Finding a decent router when shopping on a budget can be tricky, and it's worth evaluating whether you need a new one before you start shopping. Right off the bat, know you'll likely have to step up to a mid-range price point, or consider buying a used model if you want newer Wi-Fi standards for the fastest speeds. In that case, our best Wi-Fi routers article has you covered.
If you have an ISP-provided router included in your internet plan and it isn't delivering the speeds you're paying for, it's worth adjusting its settings and experimenting with positioning. Namely, you should try enabling Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) if your router supports it, as it'll make more channels with potentially less noise available for your devices to use. If you can, try placing your router in different locations in your home to see where it performs best.
If that doesn't work, or you need to provide your own hardware, a budget router can do the trick. We've tested over 75 of the most popular routers on the market, and below are our picks for the best budget routers for most people. Check out our picks for the best routers for streaming, the best Wi-Fi 6 routers, the best routers for large homes, and the best routers for Spectrum and Xfinity for more ISP-specific recommendations.
Since we started reviewing them in 2024, we've tested over 60 routers. We maintain complete editorial independence and impartiality by purchasing each router ourselves, which ensures we aren't testing specially selected review units. Rather than casually assessing performance by throwing on Netflix and seeing if it works, we rigorously evaluate each router on a standardized testing platform, providing you with all the data you need to compare different models.
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Best Budget Router
Apartment/CondoMulti-Level HouseGamingSpeedRangeLatencySee all our test resultsWi-Fi Version:Wi-Fi 6 (ax)The TP-Link Archer AX55 is the best budget router that we've tested. It's a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a businesslike design and compact size that fits easily into most spaces. Where it really stands out is its performance. At close range, it can fully utilize internet speeds up to ~750Mbps and maintains performance at distances up to nearly 100 feet. That makes it more than capable of handling large downloads, multiple users, and simultaneous 4k streaming. It's suitable for casual online play with decent wireless latency and gaming performance, and five 1Gbps Ethernet ports have you covered if you prefer a wired connection for maximum stability.
Its impressive range makes it a great choice for apartments and small to medium-sized homes. If you live in a larger space or can't place the router in a central location due to where your internet line enters the house, the AX55 supports both OneMesh and EasyMesh. This lets you expand coverage by adding compatible routers or extenders to create a mesh network. The main downside is that it's limited to Wi-Fi 6. If you own many newer Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 devices, you will miss out on the 6GHz band and the higher speeds it offers.
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Best Cheap Router
Apartment/CondoMulti-Level HouseGamingSpeedRangeLatencySee all our test resultsWi-Fi Version:Wi-Fi 6 (ax)If you're on a tight budget but need something that gets the job done, we recommend the TP-Link Archer AX10 as the best cheap router. It's a Wi-Fi 6 router that offers good speed and decent range. At close range, it can reach speeds of up to 600Mbps and still deliver solid performance at distances of around 100 feet. That's plenty for everyday browsing, large downloads, or streaming 4k video, even when several people are online at the same time. If you need extra coverage, you can pair it with any OneMesh-compatible range extender to expand your network.
This router features a standard design with four external antennas and a compact size, making it easy to fit into most homes, though it won't win any style points. Its biggest limitation is the lack of support for DFS, which means it can't access DFS-only channels that can boost performance in crowded wireless environments like apartment buildings.
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Best Budget Mesh System
Apartment/CondoMulti-Level HouseGamingSpeedRangeLatencySee all our test resultsWi-Fi Version:Wi-Fi 6 (ax)A mesh system can offer a solution if you have a large home or a pesky nook that doesn't get a good Wi-Fi signal. The best mesh system we've tested at a budget price point is the eero 6. It features dual-band Wi-Fi 6 technology and delivers solid coverage and speeds suitable for an internet connection of up to ~700Mbps. It can easily handle high-bandwidth activities, like 4k video streaming and high-speed downloads. Unlike our top budget pick, the TP-Link Archer AX55, this router has a compact and sleek design and is easily expandable, allowing you to add more units to cover larger homes. Despite its budget price, it still offers smart home integration, including built-in Zigbee support and Amazon Alexa compatibility.
Setting up this router is straightforward using the eero app, which provides a user-friendly interface for managing and monitoring your network. The app lets you see connected devices and configure basic settings, although advanced features like ad blocking and content filters require a subscription. With all that in mind, this router has only decent range performance, meaning you might not reach your internet plan's top speeds if you're far away and connected to a satellite unit. If you're unsure whether you need a mesh system, buy a single eero 6 to see if it works in your home, then add additional units as needed. Finally, most routers offer some form of mesh expandability, so check what options are available with your brand of choice.
Notable Mentions
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TP-Link Archer BE230:
The TP-Link Archer BE230 is the Wi-Fi 7-designated successor to our top budget pick, the TP-Link Archer AX55. While the BE230 delivers slightly higher top speeds and a faster WAN port for multi-gigabit plans, the AX55 offers significantly better range and remains a more cost-effective choice for most usages.
See our review -
Davolink Minions Bob:
The Davolink Minions Bob performs very similarly to the TP-Link Archer AX55 across the board, pairing good value with buckets of charm. The AX55 remains our top pick due to its slightly larger selection of LAN ports and longer range, but what Bob lacks in performance is easily made up for in personality.
See our review
Recent Updates
Aug 10, 2026:
We've reviewed our recommendations to ensure they're available and remain the best options, and haven't made any changes.
Jun 10, 2026:
We've added the Davolink Minions Bob as a Notable Mention and verified that our recommendations remain the best picks available to purchase.
Apr 17, 2026:
We've verified our recommendations are still the best available picks, updated the table tool to include Gaming and Latency, and added the TP-Link BE230 as a Notable Mention.
Feb 04, 2026:
We've replaced the TP-Link Archer AX20 with the TP-Link Archer AX55 as our budget pick, and replaced the Google Nest Wifi with the TP-Link Archer AX10 as our cheap pick, since both routers have come down in price and perform better than the outgoing models.
Apr 18, 2025:
We've ensured our picks are available and relevant, and haven't made any changes.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are currently the best cheap routers for most people, whether you're looking to upgrade to the latest standard, replace your ISP-provided router, or even get a better connection in your backyard. We factor in price (a cheaper router wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), user feedback, and availability (no routers that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our reviews of routers priced at $100 or less. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no router is perfect, nearly all of them are more than good enough for most high-bandwidth uses, like streaming 4k content and downloading large files quickly.