ExtremeUsenet Review - The Provider On The Test Bench

Based in the Netherlands, ExtremeUsenet is a somewhat uncommon Usenet provider whose packages and services are slightly different than those of many of the competitors out there. The massive range of subscription options, varying download speeds and connection counts piqued my interest, so I decided to investigate further and give the provider a little test.

In this detailed ExtremeUsenet review, you will find out just what the provider offers and how that compares to other similar services. I have tested the browsing and download speeds, found out about retention and completion rates, and compared this provider’s prices to those offered by others.

By the time you read through this review, you will know exactly who this service is good for and whether you should pick it. If it’s not ideal for you, I have provided you with some viable alternatives at the bottom of the page, so you can pick one of them to get the kind of service you desire. But, all else aside, let’s get into what ExtremeUsenet has to offer and how I would rate it.

extremeusenet-logo

EXTREMEUSENET

Table of Contents

Advantages and disadvantages of the provider

Pros

  • Many subscription models to choose from
  • PayPal payments available
  • 256-bit SSL encryption secures your connection
  • No download volume limits
  • 12/7 packages available

Cons

  • Pricey compared to its competitors
  • Speed limits on all packages
  • No VPN or newsreader included

Prices - can savings be made with an ExtremeUsenet coupon?

Before we get into the specifics of what ExtremeUsenet has to offer in terms of retention, newsgroups, and other features, let’s talk about how you gain access to the service in the first place. ExtremeUsenet is a paid service, so you will have to pick one of the subscription packages before you can try it out. Unfortunately, this provider does not offer a free trial period, which is common with many others.

You may be used to Usenet providers offering a selection of a few different subscription packages, but ExtremeUsenet goes a step further and offers dozens of different options, with everyone in mind. Packages differ in download speed and duration, ranging from a 4 Mbps monthly subscription and all the way up to a pricey 300 Mbps yearly subscription.

ExtremeUsenet Prices
Prices: Variety of subscription packages at ExtremeUsenet

The lower-tier packages only offer a few simultaneous connections at a time, but are available at cheap monthly prices that anyone can afford. Users who need more speed will probably opt for the more expensive packages with speeds of 200 or 300 Mbps, and will get 20 or 30 connections at the same time.

While I don’t have an ExtremeUsenet coupon to offer you at this time, there is a way to save significantly on the service, especially if you plan to use automatized tools to download binaries. ExtremeUsenet offers an off-peak hours discount, with packages that are available only 12 hours a day, but also come at lower prices. These packages are capped at 60 Mbps and 12 simultaneous connections, so you won’t be able to draw on all the power of the provider with them. Yet, the prices for such packages are great compared to those of  other providers, so they have their audience.

No free trial available with ExtremeUsenet

One of the biggest downsides of ExtremeUsenet is the fact that there is no free trial to speak of. New users will simply have to trust the provider’s claims or use my review for guidance to pick up the service. While I can tell you all about it, you will have to actually pay to experience ExtremeUsenet yourself.

Once you have picked the package you want to subscribe to, there are several payment options you can use to actually pay for it. These include common credit cards like MasterCard, Maestro, or Visa, as well as other services such as PayPal, Sofort, iDEAL, and other bank transfers. Once you have made a payment via credit card or PayPal, your account will be activated for use immediately.

Discounts: Get discounts on 12/7 packages at ExtremeUsenet

Independent high-speed network with 125,000 newsgroups

Of course, the price is not the only relevant factor one should look at when considering which Usenet provider to choose and this cannot be overstated. Some of the very best providers actually come at somewhat higher prices, but the price one pays can be well worth the quality of the service offered.

So what service can you expect from ExtremeUsenet? In terms of access, there is plenty lacking with this particular provider. The file retention only goes back about 1,500 days, which is easily outmatched by a whole host of competitors. The completion rate of 99.7% means that some files that are available through other services may be missing when using this provider as well.

Unlimited download speeds have become the norm across the board, but ExtremeUsenet continues to limit its users. While you can get any amount of data downloaded, there are plenty of restrictions on how fast you can do it. If you want to get fast downloads of up to 300 Mbps, you will have to pay a price that may seem somewhat unreasonable.

ExtremeUsenet Features
Features: Fast Usenet access with ExtremeUsenet

With all that said, ExtremeUsenet does offer access to over 150,000 newsgroups and plenty of both text and binary data across Usenet. Your Usenet connections will be secured by the industry standard 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption, so you should not have any issues with privacy and security. The possible lack of speed and simultaneous connections are a few of the downsides that some users may be okay with, but others might see room for improvement there.

In my personal experience, ExtremeUsenet does offer the kind of speed that is promised in each package. The 12/7 packages are an interesting feature that those who use automated tools will greatly appreciate, as they allow for access to ExtremeUsenet at a lower price while still benefiting from all the downloads one could wish for.

Newsreader selection - the right ExtremeUsenet download for every device

Once you have signed up to ExtremeUsenet, regardless of which package you chose, you will need to get a newsreader to go with it, as one does not come with the ExtremeUsenet download. Fortunately, the provider is compatible with a whole host of great newsreaders, and you can pick any of them to use for your browsing.

Which newsreader you pick is up to you, but I have a few solid suggestions you may want to take me up on. Momentum Plus, for one, is an excellent newsreader for users browsing Usenet on computers with Windows, Mac OS, or Linux installed on them. It allows you to search in an intelligent manner, filter out your results, and have multiple downloads running at the same time.

For even more compatibility, you may want to check out SABnzbd, a newsreader that you can also use on your Android, iOS, or NAS powered devices. It is available in 16 different languages and can be used on nearly any device you could come up with, making it great especially for mobile users.

FAQs - all questions about ExtremeUsenet answered

What is ExtremeUsenet?

ExtremeUsenet is a Usenet provider that allows users to browse and download files from Usenet. The company is based in the Netherlands and it allows users to purchase many different subscription models for Usenet access at varying speeds and time intervals.

What ExtremeUsenet subscription models are available?

There are a great number of ExtremeUsenet subscription options available. You get to pick from a list based on the duration you want and the maximum download speed. Subscriptions with speeds between 4 Mbps and 300 Mbps are available on monthly, yearly, and other levels.

How can I pay for my ExtremeUsenet subscription?

There are several payment methods available to ExtremeUsenet subscribers. You can choose to pay for your package with your credit card or PayPal account for the fastest and most efficient payment. Other services like iDEAL and Sofort are also available. Unfortunately, cryptocurrencies are not offered as a method of payment.

Is ExtremeUsenet secure?

ExtremeUsenet is a very secure service to use. Your connection will be masked by 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption, and all your private data will be safe. The privacy policy guarantees that your data will never be shared with the company. There is no free VPN service offered with ExtremeUsenet.

Is ExtremeUsenet illegal?

Nothing about using ExtremeUsenet is illegal. Usenet is fully legal to access and download from, and the provider offers a fully legal way to do so. You should, however, take note of the newsgroups you access and their content, just to ensure that you are not downloading any content that may be illegal in your jurisdiction.

What is the best Usenet provider?

There are many different Usenet providers to pick from these days, and you have to make the final pick yourself. If you ask me, ExtremeUsenet is certainly not the very best, and there are better alternatives you can pick from. Check out the alternatives I present below for some great providers offering affordable prices.

What are the main features of ExtremeUsenet?

ExtremeUsenet offers non-stop access to Usenet at limited speeds and with retention of only 1,500 days. The service is secured by 256-bit SSL encryption and is safe to use. Yet, it lacks several key elements and better alternatives are available.

Alternatives to ExtremeUsenet

I have discussed the main features of the ExtremeUsenet software in this review, and with all said and done I can honestly say that the service on offer here is not impressive. The prices of most packages are quite unaffordable, and while the 12/7 packages offer some discount, they also come with even more restrictions on top of those already imposed on speed and simultaneous connections. For that reason, I believe looking for a solid alternative is the best way to go for users looking to access Usenet in the best possible way.

There are several solid alternatives you can pick from and one that comes to mind immediately is UsenetServer. With retention of over 4,600 days, UsenetServer simply offers way more access than ExtremeUsenet. Speed limitations are not an issue, and while UsenetServer can be a bit pricey compared to some other services, it is actually more affordable than ExtremeUsenet.

Then there is Usenet.nl, which is another great provider which offers 4,000 days of retention, access to over 200,000 newsgroups, and unlimited download speeds. Not only is this provider available at a better price than ExtremeUsenet, but it also allows users to try it for 14 days without paying at all, which is another thing that ExtremeUsenet sorely lacks.

Conclusion: Final words on ExtremeUsenet

Accessing Usenet has never been easier in all of history and the number of providers you can pick from these days is simply overwhelming. It is for that reason that I do my best to tell you about your best options so you don’t have to go out there and learn from your own mistakes.

My test of ExtremeUsenet was quite detailed, and while using it I was never really impressed. The provider does try hard to offer quality access to Usenet, but it is lacking in several key aspects. These include retention, speed, and simultaneous connections, all of which are key elements in which other competitors excel.

Not only is ExtremeUsenet not the best in any one of these areas, but it also asks for prices that are hardly competitive. Plenty of the closest competitors offer a better service at a better price, as I have stated in the alternatives section, which is why I can only give ExtremeUsenet 3 out of 5 stars for its overall performance.

alyn-smith

”ExtremeUsenet is a mediocre Usenet provider that lags behind its competitors in many different areas”.

3.0 / 5.0 rated by Alyn Smith

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