Usenet.net Review
Last Updated: Jan 14, 2021
| Rating |  |
| Price | $14.99 / Month |
| Retention | 1200 Days |
| Free Trial | 5 Days or 10 GB |
| Features | Decent Speeds |
| Simple Pricing | |
| No VPN Service |
Usenet.net has been in business for approximately fifteen years. This Usenet service provider offers two packages, both unlimited, along with SSL encryption.
Quick Facts
- Over 1200 Days of Binary Retention
- No Speed Limits
- No Download Limits
- SSL Encryption (Privacy Protection)
- Up to 30 connections
- 24-Hour Support
Binary Retention
Binary retention at Usenet.net is over 1200 days as of the time of writing and 17+ years of text retention.
Pricing
There are only two plans with this Usenet service provider, which makes signing up rather easy compared to some other providers. The main difference between them is that the encrypted option offers privacy protection while the non-encrypted option does not. We recommend always using encryption with your USENET connection.
| Name | Price | Download Limits | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encrypted | $19.99 | Unlimited | 30 |
| Non-Encrypted | $14.99 | Unlimited | 15 |
During the first month of the two plans, you get a discounted rate. For 30 connections, you only pay $9.99 for the first month. And for 15 connections, pay only $7.49 for the first month.
Free Trial Info
Both plans come with a free five-day, 10GB trial. Cancel before your trial expires to avoid being billed for the service.
Special Offers / Coupons
Usenet.net currently has a special deal giving you 50% off for the lifetime of your account at $9.99 per month.
Speed Test
Usenet.net tests well for speed. If your speed isn’t what it should be, try increasing or reducing the number of connections to the server. Please note that the speed of your Usenet activity also relies on how fast your Internet connection is.
Connections
Fifteen connections are provided on the lower-priced plan; thirty are provided on the highest-priced plan. Most users should be able to get by with fifteen connections and, in fact, it’s not uncommon for users to max out their speed before they hit that number.
News Servers / Ports / Configuration
news.usenet.net
You’ll have to turn on SSL on your downloader if you purchased an encrypted account. Contact support for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it a big deal to use USENET without encryption?
A: In our opinion, it’s not a good idea to use USENET without an encrypted connection. Between spying ISPs and other privacy threats, there’s just no reason not to use encryption whenever you can. On USENET, that’s as true as it is anywhere else and we don’t recommend unencrypted connections.
Q: Do the increased number of connections make the higher-priced plan worth it?
A: That depends upon your setup. If your computer can handle thirty connections without slowing down, the extra connections might be worth it. Most users don’t need any more than ten or twelve connections to max out their bandwidth, however, so doubling the number of connections is of arguable value when deciding whether or not a plan is suitable for you. The real selling point with the higher-priced plan is the encryption.
Q: Does this provider offer a newsreader?
A: No. You’ll have to bring your own newsreader. Newzbin is a good option that’s been popular for many years. You can use programs such as Sonarr, Couchpotato, Headphones and others to handle the actual downloading.
Q: Can I use NZBs with this service?
A: Absolutely. NZB files are just pointers to the binaries you want. You can use them with any USENET access provider.
Q: Do I need unlimited access?
A: Believe it or not, you might not need unlimited access. Some users can get by with what’s called a block account, which provides you with a certain amount of download data rather than a monthly subscription. You can check out block accounts from other providers. NewsDemon offers quite a few different options in that regard.
Q: Are the support options too limited?
A: Not necessarily. If you’re really a novice to USENET, you might want to consider a company that offers more support options than Usenet.net. You can also look at companies like Newshosting, which offer an online interface that’s a bit more intuitive than newsreaders are for people who didn’t grow up with them. Nonetheless, this company does offer around-the-clock support and most USENET providers are acceptably fast in answering questions.
Q: Is there a reason Usenet.net’s prices are higher than some of our preferred providers?
A: Not that we can see. They offer a good service, but Usenet.net isn’t as feature-rich as some of our other providers, so you’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not their service is worth the price.
Q: Does Usenet.net take Bitcoin payments?
A: No. Many of our preferred providers do so, if you want the level of privacy you get by purchasing with Bitcoin, you should check out our list of the best Usenet service providers.
Support
Support may be reached through the provider’s website forms. There is no other means of contacting support provided, though the company does say it’s available around the clock.
Contact Information
This provider doesn’t offer contact information beyond forms on its website. There are no phone numbers or other information provided.
Security /Company Privacy Policy
Usenet.net says that it does not monitor its servers beyond checking them for quality purposes. Individual users are not monitored, according to the company. Usenet.net says it never sells or rents user information to third parties and will only present information to law enforcement under a court order.
Payment Options
Usenet.net accepts MasterCard and Visa for payment.
Our Opinion
Usenet.net is a good service with reliable servers. Where the service isn’t particularly competitive, however, is in its pricing.
The approximately $20 per month the company charges for encrypted USENET access is not competitive with other Usenet service providers, who generally either offer more features with their access or a lower price point. Usenet.net really only offers what one would expect from a basic service—encryption, a good number of connections—for a premium price.
Unencrypted connections are not recommended, and that prevents us from recommending the basic package from this provider. For the less than five dollars per month you’ll save, it’s just not worth it to do your downloading and uploading without any privacy protection.
Usenet.net has a lot going for it. They have good speed, an acceptable though not generous free trial, and good retention rates. Where they’re not competitive, however, is in terms of options and pricing. There are no block accounts offered from this provider, there’s no included newsreader and the only competitively-priced package doesn’t have encryption, which takes it out of the running for anyone concerned about privacy. While this company certainly isn’t bad, it’s not on the level of our top picks.
