How to collect title requests for friends and family streaming groups in 2026

Learn how friends and family streaming groups can collect title requests with a clear process and tools that connect requests to library workflows.

By VLClean · 2026-10-19

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

Friends and family streaming groups can collect title requests by choosing a request method, setting rules, and checking how requests move into the library workflow.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Friends and family streaming groups need a clear way for people to send movie and show requests. Decide who can submit titles and who reviews them before anything is added.

Prepare simple request rules so people know what types of movies and shows are allowed. The rules can explain whether any title is accepted or whether requests need approval.

Have the library workflow ready before collecting requests. Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs that some streaming server owners use to find and add movies and shows to their library.

Choose where people will send requests. This can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives everyone a clear place to submit titles.

Make sure friends and family know how they will search for titles, send requests, and learn when a requested title is ready.

Step by step

Pick one place where friends and family will send movie and show requests. Tell everyone to use that place so requests do not get scattered across different messages or lists.

Decide who checks requests and whether titles need approval before they are added. Write down the rules so the process is easy for everyone to follow.

Create a short guide for viewers. Explain who can request titles, what types of requests are accepted, and how people will know when a request has been handled.

Share the request location and instructions with the people who should use it. Include basic details about searching for titles and sending a request.

Review new requests on a regular schedule. Approve the titles that match the rules and remove requests that are no longer wanted.

Check the process after people start using it. Update the instructions if friends or family members have trouble understanding how to send requests.

Keep the request workflow separate from general conversations. A dedicated place for titles makes it easier to see what has been requested and what still needs attention.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1]

Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting 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 their API keys. ^[1]

A request form can collect movie or show titles through the chosen form. A shared request list can let people add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.

Before choosing a tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow. Askarr shows when a title was added and downloaded through a webhook from Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way movies and shows are added to the library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the server.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can streaming groups collect movie and show requests?

A streaming group can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The main parts are giving friends and family a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can Askarr work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[1]

Does Askarr require changes to the streaming server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1]

How do friends find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

Friends and family can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for a streaming group?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the streaming group is managed before choosing a request method.

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

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)