Compare the fastest, most private Usenet providers. Uncensored access. No algorithms. No data mining. Just the open internet — the way it was meant to be.
We test every major provider on speed, retention, privacy, and support. These are our current top three — each with a free trial.
Best overall. The only provider that bundles a full VPN — plus the longest free trial of any we've tested.
Cheapest unlimited plan. Excellent for beginners who just want fast, no-fuss Usenet access.
Preferred by power users. Deep binary archive and rock-solid server uptime across US and EU.
See all providers including Easynews, XLned & UsenetExpress →
Every major provider, every key metric.
| Provider | Price | Retention | Connections | Free Trial | VPN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newshosting Top Pick | $10/mo | 5,000+ days | 60 | ✓ 14 days | ✓ Free | Try Free |
| PureUsenet | $5/mo | 4,000+ days | 40 | ✓ 7 days | ✗ | Visit |
| UsenetStorm | $12/mo | 4,000+ days | 50 | ✓ 3 days | ✗ | Visit |
| Easynews | $8/mo | 700+ days | 30 | ✓ 3 days | ✗ | Visit |
| XLned | $9/mo | 3,000+ days | 35 | ✗ None | ✗ | Visit |
Before Reddit, before Twitter — Usenet was where the internet talked. Decentralized, uncensored, and faster than anything the big platforms offer.
No tracking pixels. No engagement algorithms. No data brokers. Usenet was designed before surveillance capitalism. It shows.
Max out your connection. Top providers serve at 2 Gb/s with enterprise fiber uplinks. Download a full Linux distro in seconds.
Thousands of servers worldwide. No single company controls the network. Nothing can be deleted, banned, or algorithmically buried.
From comp.lang.python to alt.binaries.multimedia — every topic, every community, completely unfiltered.
Content from 5,000+ days ago is still accessible. Unlike the web, Usenet posts don't disappear when someone decides to delete them.
All connections secured with 256-bit AES encryption. Your ISP sees only encrypted noise — never what you're reading or downloading.
Choose from our ranked providers above. All top picks offer free trials — no credit card tricks, cancel any time.
Download SABnzbd or NZBGet (free). Or use Easynews for browser-based access — no install needed at all.
Enter the server credentials from your provider. You're browsing 100,000+ newsgroups within minutes.
Newshosting gives you 14 days free — full speed, full access, no commitment.
Usenet (User Network) is a worldwide distributed discussion and file-sharing system that predates the World Wide Web. Think of it as a global bulletin board with over 100,000 topic categories called "newsgroups." Unlike social media, Usenet has no central authority, no algorithm, and no data collection.
Yes. Usenet is a communication protocol — like email or the web. Businesses, universities, and individuals use it daily for legitimate discussion and file sharing. Providers comply with DMCA takedown notices and operate fully within the law.
You need a Usenet client (newsreader). Popular free options: SABnzbd and NZBGet. If you'd rather skip installation entirely, Easynews runs directly in your browser. Setup typically takes under 10 minutes following a provider's guide.
All top providers use SSL/TLS encryption. Your ISP can see that you connected to a Usenet server, but the content stream is fully encrypted. For maximum privacy, Newshosting bundles a full VPN in their plan.
Retention is how far back a provider's archive goes. A service with 5,000 days retention can retrieve posts from nearly 14 years ago. Higher retention means older content remains accessible — unlike the open web where old links constantly go dead.
Free Usenet (some ISPs offer it) is typically censored, slow, with limited newsgroups and no binary access. Paid providers offer full uncensored access, unlimited speeds, years of retention, and SSL encryption. For $5–$12/month it's a massive upgrade.