SABnzbd

SABnzbd — Free Download. Usenet Binary Newsreader

SABnzbd is a cross-platform binary newsreader that automates the retrieval of files from Usenet servers. It accepts NZB files, connects to configured news servers, downloads articles, verifies their integrity, repairs damaged parts, extracts archives, and sorts the resulting files into destination folders. The application runs as a background service and is controlled through a web-based interface from any browser on the local network. It processes queue jobs sequentially or in parallel depending on server capacity, and it records every completed download in a history list with status information. Scheduler rules, speed limits, and post-processing scripts extend its operation for continuous automated downloading.

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Download SABnzbd (Official links)
File size: 22.9 MB
The latest version of SABnzbd is: 5.1.3
Operating system: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Languages: English
Developer: the SABnzbd-Team
Price: $0.00 USD (Free product)
  • NZB File Processing. SABnzbd accepts NZB files, which are XML-based indexes describing the location of individual articles on Usenet servers. The program reads the file, resolves the referenced message IDs, builds a download queue, and retrieves each article from the configured news server. Multiple NZB files can be added at once, and the queue can be reordered, paused, or resumed at any moment.
  • Multi-Server Support. The program can connect to several Usenet providers simultaneously. Each server entry has its own priority level, connection count, retention limit, and optional username and password. SABnzbd distributes the workload across servers according to priority, which helps when one provider lacks older articles or offers limited bandwidth.
  • Article Verification and Repair. After download, SABnzbd checks the assembled files against PAR2 recovery records. If articles are missing or damaged, the program uses the recovery volumes to reconstruct the affected data. This verification stage happens automatically before extraction, so incomplete downloads are repaired without manual intervention.
  • Archive Extraction. SABnzbd unpacks RAR, ZIP, 7z, and TAR archives after successful verification. Password-protected archives are handled when the password is stored in the job settings. Extraction runs in the background, and the resulting files are placed in the completed download folder while the original archives are removed according to the configured cleanup rules.
  • Post-Processing Scripts. Users can attach custom scripts to a job. SABnzbd executes the script after download, verification, and extraction, passing environment variables that describe the job directory, file names, category, and final status. Scripts can move files, rename them, trigger notifications, or integrate the job into another application workflow.
  • Category Management. Each download can be assigned to a category such as movies, music, or software. Categories define separate folders for incomplete and complete downloads, independent post-processing scripts, and priority rules. This separation keeps the file system organized and lets different job types follow different processing paths.
  • Scheduling. The built-in scheduler controls when downloads run and how much bandwidth they consume. Users define time periods with speed limits, pause states, or full stop. This feature is used to shift heavy traffic to off-peak hours or to keep the connection free during working hours.
  • Bandwidth Limiting. SABnzbd allows a maximum download speed to be set in kilobytes or megabytes per second. The limit can be changed at runtime or switched automatically by the scheduler. This prevents the newsreader from consuming the entire connection when other applications need network capacity.
  • RSS Feed Handling. The program reads RSS feeds from indexing sites, filters entries by keywords, age, size, or category, and adds matching NZB files to the queue automatically. Feed items are stored in a database, and downloaded entries are cleared after a set period, which keeps the feed list current without repeated manual checks.
  • Web Interface. All control and monitoring functions are available through a browser-based interface. It shows the queue, download speed, remaining time, history, server status, and configuration pages. The interface uses a responsive layout and supports compact display modes, search filters, and screen reader accessibility.
  • API for Third-Party Applications. SABnzbd exposes a complete API over HTTP. External programs can add NZB files, pause or resume the queue, change speed limits, retrieve history, and read configuration values. API calls use an authentication key and support JSON and XML responses for integration with media managers and automation tools.
  • History and Retry. Completed, failed, and deleted jobs are kept in a history list with details about download time, size, status, and post-processing results. The Retry function re-adds a job to the queue, and in recent versions it fetches only the articles that were actually missing instead of downloading the whole set again.
  • Notification Services. SABnzbd can send notifications about job completion, failures, and warnings through services such as email, Pushover, Prowl, and Apprise. Each notification target is configured separately, and events can be filtered so only relevant messages are delivered.
  • Cleanup List and File Filtering. The Cleanup List defines file name and path patterns that are removed after download or unpacking. Unwanted extensions, sample files, and auxiliary metadata can be deleted automatically, while filename and path pattern matching keeps the completed folder free of irrelevant content.

SABnzbd was created in 2007 by a group of developers known as The SABnzbd-Team. The project started as an alternative to existing binary newsreaders and grew into a cross-platform application written in Python. Over the years the team added a web interface, PAR2 verification, RSS support, an API, and multi-server handling.

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