Letterboxd is an online platform that allows users to share opinions about their love for movies through first-hand reviews. Users can also keep track of movie releases, make lists of the films they’ve watched, and meet with other film fans.
There are several platforms like Letterboxd such as Stamp Social, The Movie Database, TCM and others. But the best Letterboxd alternative is IMDb. The platform is in function for over two decades now and is home to millions of movie titles and TV shows.
Why Do You Need a Letterboxd Alternative?
Letterboxd is more than capable of providing entertainment, information, and a sense of community for bonafide movie fans. However, it comes up short in a number of areas.
For example, It doesn’t have a lot of movie and TV show titles reviewed on the platform compared to other alternatives.
In addition, it doesn’t support direct streaming from its native apps or website, instead, it redirects you to corresponding sites where you can then watch what you want.
That’s not all. The free version comes with ads that can interfere with how you experience movie reviews and participate in discussions.
Luckily, we have some good Letterboxd alternatives that can help you deal with these issues.
Check this list out which has 14 of the best options you can try.
Best Letterboxd Alternatives
1. IMDb
IMDb (Internet Movie Database) is probably the largest database of movies and shows on the internet right now and has been providing vital information on films to fans since 1990.
One thing that makes IMDb stand out more than Letterboxd is that it goes beyond movies and TV shows and even offers reviews and essential information on video games, podcasts, and any streaming content. This means a user gets the most updated info on whatever they need with a simple click.
As of 2022, IMDb contains over 10 million movie and TV titles, which is way more than what Letterboxd provides. Furthermore, it had over 83 million registered users during that period, another record that surpasses Letterboxd.
IMDb only allows registered users to make any contributions and suggest edits to existing data. These contributions have made IMDb one of the most reliable sources of information on films, TV shows, and casts.
Unlike Letterboxd, you can stream movies on IMDb, which comes with a subscription, or rent or purchase the film. However, IMDb doesn’t support message boards, having discontinued them in 2017.
IMDb Pro will cost you $19.99 per month. This comes bundled with a 30-day free trial.
2. Rotten Tomatoes
Anyone who follows all the latest movie trends has heard of Rotten Tomatoes at some point. It’s a review-aggregation website for TV shows and movies founded by Senh Duong in 1998.
It started as a platform for people to access honest reviews of movies and shows from critics, and it has grown into one of the most powerful sources of information for movies.
Registered users are referred to as critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and to qualify as one, you need to have sent in many reviews liked and upvoted by other users.
Another way to get in is to have a movie review website approved by Rotten Tomatoes. This could be a podcast, online blog, magazine, or radio program.
Rotten Tomatoes removed forums but retained the ability of users to create groups that collectively contribute detailed reviews and criticism of movies the moment they are released.
In place of forums, the platform offers fun activities like movie trivia, where users can answer questions about their favorite movie titles.
If you want to know how good a movie or a show is, simply check its Rotten Tomatoes rating, which carries as much validity as IMDb. The higher the rating, the better the movie or TV show.
Like Letterboxd, you can’t stream directly on Rotten Tomatoes; instead, you get redirected to the official websites hosting the movies and TV shows.
3. Stamp Social
Stamp Social is closest to Letterboxd regarding functionality and compatibility with various devices. With so many streaming sites, deciding what to watch can be hard, and this is where Stamp Social comes in.
Rather than spending hours scrolling through thousands of items on your favorite streaming site, Stamp Social makes the work easier. You can follow your friends and get movie and TV show suggestions based on what they may be watching.
At the same time, just like Letterboxd, you can share your thoughts on the movies and shows you’ve watched to help other people understand what to expect without spoiling anything.
This is also the fastest way to make friends on Stamp Social by connecting with users who share similar tastes with you. The platform also allows you to curate your collection and movie playlists to define yourself better.
Stamp Social is free and can be used on Android, iOS, and the web.
4. Reelgood
This is more advanced than Letterboxd in so many ways. On top of allowing users to track, search, and discover their favorite movies and shows, Reelgood has a collection of free-to-stream films and shows.
So you can directly watch what you want right there without being redirected to other sites. At the moment, Reelgood has over 150,000 movie and TV listings, with over 150 supported streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, among others.
Just recently, Reelgood introduced a customer portal where users can interact with each other, find detailed information on what they want to watch, and get immediate help from customer support in case they run into issues. It’s not as interactive as Letterboxd, but it works.
Another advantage Rellgood has over Letterboxd is the integration with IMDb scores, which means even if other Reelgood users haven’t reviewed a movie, you can always find a detailed review on IMDb.
Reelgood also comes with Android and iOS apps that can set up alerts that notify you when a movie or TV show you’re tracking is available.
Additionally, Reelgood is entirely free, but you’ll need a subscription for the various streaming platforms that it may redirect you to.
Explore the best alternatives to Reelgood here.
5. The Movie Database
The Movie Database is another intuitive and user-friendly platform where people can find information on the latest movies and TV shows worldwide on top of discussing trending topics.
Not to be confused with IMDb, this platform has been around since 2008 and currently boasts of a huge movie and TV show collection and goes a step further than Letterboxd by including even content from the remotest of places on earth.
Besides providing detailed metadata on the movies, and the actors involved, TMDB is also home to some of the highest-quality movie posters, with over 1,000 added daily. The platform is available in 180 countries and provides services in 39 languages.
Like Letterboxd, TMDB has a fantastic community where daily discussions around movies and current events are held. Some popular forum boards include recent movie discussions and any news related to celebrities and what’s happening in their lives.
TMDB also has a leaderboard feature where users are ranked based on their contributions to the platform. This is mainly in the form of edits and reviews. You need to have an account and follow some specific guidelines to be a contributor.
The Movie Database is free to use.
6. TCM
Turner Classic Movies was launched in 1994 as a pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It primarily provides users access to some of the oldest and most classical movie titles found nowhere else on the internet.
Similar to Letterboxd, TCM offered users a way to discuss films and share information on the best movies to watch. However, the feature was discontinued in November 2022.
In place of forums, TCM has a podcast that discusses classic films, allowing users to listen in, follow, download, get transcripts and share their thoughts.
Another added advantage is that these podcasts can be accessed on other platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and many more.
Despite this, it still retains an impressive catalog of classical films licensed from major conglomerates like Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney, and Universal Pictures.
Like Letterboxd, you can browse through TCM movie titles however you want. Still, you must create an account using your email address to unlock more features like programming schedules, newsletters, and other exciting add-ons.
Furthermore, you need a subscription to various streaming sites so that you can be redirected to watch some of the movies.
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7. Trakt
With Trakt, you can track the movies and TV shows that you watch, discover new ones, and where you can catch them in HD or 4K. And just like Letterboxd, you can’t stream directly on the platform, but it redirects you to official streaming sites that host what you may be looking for.
Another similarity that Trakt shares with Letterboxd is compatibility with portable devices. You can install the app on Android, iOS, and Windows. Furthermore, you can check on movie information directly through the web version of Trakt.
But that’s where most of the similarities end. Unlike Letterboxd, which only requires an account to access user forums and message boards, you need VIP access to participate in any platform discussions.
The VIP access is essentially a premium version of Trakt that comes with two plans: VIP which costs $30 and VIP-EP which sets you back about $60 per year.
Other features you can unlock with VIP access are ad-free browsing, unlimited statistics, advanced movie filters, and calendar notifications.
8. Rate House
Rate House is similar to IMDb and TMDB as it is a database of movies and shows. On top of this, it provides a platform where users can rate, discover, catalog, and discuss all their favorite movies and TV shows.
Unlike Letterboxd, Rate House also includes music, video games, and podcasts with very lively interactions.
One standout feature that puts Rate House above most other alternatives is how easily users can review anything they want.
You don’t have to write long paragraphs like a professional writer. A short, quick review highlighting the best and the worst bits of content is all it takes. But you still need to create an account to post your reviews.
Another advantage is that Rate House is entirely free. But if you want, you can support the creators through voluntary donations.
The menu on Rate House is also pretty straightforward, allowing you to navigate to any content you need.
9.Box Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo is a subsidiary of IMDb that was created to track box-office revenue. It is a trendy forum for movie buffs who love discussing how specific films perform in theaters.
Founded in 1998, the site has accurately been used to forecast how hotly-anticipated movies are expected to perform once they are released worldwide or in some specific markets.
Like Letterboxd, you can check out movie details on Box Office Mojo without any restrictions, but when it comes to forums and message boards, you must have an account to comment on or even see what’s being discussed.
When you click on a movie on Box Office Mojo, you get all the details about its year of release, how much it brought in, whether it made a profit, the cast, crew, and company information.
Users also have access to the latest news and trends in the film industry and don’t have to pay to access all of that.
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10 Taste.io
This is a service designed for people who have difficulty choosing what to watch due to the overwhelming choices they’re presented with. Taste.io connects users with each other, especially when you share familiar tastes in movies and TV shows.
The website is straightforward, with all content grouped based on different parameters. Once you click on a movie, you can see the trailer and play it immediately without being redirected to YouTube.
Furthermore, you can see all details associated with the movie, like the genre it belongs to, the duration, the synopsis, the release date, the cast, and most importantly, independent short reviews by people who have already watched it.
In addition to this, Taste.io allows users to rate the movie, and the score is displayed alongside the number of people who participated in rating it.
Taste.io also provides content from multiple streaming sites like Letterboxd, but you can’t stream anything directly on the platform. It only redirects you to the respective streaming site, which you must pay separately.
Popular streaming platforms with content on Taste.io include Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Disney+, Apple TV, Paramount Plus, and Tubi.
Taste.io is free, you just have to subscribe to the streaming service you’re redirected to.
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11. Blu-ray
This is yet another reliable Letterboxd alternative, although it has one of the clunkiest websites you’ll ever encounter.
Blu-ray provides thousands of movie reviews on top of a thriving online community that discusses everything related to films. Furthermore, you can also find content related to music and video games.
The platform is also a movie-renting site where people who would like to experience 4K Blu-ray quality movies that come in DVD format. Renting can be done directly from the Blu-ray Amazon store.
Like Letterboxd, Blu-ray provides an online forum where movies are reviewed in great detail by users who’ve watched them. Under each review, other users can continue their replies, reacting to the study or adding any information the reviewer missed.
There’s no app support for portable devices, but the platform’s web version works just right.
There are no charges either, and all you need to do to be part of the online community is register with an account.
The forum section features diverse topics, from popular movie titles to general things like what movies people could watch at any time. Besides each topic posted, you can see the number of replies under it and the last time someone added a reply.
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12. Metacritic
If you’re the type of movie fan who values professional and critical movie reviews, then Metacritic would serve you better than Letterboxd. The platform was created in 1999 to summarize different reviews from different sources.
Metacritic uses a proprietary feature called Metascore which filters opinions from the most respected movie reviewers and displays them in one place for easy access so users can get a feel of what to expect by just reading a single review.
You can also discover new and notable movies that just dropped, narrowing down to what’s popping up based on the number of reviews posted. The higher the meta scores, the more likely the movie or TV show is fantastic.
Furthermore, you’ll not just be limited to what others have written; you can contribute your ratings and reviews and get the platform to showcase your writing talents and get good online engagements from people who share your interests.
Besides movies and TV shows, Metacritic also deals with games and music and even has a section for gaming consoles. There are no charges involved with using Metacritic.
13. JustWatch
This platform operates like Taste.io as it provides content from different streaming sites, acting like a guide for people who may be overwhelmed by deciding what to watch.
However, JustWatch provides live-streaming content like sports from streaming services like ESPN. In short, it’s a very convenient way to show people where to catch their favorite content legally.
Top streaming sites with content hosted on JustWatch include Netflix, Apple TV, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video.
The one difference that sets JustWatch apart from Letterboxd is that it lacks a solid forum where people can discuss their favorite movies and share recommendations. So every piece of information you find on the website is written by in-house reviewers.
To use JustWatch, you need to sign up. You can’t stream directly on the platform either, but you’ll get redirected to the various streaming platforms that host the content you’re looking for.
JustWatch also has better compatibility than Letterboxd as you can use it on Android, iOS, FireTV, Samsung TV, LG TV, and Xbox.
JustWatch has a free and pro version which costs $2.49 per month. It gives you access to advanced search filters, hides disliked titles, and eliminates all ads and banners.
14. Plex
Last on our list is Plex, another aggregating site that brings together movies and TV shows from different platforms to make it easier for users to find what they want.
Unlike other platforms that provide streaming content, you can directly stream some licensed movies and TV shows on Plex, which is mighty convenient compared to being redirected to other sites that may require you to pay.
And concerning payments, Plex isn’t free, and it has three price plans.
You can either pay a monthly fee of $4.99, an annual fee of $39.99, or a lifetime fee of $119.99. The premium version is called Plex Pass, and it allows you to download movies and shows for offline viewing, and experiment with multi-colored themes, dash control, and various other advanced settings and features.
Like Letterboxd, Plex has a forum where users discuss various topics. But, as usual, you must have a registered account to contribute to this forum.
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Wrapping Up
So there you have all the top alternatives you can use instead of Letterboxd. Each option has different features, but they all serve an essential function, providing you with the most necessary information you need to decide what to watch without too much hassle.
IMDb would be my top choice as it has been around for much longer, which means it has much more to offer than the rest.
Give it a try and see how it goes.
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