7 Best Routers Under $200 in 2023 [For Everyone]

Is your budget to purchase the new wireless router set to $200? Expect an all-around routing device that can handle gigabit plans, intensive gaming, streaming, and more. Most routers under 200 USD can cater to the needs of 2,000-2,500 Sq Ft homes.

And unlike cheaper and premium models, 200-dollar routers deliver a perfect balance of features, performance, and value. But then, there are many options, and deciding on one can be challenging, especially if you aren’t well-versed with networking terms, gimmicks, etc.

That’s when I took 19 wireless routers that cost less than 200 dollars and tested them for various aspects under different settings and scenarios. After a detailed evaluation for two months, here are my top 7 recommendations for 2023:

1. Best with WiFi 6E: TP-Link AXE75
2. Best Gaming Router: ASUS RT-AX86S
3. Best Budget WiFi 6 Router: Linksys MR9610
4. Best For Streaming: Netgear RAX50
5. Most Secure Router: Synology RT2600AC
6. Best Mesh WiFi Router: Google Nest WiFi
7. Best Parental Controls: Gryphon Tower

7 Best Routers Under $200 in 2023

Another established criterion of my sub $200 router recommendations was not to pick only high-end options but to have different offerings for different needs and purposes.

1. Best Overall: TP-Link Archer AXE75

TP-Link’s Archer AXE75 tops my list as it’s the only WiFi 6E router available for under $200. The new 6GHz band gets you higher speeds and lower latency, all thanks to uncongested WiFi channels. The wireless standard resonates perfectly with the top-notch hardware to deliver an unequivocal performance, much superior to its older model, AX75.

Speeds & Performance

With WiFi 6E and tri-band support, its total speed capacity is 5400 Mbps which is distributed over respective bands as follows:

6 GHz: 2402 Mbps

5 Ghz: 2402 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 574 Mbps

Costing under $200, it might not be on par with those high-end WiFi 6E routers, but it delivers impressive performance with the Gigabit plan. On the 6GHz band, with Xfinity Gigabit, it managed a consistent speed of 987 Mbps and 41 Mbps, respectively, for downloads and uploads. At the same time, the 5GHz recorded 935 Mbps and 37 Mbps, respectively.

Apart from achieving decent scores on high-frequency bands, the respective speeds on the 2.4GHz band were around 541 Mbps and 23 Mbps. So, take my word that this WiFi 6E emits stable, clear, and consistent signals throughout your day, so you can stream or play easily.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support

You can expect decent coverage from this sub $200 TP-Link router, and I wasn’t disappointed with the results. It works in line with its theoretical range of 2,500 Sq Ft to cover up a space of around 2,200 Sq Ft, the size of a mid-sized two-bedroom apartment.

Its 6 high-gain external antennas are the real hero that works harmoniously with beamforming, QoS, and MU-MIMO technologies to deliver strong and stable signals to around 75 devices at a stretch. So, it definitely is one of the best routers for small-to-medium businesses and households.

Security Features

TP-Link offers a standard HomeShield security which includes features like guest access to allow any device to access your network temporarily, WPA3 to keep your WiFi password secure, and VPN to remote access any website. Aside from that, there are automatic-firmware updates and DDoS protection to protect your devices and home network.

Moving on, its parental controls are rather advanced, with features like scheduled network access, limit online time, and blocking certain websites.

Conclusion

All in all, TP-Link AXE75 is the best wireless router under the $200 price range. It has plenty of advanced features, which translates to top-tier performance. Its only drawback is its paid subscription for advanced security features, but its free ones are enough for most people.

2. Best For Gaming: ASUS RT-AX86S

If you are a gamer in search of the best gaming router for under 200 dollars, ASUS RT-AX86S is your best bet. A dedicated gaming port, a mobile game mode, a cutting-edge processor, ample storage, and powerful wireless and wired capabilities deliver a next-level lag-free gaming experience.

Compared to its preceding model, there are some major changes, especially in terms of processing ability, wireless speeds, and coverage.

Speeds & Performance

Asus RT-AX86S with a Wi-Fi 6 dual-band support boasts an aggregated speed of 5700 Mbps, distributed over the bands as follows:

5 GHz: 4804 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 861 Mbps

With a 1.8GHz Quad-Core processor, expect a reliable and effective performance on your gaming consoles, PC, and smartphones, as the results were on par with my expectations.

The respective download and upload speeds on the 5GHz band, paired with an Xfinity Gigabit plan, were around 941 Mbps and 36 Mbps. At the same time, speeds over the 2.4GHz band were recorded at 665 Mbps and 24 Mbps. I could play games like Valorant, Destiny 2, and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 85 FPS and 6ms ping value.

The mobile game mode helps you make the most of mobile gaming, while the prioritized gaming port optimizes the throughput & latency for gaming on PS5 and other consoles.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support 

Coverage-wise, its four-antenna setup, combined with decent hardware and other networking technologies, does the magic. While ASUS claims to cover a 2,500 Sq Ft area, the router is best suited for 2,000-2,200 Sq Ft homes in practical scenarios. And it can connect up to 30 devices simultaneously, thanks to MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and beamforming.

Security Features

Security has always been the strong point of ASUS routes, and RT-AX86S is no exception. With AiProtection, you get advanced tools and features to protect your network and devices from any vulnerability. These include a firewall to prevent malware or virus attacks, block intrusion, and identify and eliminate malicious websites.

Its parental controls are also very handy and effective. Features like content filtering, scheduled internet access, and time limits, alongside basic ones like network pausing and manual website blocking, make it one of the best routers for parental controls. The best part is you don’t need a single penny for it.

Conclusion

Overall, Asus RT-AX86S is the best gaming router under 200 dollars that performed well in all my tests. Be it throughput, coverage, or security features, it has got you covered. And the only reason it is placed second is its one less band than my previous suggestion.

3. Best Value for Money: Linksys MR9610

Linksys MR9610 is a wireless router below $200 packed with above-par features available at a huge discounted price. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 support, 6000 Mbps of total speed capacity, cutting-edge processor, and the ability to cover 3,000 Sq Ft homes take its performance on par with many top-tier routers.

And it takes a few steps ahead of its predecessor, MR9600, regarding processing setup, speeds, and overall performance.

Speeds & Performance

The suitability of the routing device comes from its maximum theoretical speed of 6000 Mbps, distributed over its two bands as follows:

5 GHz: 4804 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 1147 Mbps

Paired with a Cox Gigablast plan, the wireless performance was impressive as the 5GHz band had around 902 Mbps and 31 Mbps, respectively, as download and upload speeds. Next, with the 2.4GHz band, respective speeds clocked at 512 Mbps and 17 Mbps.

But the thing is, speed doesn’t always translate to performance, as the following model lacks QoS, so stability wasn’t as great as in ASUS RT-AX86S. Nevertheless, with MU-MIMO and beamforming, the games ran fine, and streams were almost lag-free.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support

The four-antennas setup of Linksys MR9610 claims to transmit signals as far as 3,000 Sq Ft. In real-world tests, it fared well to 2,500 Sq Ft. But despite its extended range, its connection capacity is a tad lower than the former, numbering at around 25. This can be attributed to the lack of QoS, but the signals were still stable on the connected devices.

Security Features

Despite taking the lead in coverage, Linksys falls majorly behind ASUS in the security department. Unlike the latter, there are only a few basic tools, which includes guest access, access control, VPN, WPA3, and auto-firmware update. These are capable of basic protection, but for commercial settings, you need much more than that.

A similar is the situation with the parental controls as only pausing internet, scheduled pause, and tracking online duration features are available. You must install a third-party antivirus if you’re in need of advanced features.

Conclusion

Linksys MR9610 is the most value-for-money router to buy for under 200 dollars. Its performance is powerful enough to handle most of your network-intensive gaming, streaming, or video conferencing tasks. This makes it suitable for students studying online or people working from home.

4. Best For Streaming: Netgear Nighthawk RAX50

If you’re into movies, web shows, and streaming, it’s important to have a routing device that supports a high-quality stream, and what’s better than Netgear RAX50? It has got some quality features like a triple-core processor, dual-band WiFi 6 support, and high-performance antennas to deliver an all-rounder performance.

All of these are an improved version of what you get in the Netgear RAX43.

Speeds & Performance

With a dual-band setup, RAX50 has an aggregated speed of 5400 Mbps, distributed over its 2.4 and 5 GHz as follows:

5 GHz: 4804 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 574 Mbps

To evaluate its real-life performance, I paired an Xfinity 1 Gbps plan and tested the speeds over both bands. The near-band (5GHz) speed values averaged 985 Mbps and 36 Mbps, while the farthest band (2.4GHz) had respective values of 449 Mbps and 27 Mbps.

Barring speeds, the device also excelled in terms of consistency and stability, as all my 4K streams over my smart TV and laptops ran lag-free. You’d be happy to know it’s also ranked #5 in my list of routers good for streaming TV.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support

This mothership-inspired routing device with four external antennas can extend its signal range to 2,000 Sq Ft, on par with most routing units below $200. And courtesy of MU-MIMO and QoS, streams and games in over 20 devices should run fine. The performance could’ve been better, but its capacity makes it ideal for residential setups.

Security Features

RAX50 only ships with basic security features, but you can subscribe to Netgear Armor for various advanced security features. Nevertheless, features that come right out of the box include guest access, WPA3, and VPN. I reckon the data shared over the bandwidth in a residential setting is safe with this router.

Conclusion 

To sum up, RAX50 is the best Netgear router for $200 that excels with its quick near-band speeds, strong antennas, and good port setup. Its security features are not advanced; however, an upgrade to the premium Armor plan is available. However, slower speeds and fewer features than other models place it in the 4th position.

5. Best for Security: Synology RT2600AC

If home network security is your topmost priority, Synology RT2600AC is among the routers with the best security features. It serves as a shield protecting your devices and lets you browse peacefully. Aside from security, it has a fast WiFi speed, long range, and plenty of features, making it an upgrade to its predecessor RT1900AC.

Speeds & Performance

RT2600, as the name suggests, has a net throughout capacity of 2600 Mbps, with speeds distributed over both the bands as:

5 GHz: 1800 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 800 Mbps

The router performed decently well in my speed tests with Cox 500 Mbps plan. With sustained speeds of 487 Mbps in downloads and 24 Mbps in uploads, I could stay on top of the game while taking over any internet-bound activities.

At the same time, the farthest band hadn’t an as great performance, with respective speed values of 402 Mbps and 17 Mbps. Even though it’s slower, the network is stable and efficient enough to complete most of your online tasks in a whiz.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support 

Coverage-wise, the performance was decent, thanks to its four-antenna setup. At a stretch, its transmitted signals could travel up to 1,600-1,800 Sq Ft, depending on what the signals travel through to reach your devices. Besides integrating network technologies like beamforming and MU-MIMO, it can handle up to 45 devices simultaneously.

Security Features

Security is the best selling point of this routing device, as it gives you access to plenty of advanced features without charging anything. Some of the notable ones are preventing the entry of unwanted agents like viruses and malware, intrusion blocking, malicious website identification, and blocking, alongside standard ones like VPN, WPA3, and others.

Moving on, RT2600AC also excels in terms of parental control features. With its compatible app, you can schedule network pauses, set bedtime, block specific website categories (ads, social media, or 18+ content), and monitor your kids’ online activities.

Conclusion

To conclude, RT2600AC is an excellent router for security. Aside from that, the router had decent scores in my other tests, which makes it an all-rounder device. But you can’t compare these with top-tier options as the main focus here is security, which is why it’s ranked lower in the list as a good router under $200.

6. Best Mesh WiFi System: Google Nest WiFi

Do you live in a large house with network dead zones here and there? It’d be better to get your hands on the mesh WiFi system!

Presenting next is an excellent mesh router, Google Nest WiFi. Despite its cost and inferior WiFi support, it impresses me with its strong performance at range, powerful processing ability, stable firmware, and easy-to-use features. And ample storage in the form of RAM and NAND memory provides more room to prevent network congestion and improve throughput.

Speeds & Performance

The dual-band 802.11ax WiFi 5 mesh router has a top speed of 2200 Mbps, distributed over two bands:

5 GHz: 1733 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 400 Mbps

In my tests with Cox 500 Mbps plan, the average speeds were pretty average across the board. Over the 5GHz band, downloading a 20GB file took around 5-6 minutes with a rate of 467 Mbps, while upload speeds were recorded at 17 Mbps, around 378 Mbps and 14 Mbps for the 2.4GHz band.

The best part about this mesh system is the speeds dropped merely by 11% when testing devices were moved 20 feet apart. It means you can stream your favorite movies/videos in UHD on a device kept two walls away from the mesh system.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support

Coverage is the standout feature of this mesh system, as its strong internal antennas could cover an area of up to 4,300 Sq Ft, standing just behind Archer AXE75. So my 3,700 Sq Ft mansion-style home, including a garden and garage, was entirely enveloped with strong signals, and we could play games sitting anywhere.

Besides, the device boasts an above-par connections capacity because of integrated beamforming tech and MU-MIMO. I could connect up to 58 devices at a stretch without dropping the signal.

Security Features

Security isn’t as advanced as in my previous suggestions, but there are some basic yet effective features to keep your network ecosystem safe and secure. These include WPA3, TLS, a firewall, and auto-firmware updates. I’m not a fan of its firewall, but it does a decent job of preventing impeachment or detecting malicious websites.

Besides, TLC (Transport Layer Communication) establishes a secure path for data traveling from the router to client devices. However, advanced features like malware, intrusion, and website blocking are missing.

Google Nest WiFi doesn’t have much to offer in the parental controls department. It only allows you to block any website manually or pause your network anytime. So, unlocking any more features would require you to install a third-party antivirus.

Conclusion 

To summarize, Google Nest is the best mesh WiFi router to get under $200. Besides its excellent coverage, it has excellent speeds at its disposal, alongside security features that keep your residential network and connected devices safe from unwanted threats. But, its overall performance is inferior to my previously suggested options, hence the ranking.

7. Best Parental Controls: Gryphon Tower

The final product on my list is also a mesh system, Gryphon Tower, which can’t be categorized into top-shelf options but, with decent speeds and coverage, gets your job done. One of the best routers with comprehensive parental controls is paired with decent security tools alongside a quad-core processor that delivers a decent performance.

Speeds & Performance

This tri-band WiFi 5 mesh router has an aggregated speed of 3000 Mbps distributed over three bands as follows:

5 GHz (1): 1700 Mbps

5 GHz (2): 866 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 400 Mbps

Using the Cox 500 Mbps plan, the Gryphon Tower performed exceptionally well at close-up and distance. Over the 5GHz band, download and upload speeds clocked at 468 Mbps and 18 Mbps, respectively, while the 2.4GHz band has respective speed values of 389 Mbps and 16 Mbps. And at 30 feet distance, respective speeds only dropped by 20%.

Despite its decent throughput capacity, the stress test with the mesh system didn’t go very well, especially over a distance. Over a multiple-device setup, heavy games like Fortnite, Valorant, and others had minor lags and latencies here and there.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Support

I tested this mesh system at my client’s 2,000 Sq Ft workspace, and the entire space was enveloped with strong signals. Although there were a few inconsistencies at the corners, the router still performed well overall. But only with MU-MIMO, the device capacity could extend up to 35. The inconsistencies over a multi-device setup were primarily due to a lack of QoS and OFDMA.

Security Features

Security tools and parental controls are the departments where this Gryphon Tower shines. Starting with security, its in-built firewall protects your network and connected devices from malware, ransomware, and viruses. Aside from that, there are features like guest access, VPN, DDoS protection, WPA3, and access control to deliver a safe browsing experience to users.

With respect to parental controls, there are some advanced features like scheduled access, bedtime, time limit, age-based filters, and remote controls, to name a few. These features let you take control of your child’s online activities and ensure they aren’t exposed to anything dangerous.

Aside from that, a Gryphon premium subscription on offer lets you protect devices outside your WiFi network.

Conclusion 

The Gryphon Tower is a cost-effective, dependable mesh system with robust security features and parental controls. While it offers faster speeds and performance than the Synology RT2600AC, the latter has an edge with extra security and parental control options. So opt for this option to ensure your kids are not engaging in anything explicit online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

As more businesses move online and household devices handle both work and leisure traffic, an old router under your TV may struggle to keep up. Additionally, with the current economic situation, a cost-effective option is desired.

This guide aims to assist in finding the perfect router at a reasonable price. If you weren’t able to make your pick, here’s the list of the best options across categories:

• The best overall would be TP-Link Archer AXE75. Costing just under $200, it’s the only WiFi 6E device available at this price. It pairs with a powerful processor and ample storage to deliver a powerful performance on your devices. 
• If you are opting for a much cheaper option that won’t compromise much on its features, Linksys MR9610 is an ideal pick. And if you need a mesh system, Google Nest WiFi is the best.
• Finally, if you are in for a device with in-built advanced security features and parental controls without spending much, Synology RT2600AC should be on the top of your list.

Saying that I’d wrap up my guide to wireless routers under 200 dollars. Please share in the comments which model you chose. Farewell and take care!