Updated on: April 26, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for routers in 2024:
- 🥇ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is one of the only VPNs with a dedicated router app. Plus, it also has its own router, which comes pre-installed with the VPN, and you can purchase it for an affordable price. In addition, the VPN is fast, secure, and excellent for streaming. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Setting up a VPN on your router is completely worthwhile. It allows you to secure all your home devices, from your phone to your gaming console. This not only saves you from connecting each device separately but also protects devices that don’t support VPNs, such as certain smart TVs and gaming consoles.
But finding a suitable VPN for your router is tricky. Not every VPN is router-friendly, and those that are often come with slow speeds, buggy apps, or small server networks with poor streaming support — not to mention that setting up a VPN on your router is somewhat difficult, and not all providers have helpful tutorials.
That’s why I tested dozens of VPNs and picked the best ones for routers. ExpressVPN is my favorite, as it’s one of the few VPNs with a native router app. Also, it has its own affordable router that comes with the VPN pre-installed, blazing-fast speeds, and excellent streaming support.
Quick summary of the best VPNs for routers:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for routers in 2024 (native router app + super fast speeds).
- 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Excellent security and privacy features + works with multiple routers).
- 3. 🥉CyberGhost VPN — Easy to set up on routers (great tutorials) and suitable for new users to VPNs.
- 4. NordVPN — Fast connections on routers across all servers + strong security features.
- 5. Surfshark — Good VPN for users on a tight budget (with very affordable pricing plans).
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Routers in 2024
ExpressVPN is my go-to VPN for routers because its native router app is super easy to use. Also, ExpressVPN delivers lightning-fast speeds, excellent streaming and torrenting support, and more — it’s hands-down the best VPN on the market.
ExpressVPN is one of the only VPNs with a native router app, which makes the router setup way easier since it doesn’t require as much manual configuration. It took me about 8 minutes to download and set up the app on my router. Plus, its dashboard is really intuitive, it has a quick-connect feature, and is beginner-friendly.
This provider also has its own router, called Aircove. If you buy it, you get access to a router that comes with ExpressVPN pre-installed on it. What’s more, Aircove is also really secure, as it has passed an independent security audit.
With ExpressVPN, you get blazing-fast speeds on your router. In my tests, it allowed smooth streaming, gaming, and browsing. Moreover, its router app comes with the Lightway protocol, which boosts speeds across all devices. When I connected to a far-away server in the US, I experienced only minimal speed loss, and HD videos loaded instantly without any buffering or lags.
I’m also happy with ExpressVPN’s security features. You get an independently audited no-logs policy, which means the VPN doesn’t track or collect data about your online activities. Also, it comes with RAM-only servers, meaning that all server data is wiped with every reboot. And it has perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for each VPN session. Plus, it comes with an ad blocker, which filters out display ads and stops them from loading.
The VPN is also really good for streaming, as customer support confirmed it works with 100+ streaming platforms. This includes popular services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
The VPN provides split-tunneling on routers via its Device Groups feature. This feature lets you categorize your Wi-Fi-connected devices into groups that either use or don’t use the VPN.
ExpressVPN offers plans starting at $6.67 / month and often has discounts and extra months for free. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for routers thanks to its dedicated router app, super fast speeds, excellent security, and user-friendliness. Additionally, it has an advanced split-tunneling tool, excellent streaming and torrenting support, and a lengthy money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great Security & Privacy Features for Routers
Private Internet Access (PIA) has good router support and strong privacy and security features. PIA has an independently audited no-logs policy that has also been proven true in court documents, and it also regularly publishes transparency reports.
Other safety features include RAM-only servers, full leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy. Plus, all of its servers in 91 countries come with anti-DDoS protection for safe gaming. And if you want to use other apps, they’re all open-source, meaning anyone can inspect the code for security issues.
I was very impressed with PIA’s router support. It’s compatible with various routers, such as AsusWRT and DD-WRT models. The VPN needs to be manually set up, but it’s a straightforward process thanks to its easy-to-follow guides that include screenshots. I managed to get it configured in less than 15 minutes, which is actually pretty fast. However, ExpressVPN is a better option, as it offers a dedicated router app.
I had great speeds with PIA when using it through my router. When I tested it on my phone, laptop, smart TV, and PlayStation, HD videos loaded instantly, while 4K videos took roughly 2–3 seconds to load. Websites and social media apps loaded instantly, too. I also didn’t experience any buffering or lag while playing games on my PlayStation.
Private Internet Access offers competitively priced plans ($2.03 / month). A 30-day money-back guarantee backs all plans if you’re not satisfied.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is a reliable and secure VPN for routers. It provides excellent speeds, along with robust security and privacy features, and simple manual router configuration with detailed guides. Also, the overall ease of use, great streaming support, and competitive pricing make PIA a strong contender among router VPNs.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Intuitive Router Setup for Beginners
CyberGhost VPN stands out as a beginner-friendly VPN for routers. It provides easy-to-follow step-by-step guides with screenshots for those new to VPNs who’d like to manually configure a VPN on their routers. By following its guides, I managed to set up this provider on my router in less than 15 minutes.
CyberGhost has excellent router support. It’s compatible with various router models, including DD-WRT, Tomato, etc. It’s important to note that your chosen router needs to support the OpenVPN protocol, as this is the only tunneling protocol CyberGhost supports for routers.
CyberGhost delivers great speeds when connected to a router. Although it’s slower than ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, it still provides stable connections. When I connected to a US server, I had good speeds and didn’t notice any major slowdowns compared to my ISP speeds. Websites loaded in 2–3 seconds, while 4K videos took less than 6 seconds to load.
The provider offers excellent privacy and security. It has an audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, and perfect forward secrecy to keep your online sessions safe. I also really like that it has anti-DDoS protection if you’re connecting to the router for gaming on Xbox or PlayStation.
CyberGhost’s plans cost as low as $2.19 / month. All long-term plans come with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, while its monthly subscription comes with a 14-day guarantee.
Bottom line:
CyberGhost is a great router VPN for beginners. Its easy setup (thanks to its easy-to-follow guides), decent speeds, top-notch security, and excellent router support make it very user-friendly. Plus, it comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee on all long-term plans.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
4. NordVPN — Delivers Fast Speeds on Your Router
NordVPN is an excellent choice for routers thanks to its fast speeds across all servers. When I connected to a UK server from Serbia, websites loaded instantly and playing games went smoothly, too.
I really like that NordVPN has excellent router support. It works with various router models that support the OpenVPN protocol. Plus, setting up NordVPN on a router is straightforward and user-friendly. With comprehensive guides complete with screenshots, I could get NordVPN running on my router in approximately 14 minutes. Even so, ExpressVPN is still a better solution with its native router app.
Privacy and security are excellent with NordVPN. An independently audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, and colocated servers owned and operated solely by NordVPN ensure user data remains private and secure. It also offers full leak protection and perfect forward secrecy.
The VPN also has really good streaming support, as it’s compatible with 10+ streaming services, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime. Still, if streaming is your main reason for using the VPN on your router, I recommend ExpressVPN since it works with 100+ streaming platforms.
NordVPN offers affordable plans that start at $3.09 / month. It also backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom line:
NordVPN offers high speeds, top-tier security features, and excellent router support. Plus, its comprehensive router setup guides and extra features make it super user-friendly. Also, its affordable plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Budget-Friendly VPN for Your Router
Surfshark is a great VPN for those on a budget wanting router support. It’s the most affordable VPN on our list with multiple competitively-priced plans.
With Surfshark, you’ll get great router support. Setting up the VPN on your router is a straightforward process thanks to the comprehensive tutorials available on its website. These easy-to-follow guides make it simple for users of all technical levels to configure the VPN on their router. Plus, it works with a variety of router models.
I really like Surfshark’s speeds. Even though it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access, I managed to stream HD videos without major lags and download a 9 GB file in just 6–7 minutes. However, I experienced significant slowdowns when I connected to very remote servers.
Surfshark is also very secure. It comes with an audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, DNS leak protection, anti-DDoS protection for gaming, and perfect forward secrecy.
Surfshark’s plans are very cheap ($2.29 / month) and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom line:
Surfshark is a budget-friendly choice for people who need a router VPN. It has highly affordable plans, comprehensive guides for its manual router setup, decent router compatibility, fast speeds, and great security features for all devices connecting through your router. Plus, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Comparison of the Best VPNs for Routers in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN for Routers in 2024
- Choose a VPN that’s compatible with your router. Not all VPNs work with every router model, so ensure the VPN you select supports yours. I recommend a VPN with a native router app, such as ExpressVPN.
- Look for providers with fast speeds. VPN encryption slows down your connection, and VPN connections on routers are inherently slower than connecting directly to a device. That’s why I’d go for a premium VPN that minimizes this speed loss. In my tests, ExpressVPN has proven to offer the fastest speeds.
- Find a VPN with good security features. All the providers on my list come with industry-standard security measures like military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch that disconnects you from the internet if the VPN connection drops, a no-logs policy, and protection against leaks.
- Make sure the VPN is easy to set up on a router. All the VPNs I recommend provide a quick and easy setup process with helpful tutorials and guides.
- Check for good value for money. The VPN you select should offer good value for the features you get. That’s why all the VPNs on my list come with affordable plans, extra features, easy-to-use apps, and a reasonable money-back guarantee.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. Even though PrivateVPN comes with good security features, intuitive apps, and pretty fast speeds, it has a very limited server network (200+ servers). Also, its no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited.
- Proton VPN. Despite its excellent privacy measures and very intuitive user interface, I didn’t include it in the list. The main reason is its limited router compatibility, which restricts its use on many popular router brands.
- TunnelBear. A user-friendly VPN that has a good free plan and is also really intuitive, Unfortunately, TunnelBear doesn’t support routers at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a good idea to use a VPN on routers?
Yes, using a VPN on a router offers good perks. If you set up a good VPN on your router, like ExpressVPN, you’ll secure all the devices connected to that router. This is really helpful if you want to use a VPN on devices that don’t support VPN apps, like certain smart TVs or gaming consoles. Moreover, having a VPN on your router allows you to bypass the device limit set by some VPN services, as the router counts as just one connection.
What is the best VPN for routers?
ExpressVPN is my top choice for a VPN for routers. It has a dedicated router app that makes setup easy, and it also lets you purchase a pre-configured router to make the whole process even simpler. Moreover, ExpressVPN offers a large server network in 105 countries, lightning-fast connections, excellent streaming support, and strong privacy and security features. It also has a comprehensive split-tunneling feature for managing your VPN usage.
Do routers have a built-in VPN?
Yes, some routers do come pre-configured with a VPN, ready for use. These routers can be a good option for those who want to secure all devices on their home network without the need for a manual setup. For instance, FlashRouters offers devices pre-configured with VPN software. These routers are typically partnered with certain VPN providers, such as ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access.
Is using a VPN on a router safe?
Yes, using a VPN on a router increases the overall security of your internet connection. By setting up a VPN on your router, all traffic passing through it is encrypted, which enhances the privacy and security of your entire network.
