If you are one of the many loyal readers of htpcBeginner, you may already know what is Usenet and why it is better than Torrents, by now. In this post, we will explain how to choose the best Usenet provider for you. Our famous CouchPotato, Sick Beard, and SABnzbd guides all talk about Usenet service and therefore this post is longtime coming. If you do not know and understand Usenet terminologies, we recommend that you read this post before proceeding. There are a plethora of Usenet service providers and hopefully this guide makes it easier to choose the best Usenet provider for your needs.
Table of Contents
Best Usenet Provider
There are several different kinds of Usenet accounts (aka NNTP account) and one size does not fit all. The best Usenet provider plan is the one that fits your need. This guide is divided into sections based on cost, bandwidth, and features offered. Just look at the options under the category that you fit in. We have also provided links to discount offers.
Unlimited Bandwidth Plans
htpcBeginner recommends unlimited plans simply for the reason that you do not have to worry about what and how much you are downloading. If you do not want "luxury" features (web access, VPN, etc.) then these plans offer the best bang for the buck. If you are into HD content and cannot stand SD then we definitely recommend an unlimited plan. Below are the best Usenet providers we have tested and recommend highly of:
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newshosting | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, SSL, 30 connections, & free Usenet browser | $9.99 / month $99.99 / year ($8.33 / month) |
| NewsDemon | Pro | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, Unlimited online storage, SSL, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | $10.00 / month |
| UsenetServer | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | $10.00 / month $95.40 / year ($7.95 / month) |
| Easynews | Unlimited NNTP* | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | $9.95 / month |
| Astraweb | Unlimited DSL | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | $11.00 / month(special) $96.00 / year ($8.00 / month |
*NNTP is just another term for newsgroup. It is the regular Usenet access that most providers offer.
Monthly Plans
If you do not like to prepay and get locked into a contract or you prefer to pay as you go along then the monthly or even these short-term plans may work the best for you. Some of the top Usenet service providers even offer discounts on short-term plans.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NewsDemon | Beginner, Basic, or Veteran | >2000 days retention, Unlimited speed, SSL, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | $5.00 / month (50 GB), $6.00 / month (100 GB), or $8.00 / month (200 GB) |
| Newshosting | XL Powerpack | >2000 days retention (1300 days Web), Unlimited (160 GB Web), SSL, 60 connections, Web Access**, free Easynews account, & free Usenet browser | $19.95 / month |
| NewsDemon | Pro | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, Unlimited online storage, SSL, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | $10.00 / month |
| Newshosting | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, SSL, 30 connections, & free Usenet browser | $9.99 / month |
| Easynews | BigGig | >2000 days retention (1300 days web), Unlimited (150 GB Web), Web Access, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $29.98 / month |
| UsenetServer | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, SSL, and 20 connections | $10.00 / month |
| Easynews | Unlimited NNTP | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, SSL, and 20 connections | $9.95 / month |
| Astraweb | Unlimited DSL | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, SSL, and 20 connections | $11.00 / month |
| Easynews | Plus | >2000 days retention (525 days web), 40 GB, Web Access, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $14.97 / month |
| Easynews | Classic | >2000 days retention, 20 GB, Web Access, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $9.98 / month |
**Web Access allows you to search and download using an internet browser from anywhere.
Discounted Annual Plans
If you like to buy in bulk and take advantage of the discounted annual plans then you are in luck. Several good Usenet providers provide discounts on annual plans. The table below offers some of the well-tested and best Usenet services for you to choose from.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newshosting | XL Powerpack | >1300 days retention (1300 days Web), Unlimited (150 GB Web), Web Access, SSL, 60 connections, free Easynews account, & free Usenet browser | $189.95 / year (21% off) $99.95 / 6 months (17% off) Regular: $19.95 / month |
| Newshosting | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, SSL, 30 connections, & free Usenet browser | $99.99 / year ($8.33 / month) Regular: $14.95 / month |
| UsenetServer | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | $95.40 / year ($7.95 / month) Regular: $10.00 / month |
| Astraweb | Unlimited DSL | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | $96.00 / year ($8.00 / month) Regular: $11.00 / month |
Block Plans
If you are not a heavy downloader and do not want to pay for an unlimited plan and just want a cheap Usenet service then you can buy bandwidth in blocks (example: 25 GB, 180 GB, etc.). Once your bandwidth is reached, downloading stops. These plans have the disadvantage that some if your apps snatches/downloads wrongly labeled or wrong language content (these can happen by the way) then your bandwidth is wasted. Moreover, these plans are general not the best value.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NewsDemon | 10 GB to 1000 GB | >2000 days retention, Unlimited speed, SSL, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | $2.00 to $87.00 |
| Astraweb | 25 GB | >2000 days retention, Unlimited speed, SSL, and 50 connections | $10.00 |
| Astraweb | 180 GB | >2000 days retention, Unlimited speed, SSL, and 50 connections | $25.00 |
| Astraweb | 1000 GB | Unlimited speed, SSL, and 50 connections | $50.00 |
Short-term Plans
Some providers offer short-term plans that span a few days. These are great for testing the service out before signing up for a long-term plan. These plans are also excellent choice if you want to do a one-time download of a bunch of content (this is rarely the case). But you may achieve the same thing by signing up for free trials that generally offer more features. The advantage here is that, it is one-time only and you do not have to go through the trouble of calling your provider to cancel auto-renew.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easynews | 3 Days | 10 connections, Unlimited, no SSL, and one time only | $3.00 |
| Easynews | 3 Days | 20 connections, Unlimited, SSL, and one time only | $5.00 |
Simple and Easy to Manage Plans
If you are new to the topic of Usenet or do not want to go through the hassle of installing a newsgrabber such as SABnzbd, then these plans may fit your need. You can browse/search and download content all through your internet browser from anywhere. Finally, you receive a link to a zip file after the download is done. Since everything is done through the web, it is difficult to configure Sick Beard or CouchPotato to automatically organize your downloaded content. Also, these plans typically have lower retention and/or bandwidth.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newshosting | XL Powerpack | 1300 days retention (>2000 NNTP), 150 GB (Unlimited NNTP), SSL, 60 connections, includes NNTP, free Easynews account, & free Usenet browser | $189.95 / year (21% off) $99.95 / 6 months (17% off) $19.95 / month |
| Easynews | BigGig | 1300 days retention (>2000 NNTP), 150 GB (Unlimited NNTP), includes NNTP, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $29.98 / month |
| Easynews | Plus | 525 days web retention, 40 GB, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $14.97 / month |
| Easynews | Classic | 365 days retention, 20 GB, Web Access, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $9.98 / month |
"Everything" Plans
If you want a Usenet newsgroup service with all the bells and whistles on it and do not care too much about the price then there are some plans that are just right for you. These best Usenet providers offer several advantages and features such as improved privacy through VPN, online storage, accelerator, and more.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NewsDemon | Pro | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, Unlimited online storage, SSL, VPN, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | $17.00 / month ($7 first month) | Newshosting | XL Powerpack | >2000 days retention (1300 days Web), Unlimited (150 GB Web), Web Access, SSL, 60 connections, free Easynews account, & free Usenet browser | $189.95 / year (21% off) $99.95 / 6 months (17% off) $19.95 / month |
| Easynews | BigGig | >2000 days retention (1300 days Web), Unlimited (150 GB Web), Web Access, Loyalty Gigs, Rollover Gigs, SSL, and Usenet Browser | $29.98 / month |
Free Trial Plans
If you are like most people and would like to try something for free before you invest in a contract then good Usenet services offer free trials to begin with. At the end of the trial period your account will be auto-renewed and charged.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Trial Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newshosting | XL Powerpack | >2000 days retention (1300 days Web), Unlimited (150 GB Web), Web Access, SSL, 60 connections, free Easynews account, & free Usenet browser | 14 days or 30GB used*** |
| NewsDemon | Pro | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, Unlimited online storage, SSL, VPN, 50 connections, & free Newsreader | 7 days unlimited |
| Newshosting | Unlimited | >2000 days retention, Unlimited, SSL, 30 connections, & free Usenet browser | 14 days or 30GB used*** |
| Easynews | Unlimited NNTP* | >2000 days retention, SSL, and 20 connections | 14 days or 10 GB used*** |
***Whichever comes first.
Free Plans
Of course, who does not like free stuff. If you do not mind low download speeds, limitations on number of simultaneous downloads, bandwidth limitations, and little or no privacy then you can go with one of following free plans. If you download a lot of content or if you would like to keep your downloads private then this is definitely not the plan for you. These are the best Usenet providers that currently offer a free plan.
| Provider | Plan | Features | Cost / Offer Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| XSUsenet | Free | 10 days retention, 25 GB, 10 Mbit speed, no SSL, 2 connections, and 1 host | Free |
Choosing the Best Usenet Provider
We have laid out the options for you. Choosing the best Usenet provider or the right Usenet plan depends entirely on what you want to do with it and how much you can afford. Unlimited and discounted annual plans from UsenetServer or Astraweb offer the best value as they save you money but also offer you unlimited bandwidth and speed. The speed is only limited by your internet speed from ISP.
So there you go. Choose the best Usenet provider for your needs and supercharge your home server.
