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The best Usenet providers

Read on for our detailed analysis of each Usenet provider

Usenet and Newsgroups may seem a thing of the past, consigned to the history of the internet, but they still remain very much alive. While no longer in the mainstream Usenet groups still remain active, not least because they can provide for a more private meeting ground that more popular social media sites and forums.

However, accessing Usenet groups is no longer so simple, or free, and it's usually the case these days that you'll need to go through a Usenet provider.

These not only provide access to existing discussions, but also to archives, usually stretching back for a number of years.

There are limitations, though, not least for bandwidth use, so users who aim to do a lot of downloads from Usenet will find plans tend to cost more.

Compare newsreaders with hands-on reviews of popular Usenet clients. Free Usenet Browser downloads for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile devices. You can also get some high-quality newsreader software that includes search, not just for Windows and Mac, but Linux as well. Newsleecher is a popular Windows Usenet reader with many timesaving technologies and extras. The program's SuperSearch is a speedy Usenet search tool with handy wildcard support.

Even still, there are a number of Usenet providers out there and plans are priced competitively.

Here then are the best in Usenet providers that we could find:

• Check out our best VPN services

Usenet reader free download - Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, Comic Reader Pro, Zinio Reader, and many more programs. Best Video Software for the Mac How. Perhaps you should edit the title to 'Free Usenet reader for Mac OSX' – Darren Newton Aug 5 '09 at 2:11 done – fretje Aug 5 '09 at 12:22 My solution has been to use a Windows computer. Mac users can sometimes find it difficult to find good and powerful software without spending some money, especially when it comes to the world of Usenet apps. In the case of the PC however, there are actually many Usenet apps that are available for free and we all know free software is always the best kind. Finding a good Usenet Newsreader is the key to having a stress-free Usenet experience. There are multiple Newsreaders available on a wide array of devices, so you are sure to find something that works for you, no matter if you are on a PC, Mac, or a Smart Device.

1. Newshosting

Retention: 3390 days Newsgroups: 120,000+ Maximum connections: 60 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

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Newshosting is the best Usenet provider as tested and vetted by our experts. If you want a strong all-rounder of a Usenet service, then look no further than this provider.

It sports the industry’s best retention, runs its own US and European server farms, and also offers uncensored access to 120,000 newsgroups. You can also get some high-quality newsreader software that includes search, not just for Windows and Mac, but Linux as well.

Through an exclusive TechRadar promo, you will be able to grab a free, albeit rudimentary, zero-log VPN account for extra security and privacy in addition to 256-bit SSL connections already included with the service.

Newshosting tested the fastest as far as download speeds go. It also passed our tests in retrieving old binaries with flying colors as well. Are there any negatives at all here at all? There’s very little to complain about, save for the VPN client being a little basic and for support being only in English, but this doesn’t actually reflect on the core Usenet service you get.

Newshosting is competitively priced, which you can try for yourself with a 750 GB free trial, exclusive to TechRadar visitors, the largest Usenet free trial offered anywhere.

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Newshosting tops our charts for quality, but the price is pretty attractive, too. That's largely thanks to the EXCLUSIVE offer we've managed to get just for TechRadar readers - and it's a goody. Sign up with one of the below links and bag 750GB worth of downloads for FREE! Here are its plans and prices in full:

• $8.33/mo (unlimited for 12 months) + you get a free VPN worth $60 per year

2. Eweka

Retention: 3356 days Newsgroups: 125,000 Maximum connections: 20 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

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Eweka is an impressive operation indeed, running its own data centre in Amsterdam with its own server farm. The firm has its own trans-Atlantic backbone which allowed us to get the full download speed offered (although no US servers as yet).

There’s a lengthy 3,369 days of retention offered here (growing daily), which is among the strongest Usenet offerings in that respect, and while you only get up to 20 connections maximum, which is less than many rivals, we found performance to be very speedy in our tests. And really, that’s what counts.

There’s plenty more to like with Eweka besides, including the fact that the service performed well when it came to our retention testing (grabbing old files). Eweka users also get free access to the premium Newslazer newsreader, which includes a powerful search tool.

There’s also an unrestricted seven-day trial (if you do not signup through the official TechRadar promotion) to give the service a whirl, and this doesn’t require you to enter any payment details, either. Considering what you get here, the service is reasonably priced, too.

3. Supernews

Keeping Usenet simple and slick…

Retention: 2357 days Newsgroups: 110,000 Maximum connections: 30 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

Supernews is a veteran Usenet provider having been in operation since the mid-90s, and it has servers across the US and Europe. You get 2,357 days of binary retention and 5,021 days of text retention, and access to over 110,000 newsgroups.

What’s more, Supernews keeps multiple copies of articles across its network, and the firm claims that this helps to ensure a 100% completion rate.

And on the performance front, you get unlimited speed, with the provider guaranteeing that your connection won’t be throttled in any way, shape or form.

Supernews keeps things pleasingly simple when it comes to plan choices, as well, because there’s only one: a straightforward unlimited plan with a monthly fee. It’s not the cheapest subscription around, but this is a quality service, and you get a three-day trial to test it out first. Also note that with the TechRadar Pro offer in place at the time of writing, you get your first month at half price.

4. Newsgroupdirect

A real retention hog with a bundled VPN

Retention: 3370 days Newsgroups: N/A Maximum connections: 50 SSL: Yes Free trial: No

Newsgroupdirect offers an impressive retention level of 3,370 days, and maintains its own network. As with the previous provider, it makes a big promise on the completion rate front, guaranteeing users 100% completion. And furthermore, 100% uptime is also promised.

You get a plentiful 50 connections even with the most basic plan, along with SSL encryption, and access to the Ghost Path VPN service for extra security and privacy on top. Again, the VPN comes bundled with all plans, which is good to see. Customer support is another strong suit here, as well.

While there is no free trial, Newsgroupdirect does offer a seven-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re not satisfied in the first week, you don’t lose anything – although note that you must not have used more than 15GB of bandwidth.

Subscription plans are competitively priced, although it’s slightly disappointing that you don’t get much better value for signing up to the annual plan compared to the six-month option.

5. Easynews

Direct Usenet access right from your web browser

Retention: Up to 3380 Newsgroups: 100,000+ Maximum connections: 60 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

Easynews is a slick operator that differentiates itself by offering the ability to access Usenet directly from within your web browser as well as supporting mobile access. That’s obviously a commendably hassle-free way to do things, and the web interface is well crafted, plus it also means you can access the service across all your devices (with no software installation necessary).

Retention rates vary, but with the top-end plan you get 2,950 days retention via the web interface (3,364 days retention via NNTP), although considerably less on some of the more basic plans. That Big Gig Plan also gives you a bundled Zero-log VPN service (albeit with a rather basic client).

There’s also good news when it comes to Easynews’ privacy policy, which is very concise and makes it crystal clear what data is kept by the provider. Performance is good too, although the range of plans is somewhat confusing, and the basic subscriptions are more suited to those with light downloading needs.

Also handy is a 14-day free trial which lets you experience the service before you pay for a subscription (note that there is a 10GB bandwidth limit). Pricing starts from $9.98 per month to $14.97 per month, depending on the bandwidth required.

6. Newsdemon

A newsgroup service that’s affordable and user-friendly

Retention: Up to 3,150 Newsgroups: 107,000 Maximum connections: 50 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

Resellers are quite common in the Usenet world, and for good reason: by purchasing a large amount of bandwidth from a major service provider, they can negotiate better terms and sell on that access to you for a vastly discounted rate. One of the biggest providers to resellers is Omicron Media, which counts nearly 30 clients operating from its vast server backbone.

Omicron Media reseller NewsDemon is our pick of the bunch, offering 50 simultaneous connections and unlimited SSL-secured transfers from European and US servers for a more-than-reasonable £3.60 ($4.70) per month – or perhaps less, we've seen different prices listed during different visits. There are also block accounts available.

There's the bonus of a VPN connection if you're willing to spend a bit more, or transfer-capped block accounts for a little less. If you're employed in education, charitable work, or certain media outlets NewsDemon will even offer you free access – though in the interests of disclosure we should be clear that we've not taken advantage of this offer.

Plans cost between $5 a month for 50GB of downloads, to $10 a month for unlimited downloads.

7. GigaNews

Retention: 2,367 days Newsgroups: 110,000 Maximum connections: 50 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

GigaNews is amongst the most expensive Usenet providers, but its price reflects the sum of its parts. Alongside access to newsgroups – naturally – a $24.99 (£19) per month Diamond subscription gets you the use of GigaNews' own Mimo Usenet browser and search engine, SSL access to its servers, and the pro version of Golden Frog's multi-faceted VyprVPN service.

Whatever you're using it for – and even if you're doing something else online entirely – the extra layer of privacy offered by a quality VPN has to be reassuring.

GigaNews' server availability is another plus, with multiple redundancy on US and EU servers owned and run by the company itself. The real question, however, is whether you plan to use all of the features GigaNews offers. If you're looking to Usenet access for the conversations this is absolutely overkill, and for binary downloads it's still rather expensive, but if quality is your top priority, then it’s a good choice.

8. Astraweb

Best Free Usenet Reader For Mac

Two servers for the price of one…

Retention: 3,000+ days Newsgroups: 90,000 Maximum connections: 20 SSL: Yes Free trial: No

Astraweb is another of Usenet's big mainstays, having run since 1998. Sign up and you're actually gaining access to two distinct services – its download servers in the US and the Netherlands are run as separate companies, and one server may contain files that the other does not. Essentially Astraweb gives you a main server and a backup server for the price of one.

Users have reported that its quality has declined over the years. Whether or not you believe this is up to you, but Astraweb's longevity in the market does earn it some brownie points, and it does not resell its services meaning you should see a consistent download rate from its servers.

Retention is one of the highest we've seen at over 3,000 days, with a claimed 99% availability. Seeing as the 1% that's missing could be the one critical part of a binary you need, Astraweb – even with its dual servers – is probably best used with a block account on hand.

You can get unlimited downloads for $10 per month.

9. TweakNews

Fast, Reliable Access with Exclusive Lifetime Discount

Retention: 2500 days Newsgroups: N/A Maximum connections: 40 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

This is a European Usenet provider which offers solid core features, and it’s a fairly priced service to boot. One interesting point to note is that there is a VPN bundled here, although it only comes with the most expensive plan.

We found performance to be impressive with TweakNews with fast download speeds, and it was also good to see that the included VPN (which is Omicron Media-based) managed a commendable turn of speed. In fact, it was comparable to a good specialist VPN provider.

On the downside here, retention isn’t great, and when we encountered an issue with the service, we found that tech support was on the sluggish side.

In terms of cost, there’s plenty of flexibility, and if you sign up for annual billing, there are some good value deals to be had – and you can benefit from block subscriptions, too, if that’s the route you prefer to take. There’s also a free trial which gives you 10GB of data to play with (but it has a limit of eight connections).

10. UsenetServer

A no-frills provider for experienced users

Retention: 3390 days Newsgroups: 100,000+ Maximum connections: 20 SSL: Yes Free trial: Yes

If you want a dependable Usenet offering with a good core service, then look no further than this affordable provider – although be warned, it isn’t for newsgroup novices.

UsenetServer gives you plenty of retention at 3,371 days, a promised 99% completion rate, and no restrictions such as data limits or throttling of your download speeds.

A slight weak point is that you can only have a maximum of 20 connections, which is less than many services, but that said, in testing we found UsenetServer to offer 150+ Mbps download speeds performance levels anyway, so this likely won’t matter.

What may matter for beginners is that UsenetServer is rather shaky when it comes to help but offers good tech support, and while it does offer a bundled zero-log VPN for extra security, the Windows client for the latter is a poor piece of work. But if you’re an experienced user who knows what you’re doing, all this is likely moot, because you’ll find your own way around the service just fine anyway.

The other strength here is that this is a relatively wallet-friendly provider, particularly when you consider that with the annual plan, the zero-log VPN service is bundled in. There’s also a free 14-day trial (with a 10GB data transfer limit).

This is a Comparison of Usenet Newsreaders.

See also[edit]

Download From Usenet For Free

Usenet Reader