VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

Askarr vs Cinegration in 2026

Askarr and Cinegration compared for people who run Radarr or Sonarr with a home library: what each does, what each costs, and what to check first.

By VLClean ยท

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Cinegration presents itself as a smart home company based in Arvada, Colorado that connects climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems. [1] [1] Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. [2] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [2] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [2] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [2]

OptionPriceWhat its source says it connectsRequest handlingAlso stated
Cinegrationnot publishedClimate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems [1]not statedLocated in Arvada, Colorado [1]; open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4pm [1]; Experience Center by appointment only [1]; custom window coverings provide UV protection, climate control and privacy [1]
Askarr Free [2]$0 [2]Your existing Radarr and Sonarr [2]10 requests a month [2]Request history with live status [2]
Askarr Plus [2]$3.99 a month [2]Your existing Radarr and Sonarr [2]50 requests a month [2]Request history with live status [2]
Askarr Pro [2]$6.99 a month [2]Your existing Radarr and Sonarr [2]No monthly limit [2]Request history with live status [2]

The short answer

Radarr and Sonarr are the apps that add movies and shows to a home media library, and this page is for people who run them. Cinegration's page describes a smart home company in Arvada, Colorado that connects climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems. [1] [1] Askarr is a hosted website where you search for a title and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [2] Cinegration's facts say nothing about movies, shows or Radarr and Sonarr, so check its own pages before treating it as a way to request titles. With Askarr nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr, which is a list those apps read your requests from. [2] On Askarr you can see your request history with live status. [2] You can also try a throwaway demo account. [2]

What Cinegration is built for

The page for Cinegration describes a smart home company in Arvada, Colorado. [1] [1] It says everything from climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems is connected. [1] Its office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4pm. [1] Read against a media request site, these pages point at home automation rather than at requesting titles for a media library. The facts give no description of a request service, so check its own website to see what it offers for movies and shows before you rely on it. That is the honest limit of what the sources show about it.

What Askarr is built for

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. [2] You search for a movie or show on the Askarr site and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [2] If you already have a link, you can paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the title. [2] Askarr says it never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [2] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [2] You can see your request history with live status. [2] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [2] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [2]

Pricing and fees

No price appears in the Cinegration facts, so what its services cost is not published here on the sources given. Askarr has three plans. [2] [2] [2] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [2] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [2] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [2] The Pro plan has no monthly request limit. [2] No card fee or other charge from a payment service is stated for Askarr, so that part is not published here. For Cinegration, ask its own pages for a price list before planning a budget.

Setting it up with your server

For Cinegration, the facts describe a company that connects climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems. [1] The facts say nothing about how to connect it to a media server or to Radarr or Sonarr, so check its own pages for that before relying on it. For Askarr, nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [2] That is a list Radarr and Sonarr read your requests from, and you add it once. [2] A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [2] After that, you request a title on the site and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [2] The claims for Askarr do not mention Plex, so check how your library fits.

Things to check before you choose

Start with what the tool actually does for a media library. Cinegration's facts describe home automation, and its sources say nothing about requesting titles, so ask its own pages whether it handles that at all. Ask how much each option costs, since Cinegration's price is not in the facts. Ask how many people will make requests. Askarr's Free plan allows 10 requests a month, and Plus allows 50. [2] [2] Ask how a request shows up once it is added. Radarr and Sonarr tell the site when a title is added and downloaded. [2] Ask whether a demo is available before you commit. Askarr offers a demo account. [2]

How to choose

If you want home automation that connects climate control and energy management to cameras, door locks and alarm systems, Cinegration's page describes that. [1] [1] If you want a way to request movies and shows, Askarr's claims cover that, with your own Radarr or Sonarr adding the title. [2] If you want nothing installed, Askarr's claims say you only add a list in Radarr and Sonarr. [2] If you want to know what the site can reach, Askarr says it never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr. [2] If you want a request page with status that shows when a title was added and downloaded, its claims cover that. [2] If you want no monthly request limit, Pro has none and costs $6.99 a month. [2] [2]

Frequently asked questions

Is Cinegration a media request service?

The facts for Cinegration describe a smart home company based in Arvada, Colorado that connects climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks and alarm systems. [1] [1] The facts say nothing about requesting movies or shows for a media library, so check its own pages to see what it offers there before relying on it for that.

How much does Askarr cost?

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [2] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [2] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [2] No card fee is stated for Askarr, so that part is not published. A Cinegration price does not appear in its facts, so that is not published either.

Does Askarr need anything installed?

Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [2] A bookmark run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [2] The claims for Askarr describe no other setup step. None of Askarr's claims mention Plex, so check how your library fits.

Can Askarr see your Radarr or Sonarr?

Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [2] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [2] Your own Radarr or Sonarr adds the title you request. [2]

Does Askarr have a request limit on any plan?

The Free plan allows 10 requests a month and Plus allows 50 requests a month. [2] [2] Pro has no monthly request limit. [2] Each friend who signs up through a link adds 10 requests a month to the limit. [2] Those numbers come only from Askarr's claims.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [2]

Try Askarr

Sources

  1. Cinegration, cinegration.com, read 2026-10-15
  2. Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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