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Buying guide

Best travel routers

A travel router turns hotel or café Wi-Fi into your own private network, so your devices connect automatically and stay behind a VPN. Most cost $100–$170.

By PickedTech Editorial TeamLast updated Prices & specs checked Oct 2026

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How this page was made: this is a research-based guide built from manufacturer spec pages, official prices and published lab measurements from the outlets we name and link. We haven’t tested these products ourselves, and we don’t invent scores. Our methodology.

Quick answer

A travel router turns hotel or café Wi-Fi into your own private network, so your devices connect automatically and stay behind a VPN. Most cost $100–$170. Best overall: GL.iNet Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE), $130. Best with a screen: GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600), $170. Best for phone tethering: ASUS RT-BE58 Go, $160. Simple alternative: TP-Link Roam 7 (BE3600), $130.

Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026

Key facts at a glance

Key facts (prices checked Oct 2026)
PickProductBest forPrice
Best overallGL.iNet Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE)most travelersAbout $130 list; often near $100
Best with a screenGL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600)frequent travelers who want a screenAbout $170
Best for phone tetheringASUS RT-BE58 Gotethering a phone and ASUS homes$160 (seen at $130)
Simple alternativeTP-Link Roam 7 (BE3600)a simple TP-Link optionAbout $130
Best with cellularNetgear Nighthawk M7places with bad or no Wi-FiAbout $500

Pair one with a VPN for travel for the best protection on public networks.

Which should you buy? Our quick picks

Wi-Fi 7, two 2.5G ports, fast WireGuard VPN
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Best with a screen
GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600)
Touchscreen for VPN and network status
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Best for phone tethering
ASUS RT-BE58 Go
4G/5G tethering, WISP mode, AiMesh
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Simple alternative
TP-Link Roam 7 (BE3600)
About $130 Wi-Fi 7 travel router
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Best with cellular
Netgear Nighthawk M7
5G hotspot with Wi-Fi 7 and eSIM
Check price (opens in a new tab)

How do they compare?

Travel routers compared (prices checked Oct 2026)
RouterApprox. priceWi-FiPortsBest for
GL.iNet Beryl 7About $130 (often $100)Wi-Fi 7 dual-band2× 2.5G; USB-C powerMost travelers
GL.iNet Slate 7About $170Wi-Fi 7 dual-band, touchscreen2.5G ports; USB-C powerFrequent travelers who want a screen
ASUS RT-BE58 Go$160 (seen at $130)Wi-Fi 7 dual-band, up to 3,600 Mbps2.5G port; USB-C 18W PD powerTethering a phone and ASUS homes
TP-Link Roam 7About $130Wi-Fi 7 dual-band (BE3600)See TP-Link spec sheetA simple TP-Link option
Netgear Nighthawk M7About $5005G cellular + Wi-Fi 7Battery (about 10 hours)Places with bad or no Wi-Fi

The picks in detail

Best overall

1. GL.iNet Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE)

Best for: most travelers
TechRadar[1][2] calls it an excellent compact travel router. It has dual-band Wi-Fi 7, two 2.5-gig Ethernet ports, USB-C power and a 205 g body, and GL.iNet rates WireGuard VPN speeds up to about 1,100 Mbps. Like most travel routers, it skips the 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels.

Price (Oct 2026): About $130 list; often near $100 Source

Pros

  • Two 2.5G ports
  • Fast WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • Small and USB-C powered

Cons

  • No 6 GHz band
  • Settings can be technical
Check GL.iNet Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE) price (opens in a new tab)
Best with a screen

2. GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600)

Best for: frequent travelers who want a screen
A Wi-Fi 7 travel router with a small touchscreen for switching VPNs and checking connections without opening an app. It runs on a Qualcomm platform with 1 GB of RAM. Like the Beryl 7, it has no 6 GHz band.

Price (Oct 2026): About $170 Source

Pros

  • Touchscreen controls
  • Strong VPN features
  • 1 GB RAM

Cons

  • Costs more than the Beryl 7
  • No 6 GHz band
Check GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) price (opens in a new tab)
Best for phone tethering

3. ASUS RT-BE58 Go

Best for: tethering a phone and ASUS homes
Wired’s[4] travel pick. It’s dual-band Wi-Fi 7 up to 3,600 Mbps, can share a phone’s 4G or 5G connection, works in WISP mode to repeat hotel Wi-Fi, and takes 18W USB-C PD power. At home it can join an ASUS AiMesh network.

Price (Oct 2026): $160 (seen at $130) Source

Pros

  • Phone tethering and WISP mode
  • USB-C PD power from a power bank
  • AiMesh support

Cons

  • Pricier than GL.iNet at list
  • Fewer VPN options than GL.iNet
Check ASUS RT-BE58 Go price (opens in a new tab)
Best with cellular

5. Netgear Nighthawk M7

Best for: places with bad or no Wi-Fi
A 5G mobile hotspot with Wi-Fi 7, a battery rated for about 10 hours and an eSIM marketplace for buying data abroad. Wired and Tom’s Hardware[5] both recommend it, but it’s expensive and you pay for data separately.

Price (Oct 2026): About $500 Source

Pros

  • Works without hotel Wi-Fi
  • Battery powered
  • eSIM data plans

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Data costs extra
Check Netgear Nighthawk M7 price (opens in a new tab)

Also considered

GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000): an older Wi-Fi 6 model with a 2.5G port that’s often discounted. GL.iNet Slate 7 Pro (GL-BE10000): a $239.99 tri-band model that isn’t sold in the US yet.

Why use a travel router?

You sign in to the hotel’s captive portal once on the router, and your laptop, phone and streaming stick all connect to your own network name. Running the VPN on the router covers devices that can’t run a VPN app. See best VPN for streaming if you want your home services on the road.

Power and portability

The GL.iNet and ASUS travel routers run on USB-C power, so a laptop charger or power bank works. See our USB-C chargers for small multi-port options.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best travel router?
The GL.iNet Beryl 7 for most people: it has Wi-Fi 7, two 2.5G ports and fast VPN support for about $100–$130.
Do travel routers work with hotel Wi-Fi login pages?
Yes. You complete the captive portal once on the router, and your devices connect through it.
Do I need a 5G hotspot?
Only if you often stay where Wi-Fi is missing or unreliable. Otherwise, a travel router plus your phone’s hotspot is cheaper.

Sources

Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.

  1. TechRadar: GL.iNet Beryl 7 review (techradar.com)
  2. TechRadar: GL.iNet Slate 7 review (techradar.com)
  3. ASUS: RT-BE58 Go (asus.com)
  4. Wired: best Wi-Fi routers (wired.com)
  5. Tom’s Hardware: best Wi-Fi routers (tomshardware.com)
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For one dead zone, Wirecutter’s pick is the TP-Link RE315, typically under $25. If you want Wi-Fi 6 speed, PCMag’s best overall is the TP-Link RE715X ($119.99). If you have several dead zones, a mesh system is usually the better buy.

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