The best router VPN in 2022 Tom s Guide
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If you want to set up your router VPN in minutes without paying anyone else to flash it for you, ExpressVPN's dedicated app is the answer. And now, its dedicated Aircove router offers unrivalled customization. It's by far the best router VPN available – and you'll also have a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)2 NordVPN – easiest of the app-less options (opens in new tab)
While it doesn't have a dedicated router VPN app, NordVPN is one of the easiest VPNs to set up manually. With useful installation guides, the process is made as simple as possible (with the exception of Express's app, of course), and Nord's decent value, too.View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)3 Surfshark – great alternative with unlimited connections (opens in new tab)
Perhaps you've decided you don't want a router VPN. Well, Surfshark offers a tempting alternative. You might not get VPN cover on your Smart TV or Xbox, but you will be able to use Surfshark on as many devices as you want. And for less than $2.50 a month, it's an absolute steal.View Deal (opens in new tab)
With a dedicated router app, excellent speeds, great support, and intuitive apps for all your other devices, ExpressVPN is the best router VPN available. Plus, Tom's Guide readers can claim three months free when signing up to a year-long plan. That works out at 15 months for the price of 12.
View Deal (opens in new tab) (Image credit: NordVPN) (opens in new tab)
Sign up now on the Surfshark website (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)
The best router VPN in 2022
By Mo Harber-Lamond published 4 October 2022 Keep every device you own protected with the best router VPN (Image credit: NordVPN) If you're looking to protect every internet-connected device in your house – from your iPhone and PS5 to your Ring doorbell – a router VPN is the perfect solution. It eliminates the need to install a VPN on individual devices, and allows the best VPN services to be used on devices like Roku and games consoles that don't natively support VPN connections. However, the setup procedure can be somewhat complex, and may be daunting for those not used to fiddling with in-depth settings. Some providers offer much easier setup, though, and others even offer dedicated hardware options. So, here we'll be explaining what makes the best router VPN, whether you really need one, and alternative options for complete household privacy. If you're ready to get going, you'll find our top choices just below. If you're still wondering whether using a VPN on your router is the best choice for you, just keep scrolling for our complete guide.Our top router VPN picks
(opens in new tab)1 ExpressVPN – undeniably the best router VPN (opens in new tab)If you want to set up your router VPN in minutes without paying anyone else to flash it for you, ExpressVPN's dedicated app is the answer. And now, its dedicated Aircove router offers unrivalled customization. It's by far the best router VPN available – and you'll also have a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)2 NordVPN – easiest of the app-less options (opens in new tab)
While it doesn't have a dedicated router VPN app, NordVPN is one of the easiest VPNs to set up manually. With useful installation guides, the process is made as simple as possible (with the exception of Express's app, of course), and Nord's decent value, too.View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)3 Surfshark – great alternative with unlimited connections (opens in new tab)
Perhaps you've decided you don't want a router VPN. Well, Surfshark offers a tempting alternative. You might not get VPN cover on your Smart TV or Xbox, but you will be able to use Surfshark on as many devices as you want. And for less than $2.50 a month, it's an absolute steal.View Deal (opens in new tab)
What is a router VPN
In essence, a router VPN is exactly the same as any VPN you might install on your phone or PC – it diverts your internet traffic away from your ISP's servers towards its own. Your traffic is encrypted in the process, meaning you'll be able to surf in peace, knowing that no one can see or track your activity. But why would you want one on your router? Most commonly, router VPNs are used so that a VPN-protected connection can be used by devices that can't have a VPN installed directly. That includes Smart TVs and Apple TV, games consoles, Roku, and many others, and means you'll be able to access blocked streaming content and stay anonymous on any device attached to your Wi-Fi connection. Plus, most VPNs have a limit to how many devices can use a single subscription. If you install a router VPN, then any number of devices or individuals can use your VPN connection – friends, family, your date that you've wooed with your intimate knowledge of the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) Wi-Fi 6 router...Check out how to set up a virtual router and share VPNThe downsides of a router VPN
The biggest drawback is that you may well discover that your current router can't support your chosen VPN's dedicated router VPN app, if it has one at all. And, as you'll notice in the next couple of paragraphs, it can get a bit confusing. You'll have to either buy a new router that does, or install DD-WRT firmware to allow you to manually set up a VPN connection – a list of DD-WRT-compatible routers is here (opens in new tab). There are also some other options, including Tomato. The other problem is that it's more difficult to change your VPN's settings because your router doesn't have a screen or interface. Any alterations will have to be done through your router's dashboard on a PC, some of which are still very basic and difficult to use. A company called FlashRouters does provide a very useful router setup service, plus a great app that makes things a lot easier – but it's expensive. However, some VPN services have made the process far simpler than expected – one of which being ExpressVPN. It has a dedicated website for setting up your router VPN, and apps specifically designed to get your router protected quickly. It's easily our first choice when it comes to router VPNs, but there are a few other options that you'll find below.The five best router VPNs today
(Image credit: ExpressVPN) (opens in new tab)1 ExpressVPN
The best router VPN, plus boutique router hardware Dedicated router app: Yes Peak speeds on 1Gbps line: 630Mbps Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+ 24/7 customer support: Yes Setup guides: Yes+3 MONTHS FREEExpressVPN 12 month (opens in new tab)$6.67/mth (opens in new tab)ExpressVPN 6 month (opens in new tab)$9.99/mth (opens in new tab)ExpressVPN 1 month (opens in new tab)$12.95/mth (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at ExpressVPN (opens in new tab)Powerful dedicated router appExpressVPN Aircove router is incredibly powerfulClass-leading supportSuper reliable connectionsA little pricey – but worth it ExpressVPN just about has it all. Not only does it deliver the best service for regular devices, the British Virgin Islands-based firm also offers the easiest and most effective way of installing a router VPN. Unlike a number of other options further down this list, ExpressVPN offers its own custom router firmware you can use on a wide range of compatible routers. Essentially, that means you can control the router VPN from ExpressVPN's own easy-to-use dashboard rather than delving into your router's settings. The very best way of getting ExpressVPN up and running on a router, though, is to buy Express's own Aircove router (opens in new tab). Preloaded with ExpressVPN software and ready to use in five minutes, it's quite simply the easiest way of getting a VPN on a router. Highly recommended if you're looking for a long-term router solution. However, if you don't have a compatible router, you can still install a VPN connection manually on a host of other routers. One big benefit of using a compatible router, though, is the fact you can set up split tunnelling – that means you can choose which devices use the VPN connections and which don't. If things don't go to plan – and if it's your first time installing a VPN on a router, something may well go wrong – ExpressVPN has class-leading 24/7 live-chat support which is pretty much indispensable when undergoing an in-depth process like this. If you want to test out ExpressVPN, it also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee which lets you get to grips with the service without committing. Head and shoulders above any other VPN on this list, Express really is your best bet if you want a reliable router VPN. (opens in new tab)Get 3 months FREE of the best router VPN (opens in new tab)With a dedicated router app, excellent speeds, great support, and intuitive apps for all your other devices, ExpressVPN is the best router VPN available. Plus, Tom's Guide readers can claim three months free when signing up to a year-long plan. That works out at 15 months for the price of 12.
View Deal (opens in new tab) (Image credit: NordVPN) (opens in new tab)
2 NordVPN
Privacy behemoth is excellent for routers Dedicated router app: No Peak speeds on 1Gbps line: 760Mbps Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+ 24/7 customer support: Yes Setup guides: Yes+3 months freeNordVPN 2 Year (opens in new tab)$3.09/mth (opens in new tab)NordVPN 1 Year (opens in new tab)$4.99/mth (opens in new tab)NordVPN 1 Month (opens in new tab)$11.99/mth (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at NordVPN (opens in new tab)Comprehensive setup guideExcellent speedsVerified no-loggingGreat for streamingNo in-house router app The name NordVPN is almost synonymous with the VPN industry as a whole, and if you've been on the search for a quality router VPN, you've no doubt been recommended this provider. Thankfully, in our NordVPN review it proved to be seriously capable, and certainly deserves the limelight it lives in. However, NordVPN doesn't offer a dedicated router VPN app, which makes setup somewhat difficult. Pre-configured routers are available from providers like FlashRouters, and while they're good to go out the box, they're quite expensive. Go for that, though, and you can use the FlashRouters Privacy app, and NordVPN is a 'premium partner.' While you can use the app with a number of other VPNs including ExpressVPN, premium partners get additional features like automatic server updates and smart server sorting. Nord's great for streaming, unblocking Netflix, iPlayer, Hulu and tons more, and if it's active on your router you'll be able to take advantage of those devices that don't natively support VPNs like consoles and TVs. Plus, even devices like your Ring doorbell and Alexa will benefit from your fully encrypted connection. While we'd still recommend you get hold of one, if you don't have a router that the ExpressVPN app is compatible with – and don't want to buy one – NordVPN's FlashRouters integration is a very good alternative. Sign up now on the NordVPN website (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)3 Surfshark
Bargain VPN offers router discount and great speeds Dedicated router app: No Peak speeds on 1Gbps line: 790Mbps Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+ 24/7 customer support: Yes Setup guides: Yes+2 months freeSurfshark 24 Months (opens in new tab)$2.30/mth (opens in new tab)Surfshark 12 Months (opens in new tab)$3.99/mth (opens in new tab)Surfshark 1 Month (opens in new tab)$12.95/mth (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at Surfshark (opens in new tab)Incredibly good valueUnlimited connectionsExcellent streaming supportNo dedicated router VPN app If you're looking to spend as little money as possible and still get a premium VPN, Surfshark could be a good option – check out our full Surfshark review for more. Like Nord, Surfshark doesn't provide its own router VPN app – but for some, its bargain price and premium performance might be worth that trade-off. With great speeds, excellent apps on other devices and unlimited connections, it's a top-notch service we really like. Now, note how Surfshark has unlimited connections. That's one of the reasons many people install router VPNs in the first place – to avoid simultaneous device restrictions – so if that's your reasoning for investigating a router VPN, it could make sense to simply get a VPN with no restrictions and leave your router alone.Otherwise, like all the other VPNs on this list, Surfshark can be set up manually on routers, and you can also use the FlashRouter app with it to make it easier to change your VPN's settings. So, while it doesn't have any dedicated router features, Surfshark's great value, and might offer an alternative to a router VPN entirely.Sign up now on the Surfshark website (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)