Of all the Usenet providers available today, AstraWeb scores as one of the top solutions for newcomers and those with modest requirements. The company offers affordable access to Usenet and allows users to handle intensive binary downloads based on time or volume.
I took a close look at this Usenet provider, which has been offering its service since 1997. The company is based in Iceland and offers services to individuals and ISPs worldwide. If you are looking for more info about it, keep reading this detailed AstraWeb review.
Pros
Cons
When it comes to paying for AstraWeb, I have found that it offers quite a few different options, all of them very affordable and reasonable. The provider offers plans based on time, which provide unlimited download volume, as well as those based on download limits, the so-called block plans.
If you decide to go with an unlimited plan, you will have the option to pay for the service for just one month, or save money by paying for 3 or even 12 months at a time. Paying for a full year will give you a great discount, with unlimited download speed and 50 secure connections available.
On the other hand, users who prefer to pay only when they require a specific download can choose between several block plan options. These offer downloads from anywhere between 25GB and 1,000GB, and at reasonable prices. 50 secure connections are available to block plan users as well.
Full refund available for 24 hours
While many Usenet providers offer a free trial, AstraWeb does not offer this option. However, users can give the software a try by paying for any of the plans, and if they are not content with the service they can cancel it within 24 hours. If the plan is cancelled, a full refund is made to the user via the same payment method they used to pay for their plan.
So how exactly does AstraWeb compare to other similar providers? AstraWeb offers independent and fast servers located in the EU and the US, giving each user direct access to the closest and thus fastest connection they can use. Once you have logged into AstraWeb, you will be able to download at a speed of 10 Mbps, which may not be the fastest out there, but certainly gets the job done. The software offers retention of up to 4,000 days, which means you will be able to access Newsgroups that were posted over 10 years ago, which is definitely a reasonable retention. Multiple simultaneous connections without any loss in speed are available.
The final choice of the newsreader will be up to you when using AstraWeb, as no particular software will be imposed upon you. You can use our list of the top Usenet newsreaders to select the one you like the most based on its features and options.
AstraWeb is an affordable and high-quality Usenet provider. This means that after your successful AstraWeb download, you will be able to access Usenet without any restrictions and access newsgroups from as long as 4,000 days ago, which is the provider’s maximum retention rate.
AstraWeb offers its users a reasonable number of payment methods to pick from. As is common, you can pay using your credit card such as Visa or MasterCard, as well as some alternative payment methods like iDebit and Bitcoin. Somewhat unusually, PayPal payments are not accepted by this provider.
You can cancel your subscription to AstraWeb at any time. All you need to do is go ahead and cancel the recurring payment you have scheduled for it. Within 24 days of purchasing any AstraWeb plan, you can cancel the plan altogether and receive a full refund. To do this, contact customer support.
There is some risk in browsing Usenet via any provider, including AstraWeb. However, the provider does use 256-bit SSL encryption to provide that extra level of security and privacy. AstraWeb’s privacy policy clearly states that the provider does not track the newsgroups you visit or any articles you personally post.
AstraWeb is a Usenet provider that offers flexibility and affordable access options, especially for users looking for block plans. Standard accounts offer speeds of up to 10 Mbps, which is plenty of speed for most private users, along with up to 20 connections. Upgrading to premium gets you up to 50 connections and unlimited download speeds, which allow you to max out your bandwidth in most cases.
The provider is certainly not the number one name in the industry, but having been around since 1998, they have certainly proven that they offer a service that is sought after. I would recommend AstraWeb especially to users who want to purchase block access, as buying the 1,000GB plan might easily last you a whole year at a very affordable price. I give AstraWeb 3.7 out of 5 stars when all things are considered.
“AstraWeb is convenient, affordable, and easy to use. Ideal for occasional Usenet users!”
3.7 / 5.0 rated by Alyn Smith
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