11 Best Routers under 50 Dollars (2023 Expert reviews)

A bargain and excellent performance are rarely used in the same sentence. However, in this case, we can get a bargain router which will give you exceptional internet performance. The best wireless and wired routers under 50 US Dollars will give you speedy, stable, wide coverage, and an excellent internet connection to several devices.

Having subscribed to a good internet service provider internet tier, it is paramount to match that with an equally well-performing router. Therefore, exploring these highly performing routers will ensure your home is the place to be. An example is that you may be looking for a 1000mbps WiFi router for under 50$.

We recommend getting a router that will last for a long time, will give you a powerful performance, and will support your online activities like gaming, streaming, or browsing. These routers may sometimes cost more than we are reviewing today but in the long run, it is worth it.

If you have a slightly higher budget, and you want the best router for your home, you can check our routers under $100 top-picks. These routers will ensure that you get the range, speed, connection to multiple devices, and safety online. Otherwise, you can pick one among the best routers under $200 or premium routers under 150 Dollars.

Therefore, in this article, we will give you the router you should buy for a budget of under $50. We will also offer a buyer’s guide to help you choose the best router under 50 USD that will work for you.

The best routers under 50 Dollars top picks

RouterBest forFeaturesCheck it out
TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer A6)Best router under $50Dual-band,
Speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Range: Up to 2000 Sq. ft,
Devices: Up to 20,
Supports guest WiFi
Tether app setup
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Netgear R6120 Router (AC1200)Best for speedDual-band,
Speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Range: Up to 1200 Sq. ft,
Devices: Up to 20,
4 fast Ethernet ports
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Tenda AC10U AC1200 RouterBest for homes with several devicesDual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Devices: Up to 20,
Range: Up to 2000 sq. ft,
CHECK IT OUT
NETGEAR WiFi Router (R6080)Easy setup router (1000Sq ft, 1000Mbps, 15 devices)Dual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1000Mbps,
Devices: Up to 15,
Range: Up to 1000 sq. ft,
Safe & secure Wi-Fi
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TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer C50)Best for parental controlsDual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Devices: Up to 15,
Range: Up to 1200 sq. ft,
Guest Network, Parental Controls, and IPv6 Support
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NETGEAR N600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router (WNDR3400)Best budget routerDual-band
Speed: up to 600Mbps
Devices: Up to 5
CHECK IT OUT
Tenda AC1200 Router (AC6)Best for wide coverageDual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Devices: Up to 20,
Range: Up to 2000 sq. ft,
MU-MIMO for Home
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Motorola SBG6580 Modem routerBest modem router combo under $50Dual-band,
8 X 4 channels,
4-Port Gigabit Ethernet Router,
DOCSIS 3.0
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Asus RT-N12 N300 RouterBest single-band router under 50 USD (2.4 GHz)Single-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 300Mbps,
Devices: Up to 20,
Range: Up to 1000 sq. ft,
CHECK IT OUT
Rock Space AC1200 RouterBest for secure Wi-Fi Dual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Devices: Up to 20,
Range: Up to 1500 sq. ft,
MU-MIMO and Beamforming Technology
CHECK IT OUT
Wavlink AC1200 routerBest for reliabilityDual-band,
Wi-Fi speed: Up to 1200Mbps,
Devices: Up to 20,
Range: Up to 1500 sq. ft,
CHECK IT OUT

Which is the best router for under 50 Dollars?

TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer A6)

TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer A6): The best router under 50 US Dollars

If you are looking for a router that will give you excellent performance at that low price, look no further. TP-Link Archer A6 router is a dual-band router that gives good internet speeds, a good range, can connect multiple devices, and thus is the best router under $50.

The dual-band budget router supports speeds of up to 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and 900Mbps on the 5GHz band thus giving a maximum throughput of up to 1,200Mbps making it an excellent choice for a 1000Mbps WiFi router for under 50$. This thus makes sure you can do your online activities including 4k streaming and gaming without buffering.

To ensure even your non-wireless devices are covered, the wireless router has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports. This thus makes sure that your printers, gaming consoles, and computers can be connected through LAN when needed.

The TP-Link Archer A6 is loaded with the current technology to enable it to perform excellently. This includes MU-MIMO technology, AP mode, Beamforming among others. MU-MIMO enables you to connect several devices to the Wi-Fi simultaneously.

AP mode enables the router to be switched to the access point mode when necessary. Beamforming and the 4 powerful antennas enable it to give a wide Wi-Fi coverage.

It is one of the best wireless routers for under 50 Dollars because is very easy to set up and manage using the TP-Link tether app. This makes it easy to have the router functioning in your home and to manage the connections even remotely.

TP-Link Archer A6 router supports guest Wi-Fi and has excellent parental controls. Therefore, the router gives you the ability to monitor and manage the devices connected to your Wi-Fi while also offering security to your network.

Pros

  • TP-Link Archer A6 gives you great internet speeds
  • It has the latest technology for exceptional performance
  • It offers support for Guest Wi-Fi
  • The wireless router comes at a great price

Cons

  • The Tether app does not support changing the router to AP mode

Netgear R6120 Router (AC1200)

Netgear R6120 Router (AC1200): One of the best routers under 50 USD. Offers great speeds and connects several devices

If you want one of the best over 1000mbps WiFi router for under 50$, Netgear have you covered. The router gives you great internet speeds, connects multiple devices, has a good range, and offers great security.

The Netgear R6120 Router has a maximum throughput of 1,200Mbps. This is provided by the dual-band router with 2.4GHz giving Wi-Fi speeds of up to 300Mbps while the 5GHz band gives maximum Wi-Fi speeds of up to 900Mbps.

The great thing about this budget router is the coverage. Netgear R6120 Router gives a wireless internet coverage of up to 1,200 square feet making it one of the best budget long-range routers. Thus the router can cover the modest home with high-speed internet.

The router can support up to 20 devices with high-speed internet. This means that your devices will receive the high-speed internet that is needed for good performance. This coupled with the wide coverage that it supports makes it a must-have for your home.

Netgear R6120 Router has smart parental controls and the latest security features for your home. The router will give you peace of mind when your network is accessed by children since you have control. It also ensures that your devices and information are safe and secure.

Finally, the Netgear R6120 Router is easy to set up using the Nighthawk App. This ensures that you can easily follow the steps on the app when the router is connected to the network using an Ethernet cable.

Pros

  • The wireless router is easy to set up
  • It supports up to 20 devices with high-speed internet
  • Netgear R6120 Router has a wide coverage
  • This router offers advanced parental controls
  • It gives you a safe and secure network

Cons

  • It does not have the guest Wi-Fi feature
  • .It requires both the web interface and the App to set up and configure

Tenda AC10U AC1200 Router

Tenda AC10U AC1200 Router: Best router under $50 for multiple devices

For homes with several devices, getting one of the best routers for under 50 Dollars is always a joy. Tenda AC10U AC1200 Router gives you a fast connection for all your devices.

The 2.4ghz and 5ghz router offer speeds of up to 1,200Mbps. The 5GHz band offers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 867Mbps while the 2.4GHz band offers speeds of up to 300Mbps.

Tenda AC10U AC1200 Router’s other main strength is the number of devices supported. The router can support up to 30 devices with high-speed Wi-Fi. It, therefore, is an excellent router for most homes with multiple devices.

The best wireless router for under 50 Dollars also has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports. This ensures that your Ethernet devices are not left out when they required fast internet.

The router additionally has one of the widest coverage for routers under $50. This is because it has a Wi-Fi coverage of up to 2,000 square feet. This is supported by the 4 Omnidirectional antennas, Beamforming technology, and MU-MIMO technology to support all the devices.

Besides, the router is easy to set up and manage using the Tenda Wi-Fi app. The app enables you to set up parental controls in addition to managing the devices accessing the internet.

Finally, the router comes with one of the best safety and security protocols for your home. This is in addition to the 3-year warranty offered by the company.

Pros

  • The wireless router has a great range
  • Tenda AC10U AC1200 Router supports several devices with fast internet
  • This router offers great Wi-Fi speeds
  • It has the latest technology for a strong performance
  • It is cost-effective

Cons

  • You may experience internet speed fluctuations requiring reboots
  • Most people find it hard to install

Netgear WiFi Router (R6080)

NETGEAR WiFi Router (R6080): Easy set up router

Are you looking for a high-performance router that is easy to set up? Then get the Netgear WiFi Router (R6080). This router is one of the best wireless routers for under 50 US dollars. It is easy to set up and has great speed, range, and can connect several devices.

The 2.4ghz and 5ghz router offer combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,000Mbps. This is available on the dual-band router where the 2.4GHz band offers speeds of up to 300Mbps while the 5GHz band offers speeds of up to 700Mbps.

You will love the two detachable external antennas. They help to extend the wireless coverage.

The budget router can support as many as 15 Wi-Fi devices. Netgear WiFi Router (R6080) also has four Ethernet ports for your LAN devices. This ensures that all the devices, either wired or not, get access to high-speed internet.

The wireless router offers Smart parental controls. The controls enable you to filter the content that your children are accessing while also giving you control over the times that they can access the internet. This makes the router excellent for parental controls.

The wireless router is easy to set up where you end up with a safe and secure internet connection. The setup is effected by the Nighthawk app when the router is connected to the internet via an Ethernet cable.

Pros

  • The router is a dual-band router
  • It is very easy to install
  • It comes at a very good price
  • The Wi-Fi speeds are quite fast

Cons

  • The router has no configurable QoS by the end-user
  • The router does not support Gigabit Ethernet connections
  • It is not compatible with DD-WRT

TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer C50): One of the best wireless routers under 50 USD

TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer C50): The best router under $50 for parental controls

Are you looking for one of the best routers under 50 USD for excellent parental controls in addition to performance? TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer C50) is one of the first routers for you to consider.

The wireless router offers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,200Mbps on its dual bands. This is 900Mbps on the 5GHz band and 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. These excellent speeds enable you to conduct your online activities including 4K streaming and gaming without any lags.

The wireless router also has four Ethernet ports. The fast ethernet ports ensure that your LAN devices can access high-speed internet.

This router is easy to set up using the TP-Link Tether App. This app offers step by step set up process for your router.

The router offers exceptional parental control features. The controls enable you to set the time when your children can access Wi-Fi in your house. It also enables content screening and filtering for your children’s safety.

The routers also enable the guest network setup. This helps to keep your Wi-Fi network safe and secure. This is in addition to other security protocols available for this router.

Pros

  • The wireless router has advanced parental controls
  • It offers great internet speeds
  • TP-Link AC1200 Router (Archer C50) has the latest safety and security features
  • It is easy to set up

Cons

  • It does not have Gigabit Ethernet ports
  • It may require frequent reboots to get connected to all bands

NETGEAR N600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router (WNDR3400)

NETGEAR N600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router (WNDR3400): the best budget router

When you are looking for a bargain among the bargains, then check out the Netgear N600 router. The dual-band router offers good speeds and good Wi-Fi coverage for one of the lowest prices.

The best wireless router offers speeds of up to 600Mbps. This is 300 Mbps added to another 300 Mbps for the two bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz). These speeds can be provided for up to 5 simultaneous devices in your home.

The router also has four Ethernet ports with maximum speeds of 100Mbps. This makes it easy to connect your wired devices. The router has a medium range for modest homes.

The Netgear N600 router is easy to install and manage using the Netgear genie home network manager. The manager enables you to manage the connected devices too.

All those features make this router one of the best affordable routers for under 50 USD Dollars.

Pros

  • The best wireless router comes at a very good price
  • Netgear N600 router is easy to set up
  • It has 4 Ethernet ports for your wired devices

Cons

  • It does not have gigabit Ethernet ports
  • The Wi-Fi speeds are not the best

Tenda AC1200 Router (AC6)

Tenda AC1200 Router (AC6): Best router under 50 for large homes

For those of us with large homes and who want an affordable router, then this is your gadget. The router offers fast Wi-Fi speeds, for several devices with wide coverage.

With Wi-Fi speeds of 1,200Mbps, the router offers some of the fastest Wi-Fis of all the best wireless routers under 50 USD. These Wi-Fi speeds are supported by up to 300 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5GHz band.

The router can give a wide Wi-Fi coverage of up to 2,000 square feet. This is because the router has 4 Omnidirectional antennas and the latest technology such as Beamforming, MU-MIMO, and others. The router is, therefore, able to cover your whole home with high-speed internet.

On the number of devices supported, the Tenda AC1200 Router (AC6) can support up to 20 devices with fast internet. Besides, the router has 4 LAN ports to cover your wired devices. This thus means that the router can cover both wired and wireless devices with fast internet.

To top it up, the best wireless router under 50 USD has the latest safety and security protocols both for your devices, information, and children.

Pros

  • The best wireless router gives an excellent performance
  • It can cover up to 20 devices with fast Wi-Fi
  • It has one of the widest Wi-Fi coverage for budget routers
  • The Wi-Fi speeds are great

Cons

  • It is vulnerable to malware attacks

Motorola SBG6580 Modem router

Motorola SBG6580 Modem router: The best modem router combo under 50 USD

Do you want to connect your house to the internet and you don’t have the money to buy a separate modem and router? Then you can get a Motorola SBG6580 modem gateway.

The device combines a modem and a router to give you a Wi-Fi connection straight from the ISP at that low price. The modem router combo delivers download speeds of up to 343Mbps since it has 8 download channels in addition to the 4 upload channels.

The modem router combo also has 4 gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices. This, therefore, means that the gateway will cover both your wireless and wired devices with high-speed internet.

When you get this device, you eliminate the need to pay rental fees every month to your ISP. It will also ensure that you get quality and high-performance internet in your home at no extra monthly cost.

Pros

  • The gateway helps you save the modem rental fees by your ISP
  • It connects to the ISP giving you both a modem and router functions
  • The price is manageable for most individuals
  • It combines well with the living space

Cons

  • The Wi-Fi is a bit unreliable
  • It does not work with all ISPs

Asus RT-N12 N300 Router

Asus RT-N12 N300 Router: The best single band router under $50

For a low budget, you can pick the Asus RT-N12 router. The single band (2.4GHz) router offers internet speeds of up to 300Mbps. It also has a wide coverage due to the two high-performance detachable antennas.

The best wireless router for under $50 has access point and range extender modes for increased versatility. This way the router can offer fast internet access for both wired and wireless devices.

The router has an easy setup and customization process. It enables you to set up up to 4 wireless networking accounts. This, therefore, enables increased privacy and security. The accounts also enable limitations on the bandwidth that each account can access.

Finally, the router comes with advanced security features in addition to setting up 4 accounts. This makes it possible to protect your data from hackers and malware.

The above features make the single band router one of the best routers for under 50 Dollars.

Pros

  • The wireless router is very pocket friendly
  • It is easy to set up and configure
  • It is good for Wi-Fi extension since it works as an access point or Wi-Fi extender
  • The router has a good Wi-Fi range

Cons

  • The single band router is not ideal for 4K streaming or gaming
  • The Wi-Fi speeds are not the very best

Rock Space AC1200 Router (One of the best routers under 50 USD for security)

Rock Space AC1200 Router: one of the best routers under 50 Dollars

Are you looking for a router offering great internet speeds at a budget price? Look no further! Rock space AC1200 dual-band router gives you great Wi-Fi speed, range, and other features.

With Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,200Mbps, the gaming router will give you a great performance for gaming or 4K streaming in addition to other online activities. The speeds are provided by the 2.4GHz band and 5GHz band with a maximum throughput of 300Mbps and 867Mbps respectively.

The best wireless router on a budget has both MU-MIMO and Beamforming technologies for connecting several devices even at range.

The technologies enable you to connect several devices simultaneously. The technology is in addition to the 4 high-performance antennas. The maximum range is 1,500 square feet.

The router also has 4 gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices. The fast ethernet ports enable your home devices to be covered by Wi-Fi or wired connections.

The router has an easy setup process as indicated in the product manual. The manual guides the setup and management. Therefore, you are assured of a quick and reliable connection.

Finally, the router has the latest security features. This includes guest access which ensures that your connections are secure. The security features for the Rock Space router include a built-in router firewall.

Pros

  • The speed is good for a wireless router under $50
  • It has a good range
  • It has extensive security features
  • Rock Space AC1200 router has the latest technology for connecting several devices

Cons

  • The router has unreliable connections
  • It is not compatible with all modems

Wavlink AC1200 Router: One of the best routers under 50 USD for reliability

Wavlink AC1200 Router: One of the best routers under 50 USD for reliability

We all want reliable internet in our homes, right? Then we will finish our reviews with a bang. The Wavlink AC1200 router is one of the best routers under 50 USD for reliability. The router is best known for its exceptional Wi-Fi speeds and reliable internet.

This best wireless router for low budgets also has a maximum throughput of 1,200Mbps divided between 2.4GHz at 300Mbps and 5GHz at 867Mbps. These speeds are also complemented by wireless ports to provide fast internet to your wired devices.

The router has a wide coverage. This is supported by the 4 Omnidirectional antennas and a built-in high-power Amplifier. This means you can get Wi-Fi coverage for your whole home.

The router is easy to install using the web-based interface. It is just a matter of connecting the router via an Ethernet cable to the computer and following the prompts to set up the connection.

The router can also be used in an access point (AP) mode or Wisp mode. Therefore, you can use the router as a Wi-Fi extender or as a LAN bridge. These functions are better performed by the router as compared to the normal repeater or extender or access point.

Finally, the Wavlink AC1200 router offers advanced security and safety measures for your home. This is because the router supports WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK wireless security protocols.

Pros

  • The best wireless budget router offers great Wi-Fi speeds
  • This router has the latest technology for wide coverage
  • It offers a secure network
  • It comes at a very affordable price

Cons

  • It does not support port forwarding
  • The Wi-Fi may be unreliable

Best routers under 50 Dollars buyer’s guide

When considering the best wireless router for under $50 for your home, there are a few things you should consider. We have covered most of the things in the pros and cons of the router. However, to make it clear we should check the following:

Wi-Fi speed

Budget routers mostly have poor internet connection speeds. However, in our list, we have routers offering maximum throughput of 1,200Mbps. This speed is enough for most online activities.

To get the best wireless router under 50 USD for your home, check the Wi-Fi speeds. You should also ensure that you check the Ethernet port speed to enable your wired devices to access fast internet too.

Wi-Fi range

A good router will cover your home with high-speed internet. Considering that we are reviewing the best routers under 50 Dollars, their range may not be very exceptional.

Most of the wireless routers in the list will covet your medium-sized home with Wi-Fi. However, if you have a large home, you should consider the best routers for covering large homes with high-speed Wi-Fi.

Number of devices

When getting a router for your home, kindly ensure that you can get a router that will support all the devices you have in your home. This means considering the router that can simultaneously support several devices.

However, since we are reviewing budget routers, they may not be able to cover all the smart devices available in our home with high-speed internet. You can check the best routers for several devices to enable you to get a router for all your smart home devices.

Finally, the router should have at least fast ethernet ports for your non-wireless devices. This makes it easy to use devices without Wi-Fi capability and also when a more reliable internet is required.

Number of Wi-Fi bands

There are several single-band, dual-band, and tri-band routers available in the market today. However, for budget routers, we may not get a tri-band router because they are a bit costly.

Dual-band routers are moderately good in internet provision as compared to exceptional tri-band routers. Therefore, for your home, kindly consider getting the best dual-band router for under 50 USD to enable all your devices to enjoy great internet connections.

Ethernet ports

A good budget router should have at least one Ethernet port. Most of the routers have fast Ethernet ports but the best have gigabit Ethernet ports.

Thus, for the best performance, you can strive to get a router with gigabit Ethernet ports. This will ensure that your wired devices get the best internet connection possible.

If not possible, then get a router with several fast Ethernet ports. This will ensure coverage for all your wired devices.

Performance features

When choosing your router you need to ensure that it gives you a good performance. The performance is supported by performance features such as MU-MIMO, Beamforming, and IPV6 among others.

MU-MIMO enables your router to support multiple devices simultaneously. Thus, when you are using several devices, none of them will get a poor internet connection.

Beamforming, on the other hand, enables each device even at a range to get strong Wi-Fi signals. This is important when you are having devices spread all across your home.

Frequently asked Questions (FAQs) on under $50 router

Can I get a router for less than 50 Dollars?

Yes, you can get a router for less than $50. The router may be basic but will be able to support most of the online activities at home. The challenge is that it is limited in range, speed, and the number of devices connected. You may also get challenges with safety and security features for the router. We recommend getting these routers if you just want a basic router.

Can I get a cheap router?

For the companies known to manufacture high-quality routers, TP-Link offers some of the cheapest routers in the market today. The Archer A6 (Archer C6) is a decent router that comes at a very good price. Therefore, getting such a router will give you a decent connection at home from a reliable router manufacturer.

How much is a basic router?

A basic router with 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) technology which gives you a good connection to most home devices will cost anything from 30 USD upwards. However, you will need to check its limits on the range, internet speeds, number of devices supported, and other features as you consider getting a cheap router. You can achieve more by getting a more expensive router that gives you more options and newer technology.

Conclusion

We all want a bargain in the market today. This means exploring the best routers under 50 US dollars. These routers will cover your home with high-speed internet at a great value.

To get the best wireless router for under 50 Dollars that will work for your home, kindly read the reviews and the buyer’s guide. This will ensure that you get a router with all the features necessary for your home.