Media request managers for household IT admins in 2026

Compare media request managers for household IT admins and see how each option handles requests, access, and admin controls.

By VLClean · 2026-10-29

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

Household IT admins often want a simple way for family members to request titles, follow progress, and keep control of the media server. Askarr lets you search for a movie or show on a website and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

Option	Request approach	Cost details
Overseerr	Request management and media discovery tool that works with Jellyfin, Plex, or Emby servers. ^[2]	Free ^[2]
Jellyseerr	Application for managing requests for a media library. ^[3]	Free ^[3]
Ombi	Request management with mobile applications and an approval system. ^[4] ^[4]	not published
Doplarr	Discord request bot for *arr services, meaning apps like Radarr and Sonarr that handle movie and show requests. ^[5]	not published
Requestrr	Discord requests using slash commands and buttons. ^[6]	not published
Notifiarr	Monitors services on a network and notifies when they go down or become unreachable. ^[7]	not published
nzb360	Android app that manages separate servers from one interface. ^[8]	not published
Seerr	Free request management and media discovery tool. ^[9]	Free ^[9]
Oscarr	Media request interface for Radarr and Sonarr. ^[10]	not published
Cantinarr	Media requests and server management in one app. ^[11]	not published
Cinegration	Connects climate control and energy management to security cameras, door locks, and alarm systems. ^[12]	not published
Searcharr	Adds movies to Radarr and series to Sonarr through Telegram. ^[13]	not published
Askarr	You request on a website and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	Askarr's own fee: $0 for 10 requests a month ^[1], $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month ^[1], or $6.99 a month for unlimited requests ^[1]. Card fee: not published

What household IT admins need from media request managers

Household IT admins run a media server in addition to managing the home network, devices, and family accounts. The person in this role often takes requests from family members who do not want to touch the server or its software. A request manager collects those requests in one place and shows what is happening with each title. It should let requesters search easily and let the admin keep control over what gets added. Household setups usually have a small number of users, so the tool needs to stay simple. The admin also cares about not exposing the media server to the outside world and about not paying for more than the household needs. Different tools ask people to request in different ways, from a website to a chat app to a mobile app. The right choice depends on how the household prefers to ask and how much control the admin wants to keep.

Overseerr for household IT admins

Seerr is a free request management and media discovery tool that works with Jellyfin, Plex, or Emby servers. ^[2] Each user can be assigned individual permissions. ^[2] Seerr has been localized into over 25 languages. ^[2]

Jellyseerr for household IT admins

Seerr is a free application for managing requests for a media library. ^[3] Seerr has a granular permission system. ^[3] Seerr currently integrates with Sonarr and Radarr. ^[3]

Ombi for household IT admins

Ombi offers native mobile applications for iOS and Android. ^[4] Ombi has an optional approval system for admins. ^[4] Ombi integrates with Sonarr, Radarr, CouchPotato, SickRage, and more to fulfill requests. ^[4]

Cantinarr for household IT admins

Cantinarr provides media requests and server management in one app. ^[11] Cantinarr lets you request ebooks, audiobooks, or both. ^[11]

Askarr for household IT admins

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You search for a movie or show on the Askarr website and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives the passwords they use to be controlled (API keys). ^[1] Radarr and Sonarr tell the site when a title is added and downloaded. ^[1] You can paste a link from TMDB, IMDb or TVDB, which are movie and show info sites, to find the title. ^[1] Plans list request history with live status. ^[1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing up. ^[1]

Matching the tool to the job

Household IT admins usually want a plain way for family members to ask for titles. For a website where people search and request, Askarr lets you search for a movie or show and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] For following a request after it is made, Radarr and Sonarr tell the Askarr site when a title is added and downloaded, ^[1] and plans list request history with live status. ^[1] For requests through a chat app, Doplarr is an *arr request bot for Discord, meaning apps like Radarr and Sonarr that handle movie and show requests. ^[5] Requestrr lets users request content via Discord using slash commands and buttons. ^[6] For controlling who can request, Seerr (Overseerr) assigns individual permissions per user, ^[2] Seerr (Jellyseerr) has a granular permission system, ^[3] and Ombi has an optional approval system for admins. ^[4] For managing requests on a phone, Ombi provides native mobile applications for iOS and Android. ^[4] For books, Cantinarr lets you request ebooks, audiobooks, or both. ^[11] Cantinarr provides media requests and server management in one app. ^[11]

Questions to ask before you choose

Before choosing a media request manager, think about how people in the household will ask for titles and how much control is wanted. Check whether the tool works with the current media setup and what it needs to run. Ask whether requests happen through a website, a chat app, or a mobile app, and whether that matches how the household likes to ask. Check what the tool shows about a request once it is made, and whether family members can follow progress on their own. Check the cost and any request limit, and whether the tool adds to a monthly bill. If the tool needs passwords for other apps, ask how access is kept separate. Where a price or a detail is not published here, check the tool's own page before paying.

Frequently asked questions

Which media request manager should household IT admins compare first?

Household IT admins can compare tools by how people submit requests, how access is controlled, and how each works with the current media setup. Options differ in whether requests happen through a website, a chat service, or a mobile app. The right choice depends on how the household shares the media server and who is allowed to request titles.

Can household IT admins use Askarr without installing anything?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr, so nothing is installed on a home server. ^[1] Each household member can request on the website, and Radarr and Sonarr read those requests from the import list. ^[1] Askarr is added as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr once. ^[1]

How does Askarr keep Radarr and Sonarr access separate?

Askarr never connects to a home Radarr or Sonarr and never receives the passwords they use to be controlled (API keys). ^[1] A household admin adds Askarr once as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr, and those apps read the requests from it. ^[1] No further access is shared with Askarr. ^[1]

Does Askarr show what happens after a request is made?

Radarr and Sonarr tell the Askarr site when a title is added and downloaded. ^[1] The site shows each request's status. ^[1]

What should household IT admins check before paying for a request manager?

Household IT admins should check request limits, supported workflows, user controls, and pricing. Askarr's Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. ^[1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. ^[1] Prices for the other tools are not published here, so check their pages.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]

Try Askarr