Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Plex Discover & Watchlist (requests via sharing workflows)

Invidious is an alternative web front-end for YouTube that lets you browse, search, and watch videos with a strong focus on privacy and performance. It can proxy/avoid many Google requests, supports account-less usage, and exposes features like subscriptions and feeds without requiring a Google login.

Key Features

• Browse and watch YouTube content via an alternative web UI (video pages, channels, playlists, trending)
• Search YouTube and view metadata (descriptions, comments, captions) through the Invidious interface
• Subscription system without a Google account (subscribe to channels and manage a feed)
• RSS feeds for channels and subscriptions to integrate with feed readers
• Lightweight interface with configurable player behavior and privacy settings
• Multiple deployment options (including Docker) and support for public instances

Use Cases

• Provide a privacy-preserving YouTube viewing experience for a household or small community
• Create RSS-based workflows for following YouTube channels in a feed reader
• Offer an alternative, low-overhead YouTube front-end for low-power devices or constrained networks

Limitations and Considerations

• Reliability can depend on YouTube changes and rate-limiting; instances may require maintenance/tuning to stay functional
• Some YouTube features may be incomplete or behave differently than the official site

Invidious is commonly used as a replacement front-end for YouTube when minimizing tracking is a priority. It is best suited for users who want fast access to YouTube content, feeds, and subscriptions without relying on Google’s official web interface.

Radarr is an automated movie collection manager that monitors your wanted movies and coordinates searching, downloading, importing, and upgrading files. It integrates with Usenet and BitTorrent indexers plus download clients, then organizes your library and can notify or trigger media-server updates.

Key Features

• Adds movies manually, via lists, or by monitoring recommendations; tracks availability and release status
• Automatic searching and RSS monitoring of indexers for new releases
• Quality profiles and upgrade logic (e.g., grab better releases when they appear)
• Supports both Usenet and BitTorrent workflows through indexers and download clients
• Post-processing: imports, renames, and organizes files into a consistent library structure
• Metadata management (movie info, posters/fanart) and integration with movie databases
• Custom formats and release restrictions (preferred/required keywords, repacks/proper handling)
• Notifications and integrations (webhooks and common notification providers)
• Multi-platform support and a web UI with API access

Use Cases

• Automatically acquire and maintain a curated movie library with consistent naming and folders
• Continuously upgrade existing movies to preferred qualities as new releases arrive
• Coordinate a home media stack alongside tools like Sonarr (TV) and a media server

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires compatible indexers and a download client; effectiveness depends on indexer coverage and release naming
• Focused on movies (not TV, music, or books); other *Arr tools are needed for broader media automation

Radarr is widely used in home media automation stacks to reduce manual searching and sorting while keeping a movie library up to date. Its strength is the combination of quality-aware upgrading, automation via RSS/search, and deep integration with common download and notification ecosystems.

Seerr is a self-hosted media discovery and request management application for personal media servers. It lets users search for movies/TV, submit requests, and (optionally) route approved requests into your existing automation stack.

Key Features

• Search and discovery for movies and TV, with rich metadata and availability indicators
• Request workflow with configurable permissions, approvals, and request statuses
• Integrations with Radarr and Sonarr to fulfill movie/series requests automatically
• Integrations with Plex and Jellyfin to match titles, check library availability, and link users
• User management with role-based permissions for admins, requesters, and approvers
• Notifications via common channels (configured through the app’s notification settings)
• Multi-user friendly UI designed for household/shared server environments

Use Cases

• Let friends/family request new movies and shows without giving them access to Radarr/Sonarr
• Centralize approvals and track progress of requests from “requested” to “available”
• Provide a simple “front door” for content discovery tied to your Plex/Jellyfin libraries

Seerr fits best as a lightweight request layer in front of existing media automation tools, improving the user experience for non-technical users while keeping admins in control of what gets added to the library.

Warracker is a lightweight self-hosted web application for maintaining a personal watchlist of movies and TV shows. It focuses on helping you collect titles, track progress/status, and keep an organized overview of what you plan to watch.

Key Features:

• Movie and TV show watchlist management (add, browse, and organize titles)
• Status/progress tracking for items in your list (e.g., planned/watching/watched)
• Search and basic metadata display to make items easier to identify
• Simple web UI designed for personal use

Use Cases:

• Maintain a private “to watch” list for movies and series across services
• Track what you are currently watching and what you have finished
• Keep a household watchlist without relying on third-party accounts

Warracker is best suited for individuals or small groups that want a straightforward, self-managed watchlist tracker. It provides a minimal feature set centered on tracking and organization rather than full media playback or server functionality.

Watcharr is a self-hosted web application for tracking movies and TV shows, managing watchlists, and keeping your personal “what to watch” workflow organized across devices. It focuses on a simple, centralized interface for discovering, tracking, and updating your viewing progress.

Key Features

• Unified watchlist for movies and TV shows
• Search and metadata lookup (title pages with details such as posters/summaries)
• Viewing status tracking (planned/watching/completed-style workflows)
• User-friendly web UI optimized for quick browsing and updates
• Integrations/sync capabilities with common media-tracking ecosystems (where configured)
• Docker-based deployment options for straightforward setup

Use Cases

• Maintain a private household watchlist and track progress across ongoing series
• Replace manual notes/spreadsheets for “to watch” planning and backlog management
• Centralize movie/TV tracking alongside a self-hosted media server stack

Watcharr is a lightweight option for users who want a private, web-based watchlist manager that complements common home media setups. It’s best suited for individuals or families looking to track what they want to watch and what they have already watched from a single dashboard.