Sonarr vs Prowlarr: Which Should You Buy?
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Quick verdict
| What you need | Best pick |
|---|---|
| Fully automate TV series downloads and library management | Sonarr(affiliate) |
| Centralised indexer control for all your *arr applications | Prowlarr(affiliate) |
If your primary goal is to keep a TV library fresh without manually hunting episodes, Sonarr is the go‑to. If you’re already juggling multiple *arr tools (Radarr, Lidarr, etc.) and want one place to manage indexers, Prowlarr does that job cleanly.
Spec‑by‑spec comparison
| Feature | Sonarr | Prowlarr |
|---|---|---|
| Category | TV Automation | Indexer Manager |
| Type | Software | Software |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Best for | Automate TV libraries | Central indexer mgmt |
| Pros | Powerful, free | Syncs to *arr apps |
| Cons | Setup curve | Companion app |
Both are free, open‑source pieces of the same ecosystem, but they solve different problems.
How they fit into a typical self‑hosted media stack
A common home‑lab layout looks like this: Plex or Jellyfin for playback → Radarr for movies → Sonarr for TV series → Prowlarr feeding indexer data to every *arr service. Sonarr watches your RSS feeds, grabs new episodes, and hands them off to a download client (qBittorrent, NZBGet, etc.). It then renames files and moves them into the folder structure Plex expects.
Prowlarr sits one layer higher: it knows which indexers you trust, stores API keys securely, and pushes that configuration to Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, or any future *arr tool. Because of this centralisation, adding a new indexer is a single click rather than editing each app’s settings.
If you only care about TV, you could run Sonarr alone with manually entered indexers, but the moment you add movies or music, Prowlarr becomes invaluable.
Remote access – keep it safe and simple
Opening ports on your router works, but it invites unwanted traffic. For most homelabists, Tailscale(affiliate) is a better choice: it creates a private WireGuard network that lets you reach Sonarr or Prowlarr from anywhere without exposing anything to the internet. The free tier covers multiple devices and is trivial to set up.
If you already have a VPN subscription, consider NordVPN Meshnet(affiliate) as an alternative whole‑network option. Meshnet links every device on your home network into one virtual LAN, giving the same seamless access while keeping encryption end‑to‑end.
Both solutions sidestep port‑forwarding headaches and play nicely with Docker or VM deployments of Sonarr and Prowlarr.
Pros & cons
Sonarr(affiliate)
Pros
- Powerful automation engine for TV series.
- Completely free, no hidden tiers.
- Deep integration with popular download clients.
Cons
- Initial setup has a learning curve; you’ll need to configure indexers, quality profiles, and folder mappings.
Prowlarr(affiliate)
Pros
- Centralises all indexer credentials for the *arr family.
- Syncs automatically to Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, etc., saving duplicate work.
- Free and open‑source.
Cons
- Functions as a companion app; it doesn’t download or organise media on its own.
Which should you buy?
Both tools are free, so “buying” really means deciding which to install first based on your workflow:
| Scenario | Recommended starting point |
|---|---|
| You only want TV automation and already have a favourite indexer set up. | Install Sonarr(affiliate) directly; you can add the indexer manually. |
| You run multiple *arr services or plan to expand beyond TV. | Deploy ** |