Opening
Netflix’s simulcast of Jujutsu Kaisen’s next arc pulled a big chunk of the fandom off Crunchyroll for one show, HIDIVE holds the exclusive on two other summer premieres, and Hulu quietly picked up a third. Every Saturday night we open three tabs to figure out what dropped, then miss the fourth one because it aired on Tuesday. Apps for tracking currently-airing anime episodes on Android turn that scramble into one feed with countdowns to the next release, per-service filters so we know which streamer to open, and push notifications when an episode goes live. We tested seven of them against a real summer 2026 lineup, official apps, community clients, and cross-service trackers, to see which ones keep the schedule tight without becoming a busywork chore of their own.
What to look for
Five things separate a real airing tracker from a general watchlist. Per-episode push notifications are non-negotiable, and the good ones let us mute finished shows so the phone stops buzzing after a cour ends. A seasonal calendar view shows every episode dropping this week with day-of-week grouping, not just the next one. A per-service filter matters more every year: being able to pull up only the Netflix drops or only the Crunchyroll simulcasts saves us from bouncing between apps. An offline schedule keeps the calendar readable on the subway when the API is down. And multi-list sync between AniList, MyAnimeList, and Kitsu means we do not have to rekey a fifty-show list twice.
Quick comparison
| App | Airing calendar | Per-episode push | Service filter | List sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveChart.me | Weekly grid | Yes | Yes | MAL, AniList |
| AniHyou (AniList) | Home dashboard | Yes | No | AniList |
| MyAnimeList | Season chart | Yes | No | MAL only |
| AniTrend | Dashboard tile | Yes | No | AniList |
| Simkl Lists | Yes | Yes | Yes | MAL, AniList, Kitsu, Trakt |
| Trakt | Calendar view | Yes | Manual lists | Trakt only |
| Crunchyroll | In-app queue | Yes | Crunchyroll only | Crunchyroll only |
1. LiveChart.me for the weekly airing calendar
LiveChart is the schedule tool the /r/anime crowd already checks every Sunday morning. The Android app carries the same weekly grid, groups every simulcast by day of week, and shows the exact time an episode goes live in the reader’s timezone. Push notifications fire per episode, filters strip the calendar down to whichever streamers we actually pay for, and the app pulls a watchlist from either MyAnimeList or AniList so the calendar is scoped to shows we track.
Where it falls short: no native list state changes, the app reads the linked list but writes go back through the source service. Long-form ratings and reviews still live on the site rather than in the app.
Pricing: Free, with a Pro tier at a small monthly fee that removes ads and unlocks longer calendar ranges.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Bottom line: If the whole point is knowing when the next episode airs and where, this is the app that fits that job.
2. AniHyou for AniList airing lists on Android
AniList never shipped a first-party Android client, so the community filled the gap. AniHyou is the open-source client the AniList Discord recommends by default. It pulls an airing list from AniList, exposes a “Next episode” widget for the home screen, and fires notifications when a new episode drops for anything on the current list. Threaded activity feeds and social features carry over from the site without feeling shoved in.
Where it falls short: no per-service filter, since AniList tracks the show rather than the streamer. The seasonal calendar is behind an extra tap versus a home-screen carousel.
Pricing: Free and open-source, no ads, no in-app purchases.
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Bottom line: The default airing dashboard for anyone whose canonical list already lives on AniList.
3. MyAnimeList Official for the biggest catalogue behind the schedule
MyAnimeList is still the largest anime database with the deepest metadata and the widest coverage of niche titles. The official Android app tracks episode progress, pushes notifications when shows on our watchlist air, and syncs with the web account many of us have been carrying since the early 2010s. The season chart view lists every simulcast in one place with a filter for the current cour.
Where it falls short: notifications land later than LiveChart or Crunchyroll, sometimes hours after the episode has aired. No per-streamer filter, and the UI still feels like it was ported from the 2018 site.
Pricing: Free with an optional MAL Supporter tier for cosmetic upgrades.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Bottom line: Keep it installed for the catalogue and the community pages, then pair it with LiveChart if notifications need to beat the drop.
4. AniTrend for a calmer native AniList tracker
AniTrend is the older AniList Android client, sitting somewhere between MyAnimeList and AniHyou in scope. It surfaces the airing schedule as a dashboard tile, pushes an alert per episode, and covers manga tracking alongside anime for readers who follow both. Character pages, staff credits, and the AniList feed all render inside the app rather than kicking out to a browser.
Where it falls short: release cadence has slowed, and the UI has not fully caught up with Material 3. No cross-service filter either.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Android only.
Bottom line: A quieter AniList client if AniHyou’s activity-feed density is more than you want on the phone.
5. Simkl Lists for multi-service watchers
Simkl is the tracker for people who watch anime alongside western TV and movies. The Android app builds the airing calendar automatically from shows on our list, pushes per-episode notifications, and lets us filter by streaming service, including Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Netflix, and Hulu. On setup, Simkl imports from MyAnimeList, AniList, Kitsu, or Trakt in one pass so the migration is painless.
Where it falls short: the free tier caps some list features and surfaces house ads. Anime metadata is thinner than MAL or AniList for older titles.
Pricing: Free, with Simkl VIP unlocking unlimited lists and removing ads for a modest monthly fee.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Bottom line: The right pick if the same watchlist has to hold Attack on Titan and The Bear.
6. Trakt for TV, movies, and anime in one calendar
Trakt started as a movie and TV tracker and picked up anime later on. The Android app has a calendar view keyed off our watchlist, per-episode push notifications, and the widest set of third-party integrations of any tracker on the list, including automatic Plex, Jellyfin, and Kodi scrobbling. Airing anime slot in alongside regular TV shows rather than sitting on a separate tab.
Where it falls short: anime metadata leans on TheTVDB, so long-running series with multiple parts sometimes split awkwardly. No dedicated anime UI either.
Pricing: Free, with Trakt VIP for advanced stats and dashboards at a modest annual fee.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Bottom line: The tracker to pick when the Plex library and the anime list have to share the same calendar.
7. Crunchyroll for official simulcast notifications
The Crunchyroll app is the source of truth for anything simulcasting on Crunchyroll. Enabling notifications on a show pushes an alert the moment the episode goes live on the service, and the queue on the home tab doubles as an in-app airing calendar for shows we already added. Playback and tracking sit in the same app, so marking an episode watched is one tap.
Where it falls short: notifications and the calendar only cover Crunchyroll’s own catalogue. Anything on Netflix, HIDIVE, or Amazon needs a second tracker on top.
Pricing: Free with ads, with Crunchyroll Premium removing ads and unlocking simulcast timing at a monthly fee.
Platforms: Android, iOS, TV, web.
Bottom line: Install alongside a cross-service tracker; do not lean on it as the only airing app.
How to pick the right one
If the goal is one weekly grid that shows what airs when and where, LiveChart.me is the default answer. It reads whichever list already exists, layers a service filter and push notifications on top, and does not try to be a full social network in the process.
If the airing list already lives on AniList, AniHyou is the native fit and stays free forever. AniTrend is the calmer option when AniHyou’s activity feed feels loud, though its update cadence trails a little.
If the same phone tracks anime alongside movies and western TV, Simkl or Trakt handle both in one calendar. Simkl leans anime-first with per-service filters that match today’s streaming mix; Trakt wins when the calendar has to sync with Plex or Jellyfin scrobbling.
MyAnimeList still deserves an install for the catalogue depth and the community pages, and Crunchyroll pushes the fastest notifications for anything the service itself holds. The reliable stack for most viewers is one calendar app (LiveChart or Simkl) plus the official app for whichever streamer they pay for.
FAQ
Which Android app has the most accurate airing schedule?
LiveChart.me pulls its schedule directly from the same feed the site uses and updates episode times in the viewer’s timezone when broadcasters shift slots. Its next-episode countdown lands closer to the actual release than the schedules inside MyAnimeList or AniTrend.
Do these apps notify per episode or only per show?
LiveChart, AniHyou, AniTrend, Simkl, Trakt, and Crunchyroll all support per-episode push notifications. MyAnimeList sends a single notification when a season starts and then relies on the season chart for the weekly view.
Can one app cover Crunchyroll and Netflix at the same time?
LiveChart and Simkl both filter airing shows by streaming service, including Netflix, Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and Hulu. Neither streams the episode itself; they point to the right service when the drop hits.
Is AniHyou the official AniList app?
No. AniList never shipped a first-party Android client. AniHyou is an open-source community client that uses the official AniList API and is the most active option on Android in 2026.
Do any of these work without an account?
LiveChart works fine as a read-only calendar without signing in, and the account only scopes the calendar to a personal watchlist. Simkl, Trakt, AniHyou, AniTrend, and MyAnimeList all need an account to sync episode progress.
Which app is best for Netflix-only anime viewers?
If Netflix is the only streamer in the mix, the Netflix app’s own notifications cover new releases, and LiveChart’s Netflix filter shows when the next episode of a currently airing series drops. Pairing the two beats installing a full tracker.
