is optional, and even when you do connect, the copy of your collection that you browse day-to-day lives locally. That design has a nice side effect: the number of things you can keep in Cinopsys isn't dictated by a connected service's plan.
The setting that protects your library
In Cinopsys's sync settings there's an option that controls whether deletions on a connected service also remove the item from Cinopsys. If you turn that off, Cinopsys will keep a title in your library even if it gets removed on the other service — for example, when a list there is trimmed to fit a cap. Your local collection stays whole.
With deletion-sync off, Trakt and Cinopsys can hold different amounts: Trakt stays within its plan, while your Cinopsys library keeps everything you've added. It's about not losing your own data, not about changing anything on Trakt's side.
Back it up so it's truly safe
Because your collection lives with you, it's worth backing up. Cinopsys can export a full backup to your own Google Drive and restore it on any device. Combined with the setting above, that means your complete watch history and lists are preserved and portable — independent of any one service's limits.
A quick, fair note
None of this is a workaround that touches Trakt's servers or breaks any rules — it's just how a local-first app naturally behaves. If you love Trakt, support VIP. If you mainly want your own library to stay intact and under your control, Cinopsys has you covered for free.
The takeaway
Keep your full library, keep it backed up, and connect whatever services you like. Cinopsys is built so your collection is yours — no caps quietly trimming it in the background.
Frequently asked questions
What are Trakt's free list limits?
Trakt's free tier caps the size of your watchlist and the number and size of personal lists, with unlimited reserved for paid VIP. The exact numbers change over time, so check Trakt's own pages for the current figures.
Does Cinopsys keep my full library if a list gets trimmed elsewhere?
Yes. Cinopsys is local-first. With the deletion-sync setting turned off, it keeps the titles you've added even if they're removed on a connected service, so your local collection stays whole.
How do I back up my Cinopsys library?
Connect Google Drive in Cinopsys to save a full backup, which you can restore on any device at any time.
Is this a way around Trakt's paywall?
No. It's simply how a local-first app behaves and it doesn't change anything on Trakt's side. If you rely on Trakt, supporting VIP is genuinely worth it.