The Best VPNs for Routers

ExpressVPN is the only VPN service to have developed its own WiFi VPN router with a dedicated app.

It’s extremely simple to use, requiring no technical knowledge. It’s plug-and-play, with ExpressVPN already installed, so you can get started in less than five minutes.

ExpressVPN’s Aircove Go router comes with its own VPN router app.

You control the app through your web browser on www.expressvpnrouter.com, where it functions in the exact same way as any other ExpressVPN app.

Your connections will be encrypted through the same technology all other ExpressVPN software uses, including the Lightway protocol plus AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption.

One of the app’s most useful features is the “Device Groups” setting. This allows you to assign different IP locations to specific devices on your network.

For instance, I connected my Roku stick to a VPN server in the UK to unblock BBC iPlayer, while simultaneously connecting my Xbox to a VPN server in India to access easier lobbies.

You can even create a separate WiFi network just for your guests.

If you don’t want to buy Aircove, you can still use ExpressVPN’s configuration files with many WiFi 5, 6, and 7 router brands.

It’s certainly less user-friendly, as you have to manually install a different file for each location you want to connect to.

Even if the setup process is relatively straightforward, it’s impractical if you want to quickly switch IP location.

ExpressVPN is a standout all-round VPN, with 13,360 fast and secure servers that bypass most streaming geo-blocks around the globe.

You can in fact use ExpressVPN to access 18 Netflix regions, HBO Max, Paramount+, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, and many more platforms.

Thanks to its no-logs policy, diskless servers, and speedy connections, ExpressVPN is also an excellent VPN for anonymous torrenting and file sharing.

I also really like its ‘ShuffleIP’ technology, which automatically assigns you a new IP address on every website or app visit, without affecting your online location.

If you want to keep it simple, then the best thing to do is purchase the Privacy Hero 2 NordVPN router from FlashRouters.

It’s a pre-flashed router that uses the NordLynx protocol and is a “plug-and-play” challenger to Aircove.

The Privacy Hero dashboard allows you to cover your entire network as well as individual devices, even those that don’t support VPNs natively.

The web app is fully integrated with NordVPN, providing you with access to key settings such as the VPN kill switch and split tunneling.

The app’s interface is relatively easy to use and I didn’t have any issues switching from one VPN server location to another.

I found it most useful to use NordVPN with my PlayStation, quickly changing my gaming region to access less “sweaty” lobbies on Call of Duty.

Like many top-tier VPNs, you can also install NordVPN manually on a variety of routers and firmware, with detailed setup guides available for each one.

Each setup guide is well-written and easy to follow, with plenty of screenshots and videos to simplify the process.

There are even instructions on how to use NordVPN with a Starlink router, via the hardware’s VPN passthrough feature.

In the rare instances I was unable to understand a step, NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat support was on hand to help.

As I said before, one of NordVPN’s key selling points is its formidable internet speeds, with amazing stability even on connections stretching thousands of miles.

Across every device connected to my NordVPN-enabled router, the impact on my internet connection was minimal: 4% connecting locally, and 14% internationally.

I saw the impact of these phenomenal results while playing on my PS5 with the VPN on: sharp gameplay and no loss of frame rate.

Via the Privacy Hero app, I consistently evaded streaming geo-blocks too, just like the standard NordVPN apps do.

This worked across all devices on my local network, including my Apple TV and Fire TV Stick.

Unlike most free VPNs, Proton VPN doesn’t cap your data usage. In other words, it’s the only free VPN to support router installation and unlimited data usage.

Proton VPN is also one of the few free VPNs I trust, thanks to its excellent logging policy, high security standards, and trustworthy company background.

But the VPN is hampered by significant product restrictions: you can’t torrent or unblock streaming services on any free server. These restrictions apply to any device connected to your router.

You’re also limited to servers in just 10 countries, which you can’t select manually: the VPN will simply connect you to the fastest free server available.

I can’t lie; these limitations turned out to be incredibly frustrating throughout my testing.

If you’re serious about using a VPN with your router, and for a prolonged period of time, I strongly recommend choosing a paid service.