How to set up media requests for less ongoing work in 2026

Q: How much does Askarr cost?

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. Choose a request allowance after considering how often the people using the server are likely to submit titles.

Set up media requests once, then leave them alone. Steps for choosing a request method, approvals and progress updates on a low-maintenance media server.

By VLClean · 2026-11-14

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

Start with a clear request policy, choose one place to submit titles, and decide how requests and progress updates should move through the process. Check the whole path before sharing it with viewers. Plan for exceptions so routine requests do not turn into repeated messages.

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] Card fee: not published.
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	Own fee: not published. Card fee: not published.
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	Own fee: not published. Card fee: not published.

What you need before you start

Decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests and what kinds of titles are allowed. Write down whether requests need approval before anything is added. Keep these rules simple enough that viewers can follow them without asking for an explanation each time.

Prepare the way requested movies and shows will be added to the library. Decide which actions should happen automatically and which decisions should stay with the person managing the server. Treat those as separate choices: accepting a title suggestion does not have to mean approving every suggestion.

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. Decide where viewers should look for progress before sending a message.

Prepare a short explanation for requests that need attention, such as an unclear title or a request outside the agreed rules. Name who handles requests that need attention.

Step by step

Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place. Include the request location in the instructions viewers already use.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library. Decide which requests can continue without attention and which should wait for a decision. If automatic handling is important, check the chosen method's approval controls before relying on them.

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. Include what to do when search results show similar names. Ask for enough detail to identify the intended movie or show without a follow-up conversation.

Decide how a submitted title reaches the programs or person responsible for adding it. Check whether that movement happens automatically or needs someone to copy information. Follow a permitted request through the intended process before inviting everyone. Check the submitted title, the approval decision where applicable, and the eventual progress information.

Give viewers a clear place to check progress. Explain the difference between sending a request and having a title ready to watch. Decide how an unclear or stalled request should be raised, and ask viewers to use that route instead of submitting the same title again.

Send the instructions and request location to the friends and family allowed to use them. Ask whether any part is unclear, then fix the instructions at that point. Keep a short record of the choices made so later changes do not depend on remembering the original setup.

Choose a review routine for exceptions and changes. Look for requests waiting on a decision, confusing instructions, or changes to the way titles are added. Keep routine requests moving through the agreed process, and reserve manual attention for cases that actually need it.

Tools that can do it

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 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, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the request connection and progress reporting settings there for you. ^[1] Progress reports from Radarr and Sonarr let the Askarr site show when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1]

You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. ^[1] Use a preview to decide whether the screens and wording are clear enough for the people who will send requests.

Request form

People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form. Decide what details the form should ask for, who reviews submissions, and how viewers will hear about progress. Before choosing a form, check whether moving titles into the rest of the process would require repeated copying.

Shared request list

People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list. Write down how entries should be named, who can change them, and where progress should appear. Check whether viewers can tell that a title has already been requested before adding it again.

Things to check before you choose

Can requests continue under the approval rules chosen for the server? Can viewers see enough progress to avoid asking for updates? What happens when a title needs attention on Askarr?

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. Put those answers beside the request instructions so they are easy to find later.

Avoid assuming that collecting requests also settles approval, adding titles, and reporting progress. Check each part of the process separately. A clear submission page is only part of the work if someone must still make decisions or move information afterward.

Avoid telling viewers to send a message whenever something looks unchanged. Define where progress should be checked and when a request needs attention. Give exceptions a clear route without making private messages the normal request method.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. Keep an eye on entries waiting for a decision and instructions that repeatedly cause confusion. Update the instructions when the way the library is managed changes.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people. Decide who should retain access when the people using the server change.

Frequently asked questions

How does Askarr pass requests to Radarr and Sonarr?

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] You request a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1] Before sharing a request method, decide which requests are allowed and how exceptions should be handled.

Does Askarr need Radarr or Sonarr API keys?

Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1] Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] When comparing request methods, review what information each asks for and what access it uses before inviting other people.

How does Askarr show request progress?

Progress reports sent by Radarr and Sonarr let the Askarr site show when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] Explain where viewers should check progress and what they should do when a request needs attention.

How much does Askarr cost?

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] Choose a request allowance after considering how often the people using the server are likely to submit titles.

Can Askarr be previewed before signing in?

You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. ^[1] Use the preview to assess whether the wording is clear. Before choosing a request method, also check approval rules, progress reporting, account access, and what happens when a request needs a decision.

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)