How to connect requests to existing media apps for reverse proxy tinkerers in 2026

How to connect movie and show requests to existing Radarr and Sonarr setups, with setup steps, a comparison table and questions to check.

By VLClean · 2026-11-02

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

Reverse proxy tinkerers can connect requests to existing media apps by preparing Radarr and Sonarr, choosing a request method, and sharing clear instructions with the people who send titles.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	No facts on file; check how a submitted title reaches your media apps.	not published
Shared request list	No facts on file; check who sees new entries and how approvals work.	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the media apps already have the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests.

Set the rules for requests before you connect anything. Decide whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows, so that requests fit the library.

Radarr adds movies to your library and Sonarr adds shows. Have both ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added. Decide who reviews a request before anything is added.

Choose the place where requests will arrive, such as a request tool, a form, or a shared list. If a reverse proxy sits in front of that place, check that it passes requests through to the place without changing them. Then send one harmless title through the whole path before you invite anyone else.

Step by step

Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, and tell everyone to use only that place.

Write down who reviews each request and whether a title needs your 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.

Connect that place to your media apps, following the setup steps for the option you chose. Confirm that a new request shows up where you expect it to.

Send the note and the request location to the people you want to allow, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.

Look through new requests on a set day each week, approve the ones you want, and remove the ones you do not.

Ask a few viewers after the first week what confused them, and edit your note to fix those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds 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]

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

The request form and shared request list in the table are general options. This page has no facts about either one, so check how each submits titles, who approves them, and how updates reach you before choosing it.

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.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the way movies and shows are already added to your media apps. The request process should be clear both for the people sending titles and for the person managing the apps.

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 you share the request location with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can reverse proxy tinkerers connect requests to existing media apps?

A reverse proxy tinkerer can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The useful parts are a clear place for viewers to ask for movies and shows and a review step that is easy to follow. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Each step on this page applies whichever request method you choose.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Check how each request tool handles Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one, since this page has facts for only one of them. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[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]

Does Askarr require changes to the media apps?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time as an import list, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr, so check what each option changes in your setup before you start.

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

Friends and family can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1] After that, the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Give viewers two lines on how to search and how to submit, as the steps above describe.

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for media apps?

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] Confirm which plan includes that history before you rely on it. Also check who reviews a request before it is added, and whether the tool needs anything installed. Askarr needs nothing installed. ^[1]

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)