If you’re looking for a free and easy way to search for NZBs, NZBStars is a popular option. But is it any good?
Find our in our full NZBStars review, where we look at pros, cons, and alternatives.
[+] 'Review of NZBStars' contents (select to expand)
NZBStars Review: Pricing & Memberships
NZBStars is free. As in, completely free. There are no paid memberships and there aren’t any direct benefits to donating – other than that warm fuzzy feeling it gives you.
But yes, you can donate if you like the site and want to help with server maintenance and other costs.
How to Register for NZBStars
Not only is NZBStars free and open for registrations, it’s very easy to sign up for.
Simply hit the ‘Log In’ button to the top right of the homepage and choose ‘Add User’.
Next, you’ll be asked to enter your new username, email address, and first / last name. Hint: You can use a fake name.
You’ll then be issued a password and can log in immediately.
NZBStars Review: Top Features
- Spotnet-based
The technical explanation: Spotnet is a protocol that acts as a decentralized alternative to NZB indexers. The short explanation: Spotnet is very newbie friendly and makes it easy to search for files.
See our Complete Guide to Spotnet.
- Completely free
- Easy and open sign up
- API provided
- Very active comment sections under uploads
NZBStars Review: Disadvantages
- Tons of ads and popups
This won’t be noticeable if you use the Brave browser or a decent Firefox ad blocker, like uBlock Origin, but these can be very annoying if not. Like we’ve pointed out in the past, popups are also a security risk.
Update: Since posting this review, NZBStars has added a warning screen that stops you from accessing the site with an AdBlocker enabled.
- Most comments are in Dutch
While it’s not necessary to read the comments to download NZBs, they can be a way to get feedback on a file’s quality – or just to participate in the community. Unfortunately, because Spotnet is most popular with the Dutch, you’ll need to know the language to read most comments on NZBStars.
- Not (Entirely) Safe for Work
The site’s homepage features a list of recently uploaded files. But in our experience, up to half of these files are erotica. You can hide these by going to Config > Change Preferences > General > Hide Erotica Spots in Index, but we’d still rate NZBStars as less SFW (safe for work) than similar indexers.
- Not quite as many files as some paid indexers
NZBStars Alternatives
If you’re looking for something a little different than what NZBStars provides, you can check out our post on Best NZB Sites for alternatives.
Two of our favorites are:
Both are paid sites (though DrunkenSlug does have a limited free plan) but they’re still quite cheap – and offer everything one needs in a Usenet indexer. Plus, you won't have to deal with ads and popups.
NZBStars Review: Recap
So, let’s recap: on one hand, NZBStars can be an okay way to search for Usenet files, especially for a free site. That being said, between the intrusive ads, the smaller library, and other drawbacks, heavy Usenet users are better off paying $1 or $2 per month for a premium indexer.
What’s your take on NZBStars? Let us know in the comments!