Best budget routers of 2024

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 small budget

TP-Link WiFi 6 Router AX1800

The TP-Link WiFi 6 Router AX1800 is our pick for the best cheap router on a smaller budget. This is a truly affordable option under $50 that offers speeds up to 1,750 Mbps, coverage for 2,500 sq. ft., four Gigabit LAN ports and is compatible with all your Wi-Fi devices. 

What we like: Great coverage, speed, Gigabit LAN ports and 4.3 / 5 stars on Amazon.

Things to consider: It doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 or have the best long-range performance. 

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.

What we like: Supports Wi-Fi 6 and gigabit speeds. It received 4.4 / 5 stars on Amazon.

Things to consider: Does not support the WPA3 security standard. 

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 1,750 Mbps and supports up to 30 devices.

What we like: Wide coverage area with good security features. It received 4.4 / 5 stars on Amazon. 

Things to consider: Runs on Wi-Fi 5 only.

Best cheap router for gaming

NETGEAR 4-Stream WiFi 6 Router

The NETGEAR 4-Stream WiFi 6 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 1.8 Gbps, 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.

What we like: Four 1 Gig Ethernet ports with an option to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 and 4.4 / 5 stars on Amazon.

Things to consider: Works on Wi-Fi 5.

How we choose our best budget routers

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

We considered price and value as well as other factors that consumers consider 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 examined the features that made the routers stand out from the rest. Finally, we reviewed customer reviews to see what people who had previously bought these budget routers thought.

If the range is more important than your price point, consider our long-range router picks.

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. Since 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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