VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

How to connect movie and show requests to Radarr and Sonarr

Connect movie and show requests to Radarr and Sonarr with a clear review process, practical checks, and a comparison of request methods.

By VLClean ยท

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

Start by deciding how accepted requests should reach Radarr and Sonarr, then choose where people will submit titles and how they will hear about progress.

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrRequest a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]Own cost: the Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month; card fee: not published. [1]
Request formPeople submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.Own cost: not published; card fee: not published.
Shared request listPeople add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.Own cost: not published; card fee: not published.

What you need before you start

Have Radarr and Sonarr ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

Decide whether the request service must run on equipment you manage, whether its code must be available to read, and whether permission to change that code matters. Write those requirements down before comparing request methods.

Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

Have the details needed to identify a title, including whether the request is for a movie or a show. Agree on who handles requests that are unclear or already being considered.

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

Step by step

  1. Choose where people will send movie and show requests, and tell everyone to use that location. Write down whether the chosen method must run on equipment you manage and whether reading or changing its code is a requirement. Use those requirements to narrow the choice before working through connection settings.
  1. Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library. Decide whether accepted titles will be entered into Radarr and Sonarr by the person managing the server or passed along by the chosen tool. Check the tool's instructions before assuming that submitting a title also adds it.
  1. Follow the chosen method's instructions for connecting requests to Radarr and Sonarr. Review what information it asks for and what access it uses before completing the connection. Record which actions belong to the server owner, which belong to the person requesting a title, and what should happen after a request is accepted.
  1. Submit a clearly identified title through the chosen method. Check that it reaches the intended place in Radarr or Sonarr, then check what the person who requested it sees. If the process includes entering titles by hand, carry out that part too. Resolve unclear results before sharing the request location more widely.
  1. 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. Explain any review step and who handles questions. Include instructions on how to find the intended title and distinguish a movie from a show.
  1. Send the note and the request location to the friends and family who may submit titles. Ask what confused them, and edit the instructions to fix those points. Agree on when requests will be reviewed and who will keep their status current, particularly when someone needs to move accepted titles into Radarr or Sonarr.

Tools that can do it

Compare what happens after a title is submitted, who makes the decision, and how the request reaches Radarr and Sonarr. Keep code access and control over where the service runs among the requirements used to compare particular tools.

For either a form or a shared list, decide who moves accepted titles into Radarr and Sonarr if the chosen method does not do that. Include that responsibility in the request instructions so submitted titles have a clear next action.

Check the permissions and code licence of the particular tool under consideration. A general choice such as a form or list does not replace checking the actual service selected for the job.

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. If titles are entered by hand, agree who is responsible for that action and how the request will be marked as handled.

Avoid treating a submitted request as a promise about what viewers can watch. Explain the difference between accepting a request and seeing a title in the library, so people know which update to look for.

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

Do not leave code and hosting requirements until the end. Check the licence and permission to make changes before building the request process around a particular service. Keep those requirements alongside the practical checks for submitting and reviewing titles.

Askarr

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean, and 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] Nothing is installed. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their private access keys. [1]

The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded after Radarr and Sonarr send an update back. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [1]

Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [1]

Frequently asked questions

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 one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. [1] Before choosing a request method, decide who will submit titles and how decisions about adding them will be communicated.

Does Askarr need a separate installation?

Nothing is installed. [1] 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] Before choosing any service, check whether running it on equipment you manage is a requirement.

Is Askarr's code public?

Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [1] Before choosing a request service, check whether its code can be read, what its licence permits, and whether changes or contributions can be submitted. Also check whether running the service on equipment you manage is a requirement.

What does Askarr cost each month?

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] Compare the request allowance with the titles people using the server expect to ask for before choosing a plan.

How does Askarr show request progress?

The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded after Radarr and Sonarr send an update back. [1] People can see previous requests and their current progress on Askarr. [1] Explain what each update means in the request instructions, and decide who will follow up when someone is unsure what happened to a requested title.

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

Try Askarr

Sources

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

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