When you’re looking to stream the latest seasons of shows like Outlander, Yellowstone, or new movies like Avatar 2, you’re probably going to Google. But finding upcoming release dates for Netflix, Disney Plus, Max, and any other streaming service can be time consuming without a system.
So what’s the best way to find out what titles will be available on a particular streaming platform? Write it on a sticky note? Add it to your phone calendar? Use the streaming app’s reminder feature? While those methods can be effective, there are apps that can do it better.
Here are my suggestions for free apps that help you track streaming TV shows and movies you plan to watch, the ones you’re already immersed in, and the titles you might be interested in but need strong recommendations. They can alert you when new episodes are set to release or remind you where you left off in a show. I should mention that some apps below are integrated with Trakt, a web-based platform that syncs with your PC, phone, or home media center, but its native app is still pretty clunky, so we’re leaving it off this list.
Read more: Max: The 34 Best TV Shows to Watch
Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET
TV Time tracks TV shows and movies, offers recommendations, and connects you with other fans on social media. The app is available for Android and Apple users and you can sign up for an account using Google, Apple, Twitter, Facebook, or email. To get started, choose which shows you’ve watched on which streaming service (or network). Interestingly, when scrolling through Hulu’s selections, only the originals are listed, but the app tells you that you can add more later.
With TV Time, you can choose from multiple lineups, including trending shows like Ted Lasso, Demon Slayer, or Grey’s Anatomy. There are also categories for genres, a “Most Added” section with titles like You, and even a “Most Added Animated Series” row.
Once you lock down your options, TV Time compiles a watch list and suggests which episodes of your chosen shows you should watch next. There is a separate tab labeled “Upcoming” that outlines the day and time new episodes drop. Thanks to TV Time, I now know the exact release dates for The Witcher season 3 on Netflix and the new season of Reservation Dogs on Hulu.
The app also asks you to mark which movies you’ve seen, and the list spans decades, platforms, and genres. Once you’ve completed that step, TV Time will ask you which movies you want to watch. This is where you search for specific titles or choose from TV Time’s trending list to add to a calendar.
Plus, you can filter the TV Time screen by progress, including what you’ve finished, shows and movies you’ve stopped in the middle, or what you’re currently watching.
Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET
You may already be familiar with JustWatch as an app that selects where a title airs, but you can also make a watchlist, keep track of upcoming releases, and watch a show with a single click. Once you open the app, you can select each streaming service you use, including Disney Plus, Crunchyroll, and Fubo, to watch shows and movies. There are more than 100 providers listed on JustWatch, and the app recently added a streaming guide for sports.
Use the app to search for TV shows and movies, or click Discover to go on a scrolling adventure. Limit your search by platform, genre, year, or rating. When you click on a show’s tile, you can tap “Follow” to stay up to date with each episode and season. JustWatch will ask you which episodes you’ve watched and you can bookmark entire seasons or individual installments. Where this app stands out is when you navigate to “Watch Now” to click on a streaming service logo, and you’re immediately taken to the show’s home page to start watching. Talk about comfort.
Add a title to your watch list and JustWatch will tell you which episode to watch next, or you can bookmark it when you’re up to date. It also shows the dates of the upcoming episodes.
For sports fans, JustWatch Sports directs you to where you can stream soccer (NFL and NCAA), basketball (NBA), baseball (MLB), soccer (MLS, Liga MX, and all major European leagues), tennis, and Formula 1 legally online.
The app also has a personal recommendation feature and shows the price of each streaming platform. You can use JustWatch in a web browser, on Fire TV devices, or on iOS and Android mobile devices. Register directly in the application or with your Google or Facebook account.
Hobi
Available on iOS and Android, Hobi is one of the most popular and comprehensive tracking apps out there. When you open it, you can select shows you plan to watch or have watched, and Hobi tells you where you left off. The titles are added to your watch list. If it’s an old show, Hobi informs you that the series is over, but still reminds you which episodes are next for you. The Discover feature highlights trending shows, series returning in the current week, new ones airing throughout the month, and recommendations across all genres and networks, including HBO and Netflix.
In addition to monitoring your watch list and new episode release dates, Hobi provides personal viewing statistics on how much TV you’ve watched. He also estimates your favorite genres based on those stats. The app can be integrated with Trakt.
Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET
SeriesGuide is available on Android and Amazon Fire TV, and it touts that it’s ad-free and doesn’t track your personal information.
When you first sign in to SeriesGuide, it gives you the option to block spoilers for episodes of shows you haven’t watched yet. You can search for a title or click Discover and scroll through a long list of content. Like Hobi and TV Time, the app lets you know which platform hosts the series or movie you’d like to watch or track. It also integrates with Trakt.
Once you select your shows, SeriesGuide provides upcoming release dates or recent release dates and times. For example, the screen shows that Succession Episode 9 hit Max at 9pm ET on May 21, and Power Book IV Season 2 premieres on Starz on Friday, September 1. Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Max, Paramount (Yellowstone) and more.
Their movie listings are pulled from TMDB and JustWatch, and you’ll find the release date, runtime, cast credits, and synopsis on the page. You can add movies to your personal watchlist, click the trailer link, or tap the Stream/Buy option if the digital version is available.
Among its features, there is a notification system that notifies you when there are new episodes available, a list of favorites and a catalog of how many episodes remain unwatched per season. With SeriesGuide, you can click “Skip” and the app will consider a watched episode. The user interface is very easy to navigate and you can sync alerts with your device’s calendar, rate content, or check your movie and show viewing stats.
Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET
Cinetrak allows you to track TV shows and movies, but you must set up a Trakt login to create watch lists. You will see ads at the bottom of the screen, but the interface is clean and intuitive. In the TV Shows menu, you can find titles in various categories: Genres, Trending, Popular, and Most Viewed. Click on a series and Cinetrak displays general information about the show and seasons. Tap the plus sign to add a show by title, episode, or season.
The calendar feature allows you to see episodes that have been watched, added to collections, or added to your watch lists. Basic access is free, but you can upgrade your account to get additional features like creating like lists, curated collections, or sharing with friends.
What about privacy concerns?
Please take the time to review the privacy notices and settings of each service. JustWatch explains that it collects user data that can be used to target ads based on your movie tastes, while TV Time also uses non-personal information for advertising and marketing purposes. With the latter, you can also toggle your personal account settings and set it to private, which prevents non-followers from seeing your activity. You can also unlink social media accounts.
Do I have to pay to upgrade for more tracking benefits?
Although some of these apps offer the ability to upgrade, we recommend sticking with the free versions, especially if you just want a basic way to remember upcoming releases or track your progress for a program.
Why didn’t Reelgood make this list?
Reelgood is a great platform that allows you to track movies and TV shows that have already been released or those with arrivals scheduled for the current month. However, it does not provide information for the next few months. JustWatch and TV Time, on the other hand, show the release date of the new season along with the episode count. You can even set a notification for your arrival.
