I’d like to share some of my feedback on the switch to a thumbs-up/down/heart rating system. Apologies in advance if this is redundant or if changes are already in the works!
If this change rolls out as-is, this would be the only media logging site I know of that deviates from the typical X/10 user rating system (using XX/100 on top level media pages). Personally, I like Letterboxd’s star system the most. It feels subtly on-theme, user friendly, and fairly readable at a glance. Though I can understand wanting to be distinct when it comes to rating! It’s definitely an important part of overall brand identity ().
Regardless of how it’s visualized, a key issue for me is that I rely on a third-party app (shoutout to Konsensus!) and the Plex/Trakt integration to keep my watch status and reviews synced across Plex, Trakt, and Letterboxd. But now, I’m seeing my imported ratings rounded into a / / with no way to view the original numerical value.
I worry this simplification will reduce the depth of insights users can gain from long-term media logging. I know what my own 3/10 means versus a 6/10, for example, so I can personally find value in seeing that level of detail from a journaling POV. There’s also something satisfying (and fun!) about seeing your ratings plotted on a slick infographic.
Additionally, I think some nuance is lost when reading user reviews with these simplified ratings. While I understand the argument that communicating overall sentiment is what matters most—given different interpretations of numerical scores—there’s a big gulf between a 6/10 and a 1/10 (which both become a as I currently understand it). I wonder if this flattening would result in users feeling the need for additional clarification in reviews and comments and some general confusion.
Since the team has insights I don’t as an end-user, I’d love to understand:
What elements weren’t working with the old rating system?
How does this change affect overall rating % at the title level, when every review maps to just three possible values?
Is there a solution that’s both simple and glanceable while still mapping 1:1 to adjacent platforms? Perhaps utilizing progressive disclosure, revealing more info depending on whether you’re on the detail view or the tile view?
I’d love to hear from the team and if there are other users who feel similarly. I’m also happy to help brainstorm solutions! I’m a UX designer and have used Trakt for a long time. It’s been fun to see this platform and utility that I really appreciate evolve over the years!
Sorry for the essay…thanks very much for your time!
Andy
Only the Lite version has the simplified ratings though. I think because it’s supposed to be a simplified version. And thumbs up or down is simpler (is that a word hahaha) than the hearts.
I like trakt normal though (including the hearts) so I hope trakt lite isn’t gonna be forced on everyone
I think your solution is to go back to normal trakt. You’ll see your normal ratings again!
But if you like Lite otherwise then yeah idk, I know sp1ti made a thread with lite feedback including the ratings too.
Does that mean that the ratings that users apply in Lite mode don’t get pooled in with ratings from the original site? If they’re all added to the final %, then the Lite mode-only users would be skewing the results for everyone. My ratings from OG Trakt carried over to Lite mode, so I suspect that the pool of reviews is shared between both.
I’m having trouble tracking down any blogs or forum posts from the team about the long-term plan, but I’ll keep looking. This is just my opinion, but in my experience it’s difficult to justify the long-term cost to maintain, update and QA two separate flavors of the same product. My assumption is that the Lite version would eventually supplant the original website/app at some point, but I haven’t read anything official.
As for your solution, of course the original site still exists with none of the issues I raised, so I’ll continue to use it so long as it’s supported…but as you say, there are things I like about the Lite version and it seems like a project in active development. So I’m hoping that my feedback can help the team design a product that both loyal power users and a whole new audience can love!
).
/ 
/ 
with no way to view the original numerical value.
