Recyclarr

Self-hosted media server tooling, honestly reviewed. No marketing fluff, just what you get when you stop manually copy-pasting quality profiles.

TL;DR

• What it is: MIT-licensed CLI tool that automatically pulls recommended settings from TRaSH Guides and pushes them into your Sonarr and Radarr instances — quality profiles, custom formats, naming schemes, the works [1][5].
• Who it’s for: Anyone running a self-hosted *arr stack who’s tired of manually updating quality profiles every time TRaSH Guides change their recommendations. This is plumbing, not a product [2][5].
• Cost: Free. The tool costs nothing. You need a server already running Sonarr/Radarr, and Recyclarr drops into that stack as one more Docker container [1][5].
• Key strength: Eliminates the repetitive config maintenance that every homelab media server eventually accumulates. One YAML file, 17+ pre-built templates, and you never open Sonarr’s quality profile editor again unless you want to [5][README].
• Key weakness: Completely useless if you don’t already have Sonarr and/or Radarr. This tool solves exactly one problem — keeping those tools configured per TRaSH Guides — and has no scope beyond that [README].
• Honest framing: Recyclarr is a niche tool for a niche audience. If you know what TRaSH Guides are, you probably already want this. If you don’t know what they are, this review may not be for you — and that’s fine.

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What is Recyclarr

Recyclarr is a command-line application that reads a YAML config file and syncs settings from TRaSH Guides to your Sonarr and Radarr instances automatically. The GitHub description is precise: “Automatically sync TRaSH Guides to your Sonarr and Radarr instances” [README].

To understand why this exists, you need to understand what TRaSH Guides are. They’re a community-maintained set of opinionated recommendations for how to configure Sonarr and Radarr — which custom formats to use, what scores to assign them, how quality profiles should be structured to prefer HDR with fallbacks, when to upgrade, how to handle Dolby Vision compatibility issues, and dozens of other variables that most people get wrong by default [2][5]. The guides are genuinely excellent, widely trusted in the homelab community, and updated regularly as new codecs, streaming services, and release group patterns emerge.

The catch is that applying them is manual and tedious. You open Sonarr, navigate to Settings → Custom Formats, create each format by hand, then go to Settings → Quality Profiles and assign scores. Do this for Radarr too. Then when TRaSH updates a recommendation — which happens regularly — you repeat the process. One Reddit user described spending “a couple of days” getting this right the first time [2].

Recyclarr solves exactly that. You write a YAML file that declares which instances to target and which templates to use, run recyclarr sync, and all the custom formats and quality profiles are created or updated automatically. Run it on a schedule and your setup stays current without manual work [1][5].

The project is MIT-licensed, has 1,894 GitHub stars, and is backed by an active community primarily organized around the TRaSH-Guides Discord server, which has a dedicated #recyclarr support channel [README][3].

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Why people choose it

The use case is narrow but the value within that use case is unambiguous.

The manual alternative is painful. A Reddit user who wrote up their full experience [2] described the before state: manually created release profiles to filter out incompatible Dolby Vision, some custom formats for x265 content, and minor quality profile tweaks — all painstakingly applied by hand. When they discovered TRaSH Guides and realized how much more sophisticated the recommendations were, the prospect of implementing everything manually was overwhelming. Recyclarr was the unlock that made it tractable.

The config drift problem is real. TRaSH Guides update regularly. If you implement their recommendations manually in January and don’t touch them again, by June your setup may be meaningfully out of date — missing new custom formats for streaming services that launched, outdated scores, or not handling new codec profiles. Recyclarr turns “stay current” from a recurring manual task into a scheduled one-liner [1][5].

It slots into existing Docker stacks cleanly. The DEV.to guide [1] makes the point that for anyone already running Sonarr, Radarr, Plex, and the rest of the *arr stack in Docker, adding Recyclarr is one more docker compose entry. It doesn’t require a new networking setup, doesn’t expose a web UI that needs securing, and doesn’t add ongoing maintenance overhead beyond keeping the image version updated.

The templates are the real value. Recyclarr ships 17+ pre-built configuration templates that cover the most common setups — web 1080p, remux 1080p, 4K, anime [README][5]. For most users, you pick the template that matches your quality tier, point it at your Sonarr/Radarr API, and you’re done. The Synology NAS guide [5] shows this clearly: the actual config YAML is 20 lines and references templates for everything non-trivial.

The secrets handling is thoughtful. Rather than hardcoding API keys and base URLs in your main config, Recyclarr supports a secrets.yml file with !secret references. This matters if you share configs publicly or keep them in version control [5].

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Features

What Recyclarr can sync to Sonarr and Radarr, per the official documentation and README:

Core sync capabilities:

• Custom formats, including scores — from the TRaSH guide recommendations or manually overridden [README][5]
• Quality profiles, including qualities and quality groups [README][5]
• Quality definitions (file size limits) [README][1]
• Media naming formats [README]
• Media management settings (Propers/Repacks handling) [README]

Configuration system:

• YAML-based config file (recyclarr.yml) [1][5]
• Secrets file support to keep API keys out of your main config [5]
• Multi-instance management — one config file can target multiple Sonarr and Radarr instances [README]
• 17+ pre-built templates for common setups [README][website]
• Custom format groups and selective template inclusion [5]
• Per-quality-profile reset_unmatched_scores option to clean up formats not explicitly configured [5]

Deployment options:

• Docker (primary recommended method) [1][5][README]
• Native binaries for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unraid [website]
• Supports major version tags (e.g., 8) rather than latest — the latest tag was explicitly deprecated to prevent silent breaking changes [README]

Operational features:

• Structured log files for every execution, with separate debug and verbose logs [3]
• Automatic redaction of sensitive information (API keys, URLs) in logs [3]
• CLI for one-off syncs or scheduled runs via cron/task scheduler [1][2]

What it does not do:

• No web UI. This is a CLI tool, full stop [README].
• No download management, no indexer management, no media library management — that’s Sonarr/Radarr’s job.
• Sonarr v3 and earlier are not supported — v4 and higher only [README].

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Pricing: SaaS vs self-hosted math

There is no SaaS version of Recyclarr. This section is shorter than usual as a result.

Recyclarr: Free. MIT license. No tiers, no subscriptions, no per-sync fees [README].

What you actually need to run it:

• A machine already running Sonarr and/or Radarr (which you presumably have if you’re evaluating this tool)
• Docker, or the ability to run a binary on Windows/macOS/Linux
• An API key from each Sonarr/Radarr instance (generated in the app settings, takes 30 seconds)

The savings framing doesn’t apply here the way it does with Zapier vs Activepieces. There’s no commercial equivalent of Recyclarr — no SaaS product charging $X/month to sync TRaSH Guides for you. The cost comparison is “your time to manually update quality profiles” vs “a few hours of initial setup and then zero recurring work.” That’s the entire value equation [1][2].

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Deployment reality check

Straightforward if you’re already in Docker. The DEV.to guide [1] walks through the full setup and it’s genuinely minimal: create a ./config folder, write a docker-compose.yml with the Recyclarr service, bring it up, then add your recyclarr.yml config. The only networking consideration is making sure Recyclarr can reach Sonarr/Radarr — if they’re in separate Compose files, you need a shared external network, which the guide covers [1].

The config is where you’ll spend time. Installation is not the bottleneck. Writing a correct recyclarr.yml is where most people get tripped up [2]. The Reddit user’s post [2] is instructive: they spent “a couple of days” struggling with config files. The advice that comes out of that experience: start with the pre-built templates instead of writing your own from scratch, use recyclarr config create to generate an empty file as a starting point, and read each line of the template before uncommenting.

The latest tag deprecation is important. The README explicitly warns that recyclarr/recyclarr:latest is no longer published [README]. If you’ve seen older guides recommending that tag and copied it into your compose file, it will silently stop receiving updates. Use a major version tag like ghcr.io/recyclarr/recyclarr:8 instead. This is a maintenance trap that will catch people who followed guides written before the deprecation.

Breaking changes happen. The official troubleshooting docs [3] include a notable warning: “Recyclarr may stop working at any time due to guide updates and changes in either Radarr or Sonarr.” This isn’t alarmism — the tool depends on both TRaSH Guides content and the Sonarr/Radarr API remaining compatible. When either changes, Recyclarr may need an update before it works again. The maintainer prioritizes fixing these quickly, but there can be a window where syncs fail after upstream changes [3].

Support is through Discord, not GitHub. General help and configuration questions go to the #recyclarr channel in the TRaSH-Guides Discord. GitHub Issues are explicitly reserved for bug reports and feature requests [README][3]. The support community is described as active and helpful, but you need to be willing to join a Discord server and read through the troubleshooting checklist before posting [3].

*Realistic setup time for someone already running an arr stack: 30–60 minutes including finding a working template config, getting the networking right, and running a first successful sync. For someone setting up Sonarr/Radarr from scratch alongside Recyclarr: budget 2–4 hours for the full stack, most of which is the *arr apps themselves, not Recyclarr.

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Solves a real, recurring pain point. Manual TRaSH Guide implementation is tedious and error-prone. One user described it taking days [2]. Recyclarr compresses that to an afternoon of initial setup and then nothing [1][5].
• MIT license. Actually free, actually open, no licensing surprises [README].
• Pre-built templates reduce config work dramatically. 17+ templates cover the most common *arr configurations. For standard setups (1080p web, remux, anime), you may barely need to write any custom YAML [README][5].
• Multi-instance support. One config file manages multiple Sonarr and Radarr instances [README].
• Cross-platform. Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Unraid — genuine cross-platform support, not “you can compile it from source” [website].
• Structured logging with automatic secret redaction. Debug logs are written per-run, and API keys are automatically redacted from log output, which matters when sharing logs for support [3].
• Active, helpful community. TRaSH-Guides Discord has a dedicated channel with people who will help you debug your YAML [3][README].
• Secrets management built in. !secret references keep API keys out of your main config file [5].

Cons

• Zero value without Sonarr/Radarr. This tool has exactly one job. If you’re not running those apps, Recyclarr is useless [README].
• No web UI. Configuration and operation are entirely YAML + CLI. That’s fine for technical users and potentially confusing for everyone else [README][1].
• Config files have a learning curve. Despite the templates, getting the YAML right takes real effort. Multiple sources confirm people spend meaningful time on this [2][5].
• Breaking changes with upstream. When TRaSH Guides update or Sonarr/Radarr change their API, Recyclarr can silently fail until a fix is released [3]. Not a dealbreaker, but budgets for occasional maintenance.
• latest tag was deprecated with minimal warning in older documentation. Anyone following older guides will hit this and need to update their compose file [README].
• Only Sonarr v4+. If you’re on older Sonarr, you’re out. The docs don’t suggest v3 support is coming back [README].
• No GUI for configuration. You write YAML. There’s no visual editor, no wizard, no preview. This is a conscious design choice, not an oversight, but it raises the floor for non-technical users.

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Who should use this / who shouldn’t

Use Recyclarr if:

• You’re already running Sonarr and/or Radarr and you care about getting quality profiles right.
• You’ve heard of TRaSH Guides, looked at them, and felt the dread of implementing all of that manually.
• You want your *arr setup to stay current as TRaSH updates recommendations without recurring manual work.
• You’re comfortable with YAML and Docker (or willing to spend an afternoon becoming comfortable).
• You run multiple Sonarr/Radarr instances and want centralized config management.

Skip it if:

• You don’t know what Sonarr or Radarr are. Start there first.
• You’re running Sonarr v3 or earlier — it won’t work [README].
• You’re already happy with your custom format setup and don’t intend to follow TRaSH Guides. There’s no reason to add complexity for a workflow you don’t want.
• You want a web UI for everything. Recyclarr doesn’t have one, and there’s no roadmap indicator it will.
• You’re a non-technical founder evaluating automation tools for a business workflow — this tool lives in homelab territory and solves homelab problems.

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Alternatives worth considering

The alternatives here are narrow because Recyclarr’s scope is narrow.

• Notifiarr — the other commonly cited option for TRaSH Guide sync [2]. Unlike Recyclarr (which is purely free and local), Notifiarr’s TRaSH sync feature requires a paid subscription. It also does notification aggregation and other things Recyclarr doesn’t touch. If you want one tool that handles both config sync and notification management, Notifiarr is worth evaluating. If you only need config sync, Recyclarr is the free answer.
• Manual configuration — entirely viable, and some people prefer explicit control. The cost is time: initial setup is measured in hours and ongoing maintenance is measured in recurring hours every time the guides update [2]. Recyclarr’s value is trading that recurring time cost for a one-time setup.
• Sonarr/Radarr built-in TRaSH integration — at time of writing, neither app has native one-click TRaSH Guide sync built in. If that changes, Recyclarr’s reason to exist changes with it.

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Bottom line

Recyclarr is a well-executed tool for a specific and legitimate problem. If you run Sonarr and Radarr and you care about quality — which, if you’re self-hosting a media server, you probably do — manually maintaining TRaSH Guide configurations is a recurring time sink. Recyclarr eliminates that entirely. The setup is a genuine afternoon of work the first time, the config templates mean you’re not starting from scratch, and once it’s running on a schedule you don’t think about it again until Sonarr gets a major update. The latest tag deprecation is a real gotcha for anyone following older tutorials, the YAML config has real friction, and the tool can break when upstream changes — but these are manageable trade-offs for what you get. For the audience it’s built for, there’s no meaningful alternative.

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Sources

1. marin84719, DEV Community — “Recyclarr + Docker: Easy TRaSH-Guides Sync for Your Media Server”. https://dev.to/marin84719/recyclarr-docker-easy-trash-guides-sync-for-your-media-server-24d3
2. watchoutfor2nd, Reddit r/sonarr — “Sharing my experience setting up trash guides with recyclarr”. https://www.reddit.com/r/sonarr/comments/1hppv6g/sharing_my_experience_setting_up_trash_guides/
3. Recyclarr Official Documentation — “Getting Help | Recyclarr”. https://recyclarr.dev/guide/troubleshooting/help/
4. Renato, Medium — *“Weekend Project: Building a Self-Hosted Media Server with Plex, Sonarr, Radarr, and the Arr Stack” (Nov 23, 2025). https://medium.com/@renatokauric/weekend-project-building-a-self-hosted-media-server-with-plex-sonarr-radarr-and-the-arr-stack-f07f57307cdc
5. geebru, drfrankenstein.co.uk — “Recyclarr – TRaSH Guide Automation (Microguide)” (updated March 6, 2026). https://drfrankenstein.co.uk/recyclarr-trash-guide-automation-microguide/

Primary sources:

• GitHub repository and README: https://github.com/recyclarr/recyclarr (1,894 stars, MIT license)
• Official website: https://recyclarr.dev
• Official documentation: https://recyclarr.dev/guide/