Best Usenet Providers
Get the rankings for the best Usenet providers.
- Learn about retention and how it impacts your completion rates.
- Discover the best value providers to maximize savings.
- Explore Usenet with the best search providers.
Best Usenet Providers for April 2024
Editor's Choice
Best Usenet Provider
Unlimited high-speed downloads with the most binary and text retention in the industry.
- Fastest download speeds & the most reliable network
- Most successful downloads with the highest retention
- Comes with a pre-configured, easy-to-use newsreader
Dedicated European servers, unlimited downloads, and the best binary and text retention.
- Highest-rated European provider with the best retention
- Dedicated European servers optimized for the fastest speeds worldwide.
- Unlimited downloads and free newsreader
Premium Usenet Provider that easily integrates with any newsreader.
- Highly rated for network performance with the highest retention
- Includes Zero-Log VPN with unlimited data
- Founded in 1998, UsenetServer is one of the oldest and most respected providers.
Access Usenet anywhere with Easynews Web Search or configure on your newsreader.
- Easy-to-use web search that lets you access Usenet through a web browser
- High retention across 210,000+ newsgroups
- Downloading is not required to open files
European Usenet provider with a strong reputation for privacy and fast download speeds.
- Offers 4,500 days of binary and text retention
- Europe's oldest provider and highly rated for their dedicated servers
- Unlimited downloads with up 60 SSL-secured connections
What is Usenet?
Usenet is a globally distributed archive of user-generated posts (called “articles” on Usenet) that pre-dates the World Wide Wide. It was the first social media platform, facilitating conversations in 8 major categories and countless subcategories. It’s where concepts like “spam” were invented, and acronyms like “LOL.” The difference between Usenet and current social media is that Usenet is decentralized: not controlled; not censored.
A Usenet provider is a service that stores the posts for a specific time period (also called “retention”) and delivers them to subscribers upon request.
Learn more about Usenet in our What is Usenet article. If you want to learn more about the best Usenet providers, read on!
How we Determine the Best Usenet Providers
At Top10Usenet, we use a rigorous and objective testing process to determine the best Usenet provider based on the following key performance indicators:
- Retention – Retention is the most important metric for Usenet. It measures how much is available for search and download. The higher the Usenet provider’s retention rate (expressed in number of days), the greater the number of successful searches and completed downloads there will be.
- Servers – For fastest speeds and service reliability, we highlight providers who have Usenet servers in North America and Europe.
- Speeds – The best providers do not slow Usenet connections for any reason.
- Connections – For secure and anonymous Usenet browsing.
- Usenet Search – Available from most of our recommended providers.
- Customer Support – Rapid, available, and helpful service can make a huge difference.
- Features – Many providers have add-on features like a free VPN that save money and make Usenet and all online activity private and anonymous.
- Pricing – We compare the price that you pay to the value you get from every provider. Most global payment types are accepted by at least one of our recommended choices.
Our Best Usenet Provider Picks
Newshosting - Best Overall Usenet
Pros
- Highest retention rate
- Free, pre-configured newsreader
- Fastest download speeds
Cons
- Slightly more expensive than some other providers
Newshosting has the longest retention rate of any Usenet provider, currently 5727+ days and increasing by one day every day. This makes Newshosting the most complete Usenet archive on Earth with more than 14 years of posts to search and download.
Without question, Newshosting had the fastest speeds of any Usenet provider we tested, probably because they have been investing in their network infrastructure for more than a decade. They own and operate their own server platforms in Europe and North America so they control the user experience end-to-end. You can read more about our tests in the Newshosting review, but we can confirm that they were very impressive.
We particularly like that a Newshosting subscription comes with a free, unlimited VPN. It speaks to their commitment to privacy and security above and beyond standard measures like SSL encryption. The VPN Newshosting has partnered with is easy to use, feature-rich, and reliable.
Newshosting also provides free, pre-configured newsreader software with a fast, intuitive search and download tool. Article previews make it easier to choose the correct post before download, and pairs well with Newshosting’s high speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited data. It’s reason enough to subscribe to Newshosting.
Sign up to Newshosting’s Special 12+3 Deal today through Top10Usenet for only $5.99 per month. That’s for a year of service plus 3 months more for free and includes:
- Unlimited Speeds
- Unlimited Downloads
- 100 SSL Encrypted Connections
- 5727+ of Binary and Text Retention
- Free Newsreader Software with Usenet Search
- Free Premium VPN
Newshosting is, without a doubt, the best Usenet provider. The price is slightly higher than other providers, but the benefits make it an incredible value. Reliability and retention alone would make this a spectacular deal, especially if you sign up with the Top10Usenet link, but the inclusion of a free VPN and 3 free months makes it too good to pass up.
Eweka - Premiere EU Usenet Provider
The best European Usenet provider, Eweka has faster speeds and more retention than any other EU-based Usenet providers we tested. They distinguish themselves by running the largest European network. This means they store the most complete Usenet archive, giving you the highest retention rates.
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Incredible speed
- Great free trial
- Free newsreader software
Cons
- Limited plan flexibility
- No long-term discounts
Completion rates are excellent on Eweka. Compared to other European providers, we had more successfully completed downloads on Eweka and it wasn’t even close. There are simply more posts retained on their Usenet servers than other European Usenet server platforms due to spooling retention currently at 5727+ days.
We tested Eweka extensively, which you can read about in our Eweka review, and found their speeds to be excellent, particularly on European Internet providers. Their trans-Atlantic infrastructure means that speeds remain high in North America as well, resulting in a great stand-alone Usenet provider or a complementary provider based in Europe.
Subscribers to Eweka also get free access to the NewsLazer newsreader. NewsLazer is intuitively designed to make it easier to get started, so much so that Eweka users get a pre-configured version that connects to Usenet with only a username and password. It also includes a built-in Usenet search feature that shows post previews so users can choose the right article to download and allows for scheduled searches.
Top10 Usenet readers get a special €5,99 per month deal that includes
- Unlimited Speeds
- Unlimited Downloads
- 50 SSL Encrypted Connections
- 5727+ of Binary and Text Retention
- Free Newsreader Software with Usenet Search
Overall, Eweka is the best European provider. It has great completion, fast data transfer speeds, useful add-ons, and excellent pricing.
You can save 27% off Eweka’s best Usenet plan, which includes the highest retention in Europe, unlimited bandwidth, and free access to NewsLazer, by signing up through Top10Usenet.
Easynews - Best Usenet for Newbies
Easynews is incredibly simple to use. Its simplicity doesn’t take away from its sophistication, however. The brilliance of Easynews is that it packages a powerful Usenet solution in an easy-to-understand service that can appeal to new users and veterans alike.
Pros
- Highest retention rate
- Strong, reliable network
- Fastest download speeds
Cons
- 150GB/mo Limit
What makes Easynews unique is that it’s the only Usenet provider that includes a web-based interface with built-in Usenet search. Any device with a web browser, including mobile devices and game consoles, now has a Usenet search engine and downloader built in. Usenet search results from the Easynews web interface display previews: helpful for sifting through results before downloading.
Of course, you’re not limited to web-based searches. Easynews works just as easily with most other newsreader software. In both cases, users enjoy the highest levels of retention, rapid speeds, and excellent completion rates.
All Easynews plans come with the following features:
- Unlimited Speeds
- Up to 60 SSL Encrypted Connections
- Free Web-based Access with Usenet search
- 5727+ Days of Retention
Overall, Easynews has unique features and benefits that set it apart from any other Usenet provider. We can’t recommend Easynews enough, especially for people who want the simplest on-ramp to the world of Usenet.
UsenetServer - Best Usenet Provider for Power Users
UsenetServer has been the Usenet Power Users’ choice since 2001. It is a no-frills Usenet provider with incredible speeds. It still includes very high retention rates for all binary and text newsgroups and servers in both the EU and US.
Pros
- Lightning fast speed
- Affordable price
- Add-ons available
Cons
- No in-house newsreader software
- 5727+ Days of Retention
- Unlimited Downloads
- SSL Encrypted Connections
- UNS Global Search
UNS Global Search is a unique feature which lets users search Usenet, compile NZB files, and import them into the newsreader software of their choice. It makes browsing Usenet very easy and flexible.
UsenetServer has fast and stable connections, so no worries about slow downloads and dropped data packets. It also comes bundled with an unlimited VPN, which increases security for users by protecting the rest of their Internet connections.
There’s a reason why Usenet veterans subscribe to UsenetServer as their main provider. It’s the best value, full access Usenet provider for a pure Usenet experience.
Tweaknews - Most Reliable Usenet Provider
Pros
- Oldest Continuously Operating European Usenet Server
- Excellent customer service
- Free newsreader software
- Great VPN Value
Cons
- No US servers
- Accepts Euros only
Tweaknews retention is not as high as our top choices, but it is still quite good at 4,500 days. Speed, high connection quality, and a 99.5% completion rate make Tweaknews an excellent option, especially for the European Usenet fan.
On top of the impressive speeds, Tweaknews also comes with a free VPN to expand on the included SSL connections.
Use the Top10Usenet link to score Tweaknews’ ‘Ultimate + VPN” for just: € 6,67/mo including:
- Unlimited Speeds
- Unlimited Downloads
- 50 SSL Encrypted Connections
- 4,500 Days of Binary and Text Retention
- Access to Newsreader Software with Usenet Search
- Zero Log VPN for Added Privacy and Security
Sunny Usenet - Best EU Budget Usenet Provider
Pros
- Low-cost but high-value Usenet provider
- Unlimited speeds & downloads available
- Great customer support worldwide
Cons
- Lower retention than other providers
- Unlimited Data
- Up to 60 Connections (if you sign up for auto pay)
- 4,100 Days of Retention
- Free SSL Protection for All Your Usenet Data
Astraweb- Best US Budget Usenet Provider
Pros
- Lots of packages to choose from
- Up to 50 connections
- Unlimited speeds
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a VPN
- No free trial
- Doesn’t have its own newsreader software
While Astraweb is trustworthy and solid, the lack of features like a newsreader client, Usenet search engine, or VPN makes their offering less attractive than some other providers.
Pure Usenet - Best Middle-of-the-Road Usenet Provider
Pros
- Low-cost Dutch provider
- Unlimited speeds & downloads
Cons
- Lower retention than other providers
- Doesn’t have its own newsreader software
Pure Usenet does accept Bitcoin for payment so it may be a good option for those looking to pay with Crypto.
Bottom Line: Pure Usenet is a good choice, but not as good as our top providers.
XLned - Best Usenet Provider for the Lowest Price
Pros
- High reliability
- Well-crafted plans
- Good pricing
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a VPN
- Doesn’t have its own newsreader software
While XLned is not nearly the best provider, it can be a great European Usenet backup server. It’s also good for those with slow broadband speeds, or for the light Usenet downloader. The price makes maintaining an account relatively easy, but you get what you pay for, and XLned is transparent about the low price / service level tradeoffs.
If you’re looking for the best price, we recommend one of the providers on our Cheapest Usenet Deals list.
Bottom Line from Top10Usenet - Best Usenet Service
How We Determine the Best Usenet Providers
At Top10Usenet, we have specific criteria that we use to evaluate Usenet providers to find the best of the best.
- Retention – This is the most important feature of a Usenet provider because the higher the retention rate is, the more articles users can access. The very best Usenet providers have spooling retention, which means that their retention rate increases by one day every day.
- Performance – We regularly test Usenet providers to find the fastest and most reliable networks. All our tests are done on fiber optic Internet connections to ensure performance metrics reflect the provider’s speeds and aren’t limited on our side.
- Privacy and Security – Internet security is paramount to a great Usenet experience. We look for Usenet providers that not only meet minimum security standards, but look for ways to exceed them for their users’ online safety.
- Pricing – When we look at pricing, we try to find the balance between low prices and great features. This balance gives us a sense of value that is reflected in our scores and reviews.
- Getting Started – While Usenet has been around for longer than the World Wide Web, new users join every day. Usenet providers that have an easy onboarding process for those users are rated higher than ones that seem to only aim at Usenet veterans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Usenet Retention important?
Every Usenet provider has a “retention rate.” Retention is the number of days that a provider stores something that has been posted to Usenet. Since Usenet articles are stored on the provider’s servers, after a specific length of time, they get erased.
The higher a provider’s retention rate, the more a user can search for, find, and download. The best Usenet providers will increase this number every day, so posts don’t actually expire for users of that provider.
How Do You Access Usenet?
In order to get on Usenet, you need to sign up for a subscription to a Usenet provider. We recommend Newshosting, our choice for the best Usenet provider, because it has the largest Usenet archive, excellent speeds, a reasonable price point, and comes with a pre-configured newsreader to make getting started incredibly easy.
We go into more detail about getting started with Usenet in our What is Usenet article, but to summarize: once you have a provider and have configured a newsreader to use that provider, you’ll be able to freely browse Usenet.
How Do I Find a Newsgroup?
There are two ways to find a particular newsgroup on Usenet.
- Navigate through the Usenet hierarchy to find the subjects that most interest you.
- Utilize a Usenet Search to find posts about specific topics.
