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How to handle requests from dozens of shared users on a Plex server

Handle requests from dozens of shared Plex users with one request place, a fixed review routine, and plan limits to check before the group grows.

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

A Plex admin with many friends does best with one request place, a fixed review routine, and written rules about what can be asked for. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] People request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1]

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrPeople request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] The Plus plan costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1]
Other request tools (check each one)not publishednot published

What you need before you start

Start with the Plex server you already run, and make sure its library holds the movies and shows people already watch. Decide how many people will send requests and who the admin is, since a group of dozens needs one person or a small team to review the list.

Write down the rules: which kinds of titles are accepted, whether any title is allowed, and how many requests each person may send in a week.

Choose the one place where requests will go. A single place keeps the list from splitting across text messages, forms and chats. If Radarr and Sonarr already add titles to your library, confirm they are set up and reachable from the machine that runs them, so approved requests do not stall.

Tell the group how they will hear back. A short note saying a title was added, or declined, helps cut down on repeat questions.

Step by step

  1. Pick one request place and tell everyone to use only that place.
  1. Write the rules in a short note: who can request, which titles are accepted, and how many requests a person may send.
  1. Decide who reviews requests and how often. Pick a fixed day each week so the list does not pile up.
  1. Connect the request place to the programs that add titles to your library, following that tool's own setup page.
  1. Send a test request yourself, then check that it appears in the review list and is added once approved.
  1. Post the note and the request place to the group, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.
  1. After the first two weeks, ask a few people what confused them, and edit the note to fix those points.
  1. Each week, approve the titles you want, decline the rest, and tell the requester the result.

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] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1]

People request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they read 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] A bookmark run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [1]

Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. [1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [1]

This page has no source facts about other tools, so it does not compare them. Before you pick a tool, check how it handles many users, approvals, and updates to the library.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid letting requests arrive in several places. A list spread across messages, forms and chats is hard to review, and people repeat requests they think were missed.

Avoid skipping written rules. Without them, people ask for every new release, and the review list fills with titles the group never meant to add.

Avoid letting the list go unreviewed. Old requests left without a decision make it harder to see new ones, so set a fixed review day.

Avoid ignoring plan limits. The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] A group can reach that limit quickly, so check the plan before the group grows.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before you share the link with the group.

Frequently asked questions

How do Plex admins with many friends handle requests from dozens of shared users?

Pick one request place, write short rules, and review the list on a fixed day each week. Decide who approves titles before anything is added to the library. Tell requesters how they will hear back, so they stop asking whether a title arrived. Keep the list small enough that one person can review it in a sitting, and check plan limits before the group grows. The steps above set this out in order, and the tool you choose should fit that routine rather than change it.

Can Askarr take requests from many shared users?

People request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1] Limits depend on the plan. The Free plan allows 10 requests a month. [1] The Plus plan allows 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan has no monthly request limit. [1] Before inviting a large group, compare those limits with how many requests the group is likely to send in a month, and pick the plan that covers it.

Does Askarr require changes to the Plex server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they read requests from it. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1] Check the Askarr site for the current setup steps before you change anything.

How much does Askarr cost for a group of friends?

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] The Plus plan costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1] Compare the plans against how many requests the group sends in a typical month before you pick one.

Does Askarr ever get access to Radarr or Sonarr?

Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they read requests from it. [1] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back, so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Read the setup page before you add the list, so you know what each program will read.

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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