Best VPNs for Routers- Top 5 Picks

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In this new era of smart homes and the Internet of Things, there is a significant rise in the number of devices connected to the Internet.  All the gadgets you use at home are transmitting vast amount of data over the web.  With the massive amount of data in cyberspace, the risk of privacy and security concerns are even greater, in this scenario VPN for router proves to be a robust shield for protecting every single device at home.  

Using a VPN on router is an efficient method to mask your IP address and hide all your web traffic. To secure your data from cyber thieves and hackers, it is important to have a good VPN connection.   It’s difficult to set up VPN for every single home device and with the advancement of Internet of Things we have a range of devices to connect with. The best way to secure all wireless-enabled devices is through the installation of VPN. Let’s dig deeper and know the best VPNs for Routers.

Selection of the best VPNs for routers

The selection of the top VPNs for router is done based on the following criteria:

  •  Offers easy setup with home routers and detailed guidelines about installation
  • Provides fast and secure connection with minimal to no downtime
  • Military-grade encryption with diverse range of security features
  •  Have a large network of server fleets with diverse range of location options
  • Includes prompt and knowledgeable customer support

5 Best VPNs for Routers

After thoroughly testing of tons of VPNs that could work for routers, we have picked the top ones that deliver peak performance. The top VPNs are the ones with not only advanced security features but fast connection and a large server fleet with global coverage. Moreover, they are easy to set up and have extensive guidelines for router setup.  

  •  NordVPN – Top pick for routers as it is easy to configure with 24/7 support available every step of the way.
  • ExpressVPN– Great VPN choice as it offers a straightforward way to setup up the router.  Reliable connection speed for streaming.
  • CyberGhost– Excellent all-in-one solution for streaming US Netflix and all other major streaming platforms with its specialized servers.
  • Surfshark– Best in class price to quality ratio VPN  with world wide server network to access geo-restricted content.
  • PureVPN– Reliable VPN choice among the best VPNs for routers  with fast speed that is ideal for gaming consoles.

Charting the best VPNs for Routers

Best VPNs for RoutersPriceNumber of serversServer locationsStreamingTorrentingRouter compatibility
NordVPN$11.95/month5,500+60+ countriesYesYesYes
ExpressVPN$12.95/month3,000+94 countriesYesYesYes
CyberGhost$12.99/month7,700+91 countriesYesYesYes
Surfshark$2.49/month3,200+100 countriesYesYesYes
PureVPN$10.95/month6,500+78 countriesYesYesYes

1. NordVPN – Excellent VPN for router and daily use

NordVPN-best VPNs for routers

NordVPN is a great VPN choice especially if you are considering a VPN for the router. It operates a massive amount of more than 500 servers that are optimized for streaming, double VPN, and anti-DDoS. Although its common that connecting VPN on router slows down the internet, but this is not the case with NordVPN. NordVPN gained the top spot among the best VPNs for routers with its specialized server fleet that shows optimal performance in P2P file sharing, torrenting, and gaming.

 This VPN service when connected to router provides protection on all smart devices with double encryption, zero logs, and a kill switch.  By offering OpenVPN and L2TP with PPTP protocols, NordVPN offers a stable connection with minimal to no buffering and lagging.  NordVPN has the fastest tunneling protocol NordLynx, which is one of the efficient tunnels in the market.

NordVPN Pros and Cons- #1 among the best VPNs for routers

 Pros Cons
 Works with range of routers and firmware Fewer simultaneous connections
 Complete no-log policy Sometimes lags while connecting to VPN
 Complete security suite with advanced features 
Diskless infrastructure 

2. ExpressVPN – Best router VPN with boutique router hardware

ExpressVPN - best VPNs for routers

ExpressVPN is regarded as the top-notch VPN service and has it all.  Not only it delivers the best service but it’s the most effective way of installing a router VPN.  ExpressVPN stands tall among others by offering custom router firmware that is compatible with a wide range of routers.  This advanced technology incorporated helps you control the router VPN from ExpressVPN dashboard rather than wasting time on router settings.

ExpressVPN has advanced  256-bit  encryption that makes it compatible with Windows, iOS, Android as well as Linux. Kill Switch, DNS leak protection, iPv6 and a complete zero log policy further strengthen the services of this VPN.  This VPN service being in the list of best VPNs for routers has  1700+  across 90+ countries and have unlimited bandwidth for efficient P2P file sharing, torrenting, and streaming. Furthermore, you can easily buy pre-configured routers through ExpressVPN to save your time and resources.

ExpressVPN Pros and Cons- #2 among the best VPNs for routers

Pros Cons
  Custom router firmware  Slightly expensive VPN option
 Extremely easy to setup and use  No option for portforwarding
Ultra fast speed and reliable connections 
Diskless infrastructure 

3. CyberGhost- Router VPN for quality streaming

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a popular VPN for router option that won’t slow down surfing and browsing while keeping all the devices secure.   Surprisingly, CyberGhost offers the best free VPN  for router service. In this free version, you have access to 30 servers and it is only limited to a single device.  The paid version brings high speed with over 2000 servers with military-grade encryption.

 CyberGhost has partnership with the Flash Routers which means you get pre-configured routers with all the setup.  This VPN service is specially designed for efficient streaming and can easily circumvent  geo blocks.  With the provision of OpenVPN protocol, this VPN service offers a stable connection without any major speed drops. AS its the part of best VPNs for routers, so the setup is comparatively easy. The good thing is that when you purchase DD-WRT OR Tomato router from FlashRouter that is pre-configured for CyberGhost.

CyberGhost Pros and Cons- #3 among the best VPNs for routers

Pros Cons
 Massive server fleet  Owned by Kape Technologies
  Partnership with FlashRouters  No free version
Strong capabilities to unblock streaming platforms 
Affordable VPN option among the best VPNs for routers 

4. SurfShark- Advanced router VPN that is budget friendly

Surfshark-best VPNs for routers

Surfshark is a robust VPN for routers that function really well with a wide range of routers. In this digital era with serious privacy concerns, this security shark will benefit you in a number of possible ways.   It has strong tunneling protocols and a next-gen suite of features at a reasonable price. With the installation of this VPN on router means no log policy which means that means no activity logs remain collected by your ISP.

Surfshark offers a strong connection with its different OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols.  For optimal performance, the router model Surfshark recommends includes GLiNet, Asus, and other models.  Putting all the benefits together, Surfshark is a reasonable VPN  for routers with all the advanced settings in a minimal price range. Being a great option among best VPNs for routers is only $2.30/month with 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark Pros and Cons- #4 among the best VPNs for routers

Pros Cons
Budget friendly option among the best VPNs for routersDoes not work in China
Diskless infrastructureAdvanced features hidden behind the paywall
Unlimited simultaneous connections 
Audited zero log policy 

5. PureVPN- Safety ensuring VPN for router

With PureVPN, you don’t have to worry about security as it’s the first VPN service that is always on audit. Apart from this great advantage it works great for routers and delivers decent connection speed.  Although last in the list of best VPNs for routers it also offers kill switch and AES-256 encryption for first-class security and it’s the toughest nut to crack.  As this VPN service provider has also partnership with Flash Routers so you can get a  router pre-installed with PureVPN.

With a strict no-log policy, it offers best-in-class privacy.  Considering this as a security solution, this VPN  stands as a great solution.  What’s even better is that it can easily bypass geo restrictions and comes with as little as 2.08/month.  Moreover, PureVPN is compatible with a wide range of routers and offers 24/7  support to configure your device.

PureVPN Pros and Cons- #4 among the best VPNs for routers

Pros Cons
 Always on audit VPN among the best VPNs for routers No free version is available
Unblocks all major streaming channels Have fewer connection issues
24/7 Customer Support 
 Has an applet of DD-WRT 

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Is using a VPN on router a secure option?

Yes, using a router on VPN is a safe option.  But it’s important to make sure that you choose the best in class VPN provider that is compatible with routers.  Free VPNs are generally not recommended for router due to outdated security suites.  

How to make sure that router has a VPN?

 To completely verify that the router has VPN, access its setting through the application or the web interface. Then look for the VPN section within the settings.  If your router does not have native VPN support, you can easily install firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato to enable this feature.

Is VPN on the router faster than VPN on the device?

It entirely depends upon the type of VPN service you are using. As using VPN on the router does not always result in fast speed, VPN potentially slows down the speed due to the encryption process.  The data takes an additional route via VPN server but an excellent-quality VPN minimize this effect.  

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