Binge launches as a movie tracker with jump scare warnings

Independent developer Shihab Mehboob has launched Binge, a new movie and television tracking application that differentiates itself from competitors by offering real-time warnings for jump scares. Mehboob, who previously developed other applications including the social app Mammoth and the AI news reader Bulletin, designed Binge to leverage Apple’s Live Activities feature. This integration displays real-time notifications directly on a device’s Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which are Apple-specific user interface features designed to show live updates. To use the feature, users tap a clock icon on the movie’s detail page to start the Live Activity when they begin watching, with options to filter the alerts to display only major scares.

The application is available across Apple’s ecosystem, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Binge functions as an all-in-one media tracker, aggregating ratings and review data from external platforms such as Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Metacritic. It enters a crowded market of consumer tracking applications, competing with established platforms like Letterboxd, TV Time, JustWatch, and Trakt. To differentiate itself, Binge includes standard tracking features alongside niche tools, such as detailed breakdowns of post-credit scenes, visual graphs of television episode ratings, and direct integration with Trakt’s service. It also utilizes Apple’s iCloud service to synchronize user data across multiple devices.

Binge is free to download, but accessing its premium features—including the real-time jump-scare warnings—requires a paid upgrade. Users can choose between three pricing options to unlock the premium tier:

• A monthly subscription of $1.99
• An annual subscription of $17.99
• A one-time lifetime purchase of $49.99

The free version of the application allows users to manage basic watchlists and view general media information, while advanced features like iCloud synchronization and custom alerts remain exclusive to the paid tiers.

Why it matters

Binge enters a highly competitive market of established media-tracking applications, such as Letterboxd, TV Time, and JustWatch. By leveraging platform-specific iOS features like Live Activities alongside highly niche utilities like real-time jump-scare warnings, the developer aims to carve out a distinct segment among users seeking deeper platform integration.