Listen, I’ve been professionally evaluating routers for over years now and i tired of seeing people waste money. Here’s what I discovered after spending weeks testing budget routers that cost less than $150. We’re talking about setup-up setups that I would actually live in myself. Let me walk you through what’s actually effective.
The Best Budget Wireless Routers
| Model | Max Speed | Price Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link Archer BE230 | 3,600 Mbps (Wi-Fi 7) | $89-$110 | Future-proofing on a budget |
| TP-Link Archer AX21 | 1,800 Mbps (Wi-Fi 6) | $60-$70 | Best overall value |
| ASUS RT-AX57 | 3,000 Mbps (Wi-Fi 6) | $100-$120 | Larger homes, more devices |
| NETGEAR AC1200 R6120 | 1,200 Mbps (Wi-Fi 5) | $40-$50 | Ultra-tight budgets only |
TP-Link Archer BE230
Wi-Fi 7 tech for under a hundred bucks? When I set it up, preparing for the usual gimmicks, after two weeks of real-world use by multiple family members (including gaming and video streaming) the Archer BE230 consistently delivered between 800-900 Mbps nearby. That’s quicker than what I’m paying my local internet provider for.
What won me over in testing: those 2.5 Gbps ports. I’ve tested scads of budget routers, and almost all skimp here. TP-Link didn’t. And with EasyMesh support, you won’t need to start over when you eventually upgrade your digs.
I have tested this with a mesh node in my bedroom — perfect handoff. The catch? Wi-Fi 7 may not be in your current devices just yet. But I’m hanging on to this one — you are buying ahead of the curve.
TP-Link Archer AX21
After having used it for a month in my apartment. Up close on the 5GHz band, I saw 694 Mbps with my own phone and when I walked it out to my balcony some 100 feet away, it got very decent speeds.
What I would have to sleep on would be the size of my whole apartment. The OneMesh compatibility was a clutch in the trials I ran with it alongside an extender in my bedroom. And at 60 bucks? That’s two decent dinners. I joke that your Wi-Fi should cost at least as much.
NETGEAR AC1200 R6120
Let’s be honest: That’s Wi-Fi 5 technology for you, and it’s already out of date. But this did the trick when I tried it for my pal who was truly broke and whose internet plan was less than 100 Mbps anyway.
I set it up in my testing space and used it for a week of streaming and browsing. Works fine for that. Gaming? I tried, and you’ll hate it. Heavy streaming on multiple devices? You’ll definitely feel the pain. It’s a stopgap, not a solution. I told my friend to wait for the AX21 when he could afford it.
What Really Matters in Budget Routers
| Feature | Why It Matters | What I Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Standard | Handles multiple devices smoothly | Wi-Fi 6 minimum, Wi-Fi 7 if you can swing it |
| Dual-Band Support | Separates fast and slow traffic | 2.4GHz + 5GHz bands |
| Gigabit Ports | Wired connections that don’t bottleneck | At least 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports |
| Mesh Compatibility | Expand coverage without replacing everything | OneMesh, EasyMesh, or AiMesh support |
| Security | Keeps your network protected | WPA3 support is non-negotiable |
The Bottom Line
For most people? The TP-Link Archer AX21 is the sweet spot at $60-$70. It delivers Wi-Fi 6, solid range and the basics shouldn’t have any problem keeping up with itself. The best budget wireless routers of 2025 are actually pretty good. You’re not compromising any longer
You can always upgrade when Wi-Fi 7 becomes more affordable and your gaming experience demands it.
