Letterboxd has become the go-to platform for movie lovers who want to track what they watch and share their opinions. Think of it as Goodreads for films, but with more personality and a stronger sense of community.
Letterboxd app solves a simple problem. You watch a movie, you want to remember it, rate it, and see what others thought. Letterboxd gives you a diary for your viewing history, a place to write reviews, and a feed of activity from people you follow.
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Rating: 4.1 stars on Google Play (based on over 32,500 reviews 10+millions download)
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Size: Varies by device
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Age Range: Parental Guidance Recommended
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Similar Tool: Check out Trakt
What Is Letterboxd?
Letterboxd is a social network for film lovers. You log films you have watched, rate them on a five-star scale, write reviews, and build lists. The platform connects you with other members who share your taste, creating a community around movie discovery and discussion.
The app is available on both Android and iOS, with a web version for desktop use. It supports the core web features including browsing popular films, reading member reviews, creating lists, and following other members. The experience feels like a living film catalog rather than a generic social feed.
How Letterboxd Works:
Logging Films to Your Diary
The diary is the heart of Letterboxd. You log a film with the date you watched it, add a star rating (half-star increments are supported), and optionally write a review. The app distinguishes between logging a film (recording the date watched) and marking it as watched (no date stored).
Reviews can be anything from a short reaction to a long-form essay. The platform supports both approaches, which is part of its appeal. You can also backdate entries for films you watched before joining, making it easy to build a complete viewing history.
Building and Curating Lists
Lists are where Letterboxd users get creative. You can create watchlists for future viewing, themed collections by genre or decade, ranked favorites, and collaborative lists shared with friends. Lists can be public, shared with specific users, or kept private.
The list feature has become a defining part of the Letterboxd experience. Users compile everything from “movies that feel like a specific song” to comprehensive ranked lists of their favorite directors.
Discovering New Films
Discovery happens through multiple channels. You can browse popular films, highly rated films, and most anticipated upcoming releases. Each film page shows cast and crew details, studios, genres, member ratings, and popular reviews.
The Top 250 Narrative Features list is a well known benchmark within the community. The app also includes trailer viewing and integration with streaming services for Pro members.
The Social Feed
The activity feed shows what friends and followed members are watching, reviewing, and liking. You can follow members with similar taste, like reviews, post comments, and engage in discussions.
Letterboxd’s social features create a sense of shared experience around film discovery. It feels less like a database and more like a film club that never closes.
Letterboxd Key Features Worth Knowing
Diary and Review System
Log films with dates for accurate history. Rate with half star precision. Write reviews of any length. Edit past entries as needed. The diary gives you a complete record of your viewing habits.
List Creation Tools
Create unlimited lists. Rank and sort entries. Collaborative list options. Privacy settings for lists. Lists can be exported and shared outside the platform.
Discovery and Browsing
Browse by genre, year, or studio. View member ratings and reviews. Access the Top 250 list. See cast and crew filmographies. Popular reviews from the community.
Social Controls
Follow and block members. Profile privacy settings. Comment moderation. Activity feed filtering. Pro members get advanced activity filters.
Pro and Patron Features
Pro adds annual and all time stats pages, streaming service filters, list cloning, and removes third-party ads. Patron adds custom film posters, backdrop customization, additional stats, and early access to new features. Pro is approximately $19 per year, Patron is approximately $49 per year.
Who Is Letterboxd For?
Casual Movie Viewers
Simple diary for watching habits. Remembering what you have seen. Building a watchlist for future viewing. Basic rating and review functionality. The app works well for anyone who wants to track their movie consumption without overthinking it.
Cinephiles and Film Buffs
Detailed reviews and analysis. Curated lists by theme or director. Year-by-year viewing statistics. Deep community engagement. Letterboxd rewards consistency and curation over time.
Content Creators and Critics
Platform for publishing reviews. Building an audience through quality content. Film criticism portfolio. Networking with other creators. Some users have built significant followings on the platform.
Social Movie Clubs
Group viewing coordination. Shared lists and recommendations. Discussion through comments. Friendly competition on viewing counts. The social features make it easy to coordinate with friends.
What We Like and What Could Be Better
Strengths
Clean, content-first interface design. The app leans heavily on posters and artwork, making the interface feel like a film catalog.
Active and engaged community. The community is one of the app’s biggest assets.
Easy logging with minimal friction. Logging a film takes seconds, which encourages consistent use.
Comprehensive film database. The platform uses The Movie Database for its film data, providing broad coverage.
Cross platform availability. Web, Android, iOS, and Apple TV versions all exist.
Limitations
Ads on free accounts. Recent reviews on Google Play mention intrusive ad experiences, including auto opening ads. This has negatively affected the Android app rating.
Android app less polished than iOS. Google Play reviews highlight bugs, janky search, and UI issues on the current Android version. The iOS version generally receives better feedback.
Limited offline functionality. The app requires an internet connection for most features.
Search and filtering could be improved. Some users report issues with search reliability.
No official TV show tracking yet. Although plans to add TV shows exist, the feature has not been implemented.
Letterboxd vs Other Movie Tracking Apps
Letterboxd is not the only option for tracking your viewing habits. Several alternatives exist, each with different strengths depending on what you want to track and how you prefer to engage .
| App / Service | Main similarity |
|---|---|
| IMDb | Massive film database, ratings, cast and crew details. The watchlist feature works well, but the community aspect is weaker than Letterboxd . |
| Trakt | Tracks both movies and TV shows. Syncs with streaming services and media players for automatic watch history updates. Less polished interface, but highly functional . |
| TV Time | Focused on TV shows with episode tracking, reminders, and discussion features. Less useful for movie only tracking . |
| Goodreads | The closest analogy to Letterboxd, but for books instead of films. Same social tracking concept with reviews and lists. |
| Binge | A newer alternative that covers both movies and TV shows. Adds jump scare warnings for horror films. You can import data from Letterboxd, Trakt, and IMDb. Subscription unlocks premium features . |
| Open Movie Tracker | A privacy first, open source Android app. No account or sign-in required. All data stored locally on your device. Supports both movies and TV shows with episode-level tracking . |
Getting Better Results With Letterboxd
Diary Consistency
Log films daily to build an accurate history. The diary becomes more valuable over time as you accumulate data. Backdate entries for films you watched before joining to create a complete record. Use tags consistently for better organization and searchability . The platform rewards consistency, much like a fitness tracker rewards daily activity.
List Building Tips
Create themed collections rather than dumping everything into one watchlist. Try lists like “movies to watch with friends,” “best horror films,” or “favorites by decade” . Rank favorites for quick reference. Share lists publicly to connect with other users and discover new films through their curated collections . The list feature is what sets Letterboxd apart from simpler tracking tools .
Following the Right People
Find reviewers with similar taste by browsing popular reviews and checking who liked films you enjoyed. Engage with active community members. Curate your feed for quality content by following people whose taste aligns with yours . The activity feed improves as you follow more relevant people. Some users find Letterboxd besties, people who share the same top four favorite films, using third-party tools that match your profile with others .
Review Strategy
Short reviews keep it manageable and encourage regular logging. Longer reviews build your voice and establish your profile as a valuable resource. Consistency matters more than length . Reviews can be private if you prefer to keep your thoughts personal. The platform supports both quick reactions and serious criticism, so choose what fits your style.
Pro Upgrade Decision
Consider Pro if you care about stats and want to remove ads. Pro adds annual and all-time stats pages, advanced activity filters, streaming service filters (powered by JustWatch), list cloning, and removes third-party ads . Patron adds custom film posters, backdrop customization, additional stats, and early access to new features . The streaming notification feature alone makes Pro worthwhile for frequent watchers who want to know when watchlist films hit their services .
Conclusion
Letterboxd is a social film tracking platform that turns movie watching into a shareable habit. It works for casual viewers who want a simple diary and for cinephiles who enjoy deep analysis and community engagement.
What it does best: easy logging, active community, comprehensive lists, and a clean interface. The Four Favourites feature on profiles has become a cultural phenomenon, with celebrities and civilians alike sharing their top picks . The app functions as a form of ownership in an ephemeral streaming age, a way to hold onto and possess the art you love .
What it does not do: TV show tracking (though plans exist), offline functionality, or a fully bug free Android experience at present . Recent Google Play reviews indicate significant issues with the Android app that need attention. The iOS version generally receives better feedback.
Final recommendation: Letterboxd is worth downloading if you watch movies regularly and want to track them. The free version gives you access to all core features. Start with logging your recent watches, follow a few friends, and see how the community shapes your viewing habits. For a more polished experience, the iOS version remains the stronger option. If you need both movie and TV tracking, consider alternatives like Binge, Trakt, or Open Movie Tracker .
FAQ
Is Letterboxd free to use?
Yes. Letterboxd is free to download and use with basic features. The free version includes film logging, rating, review writing, list creation, following members, and access to the activity feed. Free accounts display third party ads in the app and have limited filtering options. Pro and Patron subscriptions remove ads and add advanced features like stats pages, streaming filters, and customization options.
Can I log films I watched before joining Letterboxd?
Yes. You can backdate diary entries for films you watched before joining. The app allows you to set any date for diary entries. You can also mark films as watched without a diary date using the watched feature. This is useful for building a complete viewing history without adding each film individually. For bulk imports, the web version supports data import from services like IMDb and CSV files.
What is the difference between logging and reviewing?
Logging a film records that you watched it on a specific date. This is the core diary function. Reviewing is optional and adds a written opinion with your rating. You can log films without reviewing them. You can also review films without logging them, though most users combine both actions. Reviews can be public or private depending on your preference.
What is the Letterboxd download process like?
You can Download Letterboxd from the Official Google Play Store. The app is free to install and requires an account to use. The download size varies by device. Once installed, you can create an account using your email address or through Facebook. The app syncs with the web version, so your data is available across platforms.
Who do I contact if I need support or have questions?
For technical support, account issues, or bug reports, contact the development team at droid[at]letterboxd.com. The team is responsive and actively uses the platform. For partnership inquiries, press requests, or general questions, use the contact form available on the official website. Community support is also available through the platform’s help center, FAQ section, and forums. Additional resources include the wiki page and various user guides.