From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Maria Sophia wrote:
PSA: What is the current state of Android Usenet nntp newsreaders?

Yes. I know. It's been asked a million times prior.
This is posted so that we can all have the latest updates together.
If I missed anything important (& I probably did), please add value.

In a separate thread, AJL asked about newsreaders, where, from my notes,
this is what I have, but others may have better information than I do.

There never really was a great mobile Usenet newsreader, but here is a reference list of what has existed on Android, along with the PiaHong
mod builds that some of us still use.

PLAY STORE LINKS (historical; many abandoned)

PhoNews
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.cmg.android.phonews https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cmgapps.android.phonewspro

Groundhog Reader https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.almarsoft.GroundhogReader

PiaHong NewsGroups https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.piaohong.newsgroup

NNTPReader (Ken)
Demo: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ken.android.nntpreader Pro: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ken.android.nntpreader.pro

Noasy Newsreader https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noasy.newsreader

Usenet Reader (sinaapp) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=usenet.sinaapp.com

PIAHONG MOD BUILDS (M16 and M17)
These are the community-modified versions. M16 is generally preferred.
M17 adds an X-Face header option but changes behavior some people do not want.
a. If you like the original colors, use the OC versions.
b. If you want different colors, use the MC versions.

Mod16 - Original Colors https://mega.nz/file/DdQyVBgY#jq7uq7r4e8waidolLyvLgD_G_Rc82_FURYxaak7NUCI Name: OC-ModNewsReader 2.02.M16.apk
Size: 3922831 bytes (3830 KiB)
SHA256: 97B27E062306C9D6FEA9FC6EA49FEA7D920FF7C0CB05AAFBBEB9C96758A68C97

Mod16 - Modified Colors https://mega.nz/file/GAwnTAaI#CshrBLtSl2smdcmHiBD0wdj-V409CJyq9nJ7IpQ0ooY Name: MC-ModNewsReader 2.02.M16.apk
Size: 3935119 bytes (3842 KiB)
SHA256: 010AAF7EFF0ABBE040E66BE0486F6D32936432EC16C8F2FB56717479C76F4CDA

Mod17 - Original Colors (Alfio) https://mega.nz/file/uYJSwBJD#3Ya4p0HpSczyt95c_MnXjyBXYqP5J_Phkz0gZ9RbkCI Name: OC-ModNewsReader 2.02.M17.apk
Size: 3926860 bytes (3834 KiB)
SHA256: BB05B9FD454AD8D38047484FEA338DE9FDAB056F56B66D39C114162A53883815

Mod17 - Modified Colors (Alfio) https://mega.nz/file/CIhiFKDT#H4FvPyZ_SIWKitPvaUxjKstjNmgPJhyMqwZxI4VkWVE Name: MC-ModNewsReader 2.02.M17.apk
Size: 3935052 bytes (3842 KiB)
SHA256: DA8C8DF91DFAA68047F58A3339B6D5B91857185623CB7F386B74F9DFE84D5B03

Caveat:
PhoNews appears to break on Android 16 but still works on older devices. PiaHong appears to remain usable thanks to the modded builds above.
Most of the other apps are long abandoned but still installable (AFAIK).
--
Had I tested them recently, I would have written up a tutorial instead
since I'm a rare person who delights in edifying everyone around me.

Nice roundup. Two bits that might be worth adding for "current state" context.

Groundhog is effectively dead as a Play Store era app, but it isn't totally gone. There's a community fork on GitHub that's been doing cleanup work, so if someone wants a path that isn't just hunting old APKs, that repo is probably the closest thing to "alive" in 2026, even if it's not a polished consumer release. (Related: a bunch of older references still note that the original project hasn't seen real maintenance in ages and isn't findable on Play anymore.)

Also, it may be worth linking to an "index thread" for people who land on this later. There's an XDA thread that's basically a living reference list of Android Usenet newsreaders and related searching tips, and it's newer than most of the usual "asked a million times" answers.

Beyond that, I think your implied conclusion is the right one: if you want a native, decent mobile NNTP experience, the PiaHong mod builds are still what many people end up on, and everything else is either abandoned, broken on newer Android, or relegated to niche workflows like running a terminal reader in Termux instead of a dedicated Android app.


This is a response to the post seen at: http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=701913361#701913361
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