HowLongToBeat is the site you check when you're deciding whether to start a 90-hour JRPG. WListDB is the site you use to keep track of which JRPGs you've actually finished. They aim at different problems - and that's the key to choosing.
What HowLongToBeat does well
One job, done correctly: tell you how long a game takes to finish. Main story, main + extras, completionist. Community-submitted times, dense data. If that's all you need, you don't need a tracker.
What WListDB adds on top
It remembers what you played. HLTB shows you average completion times. WListDB shows your completion times, your status per game, your end-of-year recap.
It plans what you'll play next. Backlog with custom lists, hype calendar, release notifications. HLTB has a basic list feature but it's an afterthought; WListDB is built around it.
It pulls your Steam library automatically. No more typing in 200 games to populate your backlog. One click, done.
It auto-tracks your hours on Windows. The desktop app logs sessions across 7 PC stores and syncs them to the same account. HowLongToBeat does not record your playtime automatically.
It has playtimes too. Same community-style hours data (main, extras, completionist) lives inside WListDB game pages - so you can plan length without leaving the app.
The smart move: use both
Use HowLongToBeat when you're researching whether to buy a game. Use WListDB to track everything once you own it. They don't fight; they complete each other.
If you can only pick one
If you finish 2 games a year and just want a length estimate before each purchase: HowLongToBeat is enough.
If you're juggling Steam, GOG and Epic, have a Backlog growing faster than you finish, and want to see your year in review next December: WListDB.
Try it in 5 minutes
Sign up, hit Steam import, and your backlog populates itself. Add status as you play. That's the whole loop.
Import your Steam library, create your free account, or compare features side-by-side.
Looking for the bigger picture? Read our honest roundup of the best game backlog trackers in 2026.