How to manage requests from trusted users for private media groups in 2026

Learn how private media groups can collect requests from trusted users with clear steps, request methods, and checks for choosing a tool.

By VLClean · 2026-10-14

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

Private media groups can manage requests by choosing a clear request method, setting rules for submissions, and checking how titles move into the library workflow.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	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]
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

Make sure the private media group already has the movies and shows that members can watch, and decide which trusted users should be able to send requests.

Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so people know what kinds of requests fit the group. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

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.

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

Step by step

Pick one place where trusted users will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library.

Write a short note for members that says who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added.

Send the note and the request location to the trusted users you want to allow, with details on how to search for a title and how to submit it.

Look through new requests on a regular schedule, approve the ones you want, and remove the ones you do not.

Ask users after the first period of use what confused them, and edit the instructions 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 your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by requesting 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]

The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded through a webhook from Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1]

A request form can be used when members submit movie or show titles through the chosen form. A shared request list can be used when members add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list. Check how each option handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Trusted users 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 media library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the group.

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 private media groups manage requests from trusted users?

A private media group can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The important parts are giving users 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 your 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 media server?

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

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

Users can request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add 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 private media groups?

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 media 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)