Usenet requires a specific client, called a “newsreader,” to access NNTP newsgroups. Choosing the right newsreader can make the difference between endless frustration and a smooth, enjoyable Usenet experience. The best Usenet clients make it easy to access newsgroups, provide plenty of customization options, and can integrate with helper applications and relevant websites to make it easier to find the posts you’re looking for.
Here are the five best Usenet clients of 2022:
The Newshosting Newsreader
You can’t be surprised that we consider our newsreader to be the best, but we can justify this.
First of all, our newsreader is free with your Newshosting account and requires zero setup to get going. The Newshosting Newsreader also includes a built-in search function so you don’t have to search for a third party indexer. Simply download the file, install it, and you’re on Usenet. We’ve made the Newshosting Newsreader incredibly easy to use and friendly even to people who have never been on Usenet before.
Secondly, you’ll have access to video and image previews, making it a lot simpler to find the specific posts that you’re looking for. Moreover, you can easily set up automated search and downloads without using any third party software.
Finally, if you have any issues, you can contact our 24/7/365 support team and get the professional help you need.
The Newshosting Newsreader is the best Usenet client available as far as we’re concerned.
Easynews
What we like about Easynews is that it’s entirely unique among newsreaders by virtue of being web-based. Instead of having to install an app on your computer, you can use a browser tab that accesses the actual software remotely.
Web-based NNTP browsing opens up a whole new world of possibilities, including the ability to search, read, and download from Usenet from wherever you are.
While the Easynews newsreader is very simple and not highly customizable, it is still very powerful and a great way for people to jump onto Usenet.
SABnzbd
Certainly among the most popular Usenet clients, SABnzbd is a phenomenal, straightforward NZB reader. While it uses a web browser tab for a UI, it is a standalone program. What sets it apart is the sheer number of customization options.
SABnzbd is not only great at reading RSS feeds, it can also integrate with a lot of popular third party solutions to help with automation and organization. And if there isn’t a program that can help you, it’s easy to run custom scripts within the newsreader to make it do pretty much anything you want.
Setup can be a bit complicated if you’re not familiar with the software yet, but there is extensive documentation to help you understand all of your settings.
If you’re a power user who wants the best possible Usenet binary client, you can’t go wrong with SABnzbd.
Newsbin Pro
Newsbin Pro is one of the oldest newsreaders, originally dropping as shareware in 1995. Despite its age, it has gained a reputation for being an early adopter of Usenet technology, including the XFeatures NNTP extension, parchives, and even the NZB file format.
They have continued this habit of rapidly assimilating new technologies, making it one of the most adaptive newsreaders available today. Otherwise, the newsreader has a clean interface, is fast and resource-lite, and can be adjusted to limit your download speed in case you want to utilize that bandwidth elsewhere, but still keep your downloads going in the background.
The biggest drawback is that, as long as Newsbin Pro has been around, it’s still only available for Windows. That doesn’t look like it’ll change any time soon, if ever. Regardless, if you’re running a Windows PC, Newsbin Pro is a solid newsreader choice.
Newsleecher
What makes Newsleecher stand out from the competition is that it makes things really easy for creating NZB files. If you want to download several posts all at once, for example, you can put them together into an NZB that can then be used right in Newsleecher.
An embedded Explorer window in the program makes it possible to quickly find and even run files that you have downloaded. This is just one of many features that make organizing your Usenet data a snap.
Like Newsbin Pro, Newsleecher is only available on Windows. And despite a lot of great features, the UI is a bit clunky and outdated. If you ignore those issues, though, this is a fantastic choice and a great newsreader.
Get the Right Newsreader
Every person will have different needs, so it’s good that there is such a wide range of newsreader options. Take the time to try several out, figure out what is going to be the most helpful, and eventually settle on the best Usenet client for you.
