How to connect requests to Radarr and Sonarr for Kubernetes homelab operators in 2026

Kubernetes homelab operators can connect movie and show requests to Radarr and Sonarr with practical setup steps and tool options.

By VLClean · 2026-11-11

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

Kubernetes homelab operators connect requests to Radarr and Sonarr by preparing network access and API keys, choosing a request method such as Askarr or a request portal, adding the request source as an import list or webhook in Radarr and Sonarr, and verifying the request flow with test titles.

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] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. ^[1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. ^[1]
Request portal you run	A request portal you run in your cluster. You run the software and protect its private access keys.	not published
Custom webhook integration	A lightweight service you build receives submissions and forwards them to Radarr and Sonarr.	not published
Send requests yourself	Each request is sent directly to Radarr or Sonarr, by hand or with a small program.	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure Radarr and Sonarr are running and working with the library you want to add titles to. ^[1] A request portal you run in your cluster runs its software inside the cluster, so you keep that software running and its private access keys protected. ^[1] Check whether the setup you choose needs the private access keys for Radarr and Sonarr, and keep them where only you can reach them. Check where the request tool runs and how it connects to Radarr and Sonarr. If you use Askarr, you add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[1] Plan how you tell apart separate copies of Radarr or Sonarr for different libraries. Choose who can submit requests and whether you want an approval step before a title is added to the download queue. Keep the request rules simple so viewers know what kinds of titles are allowed.

Step by step

Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, such as a hosted request website or a request portal, and tell everyone to use only that place. 2. Write down who looks at each request and, if the chosen tool supports approvals, whether a title needs your approval before it is added to Radarr or Sonarr. 3. Write a short note for viewers that says who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added and downloaded. 4. Send the note and the request location to the people you want to allow, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it. 5. If you use Askarr, add it once as a list in Radarr and Sonarr so they can read your requests from it. ^[1] 6. Look through new requests on a regular day each week. If the chosen tool supports approvals, approve the ones you want. If it supports deleting requests, delete the ones you do not want. 7. Ask a few viewers after the first week what confused them, and edit your note to fix those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add 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 webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] You can paste a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link to find the title. ^[1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] A request portal you run in your cluster. You run the software and protect its private access keys. A small program you write receives request submissions and sends them to Radarr and Sonarr. You build and maintain the program yourself. Check how direct submissions would reach Radarr or Sonarr.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Viewers 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 your Radarr and Sonarr workflow. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the cluster. 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 network and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for, what network access it requires, and how it handles API keys before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can Kubernetes homelab operators connect requests to Radarr and Sonarr?

Kubernetes homelab operators prepare network access and API keys, choose a request method such as Askarr or a request portal, add the request source as an import list or webhook in Radarr and Sonarr, and verify the flow with test titles. The key steps are making Radarr and Sonarr reachable, deciding who can submit, and setting up the import list or webhook so requested titles enter the library workflow.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr in Kubernetes?

Check how each request tool handles Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] For other request tools, check how they connect to Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one.

Does Askarr require changes to the Kubernetes cluster?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed in your cluster. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[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 the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1] The request appears in Radarr or Sonarr through the import list you configured once. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for Kubernetes?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows to Radarr and Sonarr. Askarr plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] Ask how the method connects to Radarr and Sonarr and how it protects their private access keys, then compare those details with the way your cluster manages them.

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)