List began her career as a child model for tween magazines and companies before transitioning to acting with a minor role in the romantic comedy film 27 Dresses (2008) at the age of ten.

List gained further attention for portraying Emma Ross on the Disney Channel series Jessie (2011–2015) and its spinoff Bunk'd (2015-18, 2021).

[5] During her early childhood, List also trained as a dancer, studying ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop until she was in sixth grade.

[13] In the same year, List had begun her work with Disney, and appeared as the younger version of Becky in the fantasy film The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which turned to be a financial failure.

The film performed well commercially,[16] and List later reprised her role for its sequel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.

The film was a success alike to its prequels, and the acting ensemble, including List, had won a Young Artist Award.

[23] Along with reprising the role on Bunk'd, List also had appeared as Emma Ross on other Disney Channel shows, such as Austin & Ally and I Didn't Do It.

[24] From 2013 to 2014, she co-hosted the Disney Channel program Pass the Plate, a segment focusing on healthy eating,[25] with Karan Brar.

[28] In 2016, List co-starred along with Jacob Bertrand in the Disney Channel Original Movie The Swap, appearing as Ellie O'Brien.

In the same year, List appeared as Laina Michaels in the YouTube Premium film The Thinning, starring alongside Logan Paul and Lia Marie Johnson.

[39] List was soon cast in the main role of Olivia Richmond in the first season of the supernatural web series Light as a Feather, which was released through Hulu in October 2018.

[42] That same year, List was cast in the recurring role of Tory Nichols in the YouTube Premium action series Cobra Kai, which she began portraying in its second season.

"[50] Both actresses also voiced characters in the animated movie Batman: Hush, the younger as Batgirl and the older as Poison Ivy.