--- {"title": "How to let users choose their preferred chat app for bot runners", "description": "Set up a way for users to pick their preferred chat app across several bot platforms, with clear steps and common mistakes to avoid.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-let-users-choose-their-preferred-chat-app-for-multiple-platform-bot-runners/", "date": "2026-11-08"} --- Set up a way for users to pick their preferred chat app across several bot platforms, with clear steps and common mistakes to avoid. Bot runners can let users pick a chat app by listing the platforms the bot can reach, saving each user's choice, and falling back to a default when no choice has been saved. | Option | Method | Cost details | |---|---|---| | Askarr | Users request a movie or show, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [^1] | The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] | | Setup form | Users pick a chat app from a form you publish. | not published | | Shared settings list | Users write their chosen chat app in a list that the bot reads. | not published | ## What you need before you start Bot runners who serve more than one chat app need a clear list of the apps they support before anyone can choose. Write down each platform the bot runs on and the plain name users will see for it. Decide whether a user picks one app for all of their messages or one app for each bot, because that decision shapes how the choice is saved. Check that each platform account can already receive messages from the bot, since a choice only works on platforms the bot can reach. Prepare a short note that explains the choices in plain words, including what happens if a user never picks an app. Decide who keeps the list up to date when a platform is added or removed, and who answers questions from users who cannot find their app. ## Step by step 1. List every chat app the bot can already reach, and remove any app the bot cannot send messages to. 2. Give each app a plain name that users will recognise, and keep the names the same across every bot you run. 3. Choose how users make their choice, such as a short form, a settings message inside the bot, or a shared list that the bot reads. 4. Store each user's choice next to their identifier, the account name or number the bot uses to recognise the user, so the bot can look it up before it sends a message. 5. Send each message through the chosen app, and fall back to a default app when no choice has been saved. 6. Tell users how to change their choice later, then test one full change from start to finish before you announce it. 7. Review the list of apps once a month and remove any app that no longer works with the bot. ## Tools that can do it It is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] On Askarr, users request movies or shows, and their own Radarr and Sonarr add them. [^1] Before choosing a tool for chat app selection, check how it lets each user pick an app, how it saves that choice, which platforms it reaches, and what it does when a chosen app is no longer available. ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid offering a list of apps without saying which ones the bot can actually reach, because a choice that cannot be delivered confuses people and makes the bot look broken. Choose a default app for users who have not picked one yet, so that their messages still reach a chat app. Remove from the list any app the bot can no longer message, since users will keep choosing options that never receive a reply. Avoid collecting more personal details than the choice needs. A user's preferred app and an identifier, the account name or number the bot uses to recognise the user, are usually enough, and anything beyond that should have a clear reason before you ask for it. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can multi-platform bot runners let users choose their preferred chat app? Start by listing every chat app the bot can reach, then give each one a plain name. Pick a way for users to make their choice, save that choice next to each user's identifier, the account name or number the bot uses to recognise the user, and send messages through the saved app. Keep a default app for anyone who has not chosen yet, and test one full change before you tell users how to make it. ### Can Askarr let users choose a chat app for a bot? On Askarr, users request movies or shows, and their own Radarr and Sonarr add them. [^1] Check whether Askarr supports choosing a chat app before deciding whether it fits the steps on this page. ### Does Askarr need to be installed on a bot server? Nothing is installed. [^1] Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [^1] ### Is Askarr free to try before paying for requests? The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [^1] You can also try the dashboard with a demo account and sample data, without signing in. [^1] ### What should be checked before choosing a chat app tool for bots? Check which platforms the tool can reach, how it saves each user's choice, whether it supports a default app, and how users change their choice later. Confirm what happens when a chosen app is no longer available. Test one full change from start to finish before you tell users about the new option. The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [^1] - [Visit Askarr](/go/start) ## Sources [^1]: Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start)