Unlike downloads from www or FTP the download from usenet requires quite a lot of computation work. NZBGet is optimized for performance and uses very little memory at the same time. Cross-platform NZBGet supports all platforms including Windows, Mac and Linux. Binaries for Windows and Mac are available right here.

If you’re here, the chances are you already know or remember what Usenet is.For everyone else - Usenet is the original social network that predates web forums, blogs, Twitter, and even web in some cases. It could be described as a cross between a discussion forum and a file-sharing platform, but that wouldn’t be exactly precise. Most ISPs don’t provide direct access to the Usenet service anymore but that doesn’t mean it’s gone. The discussion is still very much alive in some bigger groups.However, the main reason why Usenet is still alive in this day and age is file sharing. The groups below alt.binaries. have many various files available for downloading.

That said, if you want to access the large Usenet bandwidth and collect those files, you’ll need to pay.The most important thing you need to pay attention to when looking at binary newsgroups is finding a provider with fast servers who keeps copies of binary files uploaded to Usenet for as long as possible (retention period).Having said that, let’s look at our list of best Usenet providers. Limited payment optionsis considered to be one of the top Usenet providers online today, thanks in part to its extremely long retention period, one of the longest in the industry.The provider operates its own multi-gigabit server farms in Europe and North America, which guarantees the impressive speeds of access available from any Usenet server. Not only that, Newshosting offers access to over 100,000 uncensored newsgroups.The free newsreader browser is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and even includes search options.In addition, Newshosting provides custom and user-friendly VPN software which guarantees it will never retain information about your online activities. The VPN software is free-of-charge if you sign up for the most comprehensive (and most expensive) XL Powerpack plan.It’s important to mention that all subscription plans come with a 30GB or 14 days free trial period, allowing you to test the service out before deciding whether you want to commit.The baseline Lite plan provides 50GB data transfer with rollover option, unlimited speeds, and 30 connections. The best-value Unlimited plan comes with unlimited data transfer.Should you choose the top-of-the-line package XL Powerpack, you’ll not only get the Newshosting VPN software, but also a free 10GB Easynews account and 60 connections.Having said that, Newshosting might be a bit behind the times in that it doesn’t accept bitcoin as a form of payment for its services. No US servers yetis a Netherlands-based Usenet provider with a data centre in Amsterdam, operating its own server farm in the EU. It owns a self-built and managed network with POP locations in Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, and more, guaranteeing solid and stable connections with high speeds.

Unfortunately, so far they don’t have servers in the US.Despite the fact that Eweka offers one of the longest retention periods in the industry, it’s nevertheless limited by the number of connections. Namely, you can only get up to 20 connections, which is a lot less than what some of its competitors offer.Even so, Eweka performs magnificently when it comes to retrieving old files, and if you sign up with this service, you’ll get free access to the premium Newslazer newsreader that comes with a solid search tool.The service is fairly priced, but if you want to test it out first, it’s possible with its unlimited seven-day free trial. A bit priceySupernews is one of the services that’s been out there for a very long time, reaching back to the mid-90s. The service prides itself with servers in Europe and the US, and access to over 110,000 newsgroups.The company prides itself with retaining multiple copies of articles on its network, asserting this helps to ensure a 100% completion rate.That said, the retention is rather short. You only get 2,357 days of binary retention, although you do get 5,021 days of text retention.Supernews provides unlimited speeds. Choosing a subscription plan is a pretty straightforward process, as the company only has one. You may find it a tad expensive, but it is a quality and unlimited service you can have for $11.99 (£9.10) a month.

The first month is only $5.99 (£4.55). If you’re not sure you want it or you don’t trust the reviews, there’s a three-day trial period to see for yourself. Your credit card will not be charged during that period. Yearly subscription isn’t a much cheaper dealWith an impressively long retention period of 3,370 days, it’s no wonder Newsgroupdirect is believed to be one of the best Usenet providers in the world. It operates its own network and guarantees a 100% completion rate as well as 100% uptime.The baseline plan will afford you as many as 50 connections, SSL encryption, and the Ghost Path VPN software.Although the company doesn’t offer a free trial per se, there’s still a seven-day money-back guarantee you can take advantage of to test the service.

If you’re less than satisfied with what it offers, you can ask for a refund before this period ends. One condition is that you haven’t used up more than 15GB of bandwidth.The pricing is reasonable, but the yearly subscription option doesn’t offer as much savings as one would expect in comparison to the six-month package.

English-only supportis different from most of its competitors in the way it provides Usenet access. Namely, you can have direct Usenet access from any web browser, eliminating the need for a specialized Usenet browser. Furthermore, you can also access Usenet via a mobile device.The service offers various retention rates, so the top-end plan will get you 3,273 retention days via the web interface and 3,687 days via NNTP. The period is considerably shorter on some of the more basic plans. The Big Gig Plan also comes with a simple no-logs VPN software.The pricing is a tad expensive if you want the unlimited data plan. Nevertheless, you can test the service out with a 14-day free trial and see if you like it. You just need to know that there is a 10GB bandwidth limit.Another thing that we didn’t like was the fact that the service comes only with the English-language support, which might inconvenience or even deter the customers that don’t speak English.

Fragmented pricingThe Usenet world sometimes makes use of resellers who purchase a large amount of bandwidth from a major service provider. This allows them to negotiate better terms and sell that access to a customer for a cheaper rate.One such large provider is Omicron Media, whose reseller NewsDemon offers as many as 50 connections and unlimited SSL-secured transfers. All this is available due to their European and US servers.And that’s not all, as if you pay a bit extra, there’s a bonus VPN connection. And not only that, if you work in education, charities, or some media outlets, NewsDemon can give you free access. Some users might find it overwhelmingGigaNews is among the most expensive Usenet providers, but it’s not without reason. The provider offers quite a lot for the price.

Some of the perks you get with GigaNews include their own Mimo Usenet browser and search engine if you sign up for the $24.99 Diamond subscription. You also get SSL access to their servers and the premium version of Golden Frog’s VyprVPN service.That said, the huge number of features that GigaNews has to offer might be overwhelming for some users who do not plan on using all that. For instance, if you’re only planning to use the service for the conversations or binary downloads. However, if you want quality and more choice, then GigaNews is right for you. Don’t believe us? You can test the service out with a free 14-day trial.

Outdated UIActive since 1998, Astraweb is one of the Usenet veterans that has its own server farms in the US and the Netherlands, run by two different companies. Access to two servers makes the service all the better because you can access files that aren’t necessarily found on one server.

This way you get the main server, plus a backup server included for the price of one.The retention levels are among the highest in the industry, with over 3,000 days and 99% completion rate.That said, we were less than satisfied with the outdated website interface and limited customer support contact options, which might turn away a lot of the detail-oriented customers out there.If you want to get the most out of the service, we recommend Astraweb’s block accounts. Tech support not as impressiveis a decent Usenet provider with solid core features that offers quite impressive download speeds. A great little addition is its bundled Omicron Media-based VPN software that accompanies the most expensive subscription plan.

That, and the promised 99.99% completion rate, make for a rather sweet deal.Nonetheless, we had a bone to pick with TweakNews - its retention levels are high, yet considerably lower than its competitors’.Moreover, the tech support isn’t the greatest out there and the only way to reach them is through a contact form on the website which you fill in, leave the email address, and wait for someone to reach you.The pricing? Very fair and flexible. There are several plans available to choose from in accordance with your budget.

If you choose the annual billing option, there are some great savings to be achieved, as well as in the block subscription options. There’s also a 10-day free trial during which you can test the service out with a standard rate of 20 Mbps until you reach 10GB of data.

No VPN with monthly plansis a provider for experts. However, it is rather inexpensive and will get you high retention levels and a promised 99% completion rate. Add a lack of restrictive data limits and you get some very high download speeds, reaching over 150 Mbps.One thing we found a bit restrictive for heavy users though was the number of maximum connections - 20, which is less than what many UsenetServer’s competitors have to offer.Beginners might find themselves on their own when it comes to good tech support. In addition to this, the VPN software that comes with the annual subscription option is far from being the best out there.Having said that, the UsenetServer’s services are quite affordable and you can test the waters with a free 14-day trial (with a 10GB data transfer limit).Image source: Shutterstock/Toria.

Usenet groups were the first type of social media of the early internet, where users could come together in groups specialized by topic, and discuss news, events, and general issues (and arguments!) relating to that topic. Windows-onlyis a full-featured commercial Usenet client for Windows.After more than 20 years of development, it's probably no surprise that the program is absolutely crammed with high-end functionality. But despite that, it manages to be straightforward and user-friendly. The installer prompts you to enter your Usenet server details, then you can search for the files you need and download them right away.Newsbin Pro uses multiple techniques to boost its performance.

XFeatures header compression support can download headers up to 10 times faster. You're able to set up multiple servers for simultaneous use, and the program can block RARs which are password-protected or contain executable files, hopefully reducing the time you'll waste downloading spam and malware.Heavy-duty Usenet users might still find their downloads take a while, but Newsbin Pro can help there, too. You're able to limit the program's bandwidth use, allowing it to run in the background without hogging your connection, or you can use the scheduler to download files while you sleep.All this runs smoothly, with full support for all the standards you would expect. Newsbin Pro can handle SSL encryption, and supports per-server SOCKS 4, SOCKS 5, and HTTPS proxies. Smart NZB handling can automatically download the files you need, and the AutoPAR feature repairs or replaces missing or corrupted RARs, then expands the contents.Newsbin Pro is available with a standard search subscription for one year at $30, but you can buy Newsbin Pro without the search function for $20. A free trial is available. No software-only purchase optionis 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.

The SuperLeech service can be set up to regularly check Usenet for the files you need, downloading copies almost as soon as they've been uploaded. And if you're tired of wasting time on spam files, there’s more good news: NewsLeecher can detect and avoid password protected files, RAR-in-RAR files, and anything containing an executable (EXE or SCR).NewsLeecher was the first Usenet client to support NZB files, and its latest version provides many ways to work with the file type.

You can create NZBs directly from articles or search results, import them manually or set the program to monitor folders, import anything new and automatically download the specified files.All this is presented in a handy tabbed interface. You can manage servers in one tab, browse articles in another, and there are tabs to run searches, check the transfer queue, even access downloaded files via an embedded Explorer window. It's a great way to keep track of all your ongoing tasks with minimal on-screen clutter or hassle.Newsleecher providers unlimited Usenet access for $9.49 per month, and there's a free 14-day trial available. Open sourceis a lightweight open source NZB downloader which runs almost anywhere: desktops (Windows, Linux, Mac), routers, NAS devices, media players and more.The package works this magic by running as a background process which is largely accessed from a browser-based interface.

This allows NZBGet to be used from mobiles and tablets, as well as its host hardware, and ensures you get a consistent interface everywhere.Operations are mostly very easy. Add one or more NZB files from the interface, copy them to NZBGet's incoming folder or just point the program at a URL and it'll download the files you need. Online support forumis a comprehensive NZB manager for Android.

The app works with a host of popular services: SABnzbd, NZBGet, Deluge, Transmission, µTorrent, qBittorrent, Sick Beard, Sonarr, Radarr, CouchPotato, Headphones and unlimited Newznab Indexers.Set up a service on your PC, for instance, tell nzb360 about it, and you're able to monitor and control what's going on. Integrations availableis a cloud-based binary newsreader, which means it can be used by any device through a browser connection, and is also mobile-friendly. It's also currently available in sixteen languages, covering many from Europe as well as Russian, Ukrainian, Hebrew, and simplified Chinese.As well as reading and processing RSS feeds, it can also work with custom scripts, and integrates with a number of programs for improved downloads, such as Sonarr, Sickrage, and Radarr.Features include managing individual files, night mode, speed limiting, and drag and drop interface.

You can also customize the interface, see active connections, and a tabbed mode is available.Even better is that SABnzbd is open source software that is free to use. A live support chat feature is available on the website, as well as user support forums.