The Best VPN Apps for Your Router 2024

Unless you purchase a router with a virtual private network (VPN) pre-installed, it can be difficult to set up a VPN on your router. When it comes to the best VPNs for routers, ExpressVPN impressed us the most with its extensive installation guides and the ability to customize which devices have a VPN connection. 

Meanwhile, NordVPN is a good option for those looking for additional security features besides a VPN. If budget is a primary concern, then Surfshark provides a low-cost VPN with high-quality services.

All three options include written guides, setup videos, and 24/7 customer support, along with premium security features to keep your entire household protected. This article examines each VPN provider's pros and cons.

The best VPN apps for your router

• ExpressVPN: Best overall
• NordVPN: Best for powerful extras
• Surfshark: Best affordable option

Top 3 VPN services for your router compared 2024

VPN	Best Overall ExpressVPN	NordVPN	Surfshark
Starting price	Starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually)	Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
Free version
Router support	Yes — ASUS, Linksys, NETGEAR, NETGEAR Nighthawk, D-Link, DD-WRT, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, TP-Link, Xiaomi, Aircove	Yes — ASUS, DD-WRT, NetDUMA, Sabai, Tomato, TP-Link, and more	Yes — ASUS, Linksys, DD-WRT, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, and more
Router installation instructions
Streaming service support	Yes — Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV, and more	Yes — Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and more	Yes — Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, and more
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN	Get NordVPN	Get Surfshark

ExpressVPN: Best overall

Who it’s best for

ExpressVPN is best for people looking for the easiest and most supportive installation process for their router. It also has an app to make the router VPN more usable.

What we liked

ExpressVPN had the most extensive router VPN setup instructions out of all the VPNs we reviewed. It had a variety of directions to install ExpressVPN firmware or configure it manually for several routers, including custom firmware options like ASUS, NETGEAR, and Linksys. 

The guides also have videos, making it stand out from its competitors. On top of that, live chat support is available in case you need additional help installing the VPN on your home router.

ExpressVPN can let you put connected devices into separate groups on your router. This feature is known as Device Groups, and it lets you control the VPN location or if a device is connected to the internet at all. For example, if you want to watch Netflix with a VPN, you can put your Smart TV into a group connected to the best VPN servers for streaming.

What we didn’t like

ExpressVPN is easily the most expensive VPN on this list. With prices starting at $6.67/mo (billed annually), ExpressVPN is more than twice the cost of Surfshark, which currently starts plans at $1.99/mo (billed every two years).

However, if you plan on paying for your VPN month-to-month, then ExpressVPN ($12.95/mo) has a competitive price in comparison to other service providers like NordVPN ($12.99/mo) and Surfshark ($1.99/mo (billed every two years)).

ExpressVPN specs

Price range	$4.99–$12.95/mo
Free version	No — but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee
Router support	Yes — ASUS, Linksys, NETGEAR, NETGEAR Nighthawk, D-Link, DD-WRT, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, TP-Link, Xiaomi
Number of servers	Unlisted in 105 countries
Number of devices	8
Encryption	AES-256
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

NordVPN: Best for powerful extras

Who it’s best for

NordVPN is best for people who need help installing a router VPN but are also looking for premium security features for devices directly connected to the VPN app.

What we liked

NordVPN has extensive tutorials for setting up a VPN on a variety of routers. However, some guides have videos and others don't. If you need additional help, you can always click on the chat button at the end of a tutorial to speak with a live representative.

NordVPN has plenty of functions in addition to being a VPN. Depending on your subscription, you can also get a password manager, dark web monitoring, cloud storage, and file encryption. 

All subscriptions come with an ad and tracker blocker, malware protection, Smart DNS, and more. This makes NordVPN a great choice if you are looking for extra security features to protect your home network and data.

What we didn’t like

Not all of Nord's VPN installation guides had videos to support their instructions. You also can't use the split tunneling feature to divide the devices connected to your router's VPN, which is available with ExpressVPN.

NordVPN specs

Price range	$2.99–$17.99/mo
Free version	No — but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee
Router support	Yes — ASUS, DD-WRT, Privacy Hero, Roqos, Gl.iNET, Mikrotik, NetDUMA, OPNsense, OpenWRT, Padavan, Sabai, Tomato, TP-Link, pfSENSE, DrayTek, EdgeRouter
Number of servers	6,800+ servers in 111 countries
Number of devices	10
Encryption	AES-256-GCM
VPN protocol	NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

Surfshark: Best affordable option

Who it’s best for

Surfshark is best for people who are on a budget and still need all the essential VPN features to mask their IP address.

What we liked

Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPN options on the market. It also has several guides on installing a VPN on your router, and there's an option to chat with a representative or send an email to get more help. Combine it with Surfshark's unlimited simultaneous connections policy, and there won't be any question about your devices always being connected.  

What we didn’t like

Surfshark doesn't come with premium features like ExpressVPN's Device Groups or NordVPN's additional security tools like a password manager. While the router VPN installation guides are helpful, they lack video tutorials.

Surfshark specs

Price range	$1.99–$17.95/mo
Free version	No — but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and a seven-day free trial
Router support	Yes — ASUS, Linksys, DD-WRT, OpenWRT, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, pfSense, Sabai, Synology NAS, QNAP, Mikrotik, GL.iNET
Number of servers	3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Number of devices	Unlimited
Encryption	AES 256-GCM
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review

Honorable mentions

Many VPNs offer router support, but we chose VPNs that prioritized an easy setup process, usability, and other important features. There are a couple of VPNs that didn't make our list, but you might find them to be a better fit for your needs.

• CyberGhost: CyberGhost is one of the most affordable VPNs, even compared to Surfshark. It also has some support guides for setting up a VPN on a router.

  Get CyberGhost | Read Our CyberGhost Review

• IPVanish: IPVanish offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can keep large families and multiple devices covered. 

  Get IPVanish | Read Our IPVanish Review

How we test VPNs

There are numerous factors we considered and reviewed when determining which VPNs are best for your router. These factors include:

Router setup: Installing a VPN on your router is difficult work, and it can require technical knowledge in some cases. We checked if VPNs had detailed guides on how to set up a VPN client on a router and if they had technical support to help with the installation.

Usability: Routers are a bit more inconvenient to control than individual devices connected directly to the VPN app. We reviewed the usability of the VPN's app to customize router settings and if there were any additional features to make it easier.

Affordability: Installing a VPN to a router lets all connected devices have VPN protection, which makes it more affordable than having each device directly connected to a VPN app. But we also considered subscription costs to determine affordability.

Other VPN features: Beyond the essential VPN features, like a kill switch and split tunneling, we looked for other tools that could aid in helping you protect your network and data.

FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPN apps for your router

ExpressVPN offers the top VPN app for routers due to its informational setup instructions for a variety of routers. It also includes a unique feature called Device Groups, which lets you separate devices into groups with their own VPN location. It's a simple way to connect devices to a VPN without affecting the activities of other devices.

NordVPN is another good option with helpful router VPN installation guides. It's also a great choice if you need extra security features for your other devices. If budget is a primary concern, then you can't go wrong with Surfshark.

We also have a guide on the best VPN routers, so you can cover all your devices without worrying about the hassle of installing a VPN on your router.

3 best VPN apps for your router 2024

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
ExpressVPN	Starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually)	Best overall	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review
NordVPN	Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years)	Best for powerful extras	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years)	Best affordable option	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review