Newshosting is probably one of today’s most popular Usenet providers. Why is that? Because the American company has managed to make a name for itself over recent years by offering unlimited access to Usenet without speed bumps or paywalls, while maintaining a great price-performance ratio to boot. For me, this was reason enough to take a closer look at this Usenet provider and compare my own Newshosting experiences with the hearsay and reviews you will find all over the Internet. In the following Newshosting Review, I will reveal to you what caught my eye, what advantages there are to signing up with this provider, and most importantly, how it compares to the competition. Let me say right away: Newshosting is currently one of the top companies in the industry for me.
– Slightly higher rates are charged for unlimited access
First of all, it should be noted that Newshosting offers neither prepaid plans, nor packages with particularly short runtimes, so you are stuck with a traditional 12-month subscription period. Hence, flexibility is not Newshosting’s strong suit when you compare it to, say, Prepaid Usenet. Newshosting does manage to make up for this partly with some generous pricing options: $15.83 USD a month is the most you can pay for a Newshosting account. Therefore, it should be easy to see how you can save a lot of money even without a Newshosting coupon. To further drive home the provider’s focus on maximizing value for money, there is a Newshosting VPN bundled with every “XL Powerpack” subscription package, and all subscriptions – all of them – include a free newsreader client, so that all the software you need comes right out of the box. No wonder, then, that Newshosting is widely known as one of the best providers on the market.
While the Lite and Unlimited packages allow for up to 30 simultaneous connections, up to 60 connections are possible with the XL Powerpack. All subscriptions come with 24/7 customer service, which is a great advantage to have. What I personally find remarkable, however, is that Newshosting allows everyone to surf at the highest possible speeds, regardless of how much they pay for their connection. This makes the provider a wonderful choice especially for those who don’t want to spend too much on their Usenet access. Although some other Usenet providers do offer more affordable rates, the prices here include all the perks and features you need for a top-grade Usenet experience. In addition, the Newshosting free trial period is also very generous, letting you use the service freely and without limitations for two whole weeks.
Test newshosting for free for 14 days
If you want to make use of the free trial period (and I think everyone should), you must sign up to Newshosting and select your desired payment method and paid plan first. Once you’re done with that, you are free to try out the Newshosting client for 14 days – with a full 30 GB of data volume at your disposal. If you manage to exhaust your data allowance before the 14 days are over, the trial period automatically ends and you are transferred to your given choice of paid subscription. This makes it all the more important to notify customer support in good time in case you are planning to cancel the free trial midway so as to avoid an automatic subscription for a 12-month term. One advantage worth noting: Even during the free trial, you can benefit from unlimited connection speeds.
Compared to its most popular rivals, Newshosting can score significantly with the framework of their free trial. Why? Because unlike other companies, which often force you to make do with unrealistically low data volume, Newshosting generously offers 30 GB, vastly outstripping the competition. Anyone who wants to familiarize themselves extensively with Usenet and make a really well-founded decision for themselves will see a decisive advantage here. One more key advantage of the Newshosting pricing model: Even with the lowest-priced Lite package, you can get high-speed access at no additional cost, which is definitely not a given on the market today. Payments can be fulfilled via all common credit cards or PayPal, which covers the most popular payment options among Usenet providers.
One more thing that sets Newshosting apart is that their servers, located across the EU and North America, automatically select the best connection for your location and signal strength, always providing top speeds and interference-free connections. If you go for one of the premium packages, neither download speeds nor data volume will be limited, a great advantage for power users in particular. Newshosting does not just stop at cutting all limitations on the server side of things. They also feature one of the most varied selections of newsgroups – over 110,00 can be accessed via the Newshosting software alone. Because each and every file is copied and stored at least a handful of times on multiple servers, it is not just possible, but easy to access a wealth of information through the Newshosting network. With a retention rate of 4,544 days (equivalent to over twelve years), this provider is also close to being the industry leader in terms of binary retention. An important thing to note: Retention is increased almost daily at Newshosting – an endeavor which of course necessitates immense investments in the server infrastructure. Nonetheless, Newshosting seems content with sacrificing a share of their profits for the sake of keeping their crown as one of the technologically most advanced Usenet providers in the world.
Security is a strong point with the Newshosting software, as my experience throughout this review has shown. Each of the up to 60 simultaneous connections is protected via 256-bit SSL encryption, so your data is perfectly safe from both accidental corruption as well as deliberate tampering of any kind. The premium package also includes a VPN, which can be useful for bypassing regional locks on some files, as well as further increasing privacy and security in general. What’s clear as a result of all this is that Newshosting has really thought of every possible detail when designing their Usenet service. What becomes especially apparent is how much more thought-out Newshosting’s implementation is compared to that of other common providers – something you can see for yourself if you take a look at my Alynsmith.com ranking of some of the top Usenet providers in the business.
On a different note, Newshosting’s customer service features the same reliability and high security as any other facet of the provider’s service. They are available around the clock for any concerns, questions, or issues, and can be reached safely via email or the contact form on the Newshosting website. However, it should be noted that the company does not offer support of any kind in languages other than English.
Of course, even the best framework, the cheapest rates and the loveliest customer service team are worth nothing if the newsreader – your actual gate and key to Usenet – is not of high quality. Newshosting is generous enough to include one in every subscription, and you can even try it out through a free demo if you so wish. This is a great advantage, as it allows you to really get a good picture of the software’s capabilities before you invest your time and money in it.
It’s not necessary to configure the newsreader software in any particular way in order to start using it; the search function and all bare essentials are integrated directly by default. Newshosting’s proprietary newsreader allows for advanced filtering, bookmarking and download options, so usability is up there with the best. The client is compatible with these operating systems:
Mobile users need not fret, as the newsreader also performs favorably on Android and iOS. While loading times could be improved a bit, taking Usenet with you on the go is definitely more than possible with Newshosting.
By the way: If you choose one of the premium plans at Newshosting, you can also get access to Easynews for free. With this provider, the newsreader runs through a browser-based platform, and is compatible with nearly all devices and operating systems. Even those who prefer Easynews can benefit from this special offer by taking advantage of the flexibility of having two different Usenet accounts for the price of one. This offer is, to my knowledge at least, unique within the Usenet industry.
Newshosting is a provider that offers access to Usenet as an alternative to the Internet. The company can therefore be considered as a type of telecommunications provider. Newshosting is headquartered in the USA and they maintain an international server presence in both North America and across the EU.
If you would like to close your Newshosting account, you can do so in writing. To prevent an accidental renewal of your subscription – for example, after the end of the free trial period – you should reach out to customer support as early as possible, to leave ample time for their response. My recommendation is to always request a written cancellation confirmation letter to avoid future misunderstandings. Do note again that the Newshosting customer service team operates only in English, so language barriers can often lead to ambiguities for both parties.
There is no mobile app that you can use in addition to the default Newshosting software. However, the provider’s dedicated newsreader is perfectly compatible with most mobile platforms, so users who would like to take Newshosting with them on the go need not worry.
Without a doubt, Newshosting is an absolutely secure and reputable company to do business with – it’s not for nothing that thousands from all over the world rely on this Usenet provider every day. Not only does Newshosting incorporate the highest-grade SSL encryption into all their servers, but there is also the exclusive Newshosting VPN, which provides an additional layer of privacy and security. Then, there is the stellar 24/7 customer support, available for assistance with any and all issues and inquiries. It is hard to do better than Newshosting on this front, in my opinion.
Definitely! Newshosting took care to streamline their service from all angles, and this is reflected in the fact that the Newshosting login data you create during the sign-up process can be used to access all functions of the service – from the website, to the newsreader, to the mobile app, and even for logging into your Easynews account if you take advantage of the free offer included with this provider’s premium package.
There are a handful of noteworthy Newshosting alternatives on the market, which each bring with them their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, there is Usenet.nl – a provider that features access to a record number of over 220,000 newsgroups and has widely impressed critics and users alike with this wealth of content. Retention times are also similar to those of Newshosting, which is another big plus. Also offering over 200,000 newsgroups is Usenext. This provider operates six servers located throughout Europe and the US, and also operates a multilingual customer support team. Here, too, retention times are about on par with those of Newshosting and are also steadily improved upon.
Another highly popular alternative is Eweka. This company, founded in 2001, not only counts on decades of experience, but also a specially-built server network that runs on an entirely independent technical framework and is thus particularly resistant to downtimes and disruptions. The retention rate is comparable to what you would get at Newshosting – but customer support is a bit more accommodating with four different working languages.
So, in conclusion, what can be said about Newshosting – and how does the Newshosting software differ from that of other providers? First of all, the company bets exclusively on subscriptions plans offering unlimited speeds and download volume, something that isn’t seen very often on the market these days. With SSL encryption, a free newsreader, and a bundled Newshosting VPN included as well, security, privacy and value for money are all well-cared-for. The continuous and transparent improvements to the retention rate improve quality of life and the overall user experience in a major way. In other words, Newshosting offers everything that users could expect or wish for – which is also why the provider receives five out of five stars from me.
“Newshosting knows how to score with its very good bandwidth and a generous trial period.”
5.0 / 5.0 rated by Alyn Smith
Register your email now and get exclusive instant discounts 1x a week for top brands on Usenet:
