The 9 Best Routers for Under $50 of 2022
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Can an inexpensive router cover my entire home? Most budget routers won’t give you more than 1,000–2,000 square feet of coverage, and you’ll probably find your speeds dropping off at the edges of that range. However, you can add an affordable Wi-Fi extender to boost your range for less than the cost of a long-range router, and many inexpensive routers can also double as range extenders or wireless access points.
Should I buy a used Wi-Fi router? We generally recommend against buying a used Wi-Fi router unless you know that the previous owner took good care of it. Since most people tend to ignore their Wi-Fi routers, often sticking them in a dusty corner or a closet, they’re much more prone to getting damaged from heat stress due to poor ventilation and dust building up around the vents, which can shorten their life span dramatically.
These Are the 9 Best Routers for Under $50
Find the perfect cheap and reliable router for your home
By Jesse Hollington Jesse Hollington Writer Jesse Hollington is a tech writer with 10+ years' experience. He has written for iLounge, Forbes, Yahoo, The Independent, and iDropNews, among others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 23, 2021 We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Tweet Share Email Networking The Ultimate Router Buying Guide When you look at all the expensive high-end home routers on the market, you may be surprised to discover that you don’t need to spend a bundle to get a good router—especially if you only need to handle a few devices in a smaller living space. Our roundup of the best routers under $50 includes some great options for single users and small families living in an apartment, condo, or medium-sized homes, where maximum range and tri-band coverage simply aren’t all that important. The best routers under $50 still provide reliable performance with more than enough bandwidth for three or four devices to enjoy modern online activities like 4K Netflix streaming and Zoom calls, so they’re great picks for anyone who’s on a budget, or even someone looking for an affordable router to use at the cottage. Read on for the best routers under $50 that will give you great features and coverage at wallet-friendly prices. The Rundown Best Overall: TP-Link Archer A6 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Single Band: TP-Link TL-WR940N at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Netgear R6080 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Range: TP-Link Archer C50 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Design: Linksys E5350 at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Travel: TP-Link TL-WR902AC at Amazon Jump to Review Best Price: TP-Link TL-WR841N at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Small Business: Asus RT-AC1200 at Walmart Jump to Review Best for Home Office: Asus RT-N12 at Amazon Jump to Review in this article Expand Our Picks About Our Trusted Experts The Ultimate Budget Router Buying GuideBest Overall: TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 Gigabit Smart Wi-Fi Router
3.3 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Great value for the price MU-MIMO support WPA3 security What We Don't Like No USB ports TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 Router Review: Good Performance On a Budget TP-Link makes some of the most affordable routers on the market, and its Archer A6 (also known as the C6) may be one of the most inexpensive dual-band routers you can buy from any brand. With AC1200 specs, it offers surprisingly great performance for its price range, with up to 867Mbps on throughput on the 5GHz band, plus another 300Mpbs for lower-end 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi 4 devices. The result is a really inexpensive router that can easily handle streaming 4K in Netflix, keeping in touch with friends and colleagues on FaceTime and Zoom, and even light online gaming. Of course, like most budget routers you’re not going to get enough range to cover a large home, so you’ll need to keep your devices close by for the best performance. However, at this price you can also easily afford to add a Wi-Fi extender if you find you need an extra bit of reach. The Archer A6 also sports four Gigabit Ethernet ports around the back to hardwire in any devices that need more speed. Thanks to MU-MIMO support, however, you’ll probably only need that for older Wi-Fi 4 clients or devices without built in Wi-Fi. This budget router also packs in some impressive features for a device in its price range, including device-based QoS, basic parental controls, WPA3 security, and even an OpenVPN server. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA3, OpenVPN, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC1200 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: Yes Beamforming: Yes Wired Ports: 5 "With an MSRP of $50, the Archer A6 represents pretty decent value for the level of performance and the feature set it offers. You may want to step up to a more expensive unit if you have a big house or a lot of devices, and it is missing features like a USB port, but the Archer A6 is priced very well for what you get." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product TesterBest Single Band: TP-Link TL-WR940N N450 Wi-Fi Router
View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like Solid 802.11n Wi-Fi performance Can work as a range extender Very affordable What We Don't Like Lacks Gigabit Ethernet ports Single-band only No USB port TP-Link’s TL-WR940N is one of the most affordable routers you can buy. While you're cutting quite a few corners at this price, the solid 2.4GHz 802.11n WI-Fi 4 performance makes it a great choice for anybody who doesn’t need to worry about supporting 5GHz devices. Although this limits the TL-WR940N to speeds of only 450Mbps, that’s all you usually get on the 2.4GHz band with even more expensive dual-band routers. More importantly, it’s still more than enough for three or four devices to stream in 4K and make Zoom calls. Plus, it supports basic QoS features to let you control how much bandwidth each connected device can use, so you can ensure that your smart TVs and game consoles get maximum performance. The biggest downside here is that while you do get four Ethernet ports on the back, they’re only Fast Ethernet, so you’ll be limited to 100Mbps on your wired connections. This creates the rare scenario where you may actually get better performance using your devices over Wi-Fi than you would by plugging them in directly into the router. Wireless Spec: 802.11n Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: N450 Bands: Single-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 5Best Value: Netgear R6080 Dual-Band AC1000 WiFi Router
Netgear View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Compact size Four Gigabit Ethernet ports What We Don't Like No USB port Limited range Despite its lower price tag, Netgear’s R6080 carries on the company’s reputation for solid and reliable routers, providing some of the best bang for your buck. While you shouldn’t expect this one to handle the needs of a large home or family, it offers more than enough range and performance for a small household to enjoy all that the modern internet has to offer. This dual-band AC1000 router offers up 700Mbps of throughput on the 5GHz band plus 300Mbps for 2.4GHz devices to share among up to 15 devices and enough range to fully cover 1,000 square feet of your living area. This makes it ideal for single users, couples, and small families in an apartment, bungalow, or condo, as it can deliver more than enough speed to stream from services like Netflix in full 4K quality and keep in touch with friends and family on FaceTime and Zoom—just as long as you don’t try to throw too many devices at it. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC1000 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 5Best Range: TP-Link Archer C50 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router
3.5 Jordan Provost / Lifewire View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Staples What We Like Attractive design Very affordable Solid range What We Don't Like Middling speeds Not great at handling multiple devices TP-Link Archer C50 Review: Budget Price, Budget Performance TP-Link’s Archer C50 is an affordable router that excels at offering better range than most others in its class, with leading AC1200 Wi-Fi and enough range to deliver 1.2Gbps speeds throughout a typical three-bedroom home. The fixed antennas support beamforming and MU-MIMO to ensure that you get top speeds throughout your home, even when supporting multiple devices, and with 867Mbps of throughput on the 5GHz band, plus 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz side, it offers more than enough performance for 4K streaming and video calling. A simple device-based QoS feature also lets you prioritize specific devices like smart TVs or game consoles to ensure they get the best performance. While the specs are very similar to the Archer A6, which is easily the best budget router overall, if you don’t need VPN features or the capacity for high-speed wired devices, you can save a few more bucks by going with the C50, which only includes Fast Ethernet ports. As an added bonus, however, it does add the ability to act as a range extender, so it can be a great add-on to the Archer A6 as well. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC1000 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: Yes Beamforming: Yes Wired Ports: 5 "We were expecting the signal strength and range to be the weak point, but we were wrong." — Bill Thomas, Product Tester The 9 Best Long-Range Routers of 2022Best Design: Linksys E5350 Dual-Band AC1000 Wi-Fi Router
Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Attractive design Offers basic parental controls What We Don't Like Lacks Gigabit Ethernet ports No USB port Linksys E5350 proves that you don’t need to pay a premium to get a router that looks nice enough to put in your living room. This AC1000 dual-band Wi-Fi router features a smooth and sleek top surface with only two round antennas, but it still delivers enough range and performance for an average-sized home. With 1Gbps of combined throughput—700Mbps on the 5GHz band and 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz—you’ll have no problem streaming Netflix in 4K and keeping in touch with friends and family on FaceTime and Skype. Even better, the design allows you to more comfortably place it where you’ll get the best coverage for your smart TV or game console. The E5350 also provides secure access for your guests, plus basic parental controls to keep your kids away from the darker corners of the internet. Unfortunately, the four Ethernet ports around back only support 100Mbps Fast Ethernet, so it’s not ideal for high-speed wired devices; in fact, you’ll get much better speeds from the 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC1000 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 5Best for Travel: TP-Link TL-WR902AC AC750 Travel Router
5 View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like Dual Band Wi-Fi Fast 802.11ac performance Versatile wireless modes What We Don't Like Shorter range Port layout isn't ideal TP-Link TL-WR902AC Travel Router: Pocketable Wi-Fi TP-Link's TL-WR902AC is one of the fastest pocket-sized routers you'll find, making it the best pick for users on the go. Measuring in at only 2.64x2.91x0.9 inches and 7.2 ounces, it's small enough to carry your own little bubble of Wi-Fi just about anywhere. Don’t let its small size fool you, though. It offers AC750 dual-band Wi-Fi, with speeds of up to 733Mbps on the 5GHz band and 2.4GHz on the 2.4GHz side, so it’s plenty fast enough to meet all your streaming and video conferencing needs wherever you happen to land. It’s also really versatile, working not only as a traditional router or Wi-Fi access point, but also as a range extender, a private Wi-Fi hotspot for WISP networks, or as a client to provide Wi-Fi access to a wired-only device via its built-in Ethernet port. Just keep in mind that you're not going to get a lot of range in a device this size, but that shouldn’t matter as this device is intended for personal use by one or two users while travelling. After all, if you’re using it to provide Wi-Fi access in a hotel room or while sitting in a coffee shop, you’re never going to be more than a few feet away from it anyway. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC750 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 1 The 6 Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2022 "At only $45, the TP-Link TL-WR902AC is about as cheap as routers come, and is really quite a bargain considering its portability, ease of use, and remarkable versatility." — Andy Zahn, Product TesterBest Price: TP-Link TL-WR841N Wi-Fi Router
Courtesy of Amazon.com View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like Extremely affordable Easy to set up Small footprint What We Don't Like No 5GHz support No Gigabit Ethernet No USB ports TP-Link’s TL-WR841N is a ridiculously affordable router that’s ideal for single users, couples and small families in an apartment, condo, or bungalow. It’s a single-band router, which means everything runs on the 2.4GHz channel, but with speeds of up to 300Mbps, it offers more than enough performance for one or two people to enjoy streaming, video calling, and even some light online gaming. Expecting great range at this price is likely too much to ask, but the TL-WR841N can still cover most one-storey two-bedroom homes or apartments without any issues, and at 5.1x1.3x7.60 inches 8.1 ounces it’s small enough to tuck away just about anywhere. You’ll have to give up a few other things at this price, of course; the TL-WR841N only includes four 100Mbps Fast Ethernet ports, and no USB ports at all, and the single band may be problem if you live in an area that’s prone to interference from other 2.4GHz devices like cordless phones, security cameras, or even your neighbours’ Wi-Fi routers. Wireless Spec: 802.11n Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: N300 Bands: Single-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 5Best for Small Business: Asus RT-AC1200 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router
Asus View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video View On Adorama.com What We Like Dual WAN support QoS and traffic monitoring Parental control features What We Don't Like Lacks MU-MIMO support No USB ports Asus’ RT-AC1200 has an interesting twist that makes it a great choice for small businesses that can’t afford any downtime. With dual WAN support, this router lets you connect to two separate internet connections at the same time, so you’ll always have a backup connection ready to go. This dual-band Wi-Fi router otherwise offers the performance you’d expect from an AC1200 router, with 867Mbps on the 5GHz band, plus 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz side, providing ample speed for all the devices on your network. Four external beamforming antennas put out a powerful signal to cover a small office or modest sized home. The aforementioned dual WAN feature uses one of the four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports to link up to a second broadband connection, which can either be set up to work in standby mode, failing over if the primary connection goes down, or to use both connections at the same time, load balancing your traffic across them for the fastest possible throughput. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac Security: WPA2, RADIUS, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: AC1200 Bands: Dual-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: Yes Wired Ports: 5Best for Home Office: Asus RT-N12 N300 Wi-Fi Router
Courtesy of Amazon.com View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like Works as a router or repeater Can set up multiple SSIDs PPTP VPN support What We Don't Like No 5GHz Limited range Not suitable for very fast internet plans The Asus RT-N12 allows you to configure up to four different Wi-Fi networks from the same router, making it an ideal choice for those with home offices or anyone else who wants to separate their Wi-Fi access for security and performance reasons. While it’s a single-band N300 router, which means you’ll only get 300Mbps of throughput on the 2.4GHz channel, it can still handle streaming, surfing, and video conferencing for a small number of users. Besides, it’s not going to matter much if your internet plan isn’t more than 300Mbps, as that’s the combined speed that’s available to all of your devices anyway. More significantly, however, you can set up different SSIDs with dynamic bandwidth management and different access restrictions, so you can keep your mission-critical devices on a priority SSID while limiting the amount of bandwidth your kids can use., and controlling where they can go. It's also versatile enough to be used as a range extender or wireless repeater. Wireless Spec: 802.11n Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access Standard/Speed: N300 Bands: Single-band MU-MIMO: No Beamforming: No Wired Ports: 5 The 9 Best Asus Routers of 2022 Final Verdict TP-Link's Archer A6/C6 is an affordable router with modern Wi-Fi standards and great performance, although if you only need to support older 2.4GHz devices, you can save even more by going with TP-Link's ridiculously affordable TL-WR841N.About Our Trusted Experts
Jesse Hollington has over three decades of experience in information technology and networking and has installed, tested, and configured just about every type and brand of router, firewall, wireless access point, and network extender, dating back to the days long before Wi-Fi even existed. Jeremy Laukkonen is an experienced tech journalist with a background in automotive repair that has taught him the importance of breaking down complex technical subjects in understandable ways. He specializes in VPNs, antivirus, and home electronics, and manages his own automotive blog on the side. Andy Zahn has been writing for Lifewire since April 2019. When he’s not obsessing over (and writing about) the latest gadgets and consumer technology, he can be found traveling and photographing the wild Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest, or tending to a herd of obnoxious goats on a small farm in the shadow of Mt. St. Helens. Bill Thomas is a Denver-based freelance writer who covers technology, music, film, and gaming. They began writing for Lifewire in January 2018, but you can also find their work on TechRadar. Bill has also worked as an editor at Future. FAQ Is it okay to buy an older router? When buying a router for a smaller home, you can save a lot of money by going with an older model. In fact, many manufacturers continue selling their previous models for exactly this reason, since not everybody needs the latest and greatest Wi-Fi technologies. While we normally recommend going with at least a dual-band router that offers 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 support, if you’re a single user in a dorm or small apartment you can get some incredibly affordable 802.11n Wi-Fi 4 routers that will still give you more than enough performance for streaming your favourite movies and TV shows from services like Netflix.Can an inexpensive router cover my entire home? Most budget routers won’t give you more than 1,000–2,000 square feet of coverage, and you’ll probably find your speeds dropping off at the edges of that range. However, you can add an affordable Wi-Fi extender to boost your range for less than the cost of a long-range router, and many inexpensive routers can also double as range extenders or wireless access points.
Should I buy a used Wi-Fi router? We generally recommend against buying a used Wi-Fi router unless you know that the previous owner took good care of it. Since most people tend to ignore their Wi-Fi routers, often sticking them in a dusty corner or a closet, they’re much more prone to getting damaged from heat stress due to poor ventilation and dust building up around the vents, which can shorten their life span dramatically.