How to configure media services for small homelab operators in 2026

Learn how small homelab operators can prepare media services, choose request methods, and connect workflows for managing movies and shows.

By VLClean · 2026-10-19

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

Small homelab operators can configure media services by preparing their library workflow, choosing a request method, and connecting the tools that match their setup.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, 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 media server already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which people 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 server. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

Radarr and Sonarr are helper programs that many media server owners run to find and add movies and shows to their library. Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library.

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.

Step by step

Pick one place where people 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 viewers 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 people you want to allow, with instructions 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 viewers what confused them after the first period of use, and edit the instructions to fix those points.

Check the connection between your request method and the way your media services handle new titles before changing your workflow.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. ^[1] 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 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] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1]

A request form is another option where people submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.

A shared request list is another option where people add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.

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 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 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 small homelab operators configure media services?

A small homelab operator can prepare the media workflow, choose where requests will be sent, and decide how titles move into the library. The important parts are giving people a clear request method and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can Askarr work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be added to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

Does Askarr require changes to the media server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with 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 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 media request tool?

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 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)