Comparison of Usenet newsreaders

Last updated

This is a comparison of Usenet newsreaders .

Name User interface Client typeDownloading headers XOVER PAR NZB unZip or unRARIntegrated search service (retention / $$$/yr) IPv6 SSL/TLSAudio video streamingPrice Platform LicenseOther
Arachne GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoFree DOS, Unix-like GPL
BinTube GUI Binary GrabberNoYesYesYesYes
(3200 days / free)
YesYesYes$59.95 / Free with subscription Windows Proprietary Streams media while downloading; free with Usenet service
Claws Mail GUI Traditional newsreaderYes [1] NoNoNoNoYesNoFree Cross-platform GPL
Forté Agent GUI CombinationYesYesYesYesYes$29 Windows Proprietary Shareware, includes 3 month newsgroup service trial
Gnus Text-based Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoNoYesYesNoFree Cross-platform GPL Runs in Emacs; also does Email
GrabIt GUI Binary GrabberYesYesYesYesYes

( 30 days / $24.99/yr )

NoYesFree (searching extra) Windows Proprietary Usenet search service
GroupWise GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoVaries Windows, Unix-like Proprietary
HCL Notes GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoVaries Windows, Unix-like, macOS Proprietary
KNode GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoYesYesFree Unix-like GPL KDE
Lynx Text-basedTraditional newsreaderYesNoNoYesYesFree Cross-platform GPL Limited USENET support
Mozilla Mail & Newsgroups GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoNoFree Cross-platform MPLGPLLGPL tri-licenseReplaced by SeaMonkey Mail & Newsgroups
Mozilla Thunderbird GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoNoYesYesFree Cross-platform MPL Plugin support
Newsbin Pro GUI Binary GrabberYesYesYesYesYes

( $10/yr )

YesYes$20 Windows Proprietary Shareware
NewsLeecher GUI CombinationYesYesYesYesYes

Optional extra Add $10 per year

NoYesVaries Windows Proprietary Shareware
Opera Mail GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoYesYesFree Cross-platform Proprietary Part of Opera, up to version 12.17
Outlook Express GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoNoYesYes Windows Proprietary Part of Windows, up to Windows Server 2003
Pan GUI CombinationYesNoYesNoYesYesFree Unix-like, Windows GPL Gtk+
SeaMonkey Mail & Newsgroups GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoNoYesYesFree Cross-platform MPL Replaced Mozilla Mail & Newsgroups
slrn text-based Traditional newsreaderYesYes

(using macros)

Yes

(using macros)

Yes

(using macros)

NoYesYesNoFree Cross-platform GPLv2+ Highly extensible using S-Lang scripts (macros)
Sylpheed GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoYesFree Cross-platform GPLLGPL Gtk+
tin text-based Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoNoYesYesFree Unix-like BSD Free software
Unison GUI CombinationYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes

(audio only)

Free macOS Proprietary Development ceased; free, unsupported
Usenet Explorer GUI CombinationYesYesYesYesYes

( 1500 days / $23.34/yr )

YesYes$35 Windows Proprietary Shareware
Windows Live Mail GUI Traditional newsreaderYesYesFree Windows Proprietary
Windows Mail GUI Traditional newsreaderYesYes Windows Proprietary Part of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008; Windows 10 omits newsgroup and Usenet support [2] [ better source needed ]
Xnews GUI CombinationYesNoNo
(Can create NBZs)
NoFree Windows Proprietary
XPN GUI Traditional newsreaderYesNoNoYesFree Cross-platform GPL
Name User interface Client typeDownloading headers XOVER PAR NZB unZip unRARIntegrated search service (retention / $$$/yr) IPv6 SSL/TLSAudio video streamingPrice Platform LicenseOther

Name field background color legend:

active product
Discontinued support for newsgroups

See also

References

  1. "Claws Mail release notes". NNTP: Fetch XOVER and XHDR data in batches of 5000...
  2. "Windows 10 Mail + Newsgroups". Microsoft.