Best MyAnimeList Alternatives in 2026
The 7 best MyAnimeList alternatives in 2026, tested and ranked. AniList, Kitsu, Achriom, and more — with honest trade-offs and who each one is actually for.
For most people looking to leave MyAnimeList, AniList is the answer. It has a modern interface, better list management, and a community that’s generally more welcoming. If you want your anime tracking connected to your books, films, and music, Achriom handles that with an AI librarian that reasons across all of them.
The right pick depends on why you’re leaving MAL.
Why people leave MyAnimeList
MAL has run since 2004 and has the largest anime database online. That legacy is also its limitation. The interface hasn’t changed much in years. List management is rigid. The forums have a reputation for hostility toward casual viewers. And once you step outside anime, the platform has nothing to offer.
Some users stay on MAL regardless. The database depth for obscure and older titles is real, and community scores there carry cultural weight in the anime space. But if you’re switching, you have better options.
What to look for in an alternative
Database completeness. Does it have the series you’re tracking, including older and niche titles?
List flexibility. Can you sort, filter, and score the way you want?
Community. Are there people to discuss shows with, and is that community worth engaging with?
Cross-media support. Do you only watch anime, or do you want one place for your whole media life?
Mobile experience. A tracker you don’t open on your phone rarely gets used.
Most platforms do some of these well. None does all of them.
The best alternatives to MyAnimeList
AniList
AniList is where most MAL migrants end up, and it earns that. The interface is modern. List management is highly configurable: choose from multiple scoring systems (10-point, 100-point, stars, smiley faces), add custom fields, and filter your list by almost any attribute.
The community is active and more welcoming than MAL forums, particularly for people newer to anime. AniList also tracks manga.
The database covers current and recent titles comprehensively. For very old or niche series, MAL occasionally has more, but the gap has narrowed considerably. Third-party apps built on AniList’s GraphQL API give the mobile experience real depth.
If you want a direct MAL replacement with a better design, this is it.
Kitsu
Kitsu tracks anime, manga, and light novels in one place. The interface is clean and the mobile apps are well-built. The community is smaller and quieter than MAL or AniList, which is either a feature or a drawback depending on what you’re looking for.
The database is solid for mainstream titles. For niche or older series, it can be thinner than AniList or MAL. If you read manga or light novels alongside anime and want everything in one tracker, Kitsu is worth a look.
Anime-Planet
Anime-Planet has been running since 2001. The interface is older, but the database is large and the recommendation engine is genuinely useful. If you finish Attack on Titan and want to know what’s similar, Anime-Planet tends to surface better matches than most trackers. Years of community tagging have built a recommendation layer that newer platforms haven’t replicated.
Worth considering if discovery is a higher priority than interface polish.
Achriom
Achriom sits in a different category from the others. It tracks anime alongside books, movies, TV shows, and albums. If you find yourself juggling separate apps for different parts of your media life, Achriom brings them into one library.
The AI librarian reasons across all of it. Ask what to watch next and it draws on your full collection, not just your anime history. Connections that a dedicated anime tracker cannot make (your taste in literary fiction, the films you’ve rated highest, what you started and dropped) all feed into recommendations. The app lives in ChatGPT.
Achriom works best for people who consume media across formats. For someone who primarily watches anime and wants a clean tracker for it, AniList is the faster path.
For a direct head-to-head look at MAL, AniList, and Kitsu, see MyAnimeList vs AniList vs Kitsu.
See every anime tracker compared at the full media tracker comparison.
Want all of it in one place? Achriom tracks your anime alongside your books, films, music, and shows, with an AI librarian that connects them. That is the part no anime-only tracker can do.
Try Achriom free →Side-by-side comparison
| AniList | Kitsu | Anime-Planet | Achriom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anime tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manga tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Books, films, music | No | No | No | Yes |
| Database size | Large | Medium | Large | Growing |
| Community | Active | Small | Medium | N/A |
| AI recommendations | No | No | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | No | Via ChatGPT |
| Open API | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Which one should you use
AniList for most people switching away from MAL. Better list tools, better design, same core function.
Kitsu if you track anime, manga, and light novels and want them all in one place.
Anime-Planet if recommendations and discovery matter more to you than a modern interface.
Achriom if your media life spans formats and you want your anime list connected to everything else, with an AI that reasons across all of it.
The honest answer
Most people asking this question will land on AniList and not look back. The import from MAL is straightforward, and the platform does everything MAL does with fewer frustrations.
Keeping MAL around alongside AniList is common and reasonable. The database is useful for discussions on older titles, and community scores for something like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood carry meaning for a lot of viewers. Two trackers is a workable setup during or after a switch.
If your media consumption extends beyond anime, that’s where these options start to diverge in a more meaningful way. A tracker that only knows your anime list cannot tell you much about your broader taste.
Common questions
Can I import my MAL list to AniList?
Yes. AniList has a built-in MAL import tool. Export your list from MyAnimeList as XML, go to Settings on AniList, and upload the file. Most lists transfer without issues, though some status fields may need manual cleanup.
Does AniList track manga?
Yes. AniList handles both anime and manga with the same list management tools.
Is there a way to track anime and books in the same app?
Yes. Achriom tracks anime alongside books, movies, TV shows, and albums. It’s available as a ChatGPT app and includes an AI librarian that works across all five media types.
Which alternative has the most complete database?
AniList and MAL are closest in database size for contemporary titles. For very old or obscure anime, MAL still has an edge, though AniList has been closing that gap. Anime-Planet is also large, particularly for titles with strong community tagging.
Can I use two trackers at once?
Yes, and many people do. A common approach is AniList as the main tracker and MAL for occasional database lookups or forum discussions on older series. There’s no technical barrier to running both.
Is Kitsu free?
Yes. Kitsu is free to use with an account. There’s no paid tier.