A few years back, I looked forward to checking into my favorite TV shows and movies on GetGlue and seeing how many of my other friends were watching what I was. There’s something to be said about movie- and TV-tracking apps that build a sense of community, which is why I think GetGlue did so well with its initial strategy.
Since GetGlue went away, I’ve had to find other ways to not only track my favorite TV shows and movies, but build watch lists and get recommendations from friends. Here’s what I’m currently using and why I think they’re the best movie- and TV-tracking apps for the job, at least for now.
Goodshows
The best replacement for GetGlue lovers
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
GetGlue was my favorite app for tracking and letting my friends know what I was watching, and for finding new shows and movies to watch.
It worked well because so many other people used GetGlue, and because there was a sense of community there. It was pretty much the Foursquare of the movie- and TV-tracking apps world.
Years of lamenting later, I stumbled across Goodshows. I was pleasantly surprised to see quite the large user base on Goodshows, which is a vital component of an app like this.
Just like GetGlue was, Goodshows can be your all-in-one movie- and TV-tracking app if you want it to be. Or you can use it to find recommendations, read episode reviews from people you follow, and write your own.
The only component missing from the current version of Goodshows that makes it vastly different from GetGlue is a check-in option. However, the developers are working on this, and I can’t wait to see how it helps shape an already-great effort.
- Free – Download
TeeVee 3
For simple, beautiful TV tracking, look no further
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
Even when GetGlue was still somewhat of a thing, I relied on TeeVee to let me know when my favorite shows were coming on. The app lets you set notification times when you want them, and even add a Today View widget to Notification Center so you can see upcoming shows in a single swipe.
There are lots of apps that do what TeeVee 3 does, but they don’t do it as well. The interface is well put together and allows you to quickly mark episodes as watched and unwatched (but I still want a way to mark entire seasons).
Adding shows, viewing cast and episode info, and seeing overviews of shows is incredibly simple with TeeVee 3, which is why I enjoy using it so much. I’ve opened several other movie- and TV-tracking apps to find incomplete information or incorrect data, but I’ve never had that problem with TeeVee. For that reason, it has remained my number one way of tracking and being notified of my favorite shows.
- $2.99 – Download
Television Time
Apple Watch support, dedicated watch lists, and more
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
Television Time is similar to TeeVee 3 but offers a few features, such as a dedicated Apple Watch app, that set it apart. Like many similar apps, Television Time can send you notifications when your shows are about to air, and you can mark them as watched.
One feature I like more in Television Time than I do in TeeVee 3 or any other TV tracker is the dedicated “To Watch” tab. Instead of having to tap into individual shows, like I do with most other tracker apps, I can see at a quick glance what I still have left to watch. Of course that’s going to assume you remember to mark shows off as you watch them.
Television Time also supports 3D Touch actions and Spotlight search, and is optimized for Low Power Mode.
- $2.99 – Download
TodoMovies 4
For great movie watch lists, trailers and more
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
If you’re a movie buff, TodoMovies 4 is a definite must. Aside from keeping track of the movies you want to watch, you can make custom lists to track whatever you’d like (requires an additional in-app purchase).
Part of what I really love about TodoMovies 4 is the discoverability aspect. The main screen is a feed of popular, curated playlists. For instance, you may see a list of movies that are hot up-and-coming titles, or another list for best horror movies. I’ve found tons of titles in TodoMovies 4 by just browsing playlists.
TodoMovies 4 also lets you rate movies, see cast information, and watch trailers in one place. I also really like the search function of TodoMovies 4, since it lets me search by genre much faster than I can on most streaming boxes.
Whenever we’re looking for a new movie to watch at home, TodoMovies 4 is the first app I launch. I find titles faster and can then just search for them on the Apple TV once we find what we want to watch.
- Free with in-app purchases – Download – iPhone only
While nothing has completely taken the place of GetGlue on my iPhone or iPad, I find the apps mentioned above to fill the gap fairly well.
This post was syndicated via The App Factor.
