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How to set up media requests for relatives for household IT admins in 2026

Learn how household IT admins can organize movie and show requests from relatives, choose a request method, and explain how titles reach the media library.

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

Household IT admins can set up media requests by choosing one place for relatives to request movies and shows, deciding which requests to accept, and explaining how titles reach the media library. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Relatives can search for a title on Askarr and request it, and the household's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrSearch for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the household's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]Free costs $0 for 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 formRelatives submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.not published
Shared request listRelatives add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the media library is ready for the movies and shows that relatives can watch, and decide which relatives should be able to send requests. Explain who manages the library and who decides which requested titles are added.

Prepare a short set of request rules before sharing the request method. Decide whether relatives can request any movie or show, whether some titles need approval, and how they will find out when a request has been handled. Clear rules help prevent confusion about what happens after someone submits a title.

Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs used to find and add movies and shows to a media library. Have them ready if they are part of the household's existing process for adding requested titles.

Choose one place for relatives to send requests. Options include a dedicated request website, a form, or a shared list. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed to use Askarr; it is added as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1]

Before settling on a method, check how it handles title searches, approval decisions, request updates, and the movement of requests into the library workflow. Also decide who will maintain the process when a relative has a question or submits a title that cannot be added.

Step by step

  1. Choose one request location. Pick a website, form, or shared list where relatives can suggest movies and shows. Keep the location easy to find, and tell everyone to use it rather than scattering requests across messages and conversations.
  1. Decide who can submit requests. Make a list of the relatives who should have access and explain how they can reach the request location. Decide whether requests need to come from known household members or whether other people can also submit suggestions.
  1. Set the request rules. Explain which types of titles are accepted and whether approval is needed before a title is added. Decide how to handle duplicate requests, unavailable titles, and suggestions that fall outside the household's rules. Keep the instructions short enough for relatives to follow without help.
  1. Prepare the existing library workflow. Identify how movies and shows are currently added. If the household uses Radarr for movies and Sonarr for shows, confirm that both are ready to handle the kinds of requests being offered. Decide who will review requests and who will resolve problems with the library process.
  1. Connect the request method to the workflow. Check whether the chosen method passes requests into the existing process or requires someone to review and enter titles manually. Askarr can be added to Radarr and Sonarr as an import list, which lets those programs read requests from it. [1] Askarr never connects to the household's Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1]
  1. Explain how to find a title. Tell relatives how to search for a movie or show and what to do when they cannot find it. In Askarr, a title can be found by pasting a TMDB, IMDb, or TVDB link. [1] For any other method, check whether it supports title searches and what details people need to provide.
  1. Tell relatives how request updates work. Explain where they can check the progress of a suggestion and what each status means. A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back to Askarr, so the site can show when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Make sure the household understands how it will communicate updates if the chosen method does not provide them.
  1. Share the instructions and review the process. Send relatives the request location and a brief explanation of the rules. Invite them to point out unclear instructions, then revise the guidance when questions reveal a gap. Check the request list regularly and remove unwanted entries according to the household's rules.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Relatives can request movies and shows through the website, and the household's own Radarr or Sonarr adds the requested title. [1] After Askarr has been added to Radarr and Sonarr as an import list, those programs read requests from it. [1] A webhook reports back so Askarr can show when a title was added and downloaded. [1]

Askarr offers a Free plan at $0 with 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] Each friend who signs up through a referral link adds 10 requests a month to the account's limit. [1] Askarr's plans include request history with live status. [1] A demo account with sample data is available to try without signing in. [1]

A request form lets relatives submit movie or show titles through the form chosen by the household. The available facts do not establish its price or whether it passes requests into Radarr or Sonarr automatically. Check how submissions are collected, who can see them, and whether someone must enter accepted titles into the library workflow.

A shared request list gives relatives a place to add movie and show ideas. Its cost and available features depend on the selected list service and are not published here. Before choosing one, check whether relatives can update their suggestions, how duplicate entries are handled, and how the household will report progress.

These options should be compared by how requests are submitted, reviewed, and carried into the existing media library workflow. For a household already using Radarr and Sonarr, Askarr provides a defined route for requests to reach those programs. [1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request location without explaining the rules. Relatives need to know which titles they can suggest, who decides what gets added, and where to check for updates. Without clear instructions, requests can become scattered across different places.

Avoid choosing a tool before checking how it fits the current media library workflow. Find out whether requests move into the existing process or need to be handled manually. If Radarr and Sonarr are already used, confirm how the selected request method works with them before inviting relatives to submit titles.

Avoid promising that every request will be added. Explain how the household handles unavailable titles, duplicate suggestions, and requests that do not meet its rules. Tell relatives how they will learn when a request cannot proceed.

Avoid leaving request updates unexplained. Decide who checks the request list and how relatives will learn that a title has been added or downloaded. Askarr uses reports from Radarr and Sonarr to show these updates on its website. [1]

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a request method asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with relatives. Askarr does not connect to Radarr or Sonarr and does not receive their API keys. [1] Keep the instructions straightforward and make sure relatives know whom to contact when a request causes confusion.

Things to check before you choose

Check whether relatives can find titles easily, whether someone must approve requests, and how the selected method reports progress. Ask how the method handles duplicate suggestions and titles that cannot be added. Confirm which parts of the process require attention from the household administrator.

For Askarr, check the available plan against the number of requests the household expects to receive. 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 and has no monthly request limit. [1] Also check the request history and live status included in Askarr's plans. [1]

If the household wants to understand the interface before choosing, Askarr provides a throwaway demo account with sample data that can be used without signing in. [1] Askarr's project file marks its code as private. [1] Consider these facts alongside the way the household currently manages its media library and communicates with relatives.

Frequently asked questions

How can household IT admins let relatives request movies and shows?

Choose one place where relatives can submit titles, explain who can make requests, and set rules for deciding which titles are added. Tell relatives how to search for a movie or show and where they can check progress. If the household already uses Radarr and Sonarr, check how the request method moves suggestions into that existing workflow before sharing it.

Can Askarr work with an existing Radarr and Sonarr setup?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and those programs read requests from it. [1] Askarr never connects to Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1]

Does Askarr require anything to be installed?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed to use Askarr. [1] The household adds Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr so those programs can read submitted requests. [1]

How can relatives find movies and shows with Askarr?

Relatives can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the household's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1] If a title is easier to identify through a database listing, a TMDB, IMDb, or TVDB link can be pasted into Askarr to find the title. [1] Explain these steps when sharing the request location.

How much does Askarr cost for a household?

Askarr's 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 monthly request allowance with the household's expected use before choosing a plan.

Can relatives see the status of their Askarr requests?

Askarr's plans include request history with live status. [1] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back to Askarr, allowing the site to show when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Explain where relatives should look for status information and what to do if a request needs attention.

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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