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How library audit enthusiasts compare their library against public watchlists in 2026

Library audit enthusiasts can compare a Radarr and Sonarr library against public IMDb watchlists to see which titles are missing.

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Library audit enthusiasts can compare their Radarr and Sonarr library against a public IMDb watchlist by building a stable list link, adding it to both programs, and reviewing which titles are already present and which are missing.

OptionHow it comparesCost details
WatcharrPaste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [1]not published
Manual list checkOpen the public IMDb list in a browser and compare its titles against the library by eye.not published

What you need before you start

Start with the movies and shows already in the library, because the comparison shows which titles are missing against a chosen watchlist. Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many Plex owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library; have them ready so the result of the comparison can be acted on. Choose the public IMDb watchlists or lists to audit against, and make sure each one is public, since a public list is what a comparison tool can read. Pick lists that fit the audit, such as one watchlist or several lists for one household, and decide whether the audit covers movies, shows, or both, so each title lands in the right program. Note that a show can be compared only when it can be matched to a catalog id, so lists with unusual titles may leave some shows out of the result. Keep the chosen list ids written down, because a stable id lets the same list be rechecked later without starting over.

Step by step

  1. Open each public IMDb watchlist or list you chose and confirm it is public, since only a public list can be read by a comparison tool.
  1. Give each list to the comparison tool so it builds one stable link for the movies and one for the shows, with the link tied to the list's own id.
  1. Load the movie link into Radarr and the show link into Sonarr, the free helper programs that manage the titles, so each program reads which titles on the list are already present and which are missing.
  1. Leave both programs on their own reading schedule, so titles added to the watchlist later show up in later comparisons without a new setup.
  1. Review the result for titles that were skipped because they could not be matched to a catalog id, and note those separately so they are not mistaken for missing library titles.
  1. Repeat the comparison on a regular day each week, using the saved list ids, and keep a short note of which titles are new since the last check.
  1. Compare the same list against the library again later to confirm that titles added to the library no longer appear as missing.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. It turns one public IMDb list into one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [1] It accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. [1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [1]

Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [1] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [1] It looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [1]

The page shows the list's covers in a row, each opening TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. [1] If you sign in, it re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. [1] If a read of the list fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. [1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [1]

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. [1] No other tool is named here because no source facts about other tools were provided. Before choosing a tool, check how it handles public watchlists, title matching, updates, and the way missing titles move into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid starting the comparison without a stable, public list. A list that is private or changes address cannot be rechecked on later audit days.

Avoid mixing movies and shows in one step. The audit should send movies to Radarr and shows to Sonarr, so each title is compared in the right catalog.

Avoid treating skipped titles as missing. A show that could not be matched to a catalog id is not the same as a show that is missing from the library, and the two should be recorded separately.

Avoid forgetting to recheck on a schedule. A watchlist that gains new titles will not be reflected in the library unless the comparison is run again.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what access a tool uses before connecting it to the library.

Frequently asked questions

How can Watcharr help compare a library against a public watchlist?

Watcharr turns one public IMDb list into one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [1] Adding the two links lets each program read which titles are missing from the library.

Does Watcharr read any public IMDb list?

Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site, or IMDb's other-language pages. [1] The list must be public, and the links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [1]

What does Watcharr do with shows it cannot match?

Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it can't match, and tells you which ones it skipped. [1] This means an unusual title is not sent through as if it were in the catalog, and the skipped titles are reported separately.

Can Watcharr compare several public lists as one audit?

Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title that is on two lists is added only once. [1]

Does Watcharr need anything installed to run?

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [1] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [1] Because a fee or price is not published, check the setup page for any current costs.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [1]

Try Watcharr

Sources

  1. Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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