The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?ExtrasIndyBestTechBy installing a VPN onto your router, all the devices connected to it are protected I’ve used VPNs for the past 15 years, so I know what to look for (NordVPN/ExpressVPN/The Independent)Our Top Picks1234It might not seem immediately clear but it’s useful to have a VPN installed. It gives you extra privacy online so your ISP can’t snoop on your activity and VPNs often come with plenty of additional security features to keep you extra safe. While you can install one on each device at home, a more convenient solution is to install it to your router so all the devices connected to it are protected. I’ve been using the best VPNs for the past 15 years, trying out various different services to settle on the best one for my needs. Below, I’ve used that expertise and recent experience to determine what the best options are for every scenario.Besides the extra privacy, a VPN can even potentially help save you money as a change of virtual location can lead to cheaper prices when seeking flights and other purchases that can change drastically because of a multitude of complex reasons. Now you know why you need a VPN, here’s a look at the best VPNs for routers. My top pick is Surfshark as it’s cheap and works very well, but there are alternatives out there, including a free option and ones that add extensive security features to your arsenal. Here are the best VPNs for routers in 2026.Read more: Best VPN service, reviewed I installed all of these VPNs on my router and mesh network (Jennifer Allen/The Independent)The best VPN for routers in 2026 are:Best overall –Surfshark: From £1.49 per month, Surfshark.comBest budget option – Proton VPN: Free, Protonvpn.comBest all-in-one – NordVPN: From £2.29 per month, Nordvpn.comBest for AI – ExpressVPN: From £2.49 per month, Expressvpn.com1SurfsharkBest VPN for routers overall:Servers 4,500+ across 100 countriesUsers UnlimitedMoney-back guarantee 30-dayExtras available Anti-virus, identity theft coverage, data removalWhy we love it Fast serversEasy to useNo-logs policyLots of servers to choose fromTake note Expensive if you don’t commit to long plansNot ideal for streamingShow moreIf you just want to get straight to the ideal solution, sign up for Surfshark. It offers three well-laid out plans. Its cheapest plan is just £40.23 for the first 27 months so the equivalent of £1.49 per month with that gradually increasing in price depending on what you need. With the starter plan, you get access to the VPN for unlimited devices, an ad blocker, dynamic multihopping which makes it harder to track you down, and you can use its masked email generator.Spend a little more and you also get an anti-virus, email scam checker, alerts if your details are stolen, and data removal services are available on the priciest plan. US users can also enjoy identity theft coverage with the One+ plan aka the most expensive. Whichever one you sign up for, as standard you have access to over 4,500 servers across 100 countries. Speed is generally pretty good, I found, but obviously that will vary depending on how far away you’re hopping to, and what you’re doing with that speed.Its cheapest plan is just £40.23 for the first 27 months (Surfshark)Using Surfshark via your router is fairly simple but you’ll need to follow a guide. Surfshark offers assistance for many different router types and firmware, including OpenWRT, OPNsense, and TP-Link, so it’s not much hassle at all. Each guide is clear and I found it straightforward to connect via my TP-Link router. By doing so, you don’t have to worry about installing the Surfshark app on all your devices, although I found the app simple enough to use. Spend a little time getting set up on your router and Surfshark offers substantial peace of mind.If you want a VPN to stream while travelling abroad, Surfshark can be a little patchy in terms of reliability, so I’d steer clear if that’s your specific goal. For general security though, Surfshark is a reassuring option.Back to top2Proton VPNBest budget VPN for routersServers Up to 20,000 servers in 140+ countriesUsers 1-10Money-back guarantee 30-daysExtras available On Unlimited plan - password manager, secure email, encrypted calendar, encrypted cloud storageWhy we love it Security is fantasticClean and simple interfaceWell designed for novicesTake note Can be a little slowCan only stream on paid plansShow moreProton is a highly respected name in the encrypted email industry and it extends that reliability and security to its VPN side of things. Best of all, depending on your needs, you may not even need to pay a penny as there’s a free plan. That plan only secures one device at a time with a choice of servers in 10 countries (randomly selected). It also doesn’t work with streaming content nor does it block ads or trackers, but it’s a good starting point.Pursue the VPN Plus package and you get 10 device support, the best speeds, streaming, ad and malware blocking, along with priority support and live chat. As standard, Proton VPN doesn’t keep logs and it comes with a basic password manager and cloud storage. No logs are kept and Proton VPN is based in Switzerland which has some of the tightest data protection laws around the world. Its server locations are varied and numerous with far more than many competitors. Good speeds require you to sign up for the Plus package rather than the Free plan but the latter is still worth pursuing for those times you really need a VPN.There’s a free plan so you may not even need to pay for it (Proton VPN)Support is also pretty good with a hefty number of guides and FAQs as well as human support which is fairly speedy in my experience. When you want to connect via your router, there are a lot of guides, each narrowing things down according to your router and firmware. They’re quite text heavy and I missed a more visual approach, but it’s simple enough to follow. You’ll soon no longer need to use the app once you’ve figured out router setup.Back to top3NordVPNBest All-in-One protectionServers 9,400+ across 211 countriesUsers Up to 10Money-back guarantee 30-daysExtras available Anti-malware protection, ad blocker, password manager, email monitoring, scam call protection, cloud storageWhy we love it Good speedsPlenty of serversExcellent protectionTake note Basic plan is pretty basicCan get expensiveShow moreNordVPN is a big name in the VPN world for good reason. I’ve used it frequently over the years and it has a simple app that’s also highly effective. The basic plan is just a VPN but you can upgrade to also gain malware protection, an ad blocker and password manager. Go for the Ultimate package and you also get scam call protection, email and ID monitoring, as well as 1TB of cloud storage.As standard, there’s Dark Web monitoring which checks if your email has been leaked elsewhere. That’s a nice bonus even before you upgrade to get scam detection or malware protection. Ultimately, it all just works very well with effective protection, a vast number of servers to choose from, and good speeds.Dark Web monitoring checks if your email has been leaked elsewhere (NordVPN)You do need to keep an eye on prices though. NordVPN always has deals available with the best coming from signing up for extended periods, but steer clear of auto renewals or only signing up for one month as it can get very expensive.If you want to use NordVPN via your router, there are options. You can buy a router which is already preconfigured with the VPN service or you can follow the company’s excellent guides. They cover pretty much every configuration you can think of with clear imagery and written instructions ensuring you can’t go wrong. Back to top4ExpressVPNBest Router VPN for AI additionsServers Across 105 countriesUsers Up to 14Money-back guarantee 30-daysExtras available Password manager, private email, AI credits, travel eSimWhy we love it Excellent securitySpeedy AI features are useful for security consciousTake note Can get expensiveShow moreExpressVPN covers all the essentials for a VPN and a little more. Even its basic plan allows for 10 simultaneous devices before you get round to setting it up on your router. Other plans add on a password manager and private email, with the premium plan also including ExpressAI. Think of ExpressAI as a more secure way to use AI with its private chatbot working just as well as all the favourites but with an extra level of security. That’s a big selling point in a huge world of VPNs which means ExpressVPN richly deserves a place here. Another unique feature is its inclusion of a holiday.com eSIM although that may not be relevant or compatible with your phone, so don’t focus on that too much. At heart though, ExpressVPN is simply a good VPN. Its servers are pretty speedy, it has a strong proven no-logs policy, and its only main qualm is it can get expensive depending on the plan you commit to.Features include the private AI chatbot with extra security (ExpressVPN)When connecting via your router, you can buy a router with ExpressVPN preconfigured, or you can follow a guide. ExpressVPN’s guides could maybe be a little more visual but they cover everything you need to know and the process is mostly smooth sailing. Back to topWhat is the best VPN for routers?All the VPN services listed above are worth considering for a bunch of great reasons. Surfshark is that touch above the rest thanks to being fast and still remaining cheap. If you’re looking for something to stream through though, you need something like NordVPN or ExpressVPN instead. Both are more reliable options. If you’re not comfortable configuring your own router, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are also stronger options, while Proton VPN is the expert in being security conscious in so many ways. Again, you can’t go wrong with any of these. I was consistently impressed with how easy it was to use each service’s apps which is a good backup if you don’t want to go straight to router configuration.In each case, make sure to keep an eye on prices. Committing to longer periods is better value but some auto renewals can end up pricey. Consider how many extras you truly need too. Many people will be happy with ‘just’ a VPN but some freely bundled in bonuses are always welcome.How the best VPNs for routers were testedWhen spending extensive time with the best VPNs for routers, I factored in a lot of different things to ensure they were accurately reviewed. These varied from how easy they were to use, pricing, extra features to how simple it was to cancel. Below, here’s a look at the exact criteria I thought about:Ease of use: I looked at how easy it was to use each VPN service. That was far reaching because it included how quick sign up was, how easy it was to install apps, how helpful the router setup guides were, and also how simple it was to cancel a subscription.Features: I looked at everything each VPN had to offer. That included VPN specific tools like the server numbers, and additional ways to ensure your VPN stays up and running. I also looked at VPN adjacent tools such as password managers, malware protection, identity theft protection, and anything else you might need to be safer online. Value for money: I looked at the prices of each plan. I wanted each VPN service included to be a good price for what it offers. That didn’t strictly mean the cheapest out there but the one that represented the best value. I also looked at how prices could change depending on how long you committed to the VPN service.Performance: A slow VPN is no use to anyone. I evaluated speeds and made sure that each VPN service listed provided good speed and performance without compromising on security. I included some that had mid-range speeds but only if their price reflected that. Primarily, I wanted anyone signing up for one to know that their internet speed wouldn’t be too negatively impacted.Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Jennifer Allen is an expert in everything tech. She has been writing about online security, as well as website building and hosting, gaming and console reviews since 2010. Read more: Best VPN for Windows PC and laptops, reviewed by an expert