SABnzbd vs NZBGet
What Kochab exposes through each Usenet download client, and which one to add.
SABnzbd and NZBGet are both Usenet download clients, and Kochab exposes nearly the same control surface for either. The blended queue, pause/resume/remove, global pause and speed, categories, priority and reorder, history retry, and Search sends all work identically through both. The differences are in setup and in a handful of SABnzbd-only extras.
Quick pick
| Your setup | Add this in Kochab |
|---|---|
| New to Usenet, or you want server stats, warnings, and log tail from Kochab | SABnzbd |
| Already running NZBGet | NZBGet - fully supported, no need to switch |
Kochab is Usenet-forward; SABnzbd is the primary download client Kochab targets. NZBGet gets the same core queue control.
Comparison
| Capability | SABnzbd | NZBGet |
|---|---|---|
| Server stats | Yes | No |
| Warnings, log tail, restart | Yes | No |
| Default port | 8080 | 6789 |
| Auth | API key as a query parameter | HTTP Basic (username + password) |
SABnzbd
Best for: the default choice if you are setting up Usenet for the first time, or if you want the server stats, warnings, and log tail that only SABnzbd exposes.
Exposes: the shared queue control above, plus server stats, warnings, log tail, and a restart action on the control screen.
Does not expose: scheduler rules, folder paths, scripting, or full SABnzbd configuration, which stay in SABnzbd’s web UI. Kochab defaults both SABnzbd and qBittorrent to port 8080, so a host running both has moved one of them - check SABnzbd’s own Config -> General -> SABnzbd Host setting if the default port does not connect.
NZBGet
Best for: stacks that already run NZBGet, which Kochab supports fully.
Exposes: the shared queue control above. NZBGet authenticates over HTTP Basic rather than an API key, so setup needs a ControlUsername and ControlPassword from NZBGet’s security settings rather than a copied key.
Does not expose: server stats, warnings, log tail, or a restart action - those are SABnzbd-only. Full NZBGet settings and scripting stay in NZBGet’s web UI.
Setup steps: Connect SABnzbd, Connect NZBGet. Once connected, SABnzbd or NZBGet settings for Sonarr and Radarr covers tuning the client for your *arr apps.