How to let friends and family request movies and shows for Plex server owners in 2026

Learn how Plex server owners can collect movie and show requests from friends and family with practical setup steps.

By VLClean · 2026-10-09

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

Plex server owners can set up a request process by preparing their library workflow, choosing a request method, and sharing clear instructions with viewers.

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. ^[2]
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 Plex server already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which friends or family members 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 free helper programs that many Plex owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library. Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

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 friends and family 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 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.

Send the note and the request location to the friends and family 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 regular day each week, approve the ones you want, and delete 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. ^[3] 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. ^[4] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[5]

The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[6] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[7]

No other tool is named here because no source facts about other tools were provided. 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. 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 current way movies and shows are added to the Plex 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 Plex server owners let friends request movies and shows?

A Plex server owner can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The important parts are giving viewers a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can a request tool work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Check how each request tool handles Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[3] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[4]

Does Askarr require changes to the Plex server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[3] Nothing is installed. ^[8]

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. ^[7]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for Plex?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr plans list 'Request history with live status', which the source gives without naming a plan, so check the plan page for which ones include it. ^[9] Compare those details with the way the Plex server is managed before choosing a request method.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[2]

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)