Block accounts are how veteran Usenet users have been doing it for years. You buy a chunk of data, you use it until it's gone, and then you buy more. No monthly subscription ticking away whether you use it or not. No renewal surprises. Just a pile of gigabytes sitting in your account, ready when you need them.
The best block accounts in 2026 share three properties: they don't expire, they're priced reasonably per gigabyte, and they come with enough connections that you won't bottleneck on a modern internet connection. Some providers also offer features like shareable accounts or crypto payment bonuses that add genuine value beyond the raw data.
If you're running a newsreader with priority server groups (SABnzbd, NZBGet, or similar), block accounts are the perfect secondary. Configure your unlimited primary as server 0, your block as server 1, and your client will only touch the block data when the primary misses an article. Some users run the same block for years as a fill server without ever needing to top up.
We evaluated block providers on five criteria: price per gigabyte at the 500GB tier (the most common purchase size), data expiration policy, connection count, backbone diversity (whether the block gives you a different article path from the major backbone families), and payment flexibility. All pricing verified as of April 2026. Full methodology on our methodology page.
Our Top Pick: CubeNet
#1 CubeNet
CubeNet's block pricing is, frankly, absurd. 25GB for $0.99. That's less than a dollar for enough data to fill most people's secondary server needs for weeks. Scale up and the pricing stays aggressive: 500GB for $25.00 ($0.05/GB) and 1TB for $45.00 ($0.04/GB). None of it expires.
But the feature that really sets CubeNet apart is shareable accounts. You can use a single CubeNet block account across multiple devices or share it with household members. That's unusual in the Usenet market, where most providers tie accounts to a single concurrent user. If you've got a home setup where multiple people or automation tools need Usenet access, one CubeNet block can serve them all.
The $0.99 entry point deserves special mention. If you've never used a block account before and want to try it without committing real money, CubeNet lets you experiment for less than the cost of a coffee. Configure it as a fill server, see how it works, and then decide if you want to buy a larger block. There's no lower-risk way to get started with block accounts.
- 25GB for $0.99, the lowest entry point in Usenet
- 500GB for $25.00, 1TB for $45.00
- Non-expiring data on all block sizes
- Shareable accounts for multi-device/multi-user setups
Blocks: 25GB $0.99, 100GB $7.99, 250GB $14.99, 500GB $25.00, 1TB $45.00. Non-expiring. Shareable.
#2 Blocknews
Blocknews is a block-only provider. That's all they do, and they do it well. Their blocks start at $1.99 for 5GB and scale up to 1TB for $39.99. At the 1TB tier, that's $0.04/GB, which matches CubeNet's best rate. None of it expires.
What makes Blocknews stand out is the connection count: 200 connections on block accounts. That's not a typo. Most providers give you 20-50 connections on a block. Blocknews gives you 200. If you're pulling articles from a block server, the connection count directly affects how fast you can saturate your line. With 200 connections, you won't be the bottleneck on anything short of a 10Gbps connection.
The other differentiator is payment flexibility. Blocknews accepts a huge range of cryptocurrencies beyond just Bitcoin. If you care about payment privacy, Blocknews has more options than anyone else on this list. They accept BTC, LTC, ETH, XMR, and a long tail of altcoins through their payment processor.
- 1TB for $39.99 ($0.04/GB), non-expiring
- 200 connections on all block accounts
- Massive cryptocurrency payment options
- Block-only provider, it's their entire focus
Blocks: 5GB $1.99, 10GB $3.99, 25GB $6.99, 50GB $9.99, 100GB $14.99, 250GB $19.99, 500GB $24.99, 1TB $39.99. 200 connections. Non-expiring.
#3 NewsDemon
NewsDemon's block accounts come with a unique advantage: a +25% data bonus when you pay with BTCPay. Buy a 500GB block, get 625GB. Buy 1TB, get 1.25TB. That bumps your effective per-GB allowance up by a quarter, and it stacks with already competitive pricing.
The blocks don't expire, they run on the UsenetExpress backbone with NewsDemon's own proprietary spool (not a commodity reseller arrangement), and you get access to the same infrastructure as their unlimited subscribers: 5,600+ day retention, multi-region servers (US East, US West, EU), and post-quantum encryption. That last point matters for block users because your block data might sit around for years. Having transport encryption that's resistant to future quantum attacks is more relevant when the data will exist longer.
NewsDemon also offers blocks starting from $5.00, which is higher than CubeNet's $0.99 entry point but still low enough to try without commitment. If you're already a NewsDemon unlimited subscriber and want block accounts on a different backbone for fill purposes, note that you'd want a provider on Netnews, Abavia, Omicron, or Viper's NTD backbone. But if you want block access on UE infrastructure with ND's proprietary spool and real features behind it, NewsDemon delivers.
- +25% data bonus on BTCPay purchases
- Non-expiring blocks on UE backbone + ND proprietary spool
- Post-quantum encryption on all connections
- Multi-region servers (US East, US West, EU)
Block accounts from $5.00. +25% data bonus with BTCPay. Non-expiring. Accepts Credit Card, PayPal, BTCPay, SEPA, Wero.
#4 NewsgroupDirect
NewsgroupDirect's block accounts are interesting because of the multi-backbone access. When you buy a block from NGD, you're getting data that can be pulled from multiple independent backbones depending on your plan. For block users who care about completion rates above all else, this is a meaningful differentiator.
If you're using a block as a fill server (and you should be), the completion rate is the single most important metric. A fill server that misses the same articles as your primary is useless. NGD's multi-backbone blocks hit a different article pool than most other providers, which makes them genuinely useful as a secondary regardless of who your primary is.
The pricing is higher than CubeNet or Blocknews, but you're paying for backbone diversity that those providers can't match. For users who've already optimized on price and now want to optimize on completion, NewsgroupDirect's blocks are where you should look.
- Multi-backbone block access for better completion
- 100 connections, 5,724+ day retention
- Non-expiring blocks
- Best used as a fill server when completion matters most
Block accounts available. Pricing varies by size. Accepts Credit Card, PayPal.
#5 ThunderNews
ThunderNews offers block accounts starting at $3.50 for 25GB and $6.25 for 50GB. The pricing isn't the cheapest (CubeNet and Blocknews both beat them per-GB), but ThunderNews blocks are a reasonable option if you're already using ThunderNews for unlimited and want blocks on a different backbone.
ThunderNews resells the UsenetExpress backbone. If your primary is NewsDemon or UsenetExpress, a ThunderNews block as a secondary gives you zero extra backbone coverage since all three run the UE backbone. Where ThunderNews blocks do add value: if your primary is on Netnews (Frugal, Blocknews), Abavia (XS News), Omicron, or Viper's NTD backbone, then a ThunderNews block on the UE backbone path gives you genuine diversity.
The blocks don't expire, which is the minimum requirement for any block account worth buying. The connection count is adequate for a fill server. ThunderNews won't wow you with features, but the pricing is transparent and the blocks work.
- 25GB for $3.50, 50GB for $6.25
- Non-expiring blocks
- Simple, no-frills block option
- Check backbone overlap before using as a fill server
Blocks: 25GB $3.50, 50GB $6.25. Non-expiring. Accepts Credit Card, PayPal.
Block Account Comparison
| Rank | Provider | Smallest Block | 1TB Price | Expires? | Connections | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CubeNet | 25GB / $0.99 | $45.00 | No | varies | Shareable, $0.99 entry |
| 2 | Blocknews | 5GB / $1.99 | $39.99 | No | 200 | 200 conn, crypto options |
| 3 | NewsDemon | from $5.00 | varies | No | 60+ | +25% BTCPay bonus |
| 4 | NewsgroupDirect | varies | varies | No | 100 | Multi-backbone blocks |
| 5 | ThunderNews | 25GB / $3.50 | n/a | No | varies | Simple, cheap blocks |
How Block Accounts Work
If you're new to Usenet, the block concept is simple. You pay a one-time fee for a fixed amount of data (measured in gigabytes). Every article you download subtracts from your balance. When the balance hits zero, you buy more. That's it.
The critical feature to look for is expiration policy. Every provider on this list offers non-expiring blocks, which means your data balance sits there forever until you use it. Some providers not on this list sell blocks that expire after 12 months or even 90 days. Avoid those. If you're buying a block as a fill server, you might not touch it for months at a time. Expiring data on a fill server is money thrown away.
Connections matter for blocks more than you might think. When your newsreader hits a fill server, it's trying to pull specific missing articles as fast as possible. More connections means more parallel requests, which means faster fills. Blocknews's 200 connections are extreme, but even 30-50 connections makes a noticeable difference compared to a provider that caps you at 10.
The Smart Block Strategy
Here's how experienced users set up their block accounts for maximum value:
Primary: An unlimited monthly/yearly plan from your main provider. This handles 90-95% of your downloads and you never think about data usage.
Secondary (fill server): A block account on a different backbone. This catches the 5-10% of articles your primary misses. Configure it as server priority 1 in SABnzbd or NZBGet, so it only activates when the primary fails on an article.
Tertiary (optional): A second block account on yet another backbone. For users who need near-100% completion on older content, a third backbone catches what both the primary and secondary miss. Diminishing returns, but some users swear by it.
The key is backbone diversity. Your fill server must be on a different backbone than your primary. If both servers share the same backend, the fill server will miss the same articles your primary does. Check our reviews to verify backbone ownership before buying.
A Note on Crypto Payments
Several block providers offer cryptocurrency payment options, and for block accounts specifically, this makes sense. Block purchases are one-time transactions without recurring billing, so there's no ongoing payment relationship to manage. Pay once with BTC, LTC, XMR, or whatever your preferred coin is, and you're done until you need more data.
NewsDemon's +25% BTCPay bonus is the standout here. That's a real, quantifiable benefit for paying with cryptocurrency. Blocknews accepts the widest range of coins. CubeNet and ThunderNews are more traditional in their payment options. If payment privacy matters to you, Blocknews and NewsDemon are the picks.
Bottom Line
CubeNet wins on price and flexibility. The $0.99 entry point is unmatched, the larger blocks are competitive, and shareable accounts add real value for multi-user setups. CubeNet runs on the UE backbone. Blocknews takes second with 200 connections and the best crypto payment options; it runs on Netnews. NewsDemon's BTCPay bonus makes it the smart pick for crypto-paying users who want UE backbone + ND proprietary spool. NewsgroupDirect offers multi-backbone blocks for completion-obsessed users. And ThunderNews (also UE backbone) rounds it out with simple, cheap blocks that just work -- best value when your primary is not on UE.
Every provider on this list offers non-expiring blocks. Don't buy from anyone who doesn't.
See our overall Best Usenet Providers for 2026 →