Best Usenet Newsreaders 2024

Here is our list of the best newsreaders of 2024 followed by an all-inclusive newsreaders list.

Think of the newsreader as your gateway to Usenet. Along with subscriptions to an NZB indexer and a Usenet service, you are ready to find and download Usenet content. Just enter your indexer and Usenet server login credentials into the newsreader and you are good to go.

Because Usenet has been around for decades, there are lots of newsreaders out there. Many are old technologies that aren’t actively being updated. Trust Usenetreviewz.com to test and recommend the newsreaders that are full featured for today’s Usenet use cases.

Editor’s Tip: The best Usenet Newsreader is built in with Easynews, an all-in-one service with everything you need to get up and running with Usenet:

  • Unlimited Usenet access
  • Highest quality retention (and growing)
  • Usenet search interface with built-in search and article previews
  • Fast, accurate search results
  • Search Usenet without NZBs

Access Usenet from all your devices, including mobile with no added software needed!

Exclusive Deal: 75% off + free upgrade to unlimited GB (normally 150GB/mo)

Top 5 Usenet Newsreaders

#NameOSDetails
1Easynews logo
  • Best Usenet Search Interface
  • Best Usenet Search Results
  • File Previews
  • Easy to Use
  • Usenet Access Included
2Newshosting logo
  • Multi Platform Newsreader
  • Bundled USENET service
  • Quickly Scan Header Files
  • Good USENET Search
3SABnzbd logo
  • Free and Easy Binary Newsreader
  • Popular NZB Downloader
  • Responsive Web Interface
  • Automated Features
4NZBGet logo
  • Popular NZB Downloader
  • Supports Multiple Platforms
  • Web Interface
  • Automatic Download Features
5Newsbin logo
  • Windows only
  • One Time Price
  • Updates for lifetime
  • Supports multiple servers

What is a Usenet Newsreader

  • Allows you to connect to multiple USENET service Providers
  • Permits you to subscribe to a particular newsgroup and read it
  • May allow you to post to Usenet
Essential Features
  • NZB File Support does your newsreader support import NZB files.  This is a relatively new feature however very necessary.  You should cross off the list any newsreader that does not support NZB files.
  • yEnc Support all newsreader should support yEnc. We are not going to get into what yEnc is but if your Newsreader does not support yEnc its way too old and take it off your list
  • SSL support Its good to have privacy when you are on Usenet both to stay anonymous and to keep your ISP from lowering your download rates. Make sure your newsreader supports SSL.
Possible features
  • Thumbnail preview of Images some newsreaders do and some newsreaders don ’t either way
  • Automatic Extraction of binaries of Features can your newsreader unpackage par and rar files.  This is a really nice feature otherwise you will have to manually fix corrupt file using a third party program such as quickpar.
  • Usenet Search Are you able to search Usenet easily with you Newsreader ?

Detail on Top 5 USENET Newsreaders

First Place - Easynews

Easynews
Pros
  • Best Usenet Search Interface
  • Best Usenet Search Results
  • File Previews
  • Easy to Use
  • Usenet Access Included
Cons
  • Bitcoin Not Available

Easynews keeps raising the bar for the Usenet community by combining high-speed Usenet access with a web based, mobile ready newsreader interface. Avoid the cumbersome process of setting up, registering and configuring Usenet service, newsreader software and an NZB index separately. Just open your preferred web browser to Easynews and you’re all set.

The newsreader’s web interface is well designed and intuitive. Plug in your search, choose a file type from a dropdown menu, then hit enter. All results are displayed cleanly on a single page with infinite scroll. Each result includes a file preview and details like newsgroup, post date and file size.

To be clear, you can use your current newsreader and NZB index with Easynews if that’s your style. Enter news.easynews.com for the Usenet server address into your newsreader for unlimited downloads, fast speeds and access to the largest Usenet archive with the best binary and text retention rates of any Usenet provider.

Get Free Trial Now


Second Place - Newshosting

Newshosting Newsreader Review
Newshosting Newsreader Review
Pros
  • Quality Software
  • Search USENET newsgroups
Cons
  • Monthly Fee

Top Usenet service provider, Newshosting, provides a newsreader software that runs on multiple operating systems and has several impressive features that enhance search and downloading activity.

Read Review


Third Place - SABnzbd

SABnzbd Review
SABnzbd Review
Pros
  • Low Impact on your device
  • Supports multiple languages
Cons
  • No Usenet Headers

SABnzbd is a popular binary newsreader and NZB downloader that runs on multiple platforms.

It is completely free and has several impressive features that improve your whole Usenet experience.

Read Review


Fourth Place - NZBGet

NZBGet Review
NZBGet Review
Pros
  • Multiple Configuration Settings
  • Can be integrated with popular indexers
Cons
  • Less User Friendly than SABnzbd

NZBGet is a popular and solid piece of Usenet downloader that has constantly been improved since its inception.

Its most recent version was released in 2019.

Read Review


Fifth Place - Newsbin

Newsbin Review
Newsbin Review
Pros
  • One of the most popular and updated newsreader
  • One of the first to adapt NZB file
Cons
  • Only for Windows

Newsbin is one of the most popular and heavily used newsreaders in Usenet that runs exclusively on Windows Operating System.

Read Review


Ten points to consider when choosing a USENET newsreader

  1. Price This should be obvious but some USENET newsreaders are free and some USENET newsreaders cost money.  Some USENET newsreaders are included for free if you sign up for a USENET package. Lets take the example of one of our favorite USENET newsreaders: Newshosting Newsreader. Newshosting’s newsreader comes included when you signup for Newshosting’s USENET service.  Many USENET providers offer this capability. Tweaknews also includes their newsreader similar to Newshosting. Finally some USENET newsreaders are hybrid USENET newsreader and USENET service provider such as Easynews.
  2. Search Ability some USENET newsreaders such as Newshosting come in with a free built in search mechanism where as some USENET newsreaders only download NZB files and are not able to search USENET in any way. Finally some USENET newsreaders such as Newsbin and Newsleecher have USENET search services as add-on additional charges.
  3. OS Compatibility Many of the USENET newsreader currently are platform independent such as NZBGet and SABNzbd, however you should always check to
  4. Multiple News Services Some USENET newsreaders have been developed to support a connection to only one USENET service at a time. While this may have been a good idea years ago or a good idea today if you are only reviewing text groups, the truth is that if you are downloading binaries from USENET many times, binary files will be taken down from one USENET server because someone or some organization complains.  So in many cases it is recommend to have multiple news servers and a newsgroup newsreader that support multiple USENET service providers. All the providers mentioned on our top 5 USENET newsreader list above support this option.
  5. Integration In the last few years, automation tools like Sonarr and Couchpotato have become very popular. To use the tools effectively, both your USENET newsreader and your automation tools (Sonarr, Couchpotato or Sickbeard,etc) will need to be configured properly. Note: all of our top 5 USENET newsreaders can be configured to work together but some of the older USENET newsreader such as Thunderbird or Xnews will not work well in conjunction with these automation tools.
  6. Headers compatibility In some cases you will want to download the latest USENET headers or message subject headings from a USENET newsgroup to see what is being posted. Not all browsers support the downloading and browsing of USENET headers. Some USENET newsreaders such as NZBGet and SABNzbd  would be better called NZB downloaders as with these USENET newsreader you are not able to easily scan the latest message headers in a USENET newsgroup. In some cases you might not need this nor be interested in the ability to download USENET headers as you might be using only NZB sites for finding your desired content.
  7. Difficulty in use – Setup up time some USENET newsreaders are easier to setup than others. One of our top recommendations,Newshosting really doesn’t get any easier – just download and run the installer and you can search by group or by search term. Easynews is also another very easy choice. No need to download anything. Just login to the website and search. Then click to download.
  8. SSL Connections All of our top recommendations support SSL connections but historically some USENET newsreaders did not support SSL. SSL means privacy which is a good thing. Remember to verify that you are connecting via an SSL connection.
  9. Additional Automation Features Flashback 10 years ago and many USENET newsreader did not support what are now defined as essential features for a good newsreader such as unpar and unrar, unzip and uudecode. Currently most USENET newsreader or at least all that we have on our top 5 list above automate the downloading, decoding and repairing of USENET but if you want to take observe all the steps a user would have to go through to manually download, decode and repair files take a look at Mozilla’s Thunderbird or XNews. Both of these programs are very basic USENET newsreaders.
  10. NZB importation ability just as some newsreaders do not allow you to view the USENET headers or subject headings of a USENET newsgroup, conversely some USENET newsreaders do not allow you to import NZB files. NZB files are historically somewhat new to USENET and some of the older and simpler newsreaders  such as  Mozilla’s Thunderbird or XNews do not support the importation of NZB files.

All Working USENET newsreaders

NameOSMore Detail
Easynews
  • Best Usenet Search Interface
  • Best Usenet Search Results
  • File Previews
  • Easy to Use
  • Usenet Access Included
Newshosting Newsreader Review
  • Multi Platform Newsreader
  • Bundled USENET service
  • Quickly Scan Header Files
  • Good USENET Search
SABnzbd Review
  • Free and Easy Binary Newsreader
  • Popular NZB Downloader
  • Responsive Web Interface
  • Automated Features
NZBGet Review
  • Popular NZB Downloader
  • Supports Multiple Platforms
  • Web Interface
  • Automatic Download Features
Newsbin Review
  • Windows only
  • One Time Price
  • Updates for lifetime
  • Supports multiple servers
Newsleecher Newsreader Review
  • Decent Usenet Search
  • Supportive and Responsive
  • Windows only newsreader
  • With 14-day free trial
Pan Newsreader Review
  • Basic Newsreader Functions
  • Offline Reading Function
  • Support yEnc
  • Multi Server Support
NZBReader Review
  • Web-based NZB Downloader
  • Simple Interface
  • Drag & Drop System
  • For Premium Users
Thunderbird Review
  • Mail Reader and Usenet Client
  • Very Basic Newsreader functions
  • Supports multiple servers
  • Supports multiple platforms
News Rover Review
  • Multi Threaded Program
  • Unrars and Unzips automatically
  • Unattended Scanning and Downloading
  • Highly Configurable
Xnews Review
  • Mutli Server Support
  • Downloads Binaries
  • Message Filter
  • Delphi-based
Sickbeard Review
  • Searches and Manages Video Files
  • Usenet and Torrent Support
  • Integrable with download clients
  • Automatic Downloading
Sonarr Review
  • PVR that automatically downloads video files
  • Fully Integrable with NZB downloaders
  • Reads RSS Feeds
  • Automatic Failed Download Handling
Kwooty Review
  • NZB Binary Downloader for KDE 4
  • Solid Graphical User Interface
  • Automatic file verification/repairing
  • Also works on portable OS like POSIX
Sickrage Review
  • Automatic Video Library Manager
  • Python Script
  • Integrable with SABnzbd and NZBGet
  • Supports Usenet and Torrent
NZBin Newsreader Review
  • Mac Only NZB Downloader
  • Simple and Intuitive
  • Spam filtering features
  • No Windows Support
NZBDrive Review
  • Streaming newsreader
  • SSL Support
  • Multi Server Support
  • RAR and ZIP file Support
ForteAgent Review
  • One-click Downloads
  • Usenet Automation
  • Binary Preview
  • Multi Server and Connection Support
NZBVortex Review
  • Small and Efficient Usenet Client for MacOS
  • Free and Paid Version
  • Multi Connection/ Threaded Downloading
  • RSS Feed Support
PureNZB Review
  • Preconfigured with Unliminews and Z51
  • Integrated & Simplified Search
  • Simple and Streamlined Interface
  • Automatic Repairing and Decompression
Newsflash Plus Review
  • Full Download Control
  • Impressive Search Features
  • Multiple Server & Connections Support
  • Easy API for Beginners
GetNZB Review
  • NZB Downloader with Free Usenet Access
  • Integrated Search Engine
  • NNTP Access
  • Intuitive Interface
Alt.Binz Review
  • Multi Server Support
  • Supports Various Search Engines
  • Auto PAR and RAR
  • Full NZB File Support
Grabit Review
  • Supports Multiple Servers
  • Handles Multiple Downloads
  • Easy to Use Interface
  • Automatic Repairing and Extraction
HelloNZB Review
  • Java-based newsreader
  • Supports Multiple Servers
  • Extracts, Repairs & Unzips
  • Built-in yEnc- and UU-decoding
Unison Review
  • Newsreader for MacOS
  • Multi Connection Downloads
  • Newsgroup Search
  • Modern and Easy to Use interface
Hogwasher Review
  • Full-featured Newsreader for Mac OSX
  • Multi Server Support
  • Powerful Filtering
  • NZB Support
Mimo Review
  • Usenet browser and Newsreader
  • Auto unRAR and PAR Technology
  • Servers optimized for speed
  • Text, Binaries and Images Filtering
Holmez Newsreader Review
  • Free Usenet Newsreader
  • Stream Directly from the App
  • Easy to Use
  • Compatible with Mobile Devices
Usenapp Review
  • Advanced Newsreader
  • Searches, Imports and Exports NZB Files
  • Auto Repair and Extract
  • Works on latest version of MacOS
  • Free with SnelNL Account
  • Streaming Newsreader
  • Simple User Interface
  • Good for Beginners
Tangysoft Newsreader Review
  • Classic Newsreader
  • Good User Interface
  • Works on Multiple OS
  • Decent Filter Options
Momentum Newsreader Review
  • Multi Platform Newsreader
  • Free Software
  • Browser Available
  • NZB File Support
Newslazer Review
  • Simple Setup
  • Streamlined Search
  • Automated Downloads
  • Multi Platform Support
Binary Boy Review
  • Automatic NZB and RAR Extraction
  • Enabled Header Compression
  • Multiple Server Support
  • SSL Support
MicroPlanet Gravity Review
  • Open Source Newsreader
  • Capable of Binary Decoding
  • Flexible Display Filters
  • Implements scoring system
Newsgroup Commander Pro Review
  • Built-in Newsgroup Reader
  • Online and Offline Reading
  • Message Search via Keywords
  • Posting enabled
Slrn Review
  • Very Traditional Usenet Newsreader
  • Read and Respond to Posts
  • Works on multiple platforms
  • Multilingual interface
BinTube Newsreader Review
  • Pro and Ultimate Versions
  • Full NZB FIle Support
  • Media Streaming Function
  • SSL Support
Usenet Explorer Review
  • Newsreader for text and binaries
  • Full NZB Support
  • Handles large newsgroups efficiently
  • Integrated search
NZBLord Review
  • Fast and Simple NZB Downloader
  • Easy to use Web Tool
  • Multiple Downloading Methods
  • Paid NZB downloading service
Lidarr Review
  • Audio Collection Manager
  • Full Integration with NZBGet & SABnzbd
  • Manual or Automatic Search
  • Good User Interface
Radarr Review
  • Video Collection Manager
  • Full Integration with NZBGet & SABnzbd
  • Manual or Automatic Search
  • Good User Interface
Newstap Review
  • Mobile Newsreader for Apple Devices
  • Basic Newsreader Functions
  • Supports Binary Groups
  • Simple and Easy Interface
NZB Drop Review
  • NZB Downloader for Mac OSX
  • Multi-Server Support
  • Par2 Full Support
  • Integrated Search
Pineapple News Review
  • Usenet Newsreader for Mac OSX
  • Primarily an Offline Reader
  • Basic Newsreader Functions
  • Supports Multiple Servers
MT-NewsWatcher X Review
  • Multi-threaded Usenet Newsreader
  • Handles Binaries
  • Multiple Search Commands
  • Supports Multiple Languages
SeaMonkey Review
  • All-in Internet Suite
  • Very Basic Newsreader Functions
  • Mail & Newsgroups Functions
  • Built-in Web Browser
Klibido Review
  • Linux Binaries Downloader
  • Not a full-featured newsreader
  • Supports Multiple Servers
  • Download Queue Manager
NZB Leech Review
  • Android Usenet Downloader
  • NZB File Support
  • 7-day Free Trial
  • Free with limitations
Binreader Review
  • Secure and Free NZB Downloader
  • Simple User Interface
  • RAR and PAR2 Handling
  • Multi Connection Support
Unzbin Review
  • Focused on NZB file downloading and extraction
  • RSS Intergration
  • Multiple Downloads
  • Easy and Simple to Use

Additional USENET newsreader evaluation tips

  • Pro tips – As mentioned above , when choosing among newsgroup readers especially for downloading binaries you want to make sure that they support multiple connections, SSL and NZB file processing. The quickest way to do this is to choose two SSL only servers, choose an NZB file for the word ubuntu and then test.
  • If you look at each Usenet client review page you will see more details in addition to what is here now.
  • Have a look around our  free usenet newsreader client page to help you be informed.

Best Usenet Services