Cinopsys
Good news up front: switching is no longer a fresh start. TV Time now gives you a data export, and both Trakt and Simkl have a built-in importer that reads it — so your watch history can come with you. Import into one of them, connect it in Cinopsys, and you land on a free, ad-free tracker that can't be shut out from under you. The whole move is three steps.
TV Time shut down on July 15, 2026 and deleted all personal data. This guide works with the export you downloaded before then — if you're not sure what that file is, start with your TV Time export. Background: what the shutdown means · compare the alternatives.
Migrate in 3 steps
Find your TV Time export
You need the .zip you downloaded before the July 15, 2026 shutdown, plus the password TV Time emailed you separately. The export tool is offline now — if you never exported, skip ahead and start fresh.
Import it into Trakt or Simkl
Both have a built-in TV Time importer — no paid plan needed. Pick one; it becomes the open home for your history. Simkl uses the same show database as TV Time, so it maps the most cleanly.
Get Cinopsys and connect
Install Cinopsys, then in Settings → Sync & Backup pick the same Trakt or Simkl account. Your imported history appears — free, no ads, no lock-in.
Why people leave TV Time
TV Time earned its audience — the app is slick, the database is huge, and the social feed makes finishing an episode feel like an event. None of that is in question. What pushes long-time users to look elsewhere is consistent: the free tier shows ads (with a paid tier to reduce them), it requires an account, and it's operated by Whip Media, a company whose business includes aggregated TV-viewing data sold to the entertainment industry. On top of that, your years of history were locked in — and now that TV Time has shut down, that lock-in is exactly why exporting your data before July 15 is the first thing to do. If any of that bothers you, switching is worth the few minutes it takes.
Each step, in detail
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Find your TV Time export
The export tool at gdpr.tvtime.com went offline with the shutdown, so you need the .zip you downloaded before July 15, 2026 and the separate password TV Time emailed you — search your inbox for "TV Time". If you never exported, the data is gone; skip to the last step and start fresh. More detail: what to do with your TV Time export.
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Import it into Trakt or Simkl
Both read TV Time's export directly, and neither needs a paid plan:
- Simkl: open simkl.com/apps/import/tvtime, upload the .zip and paste the password. Simkl uses TheTVDB for shows — the same database TV Time is built on — so your seasons and episodes line up most cleanly.
- Trakt: go to Settings → Data → Import Data, choose TV Time, and upload the .zip. No VIP required.
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Get Cinopsys and connect the same account
Install Cinopsys, open Settings → Sync & Backup, and under "Where your library lives" pick the Trakt or Simkl account you just imported into. Your history syncs in. Want a copy you control too? Add a Google Drive backup on top.
Importers do the heavy lifting, but they aren't always flawless — TV Time's own data can be patchy, and some titles need re-matching. Once it's imported, glance over the shows you're mid-way through and nudge any that landed on the wrong episode. A few minutes, versus re-entering everything by hand.
Once your library lives in Trakt or Simkl, it's portable for good. If you ever change apps again — or another one shuts down — you just point a new client at the same account and everything's there. That's the freedom TV Time never gave you.
That's the switch
Export your data, import it into Trakt or Simkl, and connect Cinopsys — your history comes with you, and you land on a tracker with no ads, no account requirement, no data company holding your library, and no lock-in. Do the export today; the rest takes minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my TV Time history into Cinopsys?
Yes. Export your TV Time data, then import it into Trakt or Simkl — both have a built-in TV Time importer and neither requires a paid plan. Connect that same account in Cinopsys and your watched history, progress and ratings sync in automatically. Cinopsys doesn't read the export file itself, but it doesn't need to.
Is there a free TV Time alternative with no ads?
Yes. Cinopsys is 100% free with no ads. It tracks movies and TV, shows upcoming episodes, stats and widgets, and works without an account.
Why switch from TV Time?
TV Time shut down on July 15, 2026, so you have to move regardless. Beyond that, the common reasons are ads, the account requirement, and it being operated by a company whose business includes selling aggregated viewing data.
Will I lose my watch history?
No, if you act before July 15. Your watched history, episode progress and ratings can be exported and imported into Trakt or Simkl, so they come across. Community content — comments, reactions and GIFs — can't be exported. From then on your library lives in an open service plus an optional Google Drive backup.