CheapNews

CheapNews has operated from the Netherlands since 2009, positioning itself with an exceptionally broad plan portfolio: six flat-rate subscriptions across different speed tiers and five no-expiry block accounts. On top of that comes one of the market's most generous trial periods: 20 GB of free access with no credit card required.

Flat-Rate Subscriptions: Six Speed Tiers

All flat-rate plans include unlimited downloads and vary by maximum download speed and connection count:

• Basic 20 | 20 Mbps | 10 SSL | €3.50
• Premium 60 | 60 Mbps | 12 SSL | €6.25
• Ultimate 120 | 120 Mbps | 18 SSL | €8.50
• Stellar 160 | 160 Mbps | 24 SSL | €8.75
• Legacy 250 | 250 Mbps | 40 SSL | €9.25
• Unlimited | Unlimited | 48 SSL | €9.75

All flat-rate plans include:

• Unlimited downloads with no data cap
• Access to all 135,000 newsgroups
• SSL-encrypted connections
• Full access to the entire retention archive

The price range is remarkably compact: only €6.25 separates the entry plan (€3.50/month) from the Unlimited plan (€9.75/month). Users with fiber connections and matching needs get fully unlimited downloads and speed for under €10/month.

Block Accounts: Five Sizes, No Expiry

For occasional users, CheapNews offers five block accounts — one-time purchases with no expiry date:

• Starter 50 | 50 GB | Unlimited | 40 SSL | €2.95
• Small 100 | 100 GB | Unlimited | 40 SSL | €4.95
• Mid 500 | 500 GB | Unlimited | 40 SSL | €14.95
• Large 1000 | 1 TB | Unlimited | 40 SSL | €24.95
• Pro 2000 | 2 TB | Unlimited | 40 SSL | €41.95

All block accounts have no expiry date — the volume remains available until fully consumed. Particularly attractive: even the smallest block account (€2.95 for 50 GB) offers unlimited speed and 40 simultaneous connections.

The Pro 2000 account (2 TB for €41.95) works out to roughly €0.02 per GB — a very affordable rate for non-expiring data volume.

20 GB Free Trial – No Credit Card

CheapNews offers one of the market's most generous trial periods: 20 GB of free access, specifically:

• No credit card required
• 7 days or until the data limit is consumed
• Full trial speed and 40 SSL connections
• Instant access to all newsgroups

Comparable providers often offer just 1–5 GB or require a credit card as security. CheapNews's 20 GB trial offer is therefore one of the fairest entry offers in the Usenet market.

Technical Infrastructure

• Retention: over 3,000 days of binary and text retention — roughly 8.2 years of stored content
• Completion: 99.99% — near-complete availability of all archived articles
• Newsgroups: 135,000 — an above-average newsgroup portfolio
• Encryption: SSL/TLS on all connections
• Max connections: 48 (Unlimited plan)

The 99.99% completion rate is one of the highest in the market. Combined with over 3,000 days of retention, CheapNews offers a very solid technical foundation that competes with many Tier-1 providers.

Payment: 100+ Methods

CheapNews offers an exceptionally broad range of payment methods:

• SEPA direct debit (for European bank accounts)
• iDEAL (Netherlands)
• Credit card
• Sofort (instant bank transfer)
• Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin and more)
• Bancontact (Belgium)
• Belfius (Belgium)
• Giropay (Germany)
• 100+ additional payment options

Giropay support is particularly relevant for German users. The combination of SEPA, Giropay, and credit card covers nearly all European users.

Who is CheapNews for?

• Occasional users who want to start with a small block account (from €2.95)
• Power users who need maximum speed and 48 connections via the Unlimited plan (€9.75/month)
• Newcomers who want to test 20 GB for free without a credit card
• Budget users who see €3.50/month as a realistic entry price
• German users who prefer Giropay or SEPA direct debit

Frequently Asked Questions

What plans does CheapNews offer?

Six flat-rate plans from €3.50 (Basic 20, 20 Mbps) to €9.75 (Unlimited), plus five block accounts from €2.95 (50 GB) to €41.95 (2 TB), each with no expiry.

Is there a free trial at CheapNews?

Yes. CheapNews offers 20 GB free with no credit card required — with a 7-day duration and 40 SSL connections.

What is CheapNews's retention?

Over 3,000 days of binary and text retention with a 99.99% completion rate.

Do block accounts expire at CheapNews?

No. Block accounts have no expiry date — the volume remains available until fully consumed.

What payment methods does CheapNews accept?

Over 100 methods, including SEPA, iDEAL, credit card, Sofort/Giropay (for German users), Bancontact, Bitcoin, and many more.