Astraweb Review

Last Updated: Sep 17, 2025

Rating
Price	$8.00 / Month
Retention	4000 Days
Free Trial	24 Hours
Features	Free SSL
	US and EU Servers
	Complete Headers

Astraweb was once one of the giants of the Usenet world, popular in the 2000s and early 2010s for offering cheap unlimited accounts and long retention. However, its reputation declined sharply in recent years due to reliability issues, incomplete binaries, and slow or unresponsive support. By 2020, many users had abandoned Astraweb in favor of more stable providers, and as of 2025, community reports indicate it is effectively inactive or unreliable. No new updates or improvements have been announced, and Astraweb is considered a provider of the past rather than a viable option today.

Historical Features

• Unlimited and block accounts (various plans)
• Reduced prices for longer terms of service
• Up to 50 connections
• Accepted Bitcoin, iDeal, major credit cards
• SSL privacy protection
• Ran its own servers

Binary Retention (Historical)

Astraweb advertised long retention for binaries, but reliability and completeness became major issues in later years.

Pricing (Historical)

Astraweb offered both unlimited and block accounts, with access to 50 secure connections and unlimited speed (in theory). Pricing was competitive in the past but became less attractive as service quality declined.

Unlimited Plans

Block Plans

Free Trial Info (Historical)

Astraweb did not have a free trial period, but offered a 24-hour refund window for new accounts. Other providers may offer more generous trial options.

Special Offers / Coupons (Historical)

Occasional time-limited specials were available, but these became less relevant as the provider’s reliability declined.

Speed & Connections (Historical)

Astraweb was once known for fast speeds and generous connection limits, but in recent years, users reported slow downloads and incomplete binaries.

News Servers / Ports / Configuration (Historical)

General Servers (Non SSL): news.astraweb.com, eu.news.astraweb.com, us.news.astraweb.com Secure Servers (SSL): ssl.astraweb.com, ssl-eu.astraweb.com, ssl-us.astraweb.com

Frequently Asked Questions (Historical)

Q: Was 10 Mbit/second fast enough? A: Astraweb’s speed was once sufficient for most users, but reliability and completeness issues made performance unpredictable in later years.

Q: Why would users pay for USENET access with Bitcoin? A: Bitcoin provided an anonymous payment option, which some users preferred for privacy reasons.

Q: Did Astraweb operate its own servers? A: Yes, Astraweb ran its own servers, which was once considered an advantage, but did not prevent later reliability problems.

Q: Was support responsive? A: Astraweb support was once considered good, but in recent years, users reported slow or unresponsive support and unresolved issues.

Q: Did Astraweb offer a newsreader? A: No, Astraweb did not offer a newsreader. Users needed to use their own newsreader or downloading app.

Q: Was SSL connection secure? A: SSL provided good security for Usenet usage, but did not address broader privacy concerns. Astraweb claimed not to log user activity.

Support & Contact (Historical)

Support was available via a ticketing system, but response times and effectiveness declined in later years.

Security / Privacy Policy (Historical)

Astraweb claimed not to log user activity, but transparency and trust in these claims diminished as the provider’s reputation fell.

Payment Options (Historical)

Astraweb accepted major credit cards, iDeal, Sofort, and Bitcoin for payment.

Final Assessment

Astraweb was a major Usenet provider in the past, but by 2025, it is considered inactive or unreliable. Most users have moved to more stable and trustworthy providers. Astraweb is best remembered for its early contributions to affordable Usenet access, but is no longer recommended.

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