The router your internet provider gave you is probably the weakest link in your home network. It was cheap for them to buy, it has not had a firmware update in years, and it was never designed for thirty devices at once.
The good news is that Wi-Fi 6 routers have become cheap, and a mid-range one from a couple of years ago now costs less than a video game. This list is for people who want a clear upgrade without spending on a gaming router with fins on it. Every pick has thousands of owner reviews and a strong owner rating or better. We have not tested each one ourselves; the verdicts lean on the listed specs and on owner reviews. Prices are not printed because they change daily; every button opens the live Amazon page.
What to look for at this price
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), dual-band. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 add a 6GHz band that most budget devices cannot use yet. Not worth paying extra for.
- AX1800 to AX3000 class. The number is total theoretical bandwidth across bands. AX1800 is enough for gigabit internet on one device at a time; AX3000 gives more headroom for many devices.
- Gigabit WAN and LAN ports. Some budget routers still ship with 100Mbps ports, which will cap your internet. Check.
- OFDMA and MU-MIMO. These let the router talk to many devices efficiently. All real Wi-Fi 6 routers have them.
- App and firmware support. A router that gets security updates for years matters more than an extra antenna.
- Coverage. No single router covers a large or multi-story home well. That is what mesh is for.
The picks
The Archer AX55 Pro is the router we recommend when someone asks for “a good one that is not expensive”. It is an AX3000 dual-band router, 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, with four antennas and Beamforming. What sets it apart at this price is the wiring: two 2.5 Gbps ports, one of them for the internet connection, plus three gigabit LAN ports, so it will not hold back a multi-gig plan or a NAS. It runs a VPN client and server, supports WPA3, and joins an EasyMesh network if you add an extender later. If your home is a flat or a small single-story house, this is all you need.
- AX3000 speeds with 160 MHz channels
- Two 2.5 Gbps ports, ready for internet plans above 1 gigabit
- VPN client and server built in
- Can grow into a mesh with an EasyMesh extender later
- a strong owner rating across thousands of owner reviews
- The EasyMesh extender for mesh coverage is sold separately
- Antennas are fixed
- Fewer reviews than the older TP-Link models below
ASUS RT-AX1800S Dual Band WiFi 6 Extendable Router, Subscription-Free Network Security, Parental Control, Built-in VPN, AiMesh Compatible
If you like to open the router settings and actually use them, ASUS is the brand. The RT-AX1800S has a built-in VPN, parental controls and AiProtection Classic security from Trend Micro, all without a subscription, and Instant Guard gives your phone a one-click VPN back to the house. It has four external antennas, one gigabit WAN port and four gigabit LAN ports, and it can become part of an AiMesh system if you add a second ASUS router. It is slower on paper than the AX55 Pro, but for most homes the difference does not show up.
- AiProtection Classic security by Trend Micro with no subscription
- Built-in VPN, plus one-click Instant Guard VPN when you are away
- AiMesh lets you add another ASUS router as a mesh node
- Four gigabit LAN ports
- thousands of owner reviews, with a strong owner rating
- AX1800, so less headroom than the AX3000 picks
- Gigabit ports only, no 2.5G
- More settings than a beginner needs
TP-Link WiFi 6 Router AX1800 Smart WiFi Router (Archer AX20) - 802.11ax Router, Dual Band Gigabit Router, Parental Controls, Long Range Coverage
The Archer AX20 is the AX55 Pro’s smaller, older sibling. It is an AX1800 router, 1200 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, with OFDMA, Beamforming, four high-gain antennas and a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor. Setup runs through the Tether app and takes minutes. It is dramatically better than the router your ISP gave you, and thousands of owner reviews give it a strong owner rating. If your budget is tight and your home is small, buy this and do not overthink it.
- Still a big upgrade over any ISP router
- Quad-core processor and four high-gain antennas
- Set up in minutes with the TP-Link Tether app
- thousands of owner reviews, with the best owner rating here-rated single router here
- AX1800: slower than the AX55 Pro with many devices
- Older model
- No multi-gig ports
Cudy is not a name most people know, but the WR3000 is the cheapest way into AX3000 on this page. You get 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz with 160 MHz channels, one gigabit WAN port and three gigabit LAN ports, and a VPN feature list that usually costs more: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec, PPTP and L2TP, as both server and client. It supports WPA3 and encrypted DNS, and several Cudy routers can be joined into a mesh over Wi-Fi or a cable. thousands of owner reviews give it a strong owner rating.
- AX3000 class at one of the lowest prices in our catalog
- WireGuard and OpenVPN server and client built in
- Cudy Mesh links several units over Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- WPA3 and DNS over TLS
- a strong owner rating across thousands of owner reviews
- Three LAN ports, one fewer than the ASUS
- Less-known brand than TP-Link or ASUS
- Gigabit ports only
If your house has more than one floor or thick walls, stop looking at single routers. Mesh puts a unit on each floor and your devices hand off between them automatically. The Deco X20 is the affordable way to do that well: each unit covers up to 2,200 square feet, has two gigabit ports, and works with any other Deco. This listing is a one-pack, which suits a flat on its own; for a two-story house, choose a multi-pack on the Amazon page or add units later. tens of thousands of owner reviews give it a strong owner rating.
- Add units to cover a multi-story house with no dead zones
- One network name as you walk between floors
- Each unit has two gigabit ports for a TV or console
- Simple Deco app, minimal settings to get wrong
- tens of thousands of owner reviews, with a strong owner rating, the most reviewed pick here
- This listing is a single unit; larger homes need two or three
- Only two ports per unit
- Built for internet plans up to 1 Gbps
Comparison at a glance
| Product | Class | Type | Wired ports | Our score | Our score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link Archer AX55 ProTP-Link | AX3000 | Single router | 2x 2.5G, 3x 1G | 8.6/10 | 8.6 | See price |
| ASUS RT-AX1800SASUS | AX1800 | Single router | 1 WAN, 4 LAN gigabit | 8.6/10 | 8.6 | See price |
| TP-Link Archer AX20TP-Link | AX1800 | Single router | Gigabit | 9.0/10 | 9.0 | See price |
| Cudy WR3000Cudy | AX3000 | Single router, mesh-ready | 1 WAN, 3 LAN gigabit | 8.8/10 | 8.8 | See price |
| TP-Link Deco X20TP-Link | AX1800 | Mesh, add units | 2 gigabit per unit | 9.0/10 | 9.0 | See price |
Router or mesh?
A single router in the middle of a flat or a small single-floor house is the fastest and cheapest option. The moment you have a second floor, a long narrow layout, or brick walls, a single router will leave dead spots no matter how many antennas it has. Mesh fixes that by spreading the signal, at the cost of some speed per node. If you are unsure, count the floors: one floor, router; two or more, mesh.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7?
Not for a budget upgrade. The 6GHz band needs devices that support it, and those routers usually cost more. Wi-Fi 6 is the sweet spot until your phones and laptops catch up.
Will a new router make my internet faster?
It cannot make your internet plan faster, but it can make you actually get the speed you pay for over Wi-Fi, especially with many devices connected. Most ISP routers cannot.
Can I use my ISP modem with one of these?
Yes. Put the ISP device in bridge or modem-only mode if it is a combined modem-router, then connect the new router to it. Your ISP support page usually has instructions.
How many devices can these handle?
Wi-Fi 6 was designed for busy networks. Every pick here supports OFDMA, which lets the router send data to several devices in the same transmission instead of making them wait in turn, so a house full of phones, TVs and smart plugs is normal use.
The bottom line
Most people should buy the Archer AX55 Pro. If your house has two floors, buy Deco X20 units instead. If you enjoy settings, get the ASUS RT-AX1800S. On the tightest budget, the Archer AX20 or the Cudy WR3000.
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