Best VPN routers 2026: comparison, prices and setup

A VPN on the router covers every device at home at once, including the TV, the game console and smart speakers. We compared 14 models on VPN speed, firmware and price in the US and Europe, and show how to pick a country and switch the VPN on.

A home Wi-Fi router with VPN next to the TV in a living room

The short version

Best VPN routers by category

In each category we pick the winner on quality score, price and who the router suits. "Claimed" means the speed comes from the manufacturer, "tests" means independent measurements. Prices as of 5 October 2026.

Home

Your main router: it runs the home Wi-Fi and sends all household traffic through the VPN.

  • GL.iNet Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) Best choice

    GL.iNet Flint 2GL-MT6000

    Quality
    8.2/10
     
    WireGuard
    900Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $169.99
    €165.37
    Built-in VPN services
    US$169.99Europe€165.37
    More details
    Why
    Up to 900 Mbps over WireGuard and built-in VPN services for about $170.
    Not for
    Anyone who wants Wi-Fi 7 or VPN at gigabit speed.

    $169.99€165.37

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6 AX6000
    WireGuard
    up to 900 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 880 Mbps claimed
    • Pro: Best balance of VPN speed and price
    • Con: Runs warm under VPN load

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

  • GL.iNet Flint 4 (GL-BE14000) Maximum speed

    GL.iNet Flint 4GL-BE14000

    Quality
    9.0/10*
     
    WireGuard
    1.5Gbps
    claimed
    Price
    $369.99
    €386.22
    Built-in VPN services
    US$369.99Europe€386.22
    More details
    Why
    The fastest VPN here: up to 1.5 Gbps on WireGuard and OpenVPN. For gigabit plans when budget is no object.
    Not for
    Plans up to 500 Mbps: the Flint 2 handles them for half the price.

    $369.99€386.22

    * provisional score: no independent tests yet

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 7 tri-band BE14000
    WireGuard
    up to 1.5 Gbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 1.5 Gbps claimed
    • Pro: Fastest VPN on paper
    • Con: New: few independent tests so far

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

  • ExpressVPN Fortify Easiest

    ExpressVPN Fortifybased on GL-MT6000

    Quality
    8.0/10
     
    WireGuard
    900Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $199.99
     
    Built-in VPN services
    US$199.99
    More details
    Why
    ExpressVPN is built in and a year of it is included: pick a country from a list, no config files.
    Not for
    Anyone using another VPN service: the built-in client works only with ExpressVPN.

    $199.99Not sold in the EU yet

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6 AX6000
    WireGuard
    up to 900 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    none
    • Pro: 12 months of ExpressVPN included, set up in a few clicks
    • Con: Built-in VPN works only with an ExpressVPN subscription

Other models in this category

  • GL.iNet Flint 3GL-BE9300WireGuard 680 Mbps$209.99 7.8/10 Quality

    $209.99€211.76

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 7 tri-band BE9300
    WireGuard
    up to 680 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 680 Mbps claimed
    • Pro: Wi-Fi 7 at a moderate price
    • Con: VPN is slower than on the Flint 2
    Built-in VPN services

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    US$209.99Europe€211.76
  • ASUS RT-BE88UWireGuard no data $349.99 7.7/10 Quality

    $349.99from €246.65

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 7 BE7200
    WireGuard
    no vendor figure
    OpenVPN
    no vendor figure
    • Pro: Surfshark and NordVPN built into VPN Fusion
    • Con: Dual-band only, no 6 GHz
    Built-in VPN services

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    US$349.99Europefrom €246.65
  • Keenetic TitanKN-1812WireGuard 900 Mbps€199.00 7.5/10* Quality

    Not sold in the US€199.00

    * provisional score: no independent tests yet

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 7 BE7200
    WireGuard
    up to 900 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    no vendor figure
    • Pro: Wi-Fi 7, a 10G port and WireGuard up to 900 Mbps
    • Con: No built-in VPN services, config files only
    Built-in VPN services

    None built in. Any service: via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    Europe€199.00
  • TP-Link Archer AX73WireGuard no data $116.99 5.2/10 Quality

    $116.99€93.74

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6 AX5400
    WireGuard
    no data
    OpenVPN
    no data
    • Pro: Cheap, VPN client in stock firmware
    • Con: No built-in VPN services
    Built-in VPN services

    None built in. Any service: via an OpenVPN or WireGuard config file, depending on firmware

    US$116.99Europe€93.74

Travel

Compact routers for hotels and rentals: they join the local network and keep your devices behind the VPN.

  • GL.iNet Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) Best choice

    GL.iNet Slate AXGL-AXT1800

    Quality
    6.6/10
     
    WireGuard
    550Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $119.99
    €124.03
    Built-in VPN services
    US$119.99Europe€124.03
    More details
    Why
    Up to 550 Mbps on WireGuard and 560 on OpenVPN: almost twice as fast as the Beryl AX for only $21 more.
    Not for
    Anyone who wants Wi-Fi 7 or a 2.5G port: the Slate AX has Wi-Fi 6 and gigabit ports.

    $119.99€124.03

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6 AX1800
    WireGuard
    up to 550 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 560 Mbps claimed
    • Pro: Fast VPN on the road, OpenVPN included
    • Con: Wi-Fi 6 and gigabit ports only

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

  • GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) Most affordable

    GL.iNet Beryl AXGL-MT3000

    Quality
    6.0/10
     
    WireGuard
    300Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $98.99
    €102.85
    Built-in VPN services
    US$98.99Europe€102.85
    More details
    Why
    The cheapest in the category, with a physical switch that turns VPN on.
    Not for
    Fast hotel or office connections: VPN tops out at about 300 Mbps.

    $98.99€102.85

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6 AX3000
    WireGuard
    up to 300 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 150 Mbps claimed
    • Pro: Cheap, VPN on a physical switch
    • Con: Modest VPN speed

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

Other models in this category

  • GL.iNet Slate 7GL-BE3600WireGuard 490 Mbps$159.99 6.6/10 Quality

    $159.99€167.38

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 7 dual-band BE3600
    WireGuard
    up to 490 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    no data
    • Pro: Touchscreen and Wi-Fi 7 in your pocket
    • Con: Early firmware was buggy
    Built-in VPN services

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    US$159.99Europe€167.38

Gateways without Wi-Fi

A small box that sits in front of your existing router or mesh system and turns on VPN for the whole network.

  • GL.iNet Brume 2 (GL-MT2500 / GL-MT2500A) Cheapest VPN for the whole network

    GL.iNet Brume 2GL-MT2500 / GL-MT2500A

    Quality
    6.1/10
     
    WireGuard
    355Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $89.99
    €93.77
    Built-in VPN services
    US$89.99Europe€93.77
    More details
    Why
    About $90 for VPN on every device at home: it sits in front of any router and handles up to 355 Mbps on WireGuard.
    Not for
    Plans faster than 350 Mbps, or anyone who wants Wi-Fi in the same box.

    $89.99€93.77

    Wi-Fi
    none, needs an access point
    WireGuard
    up to 355 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    up to 150 Mbps claimed
    • Pro: Cheap VPN gateway for the network you already have
    • Con: No Wi-Fi: needs a separate router or access point

    Any other service (e.g. Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost): via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

  • Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra If your home already runs UniFi

    Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra

    Quality
    6.1/10
     
    WireGuard
    500Mbps
    claimed
    Price
    $129
    €117.81
    Built-in VPN services
    US$129Europe€117.81
    More details
    Why
    Fits into UniFi: the tunnel and per-device rules live in the same app.
    Not for
    Homes without UniFi access points: the gateway has no Wi-Fi of its own.

    $129€117.81

    Wi-Fi
    none, needs an access point
    WireGuard
    up to 500 Mbps claimed
    OpenVPN
    yes
    • Pro: Polished UniFi ecosystem
    • Con: No built-in VPN services

    None built in. Any service: via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

Enthusiasts

Powerful and flexible, but with no built-in VPN services: you build the tunnel yourself.

Only if you are ready to configure everything by hand.

  • OpenWrt OneWireGuard 370-400 Mbps$145.99 5.9/10 Quality

    $145.99€128.99

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6
    WireGuard
    370-400 Mbps tests
    OpenVPN
    yes
    • Pro: Pure OpenWrt, full control
    • Con: Everything is set up by hand
    Built-in VPN services

    None built in. Any service: via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    US$145.99Europe€128.99
  • MikroTik hAP ax3WireGuard ~300 Mbps$139 5.5/10 Quality

    $139€139.90

    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 6
    WireGuard
    about 300 Mbps tests
    OpenVPN
    yes
    • Pro: RouterOS can do almost anything
    • Con: Hard for beginners
    Built-in VPN services

    None built in. Any service: via a WireGuard or OpenVPN config file

    US$139Europe€139.90

Photos: manufacturers. OpenWrt One: BananaPi, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Compare all 14 models

Sorted by category, then by quality score. Prices checked on 5 October 2026: US without sales tax, Germany including VAT.

ModelCategoryQualityWireGuardOpenVPNVPN servicesPrice, $Price, €
GL.iNet Flint 4 (GL-BE14000) Home 9.0* up to 1.5 Gbps claimed up to 1.5 Gbps claimed $369.99 €386.22
GL.iNet Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) Home 8.2 up to 900 Mbps claimed up to 880 Mbps claimed $169.99 €165.37
ExpressVPN Fortify Home 8.0 up to 900 Mbps claimed none $199.99 -
GL.iNet Flint 3 (GL-BE9300) Home 7.8 up to 680 Mbps claimed up to 680 Mbps claimed $209.99 €211.76
ASUS RT-BE88U Home 7.7 no vendor figure no vendor figure $349.99 from €246.65
Keenetic Titan (KN-1812) Home 7.5* up to 900 Mbps claimed no vendor figure config file only - €199.00
TP-Link Archer AX73 Home 5.2 no data no data config file only $116.99 €93.74
GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) Travel 6.6 up to 490 Mbps claimed no data $159.99 €167.38
GL.iNet Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) Travel 6.6 up to 550 Mbps claimed up to 560 Mbps claimed $119.99 €124.03
GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) Travel 6.0 up to 300 Mbps claimed up to 150 Mbps claimed $98.99 €102.85
GL.iNet Brume 2 (GL-MT2500 / GL-MT2500A) Gateways without Wi-Fi 6.1 up to 355 Mbps claimed up to 150 Mbps claimed $89.99 €93.77
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra Gateways without Wi-Fi 6.1 up to 500 Mbps claimed yes config file only $129 €117.81
OpenWrt One Enthusiasts 5.9 370-400 Mbps tests yes config file only $145.99 €128.99
MikroTik hAP ax3 Enthusiasts 5.5 about 300 Mbps tests yes config file only $139 €139.90

* provisional score: no independent tests yet

Best VPN for your router: built-in or config file

Each card lists the VPN services built into that router. We review the services themselves in our VPN catalog.

Do you need a VPN router?

How to choose, and can you keep your current router?

  1. Speed. Compare your internet plan with the WireGuard figure in the comparison table. If the plan is faster, pick a faster model.
  2. Built-in service or config file. Built in means you log in and pick a country from a list. Any other service works through an OpenVPN or WireGuard config file.
  3. Type. A home router replaces your current one, a travel router goes in your bag, and a gateway without Wi-Fi sits in front of the router or mesh you already have.
  4. Hardware. Wi-Fi 6 is enough for most homes; Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5G ports matter on fast fiber plans.
  5. Protection and updates. Look for a kill switch that blocks traffic if the VPN drops, and run a DNS leak test after setup. Pick a maker that patches quickly: this year TP-Link Archer routers and MikroTik RouterOS had serious holes, and cheap no-name routers such as Zbtlink shipped with factory backdoors.

If you want to keep your current router:

How it looks in practice

Three firmwares, three approaches. Screenshots come from the official guides; click one to open it full size.

Example: Surfshark on a GL.iNet router

  1. Step 1. Open the admin panel

    Connect to the router's Wi-Fi and open 192.168.8.1 or the GL.iNet app. Go to VPN > WireGuard Client, pick your provider (Surfshark, NordVPN, PIA, Mullvad and others) and log in.

    GL.iNet: Open the admin panel open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

  2. Step 2. Pick countries

    The router loads the provider's server list. Tick the countries or cities you need.

    GL.iNet: Pick countries open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

  3. Step 3. Connect

    Choose a server in the list and press connect. You can switch country the same way at any time.

    GL.iNet: Connect open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

  4. Step 4. Choose who uses the VPN

    In VPN Dashboard you can send only selected devices through the tunnel, such as the TV, or exclude some of them.

    GL.iNet: Choose who uses the VPN open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

  5. Step 5. Turn on the kill switch

    Tunnel gear icon > Options. If the VPN drops, the router blocks traffic so nothing leaks outside the tunnel.

    GL.iNet: Turn on the kill switch open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

  6. Step 6. Use the physical switch

    On travel models such as the Beryl AX, assign the side switch to VPN Client in System > Toggle Button Settings.

    GL.iNet: Use the physical switch open full size
    Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

Screenshot: GL.iNet docs

Example: NordVPN in VPN Fusion

  1. Step 1. Open VPN Fusion

    In the ASUS Router app or at router.asus.com: Settings > VPN > VPN Fusion > Add profile.

    ASUS: Open VPN Fusion open full size
    Screenshot: ASUS FAQ

  2. Step 2. Get a token

    For NordVPN, generate an access token in Nord Account. Surfshark works the same way with its own credentials.

    ASUS: Get a token open full size
    Screenshot: ASUS FAQ

  3. Step 3. Fill in the profile

    Choose NordVPN as the VPN type, pick the region (country) and paste the token. Then pick the devices that should use the VPN.

    ASUS: Fill in the profile open full size
    Screenshot: ASUS FAQ

  4. Step 4. Apply to everything

    Or apply the profile to all devices. For another country, create another profile and switch between them.

    ASUS: Apply to everything open full size
    Screenshot: ASUS FAQ

Screenshot: ASUS FAQ

Tunnels in ExpressVPN Fortify

  1. Step 1. Open the ExpressVPN Dashboard

    In the router panel, click Add VPN Tunnel.

    ExpressVPN Fortify: Open the ExpressVPN Dashboard open full size
    Screenshot: ExpressVPN

  2. Step 2. Pick locations

    Choose locations from the ExpressVPN list. Search by country to find one quickly.

    ExpressVPN Fortify: Pick locations open full size
    Screenshot: ExpressVPN

  3. Step 3. Choose devices

    Select which devices use this tunnel.

    ExpressVPN Fortify: Choose devices open full size
    Screenshot: ExpressVPN

  4. Step 4. Switch the tunnel on

    Press the power button: the tunnel status changes to Connected.

    ExpressVPN Fortify: Switch the tunnel on open full size
    Screenshot: ExpressVPN

  5. Step 5. Check your IP

    Open the IP checker on the ExpressVPN site and make sure your address has changed.

    ExpressVPN Fortify: Check your IP open full size
    Screenshot: ExpressVPN

Screenshot: ExpressVPN

FAQ

VPN router or VPN app: which is better?
The router covers devices that can't run the app: TVs, consoles, smart speakers. And it takes up only one slot in your subscription's device limit.
Will my internet get slower?
That depends on the router's CPU. The Flint 2 handles up to 900 Mbps over WireGuard, the Beryl AX up to 300 Mbps. If your plan is faster, the VPN becomes the bottleneck.
Can I send only some devices through the VPN?
Yes. GL.iNet has VPN Dashboard for this, ASUS has VPN Fusion and Fortify has tunnels. Other devices go online directly.
Which protocol should I choose?
WireGuard: it is faster and lighter on the router's CPU. You need OpenVPN only if the network blocks WireGuard.
Do I need a special router for Proton VPN?
No. Proton offers WireGuard and OpenVPN files even on the free plan, and you can load them into any router on this list.
Can I use a VPN on my current router?
Often yes. Many routers have a VPN client in stock firmware: ASUS (VPN Fusion), TP-Link Archer AX73 (OpenVPN or WireGuard, depending on firmware), Keenetic (WireGuard component) and FRITZ!Box from FRITZ!OS 7.50 (WireGuard). If yours has none, put a gateway such as the GL.iNet Brume 2 (about $90) in front of it.
Do I still need a VPN subscription?
Yes. The router only runs the VPN client. ExpressVPN Fortify comes with 12 months of ExpressVPN included, and Proton VPN gives WireGuard and OpenVPN files even on the free plan.
Can I use a VPN app and a VPN router at the same time?
You can, but the traffic is then encrypted twice and gets slower. It is simpler to take that device out of the router tunnel: VPN Dashboard on GL.iNet, VPN Fusion on ASUS, tunnels on Fortify.
Does a VPN router have a kill switch?
GL.iNet routers do: if the tunnel drops, the router blocks traffic (tunnel gear icon > Options). In other firmwares, check that the option exists before you rely on it.
Which VPN router is best for travel?
The GL.iNet Slate AX: $119.99 and up to 550 Mbps over WireGuard, as claimed by the maker. The Beryl AX is cheaper at $98.99, tops out around 300 Mbps and has a physical VPN switch.

How we scored

The quality score from 0 to 10 combines four criteria. Price is not part of it.

  • VPN speedWireGuard and OpenVPN, claimed and measured
    40%
  • Firmware and VPN clientkill switch, per-device rules, several tunnels, built-in services, open firmware
    25%
  • Hardware and Wi-FiCPU, Wi-Fi standard, ports
    20%
  • Reliability and updatesuser reports of heat and bugs, how regularly firmware ships
    15%
  • Price is shown separately, in dollars and in euros. It helps pick the winner in a category but does not change the score.
  • "Claimed" means the speed comes from the manufacturer. "Tests" means independent measurements by users and reviewers.
  • Where there are no independent tests yet, the score is marked provisional. Right now that applies to the Flint 4 and the Keenetic Titan.

Sources