TheTVDB
ActiveOverview
TheTVDB is a community-driven database providing metadata for over 170,000 TV series and 358,000 movies, accessible via API for developers and media applications. It relies on user contributions for information on TV episodes, series, and films, serving as a data source for media centers, apps, and utilities rather than a streaming service.135
Key Features
- Metadata API - API delivering TV series and movie metadata, handling over 1 billion calls daily.
- Community Contributions - Users add and edit details for series, movies, seasons, and episodes.
- Global Content Catalog - Covers hundreds of thousands of TV series and movies from various regions.
- User Subscriptions - Provides unique user ID for integration with media center software.
- Translations Support - Allows additions and edits to translations for unlocked content.
- V4 API on GitHub - Open-source API repository for developers to access and contribute.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Basic access to database and community contributions. |
| Subscription | Paid (details not specified) | Unique user ID for media center integration and enhanced API access. |
Platforms & Requirements
TheTVDB operates as a web-based platform accessible via any modern browser without specific minimum requirements mentioned. It is not a downloadable application for desktop or mobile platforms. API access is available for integration into other software.
Integrations & Ecosystem
- Media center software (e.g., Kodi, Plex)
- Developer apps and utilities
- Mobile apps and devices
- Websites and services via API
- Export of metadata
- Community crowdsourced data sharing
- V4 API (GitHub)
- Support for translations in apps
Alternatives
| App | Difference |
|---|---|
| The Movie Database (TMDb) | Larger focus on movies alongside TV, with more automated data ingestion. |
| IMDb | Commercial database with user reviews and ratings, less API-focused for developers. |
| TVmaze | Real-time episode tracking and scheduling emphasis. |
| Trakt.tv | Personal tracking and recommendations integrated with metadata. |
Reputation
TheTVDB is recognized as one of the longest-running community-driven metadata databases since 2006, valued for its accuracy and extensive TV-focused catalog used by thousands of developers.12 Users appreciate the open-source nature and fan contributions but note it requires subscriptions for certain integrations like user IDs in media centers.3 It faces competition from more movie-centric or feature-rich alternatives, with some criticism for manual data entry dependencies.3