Sofa Time iOS app helps you track and organize TV Shows and Movies. It helps you navigate to streaming platforms and comes with features like adding movies to personal lists, creating reminders in the Calendar app, and more.
Price: Free (Premium Version costs $3.99)
I love watching movies, TV series, sitcoms, etc. But it’s really hard for me to keep track of everything I’ve watched. At times, when I’m midway through a movie is when I realize I’ve watched it before. If you’re in the same boat as me, the Sofa Time iOS app is perfect for keeping track of everything you’ve watched.
Also, if your friend just recommends a movie, you can search for it on Sofa Time and check where you can stream it. You can add it to your lists or even create a reminder to watch it in the Calendar app. Sounds like all you’ve ever wanted? Read along, as the Sofa Time app has more tricks that will impress you!
Intuitive user interface with useful features
I believe design and utility should always go hand in hand for an app to be easy to use and appealing. An overly-designed app with poor navigation or utility does no good. After using the Sofa Time app for a while now, I can assure you that it has an excellent user interface and user experience.
- Search results: Firstly, whenever you search for a movie, series, show, etc., on Sofa Time, it will display all the streaming services that allow you to watch, rent or buy it in your country. Trust me, region-specific results are something you will truly appreciate.
- Track and organize titles: All the movies and shows you’ve already watched will be marked as watched, and if the sequel or the next season releases, you will be notified. The same applies to episodes that air every week. Moreover, you can create lists to organize all the movies and shows you would like to watch.
- Create reminders: Just came across a movie that you would love to watch over the weekend? Look it up on Sofa Time and create a reminder in the Calendar app. Yes, the app will ask permission to access your Calendar. Then it’ll create a reminder with a URL reminding you to watch the movie. Then you can navigate to the streaming service right from the app whenever the reminder pops up.
- Streaming-app support: Since Sofa Time is powered by JustWatch, you can navigate to the streaming service app directly from Sofa Time. And Trakt helps store your lists, ratings, private notes, etc., in the cloud and syncs them across devices. Yes, you can make private notes for any movie or show.
- Detailed title descriptions: You can also view detailed information for every movie and show, like IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes ratings, and user reviews which also come with the option to hide spoilers. Furthermore, cast and crew information, stats, and other similar recommended movies or shows are also displayed to help you decide if you should go ahead and watch the movie or show.
How to organize movies and shows using Sofa Time iOS app
I’ve already mentioned that the app contains useful features and has a seamless user interface. As soon as you open the app, you will see the Discover page, which has a bunch of movies and shows neatly organized under Trending Today, Most Popular, Latest releases, and other categories.
Let me help you navigate the app and get you started on the basics.
Search and watch movies or TV shows on Sofa Time
Sofa Time is not a streaming service, so you cannot stream movies or shows on the app. However, you can navigate the streaming service with the movie or show you just searched for. Here’s how:
- Launch the Sofa Time app on your iPhone.
- From the top left, select the TV SHOWS or MOVIES tab based on your preference.
- Enter the name of the movie or the show in the search bar and hit done.
- In the search results, tap on the movie or show you searched for.
- Scroll down to the Watch now tab.
- You will find all the streaming services that allow you to watch, rent or buy the movie/show.
- Tap on the icon of the service of your choice → tap on it again on the JustWatch page.
Create a list in the Sofa Time app
- Open the Sofa Time app.
- Select the My lists tab at the bottom.
- Scroll down and tap +Add list under the My personal lists option.
- Add Title and Description → tap Done at the top right corner.
Now, you can add any movie or show to this list. If you upgrade to Premium, you can create unlimited lists like this.
Add movies or shows to My lists in the Sofa Time app
- Open the Sofa Time app.
- Search for the movie or the show and tap it.
- Tap the table icon that reads Personal lists.
- To add the movie or show to any of the lists you’ve created, tap + icon beside the title of the list.
Create a reminder to watch a movie or show using Sofa Time
- Search for the movie or the show and tap it.
- Once the page opens, tap the three dots → select the Create reminder in the Calendar app option.
- Select the Date and Time → tap OK.
- Tap OK again to allow Sofa Time to access your calendar.
You have successfully created a reminder to watch the movie or show.
Is the Premium version worth it?
Yes! The short and straight answer is definitely yes. Also, it isn’t quite that expensive as it costs $3.99 and is a one-time purchase. Several features, like unlimited personal lists, notes, and reminders, can be unlocked through Premium. Besides, you will only receive push notifications for upcoming episodes of TV shows or movie premieres if you upgrade to Premium.
I have not used any paid apps since I moved to iOS, nor am I trying to sell you the app. It’s just that I rarely come across apps that I would wholeheartedly pay for, and the Sofa Time app has made its way to that list.
However, the non-paid version of the app also gets a lot done. Most of the features are still available and work flawlessly.
Should you get the Sofa Time app?
If you tend to watch movies or shows, I do not see a reason why you should not get the Sofa Time iOS app. It’s always good to keep track of what you’ve watched and what you wish to. Additionally, if you spend unhealthy amounts of time binge-watching, the My Stats section in the Profile tab shows you the time you’ve spent watching movies and shows.
The My Stats section consists of several charts and diagrams to help you track time. It also has pie charts for movies and shows that divide everything you’ve watched into different genres.
Overall, the UI and UX of the app are clean and functional. It does the intended job phenomenally and has useful features, not gimmicks. Go ahead and download the app right now.
