Media request managers for school and club admins in 2026

Compare media request managers for school and club media admins and see how each handles requests, access, and limits.

By VLClean · 2026-10-23

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

School and club media admins usually need a simple way for members to request titles, see request progress, and manage who can ask. Askarr lets a member 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]	not published
Jellyseerr	Free application for managing requests for a media library. ^[3]	not published
Ombi	Native mobile applications for iOS and Android for request management. ^[4] ^[4]	not published
Seerr	Free request management and media discovery tool with an enhanced notification system. ^[5] ^[5]	not published
Cantinarr	Media requests and server management in one app. ^[6]	not published
Oscarr	Media request and management platform. ^[7]	not published
Requestrr	Request content via Discord using slash commands and buttons. ^[8]	not published
Doplarr	*arr request bot for Discord. ^[9]	not published
Notifiarr	Monitors services on your network when they go down or become unreachable. ^[10]	not published
nzb360	For Android; supports all the common services for managing a home lab setup. ^[11] ^[11]	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 school and club media admins need from media request managers

School and club media admins run a library for a group, so members need an easy way to ask for movies and shows without sending messages one by one. A media request manager can collect those requests, show what is happening with each title, and cut down on repeated questions. The right choice depends on how members submit requests, who is allowed to ask, and how much control the admin wants. Some members may prefer a website they can open on any device, while others may use a phone app. The manager should give the admin a clear view of the whole request list and keep each member's access separate. Admins should check how each tool works with the existing media setup and what it needs to run, including whether someone can follow a title from request to download. Request limits matter too, because a school or club can go through requests quickly during a term or season.

Overseerr for school and club media admins

Seerr is a free request management and media discovery tool that works with Jellyfin, Plex, or Emby servers. ^[2] Seerr lets standard and 4K content be managed separately using multiple Radarr and Sonarr servers. ^[2] Each user can be assigned individual permissions. ^[2] For a school or club that splits content by quality, this separate handling is worth checking against how the library is shared.

Jellyseerr for school and club media admins

Seerr is a free application for managing requests for a media library. ^[3] Seerr supports watchlisting and blocklisting media. ^[3] Seerr supports PostgreSQL and SQLite databases. ^[3] An admin can check whether watchlists fit how members save titles they want to see later.

Ombi for school and club media admins

Ombi offers native mobile applications for iOS and Android for request management. ^[4] Ombi works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, and more. ^[4] Ombi has an optional approval system for admins to manage and control what content gets added to a server. ^[4] For a club where a teacher or leader should approve each title, this approval step may be useful.

Seerr for school and club media admins

Seerr provides an enhanced notification system. ^[5] Seerr provides watchlist and blocklist functionality. ^[5] Seerr has more than 10,300 GitHub stars. ^[5] An admin can see whether the notifications tell members when a requested title is ready.

Cantinarr for school and club media admins

Cantinarr provides media requests and server management in one app. ^[6] Cantinarr supports requesting ebooks, audiobooks, or both. ^[6] Cantinarr is released under the AGPL-3.0 licence. ^[6] For a library that lends books as well as movies and shows, this request choice may matter.

Askarr for school and club media admins

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] A member searches for a movie or show on the Askarr website and requests 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] Plans list request history with live status. ^[1] You can paste a link from TMDB, IMDb or TVDB, which are movie and show info sites, to find the title. ^[1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing up. ^[1]

Matching the tool to the job

For members who submit requests from a website, Askarr lets a member search for a movie or show and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] For letting an admin approve each request before anything is added, Ombi has an optional approval system for admins. ^[4] For managing standard and 4K content separately, Seerr lets standard and 4K content be managed separately using multiple Radarr and Sonarr servers. ^[2] For a library that also lends books, Cantinarr supports requesting ebooks, audiobooks, or both. ^[6] For keeping a list of titles members want, Seerr supports watchlisting and blocklisting media. ^[3] For requests from a phone, Ombi offers native mobile applications for iOS and Android. ^[4] For control over which members can ask, Seerr lets each user be assigned individual permissions. ^[2]

Questions to ask before you choose

Before choosing a media request manager, consider how members will submit requests and how much control is needed. Ask whether the tool works with the media setup the school or club already runs. Ask whether an admin can review or approve requests before a title is added. Check whether members can follow a request from start to download and whether they are told when it is ready. Ask how access is kept separate for each member who shares the server. Check the cost structure and any request limits, and whether the way the tool runs matches where the server is placed. Verify how requests stay visible to the whole group without exposing the parts of the setup only the admin should touch.

Frequently asked questions

Which media request manager should school and club media admins compare first?

School and club media admins can compare tools based on how members submit requests, how access is managed, and how each option works with the existing media setup. Options differ in whether requests happen on a website, a phone app, or a chat service. Some tools let an admin approve each request, while others let members request directly, so the right choice depends on how much control the group wants.

Can a school or club use Askarr without installing anything?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed, and you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr, which lets those apps read your requests from Askarr. ^[1] Members search and request on the website, and the apps pick up the requests. ^[1]

How does Askarr keep Radarr and Sonarr access separate?

Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives the passwords they use to be controlled (API keys). ^[1] You add Askarr once as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr, and they read your requests from it. ^[1]

Does Askarr show what happens after a member makes a request?

Radarr and Sonarr tell the site when a title is added and downloaded. ^[1] Plans list request history with live status. ^[1]

What should school and club media admins check before paying for a request manager?

School and club media admins should check request limits, the devices members can use, 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