Best VPN routers (February 2023): top routers for Virtual Private Networks

The best VPN routers to make use of your virtual private network connection

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) (opens in new tab) is an essential service for maintaining your online privacy, and it's really easy to use: install an app, tap a button, and you're protected in seconds.

But what if you're looking to protect everything in your home? Use a VPN router, and there's no need to install apps everywhere and learn how they work. Just connect your phones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs and anything Wi-Fi-enabled to the router, and it automatically shields all your online activities from attackers.

We've uncovered the routers with the best VPN functionality, the most capable firmware, and how widely they're supported by the top VPN providers.

Of course you're looking for a great router, too, so we also pay close attention to design, connectivity, speed, coverage, and bonus features such as parental controls.

So, read on for our list of the best VPN routers, and at the end, we have some expert advice on how to sign up for the best router VPN for your needs.

• Here are the best wireless routers for your home network
• For boosting your network, these are the best Wi-Fi extenders

Picking the right VPN for your needs

To complement your VPN router, here are our guides to picking the VPN for your requirements:

• The best VPN services
• The fastest VPN for speed
• The best VPN for gaming
• The best VPN for Kodi
• The best free VPN right now

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The best VPN routers of 2023 in full

Wi-Fi 6 is the cutting-edge technology in networking, with powerful features delivering faster speeds, greater coverage, and the ability to handle even more simultaneous connections. That often means it's expensive, but not here: with the Asus RT-AX58U, you get all the core Wi-Fi 6 functionality and performance for an absolute bargain of a price.

Compare it to the high-end Wi-Fi 6 competition and it doesn't match up everywhere. It's dual, not tri-band. The CPU is triple, rather than quad-core. There's no 2.5Gbps port, and you 'only' get one USB connection. But while this might be a problem for demanding users, the reality is there's more than enough power here for many homes.

That's especially true when it comes to VPNs. There's built-in support for connecting the Asus RT-AX58U to a VPN provider; a built-in VPN server enables securely connecting to your home network while you're on the move; and the comprehensive dashboard gives you many ways to customize the router to suit your exact needs.

Read our full Asus RT-AX58U review .

Most VPN routers offer a lot of power and flexibility, but can take a while and some technical knowledge to set up. If you're in a hurry, or just prefer an easier life, ExpressVPN's Aircove is refreshingly different: you'll probably have it up and running in under ten minutes, even if you've no VPN expertise at all.

You will need a separate ExpressVPN subscription to connect, but once that's set up, Aircove's well-designed, jargon-free dashboard ensures it's even easier to operate than most VPN apps.

There are welcome bonus features, too. Aircove's groups enable connecting up to five locations simultaneously, for instance, so some devices can use your fastest local server, while your TV connects to your favorite streaming location, and a laptop uses the best server for your work.

Although Aircove excels on the VPN front, there's plenty to like about it as a router, too. Wi-Fi 6 support gives you potential speeds of up to 1,200Mbps, a 1.2 GHz 64-bit Quad-Core CPU has the power to handle dozens of simultaneous connections, there are four gigabit Ethernet ports for nearby devices, and a decent 1,600 square feet coverage to help you reach everything else.

Read our full ExpressVPN Aircove review (opens in new tab) .

If the TP-Link Archer GX90's bulk, eight pointy antennas eye-catching black/ red color scheme makes you think this isn't for office users, you'd be right: it's a high-end, high-performance gaming router which comes absolutely stuffed with advanced features and technologies.

We're not just talking Wi-Fi 6, tri-band speeds, for instance. The GX90 can set up a dedicated Gaming Band network with 4.8Gbps speeds all on its own. Connectivity options include 2.5Gbps Ethernet and a couple of USB ports (there are 3x regular Gigabit ports, too), and you can set it up as a mesh network with other TP-Link routers.

On the VPN front, there's no need to use new firmware, because the TP-Link Archer GX90 has built-in support for connecting to VPN providers via OpenVPN, L2TP or PPTP. Need more? No problem: the GX90 also has a built-in VPN server, allowing you to securely access your home network from anywhere in the world.

Read our full TP-Link Archer GX90 review (opens in new tab) .

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Most routers look dull in the extreme, but the Asus RT-AC86U angled surfaces and red slashes give it just a little more visual appeal. The case has some issues on the ergonomics front – it has to stand up, there's no wall mounting option – but unusual pluses include buttons to handle tasks buried in the firmware (disable the radios, turn off the lights.)

There's plenty to like about what's inside that casing, too. The CPU is 'only' dual core but it's a 1.8GHz model; there are four Gigabit lan ports, and two USB; MU-MIMO technology supports theoretical transfer speed of up to 2,900Mbps, and Asus' 5GHz Quad-Stream system optimizes traffic but the best gaming and streaming performance.

Browse through the comprehensive dashboard and you'll find an array of other options, including the ability to run the router as a VPN client or server. Need more power? No problem, you can install third-party firmware for even great control.

The Asus RT-AC86U may not have quite the leading edge technologies of other routers in this list, but it's less than half the price of some, yet still offers enough power for many users, and that seems like a great deal to us.

Read our full Asus RT-AC86U review .

The Synology RT6600ax may look like another bland, boring, identikit router, but beneath that boxy casing is an exceptional product for business, gaming and other demanding users.

You're after speed, say? Tri-band Wi-Fi delivers up to 6,600Mbps, and our real-world tests revealed excellent performance. Configurability? The router can operate multiple Wi-Fi networks, each with their own custom settings and rules. Security? There's a comprehensive firewall, exceptional content filtering, optional threat and intrusion detection, and a whole lot more.

It's a similar story with the VPN features. Sure, you can set it up to connect to most of the big providers, but that's just the start. There's also a VPN server which gives you remote access to your network, and the SMB-friendly ability  to remotely operate PCs and servers.

If your VPN needs are simple, just a little Netflix unblocking occasionally, the Synology RT6600ax is overkill in the extreme. But if you're a power user, an SMB, anyone with more complex requirements, this router offers a phenomenal set of features for a bargain price.

Read our full Synology RT6600ax review (opens in new tab) .

The Asus RT-AX86U isn't the cheapest router around, but it's good value for what you're getting: Wi-Fi 6 performance, a 2.5Gbps wired port, two USB 3.2 ports, and gaming optimization for GeForce Now to keep your connection running smoothly.

Setup is relatively easy, with a browser-based dashboard offering the most depth and control, while a simpler app is on hand for Android and iOS.

Surprisingly capable extras include built-in malware protection from Trend Micro, while the extensive parental controls go well beyond what you'll see from most of the competition (and Asus doesn't charge you extra for them, either.)

The router held up well in our tests, delivering above-average speeds in even the most difficult-to-reach corners of the office.

And as with other Asus routers, the excellent interface makes it easy to set up and manage a connection to your preferred VPN.

Read our full Asus RT-AX86U review .

The TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 has an odd design which somehow manages to look both

distinctive and dull, all at the same time (which although it's not ideal, is quite an achievement, when you think about it.) But if you value functionality over form, don't scroll down just yet, because this router has a great deal to offer.

The eight antennas support four 1,000Mbps streams on the 2.4Ghz band, for instance, while the two 5Ghz channels also have four streams running up to 2,167Mbps. Although the four gigabit Ethernet ports can't handle that kind of bandwidth, TP-Link's support for link aggregation means (if your laptop or NAS supports it) you can use two Ethernet ports as if they were one, doubling throughput: very impressive.

This level of enterprise power normally comes with a degree of complexity, but the TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 does a lot to keep its functions accessible to regular consumers. An app and some very clear setup instructions walk you through the first steps, and TP-Link's Router Skill even allows you to carry out common tasks via simple Alexa commands.

Read our full TP-Link Archer C5400 review .

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The Linksys WRT32X is an impressive gaming-focused router with a smart prioritization engine which automatically optimizes your gaming traffic, cutting latency and boosting performance.

The hardware is a little more ordinary: dual-band, a dual-core CPU, four gigabit ports, one USB 3.0 port, and one mildly surprising extra in an eSATA USB 2.0 port (handy for a network-attached storage device.)

The firmware is a definite plus, crammed with handy performance tweaks and essential settings. They're well-presented, too, and far easier to access than you'll see with many more business-oriented routers.

But if VPN functionality is top of your priority list, the good news is that you can install open-source firmware to give you extra functionality and connect to most of the best providers. Many VPNs have tutorials to explain exactly what's involved. As an example, check out ExpressVPN's guide here (opens in new tab) .

Read our full Linksys WRT32X Gaming Router review .

We’ve also featured the best Wi-Fi routers .

The top VPN to install on your router:

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Performance-wise, this British Virgin Islands-based provider delivered unrivalled results in our performance tests. However, what makes ExpressVPN our top pick for installing on routers is the fact that it delivers a dedicated router application – which is more than most of the competition.

Aside from its ease of installation, though, ExpressVPN also provides fast, reliable connections that you can count on, meaning you won’t suddenly find yourself having to reset your router. Keeping your VPN on all day has never been a more viable option.

On the security front, 'best in class' 256-bit encryption is in place, along with support for the proprietary Lightway, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and PPTP protocols, and a private, encrypted DNS. ExpressVPN doesn't log any traffic data, DNS queries, or anything that could be used to identify the user.

A quick glance at the pricing scheme shows that the service costs more than most VPNs, and you don't get to try it out through a free trial. However, there is a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee available, so you can try before you buy. Going the yearly route is the most affordable option of the three price plans on offer. The packages available are:

• [$12.95 a month] 1-month (opens in new tab)
• [$9.99 a month] 6-months – $59.95 (opens in new tab)
• [$6.66 a month] 15-months [3 free months] – $99.95 (opens in new tab)

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How to choose the best VPN routers for you?

When selecting the best VPN router for yourself, start with checking the router’s installation process. If you’re not familiar with routers, then a simple and swift setup process will be apt for you.

You’ll want to consider how many bands the router supports. If you have a mixture of old devices and new ones at your home or office, then it’ll help to have multiple bands that cover 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. This will distribute the internet traffic and ensure faster online speeds for all devices.

Make sure to evaluate the router’s speed and connectivity options, along with additional features like parental controls, gaming optimization, and voice control.

Lastly, you’ll want to consider the router’s design, coverage, and pricing.

The best VPN routers: How we test

When testing the best VPN routers, we first looked at their design, ease of setup, and connectivity ports. We checked their performance in terms of speed, range, and strength of coverage.

We used Ookla to test the speeds with a file download, and we also tested it against our everyday network usage to give you an idea of its real-world performance.

We checked the routers’ additional features, like parental controls, voice control, and the option to install software other than the default one that the router ships with.

We also considered what type of users the routers would be best suited for, and their pricing.