The Best Usenet Block Access Accounts
Last Updated: Aug 03, 2022
A Usenet block account is essentially a pay-per-download account that remains active until the full amount of the bought data download limit has been consumed. And just like a mobile phone top-up account, you can recharge or replenish it even after you’ve used it up.
Monthly recurring Usenet accounts are the basis of our well-read piece Best Usenet Provider. We only discuss Usenet block accounts in this article.
Astraweb may be the most well-known option, but they’re not the only one. In actuality, there are currently more than a dozen block providers available.
A block account is primarily good for non-regular Usenet users or if you are not a heavy Usenet user.
Block Accounts vs Monthly Plans
Depending on the cost of each, you can determine whether it makes sense to transition from a block to a monthly plan. Because blocks get less expensive per GB the more you purchase, this is not always simple to calculate.
But if you begin regularly downloading 20 to 100 GB per month, that’s usually when it becomes economically viable to move from a block to a standing monthly service.
It should come as no surprise that the price per GB decreases as the amount of data you purchase increases in GBs (“the greater the block”).
However, the cost per GB for Usenet block accounts varies greatly. The table below was put together to aid in price comparison (cheapest rate per block is bolded).
Keep in mind that there are other considerations besides price. Additionally, block accounts apply a different amount of connections than typical monthly plans and can even have speed restrictions. So, while selecting a service provider, be sure to consider such aspects as well.
When deciding which block account provider to utilize in conjunction with your primary Usenet provider account, it’s also crucial to be aware of backbone providers.
Block Access Accounts
| TWEAKNEWS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Price | Connections |
| 10 GB | €2.00 | 60 |
| 50 GB | €7.00 | 60 |
| 100 GB | €13.00 | 60 |
| 250 GB | €30.00 | 60 |
| 500 GB | €45.00 | 60 |
| ASTRAWEB | ||
| Plan | Price | Connections |
| 25 GB | $10.00 | 50 |
| 180 GB | $25.00 | 50 |
| 1000 GB | $50.00 | 50 |
| BLOCKNEWS | ||
| Plan | Price | Connections |
| 5 GB | $1.99 | 50 |
| 10 GB | $2.89 | 50 |
| 25 GB | $3.79 | 50 |
| 50 GB | $6.49 | 50 |
| 100 GB | $10.49 | 50 |
| 200 GB | $15.99 | 50 |
| 500 GB | $33.99 | 50 |
| 1024 GB | $63.99 | 50 |
| 3072 GB | $179.99 | 50 |
| EASYUSENET | ||
| Plan | Price | Connections |
| 100 GB | €9.95 | 12 |
| 500 GB | €39.95 | 12 |
| 1000 GB | €59.95 | 12 |
| XSNEWS | ||
| Plan | Price | Connections |
| 100 GB | €10.52 | 20 |
| 250 GB | €21.08 | 20 |
| 500 GB | €42.19 | 20 |
| 1000 GB | €63.31 | 20 |
Choose a Block Account Along with your Monthly Account
Make sure to select a block account with a different backbone if you want a block account to fill in missing pieces when you download from Usenet.
Even if it means slightly slower speeds, you might wish to choose one from a different continent because, especially for those hot new releases, this is more than made up for by filling in any gaps. Also keep in mind that you only resort to the block if anything in your primary monthly account is missing.
For instance, consider using XSNews or Astraweb for your block account, if you reside in the US and use Newshosting as your primary daily Usenet service.
