People have all sorts of reasons while looking for an affordable dual-band wireless router. Most are passionate gamers who just want to level up their twitch streaming, and some are looking for a router that has both a wide range and top-notch performance.
But here the key theme of the article is the price of the router. As all of you want the best value for the money, we have compiled a detailed round-up of the best dual-band wireless router under $100.
But before we get to review our first router, let’s take a few questions.
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What is the difference between a dual-band and single-band wireless router?
A single-band wireless router can send and receive signals in one frequency range, 2.4 GHz. Whereas, a dual-band router can send and receive signals in both ranges, the aforementioned one range (for slower web surfing) plus a second 5 GHz range of frequencies (for video streaming and gaming).
A dual-band wireless router can either transmit two simultaneous wireless signals or allows you to opt between the two.
When should you prefer a dual-band wireless router?
A dual-band wireless router is better in all aspects, but it is quite expensive. Other than that, the lack of supported devices for 5 GHz band frequency is a solid reason not to invest your money in it.
Apart from these two reasons, dual-band wireless routers are the ultimate choice if you care about better performance, increased range, and stability.
Top 10 Best Routers Under $100
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router (Archer A5)
out of stock
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- JD Power Award ---Highest in customer satisfaction for wireless routers 2017 and 2019
- Supports 802. 11AC Wi-Fi standard, Dual Band Wireless Router for home
- Simultaneous 2. 4 GHz 300 Mbps and 5 GHz 867 Mbps connections for 1200 Mbps of total available bandwidth
- 2 external antennas provide stable wireless connections and optimal coverage
- Easy network management at your fingertips with the TP-Link Tether app
TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7)
$58.99 in stock
26 new from $52.00
19 used from $38.88
19 used from $38.88
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- OneMesh Compatible Router- Form a seamless WiFi when work with TP-Link OneMesh WiFi Extenders.Processor : Qualcomm CPU.
- Router for wireless internet, works with Alexa, compatible with all Wi-Fi devices, 802.11ac and older
- Dual band router upgrades to 1750 Mbps high speed internet(450mbps for 2.4GHz, 1300Mbps for 5GHz), reducing buffering and ideal for 4K streaming
- 3 external antennas for long range Wi-Fi. System Requirements-Internet Explorer 11, Firefox 12.0, Chrome 20.0, Safari 4.0, or other JavaScript-enabled browser. Cable or DSL Modem (if needed)
- Gigabit Router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, fast access to multiple connected wired devices, Ideal as a gaming router
TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (V2)
out of stock
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- Supports 802.11ac - The next generation of Wi-Fi, and be connected to extra devices
- Dual USB Ports to share files & media, and printer locally with networked devices or remotely via FTP server
- Privacy with Guest Network Access provides secure Wi-Fi access for guests sharing your home or office network
- IP-based Bandwidth Control makes it easier for you to manage the bandwidth of individual devices connected to the router
Asus RT-AC66U B1 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router
$102.49
in stock
7 used from $60.00
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- 1GHz CPU powers dual-band 3x3 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology for speeds up to 1750Mbps and wide, responsive coverage for large homes. Coverage area - 3,000 square feet.Antenna : External antenna x 3. Transmit/Receive : MIMO technology , 2.4GHz 3x3, 5GHz 3x3.
- Monitor and manage your network with ease from your mobile device using the intuitive ASUS Router App; Firewall：SPI intrusion detection,DoS protection
- Effortless router setup with ASUSWRT web-based interface. OS Support - Linux,Windows 8,Windows 10,Windows 7 ,Mac OS X or higher,Windows 8.1,Windows XP
- Integrated USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports enable printer sharing throughout your network and remote file access with AiCloud 2.0 support
- AiProtection Powered by Trend Micro provides multi-stage protection from vulnerability detection to protecting sensitive data
Linksys EA6350 AC1200+ Dual-Band Smart Wi-Fi Wireless Router
$68.99 in stock
4 new from $68.99
3 used from $52.00
3 used from $52.00
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- Up to 2.8 times faster than Wireless-N technology: Simultaneous dual-band speed up to N300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + AC867 Mbps (5 GHz) for media-intense applications
- USB 3.0 port: USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure ultimate media streaming and fast data transfer of photos, video, data files or connecting devices across your network. USB 3.0 is 10 times faster than USB 2.0.
- Smart Wi-Fi allows users to prioritize devices or websites, gain parental control over inappropriate content, monitor network activity, turn Wi-Fi access on or off, and create select password-protected guest networks.
- Smart Wi-Fi apps: A growing suite of apps offers improved opportunities to control one's home network
- Easy setup: Simple installation requires no CD
TP-Link Archer AX10 (AX1500) Wi-Fi 6 Router
$67.49 in stock
38 new from $63.73
12 used from $41.07
12 used from $41.07
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- OneMesh Compatible Router - Form a seamless WiFi when work with TP-Link OneMesh WiFi Extenders.Power : 12 V ⎓ 1 A. Operating Temperature: 0℃~40℃ (32℉ ~104℉), Storage Temperature: -40℃~70℃ (-40℉ ~158℉), Operating Humidity: 10%~90% non-condensing, Storage Humidity: 5%~90% non-condensing.
- Wi-Fi 6 Router: Archer AX10 comes equipped with latest wireless technology WiFi6 featuring OFDMA 1024-QAM, drastically increasing the speed and efficiency of the entire network.
- Next-gen Dual Band router - 300 Mbps on 2. 4 GHz (802. 11n) plus 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (802. 11ax)
- Connect more devices than ever before - Wi-Fi 6 technology simultaneously communicates more data to more devices using OFDMA and MU-MIMO while reducing lag dramatically
- Triple-core processing - the 1. 5 GHz tri-core processor ensures communications between your router and all connected devices are smooth and Buffer-Free
NETGEAR Wi-Fi Router (R6230) - AC1200
$70.00 in stock
8 new from $70.00
6 used from $54.14
6 used from $54.14
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- Maximum Range : 1200 Sq Ft
- Fast WIFI Performance: Get up to 1200 square feet wireless coverage with AC1200 speed (Dual band up to 300 plus 900 Mbps)
- Recommended for Up to 20 Devices; Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices
- WIRED ETHERNET PORTS: Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
- LOADED WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY: Designed with an 880MHz processor, 2 amplified antennas, and advanced QoS.
ASUS AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (RT-AX55)
$89.99 in stock
33 new from $88.99
24 used from $53.35
24 used from $53.35
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- Maximum Range : 3000 Sq Ft.Processor : 1.5GHz quad-core processor.
- Next-Gen WiFi Standard - Supporting the latest WiFi standard 802.11AX (WiFi 6) and 80MHz bandwidth for better capacity and efficiency.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed - RT-AX55 supports 80MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections. With a total networking speed of about 1800Mbps — 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1201 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency - Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Linksys WiFi Router Dual-Band AC1200 (WiFi 5)
$49.00
in stock
2 new from $49.00
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- DUAL-BAND WIFI 5 ROUTER: Covers up to 1,000 sq. ft. and supports 10plus devices
- EASY SETUP: Just use your smart phone, iPad, tablet, or computer browser to set up the E5600 in minutes
- 24/7 SUPPORT: If you’ve got WiFi questions, we’re here with a friendly support staff available by phone or online
- PUSH BUTTON CONNECT: Easily add devices to your network with a push of the WPS button
- CONNECTIVITY TECHNOLOGY: Ethernet
NETGEAR WiFi Router (R6080)
$31.99 in stock
22 new from $31.99
6 used from $19.20
6 used from $19.20
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of September 22, 2023 5:56 am
Features
- Maximum Range : 1000 Sq Ft
- FAST WiFi PERFORMANCE: Get up to 1000 sq ft wireless coverage with AC1000 speed (Dual band up to 300 + 700 Mbps)
- RECOMMENDED FOR UP TO 15 DEVICES: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices.
- WIRED ETHERNET PORTS: Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports.
- SAFE & SECURE: Supports WPA2 wireless security protocols. Includes Guest WiFi access, DoS, Firewall, VPN, and more.
Kevin is a Tech journalist for over a decade. He writes on Wearables, Headphones, and Laptops. When he is not glued to his laptop, You will find him working on exciting projects that include Unboxing new Gadgets, comparing them, and tweaking their hardware.