Best VPNs to Install on a Router [Top 5]

Imagine how convenient it is to use some of the best VPNs on your router. Connecting all your devices to a VPN-enabled router means protection for all of them. In addition, such a router easily ensures privacy for all incoming and outbound traffic even for your tiny gadgets!

As a result, you’re creating a shrouded network with the highest level of privacy, safe from ISPs, snoopers, and hackers. Beware that not all VPN services work with routers, especially not free ones. They’re limiting and lack many features you’ll find in premium choices.

Today’s list will consist of premium picks you’ll enjoy fully. We ensured they support all popular router models and even offer options to buy VPN-compatible routers for added convenience. Read on to discover some of the most impressive VPNs your money can buy!

Best VPNs to Use on Routers in 2024

We’ll begin our guide with the most important thing – the list of our favorite providers. After testing probably dozens, our team was confident these 5 are the most befitting according to their performance, security, privacy, and much more:

1. NordVPN – the best router VPN overall
2. ExpressVPN – great for high-speed connections
3. Private Internet Access – ultimate privacy for all your devices
4. Surfshark – budget-friendly router VPN, with top-tier security and encryption
5. CyberGhost – great for streaming, torrenting, and no-lag gaming

Now that you have the list, feel free to use it right away. If not, we suggest going through our opinions on each router VPN where we explain their most vital features.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN takes the #1 spot as the clear winner. It’s not just the best VPN for routers but as a whole, an amazing package. This service supports plenty of firmware, including DD-WRT, AsusWRT Merlin, pfSense, OpenWRT, Tomato, Sabai, and a lot more.

In addition, it works with popular router manufacturers like Asus, Netgear, MikroTik, and others, which will likely result in native compatibility with your router. To accompany its versatility, NordVPN lets you buy VPN-ready routers directly from its site.

These devices already have NordVPN installed and are ready to use with its modern NordLynx protocol right away. Best of all, we found that these routers allow for up to 30+ simultaneous connections, which is great for larger families or circles of friends.

Apart from this vast compatibility, NordVPN offers many more qualities explained in our review. You’ll enjoy bank-grade encryption, Double VPN servers, and even in-built obfuscation to help you bypass censorship. Another perk is the performance!

NordVPN performs like Usain Bolt, with 10 Gbps servers in 111 countries. It’s also the fastest provider for routers, which is perfect for gaming or watching Netflix series in 4K. More impressively, users can enjoy Meshnet, which offers extensive file-sharing features.

Accompanied by a no-log policy, RAM-only servers, and Threat Protection for blocking ads and trackers, NordVPN is a state-of-the-art router VPN for all users. We say for all users because it’s very affordable and offers a 30-day refund policy if you make up your mind.

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2. ExpressVPN

Like our #1-rated VPN for routers, ExpressVPN will support plenty of models and firmware. This amazing router VPN works on firmware from Asus, Linksys, and Netgear. However, users can also opt for a manual setup on DD-WRT, D-Link, Netduma, Tomato, and Sabai models.

We love ExpressVPN’s Aircove routers, which the company started offering recently. These WiFi 6 routers offer built-in VPN protection without the need to perform the setup manually. Simply purchase the model you want, subscribe to ExpressVPN risk-free, and enjoy.

The best thing about ExpressVPN is its ease of use. You can control your routers through a simple dashboard where you can engage with many of its features. For example, you can enable Network Lock, which is a kill switch, and protect your devices against IP leaks.

In addition, users can take advantage of ExpressVPN’s Advanced Protection. It’s ideal for blocking pesky websites, trackers, and ads. We love ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol that offers impeccable performance aided by 3,000+ 10 Gbps servers.

ExpressVPN is secure enough to satisfy even the most advanced users. With a no-logging policy, AES encryption, Private DNS, and over 18 security audits, you can be sure this VPN is a bulwark of privacy. Best of all, it’s excellent for other activities, such as streaming and P2P.

This means it can unblock Netflix and conceal your torrenting activities from your ISP or other government bodies. ExpressVPN requires a bit of extra money compared to the best VPN for routers (NordVPN) but there’s a 49% discount (+ 3 free months) to make up for it.

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3. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is a highly reliable VPN compatible with many routers. However, it also offers unlimited simultaneous connections, making its router setup a bit unnecessary. If you’d still like to use it, you’ll be happy to hear about its compatibility.

It’s not as great as NordVPN but you can still install it on Merlin, ASUS WRT, pfSense, OpenWRT/LEDE, and DD-WRT firmware. If your router is unsupported, flashing its firmware is an option but again, you want to do this only if you’re tech-savvy.

PIA’s appeal lies in its security and privacy. Despite being a VPN from the USA, it doesn’t store any logs and uses the strongest 256-bit encryption. We must mention its WireGuard support, which works perfectly in this router VPN and ensures excellent performance.

Private Internet Access does many things right, including MultiHop connections, ad-blocking, and obfuscation. Installing this VPN on a router yields the benefit of anonymous torrenting plus the option to watch American Netflix and BBC on all your devices.

Unlike NordVPN and ExpressVPN, PIA doesn’t let you buy a VPN-ready router. But if you already have a compatible model, you likely don’t need one. Private Internet Access’ obvious quality is impeccable device support that sadly, only excludes Firestick.

On the brighter side, you’ll get other commodities like dedicated IP addresses, Smart DNS, and even antivirus at just $1/mo. PIA’s prices couldn’t be more modest, and at a hair over $2 a month for the 2-year plan, it’s difficult to find a more impressive choice.

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4. Surfshark

Or is it? Well, we have Surfshark as a strong contender for the best VPN for a router. This provider has all you need, including simultaneous connections, top-tier WireGuard implementation, and a no-logging policy audited by Deloitte and Cure53.

When it comes to router support, Surfshark has an extensive list. It includes OPNsense, Tomato, Keenetic, Asus Merlin, Freebox, pfSense, Synology NAS, QNAP, MikroTik, and many others. Most of these models rely on OpenVPN but WireGuard is also viable.

It’s worth noting that Surfshark requires firmware flashing on Linksys routers, while others work perfectly fine. For WireGuard, we suggest using either OpenWRT or DD-WRT software because it fully accepts it and offers fast VPN speeds. So far, so good.

But let’s move to better stuff. Surfshark is powerful enough for streaming. Protecting all your devices means you’ll also be able to watch over 30 Netflix libraries. Its desktop and mobile apps also include bonus quirks, like static IP addresses and MultiHop for added safety.

Surfshark’s One plan brings about improvements like an antivirus and Search. The former removes threats from all your devices, while the latter is a true incognito browser for searching without ISP monitoring. Surfshark also includes basic VPN features.

These include split tunneling, a kill switch, IP leak protection, and many more. Following in the PIA’s footsteps, Surfshark keeps the price at bay and won’t cost over $3 a month. That said, you don’t have to spend a mini-fortune on the best VPN for routers in 2024.

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost comes with over 12,000 servers in 100 countries globally. It’s a pretty well-equipped VPN for routers with support for Tomato, Raspberry Pi, Synology NAS, and plenty more. On its site, you’ll find a heap of router VPN setup guides, so everything is simple.

We also love that you can go to Flashrouters and find routers with CyberGhost installed. Once you get one, you just need to connect your devices to it (with a valid CyberGhost subscription) and revel in all the security and privacy you get.

Even if you opt for the manual setup, CyberGhost will give you the necessary configuration files easily implemented afterward. CyberGhost’s WireGuard support is welcome because it works on certain router models and lets you experience it in the best light.

In our test of CyberGhost, we praised it for its streaming and P2P capabilities. This will be prevalent in this case too, especially handy if you use a multitude of devices to go online. CyberGhost can protect your IPv6 against leaks too, which some of its rivals lack.

Additionally, as one of the top VPNs for routers, it excels in privacy and security. It doesn’t keep any traffic logs, which was confirmed by Deloitte in a recent audit. The provider has optional extras like dedicated IP addresses plus Smart DNS usable on all devices.

CyberGhost lacks obfuscated connections, so it’s a poor choice in China. This is countered by a fairly cheap price for its 2-year plan with a few free months. The service costs a speck above $2 monthly and offers a gargantuan 45-day money-back guarantee. Excellent stuff!

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What to Look for in a Router-Compatible VPN?

Let’s face it. Most people need a VPN for their iPhone, Windows computer, or any other “typical” device. Very few users will bother to install a VPN on a router. Well, those who do will need to take into account a few important factors, such as:

Router Compatibility

The best VPN for routers can’t be the one that doesn’t support them. You want a provider that supports as MANY models as it can to ensure yours is on the list. We selected NordVPN and ExpressVPN as the two leading providers because of this criterion.

These two work on a variety of routers, and in addition, offer the variant of buying a router with a preinstalled VPN. This might cost a tad more at first but you’ll rid yourself of the manual setup, which, if you’re inexperienced, you might not know how to perform it.

Protocol Support

In addition to sheer compatibility, it’s good to take into account protocols. Our favorite picks offer modern protocols that work with routers. NordVPN’s NordLynx works perfectly with most models and so does ExpressVPN’s Lightway, which does wonders for security.

WireGuard in the rest of the VPNs is no less awesome. Best of all, it works on the majority of firmware along with OpenVPN.

Connection Speed

Connection speed was one of our most important criteria. Some VPNs can degrade your performance, which especially applies to free options with slow 1 Gbps servers. Well, these providers reach up to 300 Mbps speeds, making them impressively fast.

However, be aware that the connection speed is also dictated by your router. Some of them are optimized for speed but not coverage. Conversely, some prioritize coverage while limiting connection speed to 50-100 Mbps.

Security Features

Last but not least, you should always pick a provider with at least standard security features. We often mention the importance of a kill switch that disables all internet traffic if the VPN connection breaks to keep your IP private. What are the other features?

Some of them are AES-256-bit encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, RAM servers, Private DNS servers, MultiHop, no logging, and so on. You won’t be using a VPN on a router only.

Instead, you’ll also install it on your computer or phone and these devices benefit from added security and privacy.

How to Install a VPN on a Router?

The setup phase is what bothers most users. Is it safe? How do you do it? These are just some of the questions.

We can answer the first question with a YES, as long as you’re not flashing your router. Flashing your router’s firmware isn’t always smart if you’re inexperienced.

You can brick the device and potentially lose your warranty. The second question requires a bit more coverage because there are dozens of router manufacturers and hundreds, if not thousands of models you can have. This is how the process looks roughly:

• You first need to subscribe to a VPN service. NordVPN is our recommendation because of its extensive router support and impressive performance.
• Next, go to your account and find the router configuration files. Download them.
• Open the web browser and type in your router’s IP address. Press Enter.
• You’ll now need to sign in to access the router’s control panel. These credentials should be at the bottom or the back of your router. Provide them and sign in.

This is the base for a router VPN setup if the router you’re using is VPN-friendly. You should be able to find the VPN section in the control panel and work your way from there. The process differs from, let’s say, DD-WRT and OpenWRT, so it’s hard to give a definitive guide.

We suggest reading this page from NordVPN to find out more about the setup process for at least 10 different firmware. Simply find your router/firmware, click on it, and you’ll get step-by-step instructions with images on how to install this great VPN on your router.

Bear in mind that if your router isn’t VPN-friendly, you’ll first need to flash it. After this is done – hopefully with success – you can proceed with the instructions on your selected provider’s website.

Why Use a VPN on Your Router?

The question of why use a VPN is typical for people with no experience with them. However, you might be wondering what kind of specific benefits you can get by installing a VPN on your router. Lots of them are there but we listed the most prominent ones.

Security for All Devices

By far the best benefit is security for ALL your devices. Think about this. Instead of connecting to a VPN on each device individually, you can just connect to a VPN-enabled router and call it a day. This makes things so much simpler!

Since all devices in your home are already hooked up to the router wirelessly, all of them will have added security and privacy. Think about your washing machine or boiler. These devices can be connected to the network and ALSO protected by a VPN – sounds silly but it’s true.

That said if you worry about leaking your browsing history or any internet activity to the public, using the best VPN for routers is a blessing. With every device connected to it, there’s no chance in hell your ISP can track you and your online footprints.

Safe Torrenting and Streaming

All 5 providers we presented are fully compatible with P2P. A simple connection to one of their many servers provides anonymous torrenting that many want. This is especially welcome in the USA where torrenting activities are often frowned upon.

Streaming is another huge factor for many. You can use this service to bypass geo-blocks and unblock restricted sites in a blink. This allows access to sites like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, or even gambling sites and adult platforms. Again, this will apply to all devices.

As a result, your family can watch one movie on Netflix US while you, in your room, can watch something else at the same time simply by connecting to a VPN router.

Gaming With No ISP Throttling

ISP throttling spoils the fun by trumping your speed and destroying your connection stability. Don’t ask us how we know it! Well, we’re glad the torture can be cut short with a VPN that eliminates your ISP from the equation and prevents it from harming you.

Once your connection is encrypted, your ISP can’t track or limit you in any way. This lets you enjoy the full speed of our favorite VPNs (up to 300+ Mbps), which is welcome for gaming. It’s even better if you have a gaming router with neck-breaking speeds.

That, in itself, is a joy for multi-player gaming sessions combined with the safety of a VPN.

Bypassing Censorship

We must address bypassing censorship because a lot of people struggle with it. Blocked websites and the lack of freedom of speech already sound infuriating. If you’re feeling nauseated by just thinking of them, a router VPN can help you in many ways.

Its ability to hide your IP address and obfuscate your traffic fights against deep-packet inspection effortlessly. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark are your best picks in this regard, especially if you’re in China. These will work flawlessly thanks to built-in obfuscation.

Summary

In summary, the best VPNs for a router are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, PIA, Surfshark, and CyberGhost. If you want the most juice out of your squeeze, consider NordVPN as the end-all-be-all solution for privacy, security, speed, and stability.

ExpressVPN costs a bit extra but provides excellent Advanced Protection, the Lightway protocol, and exclusive access to its powerful Aircove routers. PIA’s compatibility isn’t impressive but that can’t be said about its privacy and unlimited connections.

Surfshark’s affordability makes it attractive to users who prioritize unique security features, streaming abilities, and handy dedicated IP addresses. Finally, we have CyberGhost that works fine on all popular router firmware and costs less than a coffee per month.

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