XS News

What XS News does

XS News B.V. is a privately held Dutch Usenet access provider incorporated in 2005 and headquartered in Lijnden, Netherlands, with infrastructure operated from a data center in the Amsterdam region and a server platform in the United States. The company provides consumers and small resellers with paid access to the Usenet network, a distributed discussion and binary-content system predating the modern web. Its core offering is a tiered portfolio of three recurring subscription plans — Basic (10 Mbit/s, 10 connections), Pro (50 Mbit/s, 50 connections), and Elite (unlimited speed, 100 connections) — supplemented by prepaid block accounts (100 GB to 5,000 GB) and a EUR 5 five-day trial pass. All connections are encrypted with TLS/SSL 256-bit, and subscribers receive access to more than 134,000 newsgroups with 3,900+ days of binary retention and 99.8% content completeness.

The underlying technology is a distributed NNTP server network with multiple 100 Gbit/s backbone uplinks across Europe and the USA, delivering high-speed, low-latency access to a multi-decade archive of binary content. XS News monetizes via a self-serve e-commerce model on xsnews.nl with annual and monthly billing, supported by an affiliate program (25% commission) and a reseller program offering white-label Usenet with a partner portal and API. The customer base is overwhelmingly individual consumers downloading binaries or reading newsgroups, with no disclosed enterprise contracts. A lean team of approximately 10 employees handles operations, support, and compliance (GDPR, DMCA, DSA), with hosting and data processing outsourced to Abavia S.r.l. in San Marino.

The business model is therefore a niche consumer subscription utility, differentiated primarily by retention depth, backbone speed, and 20+ years of operational experience rather than by brand or technology novelty. Marketing is digital-first, relying on direct website sales, Trustpilot social proof in five languages, email newsletters via Mailchimp, and partner-driven traffic. Payment processing is distributed across three EU-licensed processors (Mollie, Multisafepay, Pay.nl) plus PayPal and crypto, supporting a globally accessible checkout experience with no geographic restrictions disclosed.

Name

XS News

Legal name

XS News B.V.

Website

https://xsnews.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

XS News is a Dutch Usenet access provider offering tiered subscription, block, and trial plans to individual consumers and resellers globally, with encrypted NNTP infrastructure across Europe and the United States and 3,900+ days of binary retention.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Usenet Access Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Telegraph & Other Message Communications (4822)

akta.pro primary industry

News Agencies & Wire Services (General & Specialized) (MPAJADAE)

Keywords

• Usenet access services
• Newsgroup access provider
• Binary downloads service
• Ssl encrypted usenet
• High speed newsgroups

Headquarters

HQ city

Lijnden

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans: Monthly or annual recurring subscriptions (Basic, Pro, Elite tiers) with automatic renewal options. Annual plans offer 25-40% discounts.
2. Block Accounts: Pay-once block accounts with fixed data allocation (100GB-5000GB) and 200 connections. No automatic renewal once data consumed.
3. 5-Day Pass: One-time prepaid access product for €5, no recurring payment, automatic expiration after 5 days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

XS News provides subscription-based Usenet (NNTP) access to more than 134,000 newsgroups, allowing users to download binary files (videos, music, software) and participate in text-based newsgroup discussions. The service runs on a distributed server network across Europe and USA connected by multiple 100 Gbit/s uplinks, with all traffic secured by TLS/SSL 256-bit encryption and a retention period exceeding 3900 days.

Product overview

XS News is a Usenet access provider offering a tiered portfolio of subscription and prepaid products. The core offering includes three Premium subscription plans (Basic, Pro, and Elite) differentiated by speed and connection limits, plus a 5 Day Elite Pass for short-term trial access and Block Accounts for pay-once data consumption. Additional programs include a Reseller Program for white-label Usenet services and an Affiliate Program for commission-based referrals. All plans include TLS/SSL encryption, 3900+ days retention, and access to 134,000+ newsgroups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Plan Entry-level monthly or annual subscription providing 10 Mbit/s speed, 10 connections, unlimited data, and TLS/SSL encryption for Usenet access. Priced at €3.75/month on annual billing.
• Pro Plan Mid-tier monthly or annual subscription offering 50 Mbit/s speed, 50 connections, unlimited data, and TLS/SSL encryption for Usenet access. Priced at €5.00/month on annual billing.
• Elite Plan Premium subscription with unlimited speed, 100 connections, unlimited data, and TLS/SSL encryption for Usenet access. Priced at €5.98/month on annual billing (40% discount).
• 5 Day Elite Pass Prepaid short-term access product offering 5 days of unlimited speed and data with 100 connections for a one-time payment of €5. Does not auto-renew.
• Block Accounts Pay-once block accounts in 100GB, 250GB, 1000GB, and 5000GB sizes, each with 200 connections and unlimited speed. No automatic renewal once data is consumed.
• Reseller Program White-label program enabling partners to offer premium Usenet access under their own brand name with custom pricing and customer management via the reseller portal and API.
• Affiliate Program Commission-based referral program paying affiliates 25% commission on Usenet subscription signups generated through their tracked links on partner websites.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Abavia S.r.l.coreTechnology or IntegrationAbavia is the hosting provider and data processor for XS News, providing servers and infrastructure for Usenet access. They handle content hosting, database management, and enforce content moderation measures including takedowns. Based in San Marino (outside EU).
• MolliesupportingOthersPayment processing service for handling subscription payments. Established in the EU (Netherlands) and compliant with GDPR.
• MultisafepaysupportingOthersPayment processing service for handling subscription payments. Established in the EU (Netherlands) and compliant with GDPR.
• Pay.nlsupportingOthersPayment processing service for handling subscription payments. Established in the EU (Netherlands) and compliant with GDPR.
• MailchimpsupportingOthersEmail marketing platform for sending newsletters and promotional communications. Based in the US and included in Privacy Shield List.
• TrustpilotsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform where XS News maintains reviews in multiple languages (Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Abavia: XS News's hosting and data-processing partner providing NNTP server infrastructure and content moderation. Critical upstream supplier rather than a competitor.
• Mollie: XS News's payment processor partner and adjacent fintech infrastructure provider. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem enabler for XS News's self-serve billing.

Direct peers

• Eweka Internet Services: Dutch-based premium Usenet access provider with similar tiered subscription model, SSL encryption, and long retention. Most direct geographic and product overlap with XS News.
• Tweaknews: Netherlands-headquartered Usenet provider offering comparable subscription tiers, high-speed backbone, and EU-based service. Closest competitor in XS News's home market.
• Newshosting: Major global Usenet access provider with bundled newsreader and VPN. Competes head-to-head on retention, speed, and unlimited plans at similar price points to XS News's Elite tier.
• Easynews: Established Usenet provider offering web-based access plus traditional NNTP. Targets overlapping power-user base with long retention and high completion claims similar to XS News.
• Giganews: Long-standing global Usenet brand with Diamond account tier providing unlimited retention and VyprVPN bundle. Larger-scale competitor with broader global presence than XS News.
• UsenetServer: Hyena-operated Usenet provider with high retention and unlimited block pricing. Directly comparable product offering and customer segment to XS News's Elite plan.
• Power Usenet: European Usenet provider with similar SSL-encrypted, high-retention offering. Competes for the same privacy-conscious European customer base as XS News.

Regional players

• Sun Internet: German Usenet access provider with comparable tiered subscriptions and retention claims. Geographic peer in DACH region serving adjacent European customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/xsnewsbv
• Facebookfacebook.com/xsnews

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about XS News