Best affordable Wi-Fi routers 2023

Having a good Wi-Fi router is essential to getting strong and reliable internet coverage in your home. But shopping for routers can quickly become overwhelming when you realize that many of them can cost hundreds of dollars.

The good news is that you don’t need to drop a lot of money for a good-quality router. For this article, we’ve rounded up the best cheap routers to help you get the best coverage on a budget.

Here are the routers we’ll be covering in this guide:

Best router for a low budget: TP-Link Archer 7 Smart Wi-Fi Router (AC1750)

The TP-Link Archer 7 Smart Wi-Fi Router is our pick for the best cheap router on a smaller budget. This is a truly affordable option under $60 that offers speeds up to 1750 Mbps, coverage for 2,500 sq. ft., four gigabit LAN ports and is compatible with all your Wi-Fi devices. 

Best value router over $100: TP-Link Archer AX50 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Router (AX3000)

If you’re looking for a solid budget router but can afford to spend a bit more, then we recommend the TP-Link Archer AX50 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Router. This router is currently being sold at a lower price on Amazon, but its price is usually around $139.99. This router is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 technology, meaning you’ll get better speeds, better capacity and lower latency.

Best cheap router for fast speeds: Netgear 4-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router (R6700AX)

The Netgear 4-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router is our favorite budget router under $100 for fast internet speeds. This router provides internet speeds of up to 1.8 Gbps and coverage up to 1,500 sq. ft. for up to 20 devices. With an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, customers especially like that it’s good for gaming, made of quality material and has a strong Wi-Fi signal.

Best cheap router for large homes: ASUS AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router (RT-AC66U B1)

If you have a large home, then the ASUS AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router is a great option for you. This affordable ASUS router has a coverage area of up to an impressive 3,000 sq. ft., provides internet speeds up to 1750 Mbps and supports up to 30 devices.

Best cheap router for gaming: Netgear Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router (R6700)

The Netgear Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router is our favorite affordable router for gaming. This router provides coverage up to 1,500 sq. ft. for up to 25 devices. It also has speeds of up to 1750 Mbps, allowing you to stream videos, play games, surf the internet and more. While it supports the Wi-Fi 5 standard, you have the option to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 and the price is still under $100.

How we choose our favorite wireless routers 

With so many quality internet routers in the market, you might be wondering how we narrowed it down to just five. When we started our search for the best budget routers, price and value were obviously our primary concerns. We wanted to find affordable routers that still provide excellent quality. In fact, you’ll notice that every router on our list, with the exception of one, has a price tag under $100.

In addition to considering price and value, we also considered other factors that consumers find important in a Wi-Fi router.

First, we looked for those that provide fast speeds on a budget. We also considered the coverage area and sought to include some cheap routers that could provide coverage to a larger home.

Next, we looked at the features that the routers offered that made them stand out from the rest. And finally, we looked at customer reviews to see what people who had previously bought these budget routers thought.

In our list, you’ll notice that we’ve broken down each router by what it’s best for, with categories including the best for a low budget, best over $100, best for fast speeds, best for large homes and best for gaming.

Need a faster internet plan?

Even the best internet router can’t make up for a poor internet plan. If you want to increase your internet speeds, in addition to buying one of our favorite budget routers, you can also find an internet service plan better suited to fast speeds and good coverage. You can use our online tool to find the best internet service providers in your area.

The bottom line

A good Wi-Fi router doesn’t have to be expensive. To help you access good internet on a budget, we rounded up our list of the best cheap routers. Because we choose routers across many budgets and with a variety of features, everyone can find the perfect budget router for their needs. And if you need more ways to improve your internet speeds, consider shopping for a better internet service plan.

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