How to configure media request systems for self hosting beginners in 2026

Learn how self hosting beginners can prepare and configure media request systems with clear steps and tool options.

By VLClean · 2026-10-19

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

Configure a media request system by preparing the library workflow, choosing a request method, connecting the request flow to the way titles are added, and explaining the rules to people who can send requests.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds 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

Prepare the media library workflow before choosing a request method. Decide how movies and shows are added and who reviews requests before anything is added.

Have the tools that manage requested titles ready if they are part of the way the library is maintained. Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs some media server owners run to find and add movies and shows to their library.

Choose who can send requests and what types of movies and shows are allowed. Clear rules help people know what they can ask for and what happens after they send a request.

Decide where requests will be collected. The choice can be a request website, a form, or another method that gives people a clear place to submit titles.

Check how each option handles searches, approvals, status updates, and the move from a request to a title being added.

Step by step

Pick one place where people will send movie and show requests, and tell everyone to use only that place.

Decide who reviews requests and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library.

Write a short guide that explains who can request titles, what types of content are accepted, and how people learn about updates.

Connect the chosen request method to the current library workflow. Check that requests reach the person or tools responsible for adding titles.

Explain how people search for titles and submit requests. Keep the instructions short so new users know where to start.

Review new requests regularly and remove requests that are no longer needed.

Update the instructions when people have trouble understanding the request process.

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 searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds 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]

A bookmark run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. ^[1] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1]

Askarr allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[1]

Other request methods can also be considered. Before choosing a tool, check how it 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. People need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it matches the current way movies and shows are added to the library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the server.

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 media server owners configure a request system?

A media server owner can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The main steps are preparing the library workflow, selecting a way to collect requests, and keeping the process clear for everyone involved.

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 setup?

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 people find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

People can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a media request system?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the media server 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)