The best cheap routers available on the market.
If you don’t want to shell out your money on an expensive router with advanced features, you need to purchase a basic model that will serve you for years to come. There are plenty of affordable routers on the market that are packed with useful features. To facilitate your choice and help you buy the best cheap router, I have compiled a list of the most reliable models.
Those who are on a budget can still find a router that has handy features and ensures a high-quality connection. Some models have software that allows one to configure them properly, other options come with impressive hardware while boasting high speed and remarkable coverage. If you decide to buy a cheap WiFi router, make sure to check if it has all the features that you might need.
Speed: up to 1600 Mbps | Wireless Band: Dual | Connectivity: 1 x WAN, 4 x LAN, 1 x USB 2.0
With this wireless router, you will enjoy a fast Wi-Fi connection. This dual-band model is fitted with powerful antennas, which accounts for impressive wireless coverage. It supports a speed of up to 1600 Mbps, which will suffice for playing online games, streaming HD content and connecting several devices.
Your data will be protected from being accessed by third parties thanks to WPA/WPA2 encryption and an integrated firewall. Besides, you can create a Guest Network to ensure that your data will remain private. By using the Nighthawk App, you can configure settings, set filters and manage access rights.
Speed: up to 1700 Mbps | Wireless Band: Dual | Connectivity: 1 x WAN, 4 x LAN, 1 x USB 3.0
With this cheap router for streaming, you can enjoy a stable wireless connection. It supports MU-MIMO, which allows you to connect several devices at once without experiencing any bandwidth issues.
This model is powered by a quad-core processor with 256 MB of RAM.
It has four Gigabit LAN ports and supports USB 3.0. Thanks to AiRadar TX Beamforming technology, it produces a stable wireless signal, which accounts for impressive coverage and network stability.
Speed: up to 1750 Mbps | Wireless Band: Dual | Connectivity: 1 x WAN, 4 x LAN, 1 x USB 2.0
This cheap dual band router is fitted with 3 powerful antennas, which accounts for wireless coverage of up to 2500 square feet. If you are looking for a model that supports an ultra-fast connection, then this option is for you. It delivers a speed of up to 1750 Mbps, which makes it perfect for 4K streaming.
You can quickly configure the settings by using the Tether app. It allows you to set up a router and manage access permissions remotely. The router supports Alexa voice so you can control it by using voice commands. You can configure guest access and enable parental control, if necessary.
Speed: up to 1200 Mbps | Wireless Band: Dual | Connectivity: 1 x WAN, 4 x LAN
This 802.11ac wireless router delivers a fast and stable connection. With it, you can use the 2.4 GHz band to enjoy an up to 300 Mbps speed, which will suffice for such regular tasks as checking your email or browsing the Web. If you are a gamer, you will appreciate the fact the 5 GHz band allows you to use a speed of up to 867 Mbps, which will suffice for streaming and playing online games.
On the 5 GHz band, this inexpensive wireless router supports beamforming and MU-MIMO. You can enable these options to use a faster wireless connection. This model comes with 128 MB of RAM and 8 MB of storage. Thanks to four antennas, it has wireless coverage of up to 15,000 square feet.
Speed: up to 1500 Mbps | Wireless Band: Dual | Connectivity: 1 x WAN, 4 x LAN
This affordable wireless router has an eye-catching design and supports Wi-Fi 6, which allows you to connect multiple devices to the Internet without experiencing speed drops or network congestion. The key advantage of this dual-band model is that it is fitted with an AX10 1.5 GHz Tri-Core processor, which accounts for impressive bandwidth and a seamless streaming experience.
With it, you can play online games using a high-speed connection. Thanks to OFDMA and MU-MIMO, you won’t notice any lag when streaming videos, playing games or using smart home devices.
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NETGEAR R6330
Our Choice
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
ASUS RT-ACRH17
Affordable
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
TP-Link AC1750
Inexpensive
|
CHECK PRICE → |
When selecting a router, check what wireless standards it supports. Even budget models support such popular standards as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac. Since “a, b, g” standards are gradually becoming outdated, it’s better to purchase a future-proof model that supports 802.11n or 802.11ac standards.
You can buy a single-band, dual-band or tri-band router. If a model has more than one band, it allows you to simultaneously connect more devices to the network. This is why it’s crucial to check how many bands a router supports before making a final choice.
If you buy a budget WiFi router, it will utilize either a 2.4 GHz or a 5 GHz band. While the former allows you to connect many devices to the network, the latter accounts for the quality of a wireless connection. One of the key advantages of a dual-band router is that it uses both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
If you want to buy a future-proof model, pick a router that has regular firmware updates. Many manufacturers regularly release new models with advanced features. However, sometimes, it’s possible to improve the overall connection speed thank to firmware updates. Even low cost wireless routers are fitted with firewalls, DDOS protection options and QoS features. If your router supports DD-WRT and OpenWrt, it means that you can customize it to your liking. Besides, it allows you to connect a wide range of devices to a router.
Even if you buy an inexpensive wireless router, it doesn’t mean that it will have only basic features. Most new models support a dual-band connection, allow you to customize firmware and have 1 Gbps downloads speeds or higher. It will suffice for streaming high-quality videos or playing online games.
This application allows you to manage the devices connected to your router. NETGEAR Nighthawk has versions for IOS and Android smartphones.
If your router supports a speed of 25 Mbps or more, it will suffice for streaming HD videos, playing online games, browsing the Internet and downloading music.
The wireless range of your router depends on the supported frequency, external antennas, transmission power and the outside conditions. For instance, a router that supports 802.11n and comes with an antenna might support a Wi-Fi range of up to 50 meters (160 ft).
