Anyone who would like to try out Usenet as an alternative to the Internet first needs to register with a provider. While this is similar to the process you would already be familiar with from signing up with an ISP, it is important to go for Usenet providers that are reliable, trustworthy, and offer the right amount of security and safety. And especially because your own money is at stake, the choice of Usenet provider should never be taken lightly. Prepaid Usenet can definitely be counted among those that tick all of the above boxes. Note that I have already tried out and reviewed Prepaid Usenet before, during my big comparison of popular Usenet providers on Alynsmith.com. If you don’t necessarily need a detailed, in-depth Prepaid Usenet Review and would be content with knowing just how this Usenet provider stacks up against the competition, do head over and give it a read!
– Prepaid Usenet software not available for mobile devices
– No VPN integrated into the Usenet software
If you would like to access Usenet with the help of Prepaid Usenet, I have good news for you; the barriers of entry for this provider are resoundingly low. According to the Prepaid Usenet experience I made throughout this review, there is a host of data packages on offer for almost anyone, from five all the way to 100 euros. A great advantage of Prepaid Usenet is that they tell you up front for each package how much you are paying by the gigabyte — and how much you’ll save compared to similar offers from the competition. With this level of flexibility, a Prepaid Usenet coupon will be hardly necessary in the majority of cases.
What is clear is that choosing a 500GB package of data volume, you can get the most bang for your buck. Since your data does not run out by the end of the month, you can get as much as possible out of your purchase.
Try Prepaid Usenet for free
As I mentioned, there is hardly any need for a Prepaid Usenet coupon, and this is also true when taking into account their free trial: The provider offers you 10GB of data volume to use freely at your discretion. There are no time restrictions, and you do not need to cancel your account by the end of the trial period, as there is no automatic subscription to any paid plan once you have consumed your 10GB allowance.
Unusually, Prepaid Usenet does not claim any definite numbers regarding how many newsgroups their software can access. They do not provide any info about the degree of daily content growth, either. With that in mind, it is safe to say that Prepaid Usenet’s portfolio in terms of content is somewhat limited. Furthermore, the company, founded in 2008 in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, fails to mention how many dedicated Usenet servers they operate, nor do they publish numbers on the cumulative data accessible through their platform. This could be quite the pity for some experienced users, as they might expect not just more transparency, but also a significant wealth and variety of content. For this demographic, a Prepaid Usenet login will likely be the second or third that they regularly use, as an alternative to more comprehensive Usenet providers. However, one argument in favor of Prepaid Usenet, and one which hardly any of their competitors can make, is that there are no hidden fees, and no trapdoors to fall through in general. As you don’t sign up for a subscription and don’t enter into a contract at any point, what you see is absolutely what you get with Prepaid Usenet. The principle really is as simple as it sounds — you pay for the data volume you need, and you are free to make use of it until you have exhausted your balance. Only when you really need to do you have to recharge your data; no subscriptions means no automatically recurring costs. This easily makes up for the disadvantages mentioned above.
Prepaid Usenet offers two different newsreader software clients. Both are easily accessible, but one of the clients requires a fairly complex installation procedure which might confuse or even scare away some beginners. Because of this, I believe a little bit of polish could go a long way in terms of making the Prepaid Usenet download process friendlier to those curious about Usenet, regardless of existing experience. The two aforementioned newsreaders are:
Mobile users are at a clear disadvantage with Prepaid Usenet. The provider unfortunately does not offer a Prepaid Usenet download for smartphones or tablet devices of any kind. As both of the included newsreaders are incompatible with mobile operating systems, you would have to use your desktop PC or laptop in order to connect to Prepaid Usenet. Compared to other providers such as Usenet.nl, this lack of support makes Prepaid Usenet look a bit dated and outgunned in this regard. Users who place great value on accessing Usenet while on the go might therefore want to look elsewhere.
Prepaid Usenet is a provider that offers Usenet access by means of rechargeable credit, which makes for full control over all costs and fees. Unlike other providers, Prepaid Usenet does not force you into a subscription of any kind — they do not even offer one in the first place. This is perfect for those who do not wish to enter into a big financial commitment, providing a lot of freedom.
As is common, Prepaid Usenet necessitates a third-party newsreader. They offer two different clients, both of which are available for free. Only a mobile newsreader is unfortunately absent, making the proposition a tough one for those who would like a Usenet experience on the go.
There is no need for any account cancellation procedure with this provider, as my Prepaid Usenet experiences have shown. If you use up your data allowance, your account is automatically considered inactive until you decide to top up your balance again. This means you don’t need to worry about incurring any surprise fees while taking a break from Prepaid Usenet.
The process of recharging your balance on Prepaid Usenet is simple. After making your payment quickly and discreetly via the method of your choice, the provider will send you a confirmation code via SMS. You simply have to put in this code when prompted, and the data you purchased will momentarily appear as available in your account.
Prepaid Usenet is definitely secure, featuring full SSL encryption among other safety measures. However, it is worth noting that encryption must be activated manually, unusually so for a Usenet provider.
Because of its unique subscription-free payment plan, there are few direct alternatives to Prepaid Usenet. However, those who are looking for class-leading examples of high-quality Usenet providers can go and take a look at Eweka or Usenext. Do note that both of these operate on the more common subscription system though, so think about what best suits your needs.
Prepaid Usenet was created by a young start-up from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, who yearned to make hidden fees and subscription traps on the Usenet market a thing of the past. They have not only succeeded, but have implemented their vision quite well. However, an integrated VPN, mobile support, and higher retention periods are all features found sorely missing. Thus, the primary target demographic of Prepaid Usenet remains those consumers who would like total control over all their Usenet expenses and an alternative to the subscription model above all else.
“You can’t go wrong with prepaid Usenet if you want to exercise full cost control – I’m convinced.”
3.0 / 5.0 rated by Alyn Smith
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