Callsheet is an essential iPhone and iPad app for movie lovers

Screenshots of the Callsheet app on the Apple App Store.
The Callsheet app is designed to help you quickly and easily find the information you need. (Image credit: Callsheet/Apple App Store)
Callsheet

The Callsheet logo on the Apple App Store

(Image credit: Callsheet/Apple App Store)

iPhone/iPad - Free (In-app purchases)

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Everyone likes watching movies and getting stuck into TV shows. But if you’re the kind of person who always wants to find out so much more about the films and boxsets you enjoy, like where you recognize someone from or when a TV series was first released, you need the Callsheet app for the iPhone or the iPad. 

Callsheet is a comprehensive app packed with all sorts of information about movies and TV shows, including age ratings, dates, titles, cast history, crew information and so much more. 

The first line of the Callsheet description over on the Apple App Store reads: “Find information about your favorite movies and shows, without constant login prompts, ads, auto-playing videos, and other junk.” If you’re thinking that sounds like a direct dig at competitor IMDb, we think you’re spot on.

Why Callsheet is easier to use than IMDb

IMDb is great and it’s long been the first port of call if you need more info about a movie, an actor, or a crew member. But it’s not designed with users in mind. Particularly users who might be in the middle of a TV show binge and just want easy-to-find info quickly.

The iOS app constantly asks you to sign in. It also often stalls on my iPhone, too. It has a cluttered design and it’s hard to find what you want most of the time. I’ve had a bugbear with IMDb for a while but I didn’t realize that I’m not the only one who doesn’t like the experience.

Instead, Callsheet is designed to help you really quickly and easily find what you need to know about the cast and crew in TV and movies. It wants to get you what you need, not sell you stuff or interrupt your journey with distractions and fuss. It’s made by an independent developer too, so there are no ads or agendas either. 

Someone in Callsheet’s reviews said “It’s like if Apple made IMDb” and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what a perfect comparison that is. It’s no wonder Callsheet has previously won an 'Editor’s Choice' award on the Apple App Store.

As well as a more streamlined experience, Callsheet has some cool built-in features that set it apart from IMDb even more. For starters, it helps you avoid TV spoilers by giving you the option to hide character names, episode counts, episode titles, and episode thumbnails. 

It also gives you quick access to the most interesting bits of trivia, Wikipedia, parental guidance, and where you can watch the things you’re looking for – information that should be bang up to date as it’s provided by JustWatch.

Callsheet offers 20 searches for free. After that, you’ll need to subscribe for $9/£9 per year. Sign up for a subscription and you’ll get a one-week free trial, which is worth it if you think you’ll get your money’s worth but want to check. 

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Becca Caddy
Contributor

Becca Caddy is a contributor to iMore, as well as a freelance journalist and author. She’s been writing about consumer tech and popular science for more than a decade, covering all kinds of topics, including why robots have eyes and whether we’ll experience the overview effect one day. She’s particularly interested in VR/AR, wearables, digital health, space tech and chatting to experts and academics about the future. She’s contributed to TechRadar, T3, Wired, New Scientist, The Guardian, Inverse and many more. Her first book, Screen Time, came out in January 2021 with Bonnier Books. She loves science-fiction, brutalist architecture, and spending too much time floating through space in virtual reality. Last time she checked, she still holds a Guinness World Record alongside iMore Editor in Chief Gerald Lynch for playing the largest game of Tetris ever made, too.

  • Annie_M
    I’ll definitely be checking this out!
    Reply
  • Steffi Silva Oliviera
    I tried Callsheet, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to a subscription. It bugs me that even in the demo, they restrict how many searches you can do. Like, seriously? I'd rather stick to the free version of IMDB where I can search all day long without having to pay extra for something that's available for free elsewhere. Just my two cents! 🤷‍♀️
    Reply
  • EdwinG
    Steffi Silva Oliviera said:
    I tried Callsheet, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to a subscription. It bugs me that even in the demo, they restrict how many searches you can do. Like, seriously? I'd rather stick to the free version of IMDB where I can search all day long without having to pay extra for something that's available for free elsewhere. Just my two cents! 🤷‍♀️

    Casey Liss, Callsheet’s sole developer, did explain publicly why he is limiting searches, and requiring a subscription.

    Long story short: avoiding the Reddit situation that happened last year with Apollo.
    Reply
  • Steffi Silva Oliviera
    Where can I read about it?

    What do you mean by: "Long story short: The Reddit situation that happened last year with Apollo should be avoided."?
    Reply
  • EdwinG
    Steffi Silva Oliviera said:
    Where can I read about it?
    It was on at least two Accidental Tech Podcast episodes.

    ATP episode 547: https://overcast.fm/+R7DVzvwg4/49:52ATP episode 529: https://overcast.fm/+R7DV08dWk/1:43:36

    Steffi Silva Oliviera said:
    What do you mean by: "Long story short: The Reddit situation that happened last year with Apollo should be avoided."?
    In May 2023, Reddit decided to charge an enormous amount for API access that was originally free.

    Apps like Apollo got stuck to shutdown instead of facing a monthy $2 million invoice, because they had no way to cover for the new fees in an immediate manner.
    https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/2023/06/09/apollo-reddit-app-shutting-down/
    Reply
  • Steffi Silva Oliviera
    Hey there,

    After having to juggle a lot for the family (phew), I finally have some time to reply.

    First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to find the key points in the podcasts for me, so I could jump right into the crucial parts.

    If I understood everything correctly, the developer justifies the subscription for the app partly due to ongoing costs and partly due to the risk of the data access, or the interface, unexpectedly cutting off. Maybe he mentioned another argument that I missed. But essentially, the costs and the business risk are the rationale behind the subscription.

    I totally get that, if I were in his shoes.

    But as a user, what interests me is the price and the quality/value of the app, so the price-performance ratio. And that's where Callsheet falls short. A one-time price, depending on the amount, would still be okay, but a subscription, mind you, is not worth it for me. There are free alternatives that are just as good.

    So, unfortunately, my opinion hasn't changed after listening to those two podcasts. Even though, as I said, I understand the desire to build up a financial cushion to protect against downtime.

    I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes with this, it's just my opinion.
    Reply
  • EdwinG
    Steffi Silva Oliviera said:
    I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes with this, it's just my opinion.
    Ouch, my feet! 😂

    You're good. The important part is that you took the time to listen to the developer's reasons for the pricing.
    If the app is not for you, it's not for you, and that's more than okay.
    Reply