8 Best Routers Under $150 in 2021 [After Testing 50 Devices]

With the router market being replete with multiple brands and products, finding the best router for under $150 can be cumbersome. But you don’t have to worry, I’ve got you covered.

This budget range is neither too high nor very less, basically, you get a wdecent network coverage, WiFi 6 standard, dual band support, and features like MU-MIMO, Beamforming+, etc. Basically, the sub $150 routers are quite common among medium households, small businesses, college students, apartment owners, etc.

Don’t know much about wireless routers? The good thing is, I do have networking knowledge with an in-depth understanding of features like MU-MIMO, OFDMA, Beamforming, advanced QoS. The routers in this list not only addresses the below mentioned requirements but also offers better value for the money.

8 Best Routers Under $150 in 2021

The shortlisted routers is a trickled-down list, after a comparative analysis of over 50 routers from prominent brands like Netgear, TP-Link, D-Link, Asus, etc. It doesn’t matter what your needs are, based on my research, these are the best wireless routers under $150.

1. Best Overall: Linksys E8450 AX3200

The Linksys E8450 is powered by a Dual-Core processor clocking at 1.4GHz, featuring support to WiFi 6, MU-MIMO, and the latest encryption standards of WPA 3 to keep your internet connection secure.

Speeds & Performance

With a high-speed internet connection, the router can achieve speeds up to 800mbps in 2.4GHz and 2400mbps in 5GHz. You can play games and stream it on platforms like Twitch in an optimized manner on 25+ devices, spread across a surface area of 2500 Sq Ft.

Design, RAM, Storage

Weighing just 1.4 lbs, the router belongs to the lightweight category. Sporting a compact design, the shiny black routing device sits pretty without occupying a large surface area. The 512MB RAM and 128MB of flash memory is more than enough for online gaming and streaming.

Antennas & Ports

The router comes with 4 internal antennas only. All the ports, power switches are present on the rear end. You can find 1 WAN port, 4 LAN ports, a power switch, a manual reset button, a USB 2.0 port, a WPS button, and a manual reset button. The USB port is a welcome addition to share printers and network drives within the home network.

Installation & App Support

The router can be installed through the web-interface. Lack of mobile application support for this router might act as a deterrent. The installation wizard keeps the initial setup uncomplicated. The ability to create and assign predetermined profiles and block content by URL filters and time schedules gives the parent control over the child’s internet consumption.

Should you buy this router?

If you are a gaming enthusiast or are hosting a group of students, the Linksys E8450 can deliver stable, high-speed internet to multiple WiFi 6 clients at an affordable price.

2. Best Runner Up: TP-Link Archer AX50

The TP-Link Archer AX50 is a powerful router owing to the potential of the latest Wi-Fi 802.11 ax standards. Features like OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and Beamforming make this a strong competitor for smart homes with multiple devices accessing the internet simultaneously.

Speeds & Performance

Contingent to ISP and other factors, the router can achieve high speeds. It can scale up to 574mbps and 2402mbps in 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, respectively. So, if you’re into gaming, 4K streaming, or just want to use high-speed internet, this router has you covered.

Design, RAM, Storage

At 1.2 lbs, the Archer AX-50 is lightweight and sleek. Sporting a glossy black modern design, the router can adorn your household with its presence. The 256MB of RAM and 128MB of flash memory can provide consistent performance during data-intense activities. With 2000 Sq Ft range, it becomes an inevitable part of medium-sized homes.

Antennas & Ports

With 4 external antennas attached to the rear end of the router, the Archer is equipped to handle multiple devices simultaneously. The presence of 1 WAN port, 4 LAN ports, and a USB 3.0 make it easier for the user to have wired connections and shared network hard drives/printers.

Installation & App Support

Tether application is as simplistic and intuitive as applications come. The initial setup is easier and quicker with the Tether, while the web portal provides access to advanced customizations.

Should you buy this router?

With a parental control that allows you to create multiple user profiles, content filters, monitor and restricts internet access, TP-link offers more control and security against intrusion and malicious contents, the AX-50 becomes a perfect fit for a household with gaming aficionados.

3. Best for Work From Home: NETGEAR RAX40

The Netgear Nighthawk RAX40 brings an array of features like smart parental controls, Beamforming+, and OFDMA under the security hood of AES encryption with PSK, protecting your home network from data threats, viruses, and malware.

Speeds & Performance

The device is equipped to deliver high-speed internet connections rising to 600mbps in 2.5GHz, 2400mbps in 5GHz frequency, depending upon the quality of connection from ISP. The router comes with a coverage of 1500 Sq Ft while supporting up to 16 devices.

Design, RAM, Storage

The Netgear router weighs a little over 1.36 lbs, being neither heavy nor light. It sports a simplistic black textured design. The storage memory of 256MB houses the firmware, and a RAM of 512MB supports the operations. Even while not being fancy, it is sufficient.

Antennas & Ports

The router comes with 3 antennas attached to its rear end. Carrying 1 WAN port, 4 LAN ports, and a USB 3.0 port, the device supports high-speed wired connections for your smart gadgets and network drive sharing within the home network.

Installation & App Support

The Nighthawk mobile application gives a user-friendly, intuitive platform for controlling your network. The initial setup becomes effortless when done through the application and gets done within a matter of a few minutes. The Web GUI opens up to exhaustive control over the settings.

The ability to remotely control home network, protecting your network with guest WiFi networks and the security of NETGEAR Armor gives you the ability to protect your home network. By setting time limits and content filters, you can protect your children from undue exposure.

Should you buy this router?

Powered by powerful dual-core processors, this sub $150 wireless router features Beamforming+, OFDMA, and AES encryption with PSK making it a viable option for small to medium households looking for advanced internet security.

4. Best for Office Use: ASUS RT-AX56U

The Wi-Fi 6, Multi User-MIMO, and Beamforming make ASUS RT-AX56U a good standalone router or a valuable component as a part of your AiMesh WiFi system.

Speeds & Performance

With support from high-speed ISPs like Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, Verizon, the device can support up to 574Mbps on 2.4GHz and 1201Mbps on 5GHz. With beamforming and OFDMA, the router can disperse signals across 3000 Sq Ft and support up to 25 gadgets.

Design, RAM, Storage

Weighing less than 1.9 lbs, the RT-AX56U is still light. With a shiny striped black casing separated by two red stripes, the device sports a simplistic design that houses a 1.5GHz, quad-core processor with an operating memory of 256MB and storage memory of 128MB.

Antennas & Ports

You can find 2 antennas at the rear end of the router, interspersed amongst a WAN port, four LAN ports, A USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 port, the power socket, the WPS button, and a manual reset button. The inclusion of two USB ports further improves router’s ability to accommodate shared drives within the home network.

Installation & App Support

Asus mobile app keeps the device installation and the setup simple, while the web GUI allows you access to a host of features like bandwidth control, real-time traffic monitor, and QoS. The parental control can host multiple profiles, enable content filters and limit internet access based on customized schedules. AiProtection offers protection for all your devices against the virus.

Should you buy this router?

If you are in a household with tech-savvy members carrying multiple WiFi 6 clients, Asus router offers a solution to exploit the high-speed capabilities of your internet connection.

5. Best Mesh Router: D-Link DIR-LX1870

The D-Link DIR-LX1870 WiFi-6 mesh system stands as a testament to a simplistic design, ease of installation, and control over your home network system.

Speeds & Performance

The D-Link DIR-LX1870 offers 574mbps in the 2.4GHz and 1201mbps in the 5GHz frequencies. The combined speed of up to 1800mbps makes it ideal router for WiFi calling and VoIP. With extended coverage of 3000 Sq Ft, each access point can serve as a single router to a medium home with multiple smart gadgets.

Design, RAM, Storage

The router is a small cylindrical device that merely weighs 0.90 lbs. The minimalist white design has an LED light running at the center. The casing houses a storage memory of 128MB and RAM of 256MB, which allows ease of operation for multiple devices simultaneously.

Antennas & Ports

Equipped with only internal antennas, the design accommodates the ports accessible through the rear end. It brings 1 Ethernet and 1 WAN port for wired connections. The lack of a USB port closes the door for sharing storage devices across the network.

Installation & App Support

You can set up the D-Link Mesh system via their mobile app available for both, iOS and Android. Offering one of the easiest installations, the setup takes up hardly a few minutes for setting up with Exede Satellite, ATT Uverse, etc.

Unlike Google mesh systems, this mesh router from D-Link doesn’t come with in-depth customisation options. However, you can manage your network including content limits for kids. D-Link also allows you to prioritise bandwidth, control smart devices, enable/disable WiFi, and continuous monitoring of your network.

Should you buy this router?

If you are a homemaker trying to avoid the technicalities inherent with a routing device, this D-Link mesh router offers an affordable solution for medium-sized smart homes with easy installation and user profile management.

6. Best WiFi 5 Router: Netgear Nighthawk R7350

The Netgear Nighthawk R7350 sport features like Advanced QoS, smart parental controls, Beamforming under the security hood of Netgear Armor, protecting your home network from data threats, virus, and malware.

Speeds & Performance

Depending on the quality of your internet connection from ISP, this WiFi 5 router can reach speeds up to 600mbps in 2.5GHz, 1733mbps in 5GHz frequency. It has a coverage of 2500 Sq Ft, supporting up to 20 devices.

Design, RAM, Storage

The Netgear router weighs approximately 1.65 lbs, making it lightweight. The device comes in a simplistic shiny black plastic casing housing a dual-core processor with an operating memory of 256MB and storage memory of 128MB housing the firmware.

Antennas & Ports

The router has 3 detachable antennas attached to its rear end. With one WAN port, four LAN ports, and a USB 3.0 port, the device gives ample avenues for gigabit-wired connections and shared printers or hard drives.

Installation & App Support

The Nighthawk application is a user-friendly platform that keeps the initial setup and management simple. The Web GUI gives access to advanced settings for more tech-savvy users. The mobile zpp and web GUI allow parents to control web content, set time limits to protect their children from inappropriate exposure. The guest network access and double firewall protection keep your home network safe from external threats.

Should you buy this router?

Built around a dual-core processor, the router comes with useful features and an intuitive interface for easy management. Be it online gaming or media streaming on Firestick, the adults and the kids in your home will equally enjoy the performance of Netgear AC2400.

7. Best for Home Use: D-Link DIR-2640-US

The D-Link DIR-2640-US makes an endearing case as the perfect companion to manage your home network with its high-speed capabilities and essential features like MU-MIMO and Advanced AC SmartBeam.

Speeds & Performance

With seamless connectivity in both the frequencies (2.4GHz and 5GHz), the router can reach high speeds of 800mbps and 1733mbps sufficient to handle gaming and 4K media streaming. It can cover areas up to 1800 Sq Ft and handle up to 15 devices operating simultaneously.

Design, RAM, Storage

With a weight close to 1.35 lbs, the D-Link DIR-2640-US is lightweight despite its larger footprint. The minimal LED indicators adorn the front of a matte-black casing. The router comes with 256MB of operating and 128MB of storage memory.

Antennas & Ports

The 4 external antennas equipped with MU-MIMO deliver stable Wi-Fi signals across your home. The D-Link mesh router comes with 4 Gig Ethernet LAN and 1 Gig WAN port to offer gigabit wired connectivity to TV and consoles. It also comes with one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port for media sharing.

Installation & App Support

D-Link mobile application or the Web-based interface can keep the initial setup straightforward. The web interface lets you create profile-based parental controls to monitor and handle kid’s activities. The firewall and access control protect the network from security threats and unauthorised usage.

Should you buy this router?

The Dual-Band WiFi, the D-Link Mesh capability, allows your household to enjoy seamless internet connectivity as a homemaker or a student or a remote-working professional.

8. Cheapest Option: TP-Link Archer A21

The Archer A21 brings features like WiFi 6, Multi User-MIMO, WPA3 encryption standards, VPN server, and parental controls for just under $100. Be it online gaming or media streaming or remote work-from-home-solutions; it falls within the purview of TP-Link Archer A21.

Speeds & Performance

Geared by a 1.5 GHz Quad-Core processor, the router can deliver high-speed internet connections up to 574mbps in 2.5GHz and 1200mbps in 5GHz. Archer A21 comes with 256MB RAM and 128MB of storage. With balanced usage, the router can handle up to 30 devices spread around 2200 Sq Ft.

Design, RAM, Storage

At just 1.1 lbs, the router lingers in the lightweight spectrum. It sports a traditional black glossy design. The router also features a WPS button, an LED indicator, power button and power input and antennas aligned on the rear end.

Antennas & Ports

On the rear, you can find 4 external antennas and an array of ports the router offers. TP-link gives 1 WAN port and 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports to take care of wired requirements. The presence of a USB 2.0 lets you share printers/storage devices in the home network.

Installation & App Support

Both (the Tether app and Web GUI) provide an amicable interface, to get through setup quickly. Unlike the mobile app, the web GUI gives access to customizing control, QoS, and VPN settings. TP-link gives more control to parents by allowing them to create user profiles and limiting access. The smart connect band steering and airtime fairness manages the user connections to ensure unhindered connectivity.

Should you buy this router?

With a multitude of features like Beamforming, MU-MIMO, QoS, parental control, and security features, the Archer A21 presents an affordable solution for remote working professionals and keeps your internet connection stable for video conferences and business meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

The D-Link and Netgear, being major players in the router market space, offer multiple routers within the price range to cater to the user requirements.

• For those looking for reliable WiFi 6 routers under $150, Linksys E8450 AX3200 and TP-Link Archer AX50 are the two best choices.
• If you are looking for a router with extensive coverage, then, the ASUS RT-AX56U is what you should consider. It has the ability to cover a 3000 Sq Ft house.
• If you want an easy to use WiFi Mesh system, the D-Link DIR-LX1870 is a budget-friendly solution to your home network requirement.

Preferences and requirements play a vital role in finding the right router for your household. The analysis tries to different facets of requirement based on common consensus.