Source-backed analysis8
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
8 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Letterboxd Review
Social network for film fans: diary, ratings and lists
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- Web
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Letterboxd suits people who want to log what they watch and talk with a film-loving community, with the core free. The drawbacks are third-party ads on the free tier and a Google Play rating (3.4/5) far below its App Store score (4.8/5).
Best for: Film fans who want a personal diary and ratings
Skip it if: Anyone looking for a streaming subscription; Letterboxd is mainly for logging and discussion, with only pay-per-film rentals
Pros
- Free, unlimited core: diary, ratings, reviews and lists
- Low-priced Pro at $19 a year, removing third-party ads
- Apps for iOS, Android and Apple TV; 4.8/5 and an Editors' Choice badge on the App Store
Cons
- The free tier carries third-party ads and ad-related cookies
- Only 3.4/5 on Google Play from about 34,800 reviews
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Data export and self-service deletion in Settings
Cons
- English-only interface
- A 2024 breach via a staff account was disclosed by the company
Best for
- People who like browsing lists made by friends and the community
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What Letterboxd is
Letterboxd describes itself as a global social platform for film discussion and discovery: you log films in a diary, rate, review and tag them, build lists and follow friends. Its about page compares it to "Goodreads for movies". According to Wikipedia, New Zealand founders Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow launched a private version in October 2011 and opened to the public in February 2013. Film data comes from TMDB, and apps exist for iOS, Android and Apple TV.
Key features
Every account gets unlimited diary entries, reviews, lists and follows. Pro adds annual and all-time stats, streaming-service filters, watchlist availability alerts, list cloning, profile pinning and friends' average ratings. Patron adds custom posters, backdrops and cast and crew images. The about section also covers migrating from IMDb and embedding ratings.
Pricing and ads
The Pro page lists Pro at $19 a year and Patron at $49 a year (excluding tax), currently 20% off at $15 and $39 until 16 November 2026. In the iOS app they cost $18.99 and $48.99 a year. Billing is annual, through Paddle on the web or Apple and Google in the apps. Ads are the notable difference: the privacy notice says that for non-subscribers pre-selected companies may use information on the device to serve ads, while Pro removes third-party ads and the associated tracking.
More analysis
Company and risks
According to Wikipedia, in September 2023 a fund managed by Tiny, a Canadian investment company, acquired a 60% stake, with the two founders keeping 20% each. Plans announced at the time to add TV shows drew some community backlash, and in March 2024 the company disclosed a breach via a staff account that it said affected under 1% of accounts. On Google Play the Android app scores only 3.4/5. Letterboxd is not a streaming subscription: beyond Video Store rentals, users still need other services to watch.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Free
PersonalFree
All accounts get unlimited films, diary entries, reviews, ratings and lists. Free members see third-party ads; Letterboxd says the free tier will always remain available.
Pro
Personal$1.58/mo
$19 per year regular price, excluding sales tax; a 20% sale brings it to $15 until 16 November 2026. Removes third-party ads and adds annual and all-time stats, streaming-service filters and watchlist availability alerts. Billed annually only; $18.99 a year in the iOS app.
Patron
Personal$4.08/mo
$49 per year regular price, excluding sales tax; the 20% sale brings it to $39 until 16 November 2026. Everything in Pro plus custom posters, backdrops and cast and crew images, a name on the Patrons page and a Patron badge. $48.99 a year in the iOS app.
- Free plan limits
- No cap on films, diary entries, reviews or lists. The main differences from Pro are third-party ads and the stats and filtering tools.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
The pages checked state no dedicated refund policy. The subscription page says plans renew annually unless cancelled beforehand and are paid through Paddle on the web or through Apple and Google in the apps. Expired plans revert to free accounts.
Privacy
The privacy notice (updated August 2026) names Letterboxd Limited as data controller. It lists contact and account details, truncated payment data, device data, approximate location from IP and user-posted content as collected. For non-subscribers, pre-selected companies may use information on the device to serve ads, and a Common ID cookie is accessible to ad partners; users can opt out. Data is shared with payment processors (Paddle, Apple, Google, Stripe) and providers such as Cloudflare, Zendesk, Vimeo and Playwire. Servers are in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Users can edit or delete information in Settings and export account data. The App Store privacy label says identifiers and usage data are used to track you. In March 2024, according to Wikipedia, Letterboxd disclosed a breach through a compromised staff account that it said affected under 1% of accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Letterboxd free?
Yes. The free tier has unlimited films, diary entries, reviews and lists, but with third-party ads. Pro at $19 a year removes ads.
Can I watch films on Letterboxd?
Its core is logging and discussing films. Pro lets you filter by your streaming services to see where a film is available. Wikipedia says a Video Store rental service launched in December 2025 in 23 countries; on the US App Store, rentals range from $3.99 to $19.99.
Can I import my data from IMDb?
Yes. Letterboxd's about section includes guides for migrating from IMDb and for importing data.
Who owns Letterboxd?
Letterboxd Limited of New Zealand. According to Wikipedia, a Tiny-managed fund has held 60% since September 2023 and the two founders hold 20% each.
Review evidence & sources8
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.2
- Features
- 8.0
- Value for money
- 8.5
- Performance
- 6.5
- Support
- 6.5
- Privacy & security
- 5.8
Why this score
Logging, rating and lists are built into app and web; the App Store gives 4.8/5 from about 88,000 ratings and an Editors' Choice badge. Marked down for the English-only interface and an Android app that, per its Google Play description, supports only part of the web feature set so far.
Why this score
Diary, lists, friends, stats, streaming-service filters, an API, IMDb import and Video Store rentals. It is not a streaming subscription, so scope is narrower than a viewing platform.
Why this score
The free tier is unlimited for diary and lists; Pro at $19 and Patron at $49 a year cost far less than viewing subscriptions. Ads go away only when paying.
Why this score
A high App Store score (4.8) but only 3.4 on Google Play from about 34,800 reviews, pointing to a weaker Android experience. No independent performance measurements were found.
Why this score
A Help Center, a contact page and a dedicated email for the Android app; no chat or phone channel on the pages checked.
Why this score
The policy is explicit about collection and allows export and deletion. However free users get ad targeting via a Common ID cookie, the App Store label discloses tracking, data goes to many providers, and a breach was disclosed in 2024.
What users say
- App Store (US)4.8/5 · 88,000
- Google Play (US)3.4/5 · 34,800
Sources
- Vendor-providedLetterboxd Pro pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedLetterboxd: What is Letterboxd?Nov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedLetterboxd: Paid subscriptionsNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedLetterboxd Privacy Notice (updated 2026-08)Nov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedLetterboxd AppsNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedWikipedia: LetterboxdNov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Letterboxd Limited
- Headquarters
- New Zealand
- Launched
- 2013
- Category
- Entertainment
Capabilities
- Mobile app
- Public API
- Real-time collaboration
Platforms
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- English
Integrations
- TMDB
- Apple TV
- Paddle
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Feature.The Video Store rental service launched in 23 countries.
- Update.Letterboxd disclosed a February breach via a compromised staff account.
- Company.A Tiny-managed fund bought a 60% stake; Letterboxd reached 10 million members and announced plans to add TV shows.
Full change history (6)
- Update.Members logged the billionth film.
- Launch.The site opened to the public with free and paid tiers.
- Launch.The founders launched a private version at the Brooklyn Beta conference.
About the author
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