The best routers let you block specific websites and use filters to block content by type and maturity level. Most also let you limit and schedule how many hours your children can use the internet and which services they can use. For example, you could only allow access to educational websites and block gaming and video streaming activities during homework hours. Below are the best parental control routers we’ve found on the market. The RT2600ac is a dual-band Wi-Fi router, which means if you have a mix of older and newer gadgets at home, your family can connect to both wireless channels to avoid connection problems. This technology allows your devices to report their location to your router so it can send faster and more direct signals for activities like 4K streaming on Netflix, gaming, or video calling. Like most routers, the RT2600ac offers both a mobile app and a website for setting up and managing the router. The web dashboard arranges all the options in tiles and is easy to use for handling parental controls. Start by creating individual profiles for your kids to schedule online hours, set time limits, and block inappropriate content based on general categories or specific sites. You can also set up general filtering rules for your entire home network, plus another set for your guest Wi-Fi network. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AC2600 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 5 The AX50 comes with a free lifetime subscription to the HomeCare parental controls platform. Through HomeCare, you can create profiles for different family members, assign devices to each profile, and set filters and time limits by users or devices. For example, you could block your kids from getting online with their iPad in the evenings while still letting them use the family computer for homework. You can also block sites based on type and age group, and HomeCare monitors all the websites in each category. In addition to parental controls, HomeCare also offers antivirus protection to guard your home network against malware. While you can set up this router by logging in to the router in a web browser, you’ll need to download the TP-Link Tether app to manage HomeCare features. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: HomeCare, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX3000 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 5 Along with fast whole-house Wi-Fi, the Orbi also supports some pretty advanced parental control settings that you can manage through an app called My Time that lets you set up profiles for each child, easily pause and restart their connection, and even set rules for bedtime. There are several more advanced controls, including usage history and setting schedules and time limits for any internet activities, but be warned they require a monthly subscription. The Netgear Orbi is also a tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system, which means it sends out three different signals to keep all your devices online without any trouble. Older routers use a single band, which can lead to congestion, while dual-band routers add another channel, so there isn’t a bottleneck. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: NETGEAR Armor, WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AC2200 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 The main Eero unit may be all you need in a smaller home, but if you want more range, you can add more Eero units (Eero, Eero Pro, or Eero Beacon) which provide another 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of coverage. Bonus: The Eero Beacons plug into any wall outlet and even double as nightlights around your home. Our reviewer noted the average download speed for the Eero Pro without beacons was 256Mbps. That’s not the fastest you can get, but it’s more than enough speed for activities like gaming or streaming 4K movies. You’ll need to pay a small monthly subscription fee for more advanced features in the Eero Secure plan. If you subscribe, you’ll also gain real-time website filtering, a tool that lets you block sites for each profile based on categories such as adult, illegal, and violent content. The paid plan also comes with malware (virus) protection and ad-blocking. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: Eero Secure, WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC2200 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 2 This small white cube connects to your existing router through an Ethernet port and monitors your home network to block traffic from your kids’ devices before it gets to your main router. If your kids unplug the device to try to get around parental controls, the Circle Home Plus will still work, thanks to a built-in battery and Wi-Fi. You’ll also receive a notification if the router’s unplugged, even if you’re away from home. You can review these notifications and all the setup and management options through the Circle mobile app. This companion app offers many preset filters grouped into age-appropriate categories and services. You can also add custom filters and set time limits for specific websites and services, such as YouTube. Our tester reported that “the filtering system works more reliably than other filters I’ve encountered.” She also appreciated the history tool, noting that it “puts all of my teens’ online activity in one easy-to-access location.” Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: N/A | Bands: N/A | MU-MIMO: N/A | Beamforming: N/A | Wired Ports: 1 The RT-AX88U also houses eight Gigabit Ethernet ports (ports capable of delivering 1,000Gbps internet speeds). If you have a super-fast Gigabit Ethernet service (most people don’t, and you’ll pay extra if you do), hooking up your gaming PC or consoles to your router can help you get the best possible performance. The parental controls don’t provide as much flexibility as other routers, but you have enough options to keep your kids safe online without a subscription. While you can’t set up individual user profiles to group devices, you can still restrict access and set time limits and schedules by device. The filters include adult websites, instant messaging and communication apps, streaming and entertainment sites, P2P (or peer-to-peer connections between two computers near each other), and file transfer services like WeTransfer. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: RADIUS Server, WPA2, WPS, 802.1x Authentication | Standard/Speed: AX6000 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 8 It’s fast enough that you’ll have no problem enjoying demanding online activities like streaming Hulu content in 4K, gaming, or keeping in touch with friends and family on online video chatting platforms like Zoom and Apple’s FaceTime. Like other Asus routers, you can log in to your router through a web browser to set up and change settings. You can also manage most features from the mobile app. While you won’t see Asus’ more sophisticated AiProtection Pro security features on this device, parental controls include the ability to block specific websites, monitor your kids’ online activity, and set time limits. The RT-ACRH12 also comes with virtual private network (VPN) support, which means if you use a VPN service or you’re considering using one, this router can help hide your exact location and keep your internet activity more private. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC1200 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 4 Google Nest Wi-Fi is a mesh Wi-Fi system, meaning it comes with one central router and smaller companion devices, or access points, which you can place around your home. These access points extend your wireless network to cover even the largest homes. Nest Wi-Fi access points have another trick up their sleeves. In addition to adding around 1,500 square feet of wireless coverage, each access point can double as a Google Assistant smart speaker, letting you issue voice commands from anywhere in your home. Those voice commands work with parental controls too, so when it’s time for the kids to go to bed or do their homework, you can say, “OK Google, pause the kids’ Wi-Fi.” Setting up the parental controls in the Google Home app is also straightforward, especially if you’re familiar with Google products. The app walks you through the process of setting up your family Wi-Fi network, adding your kids’ devices, restricting content by category, and setting schedules for online time. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA3 | Standard/Speed: AC2200 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 2 This Netgear router offers typical technical features like dual-band Wi-Fi (meaning you can connect your devices to the router’s 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi signals), so you’ll have no problem using it for streaming and gaming on multiple devices at once. The R7000 also comes with dynamic Quality of Service. This feature keeps an eye on all the internet traffic and eases congestion for certain activities that require faster speeds. As a parental control router, the R7000 stands out for its built-in access to Circle Smart Parental Controls. This service provides some of the most advanced filtering features available on routers to monitor content for your children. Use the Circle app on your mobile device to lock your kids’ devices altogether or monitor their screen time by applying filters for content based on what’s most appropriate for their age range, from Pre-K to Teen. However, if you want more advanced features, you need to purchase a Circle subscription. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC1900 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 A good parental control router will let you block traffic based on categories since it’s not realistic for you to figure out every website that you want to block, especially since new sites (and threats) are popping up all the time. Instead, the heavy lifting is done by the router manufacturer or a third-party service provider, which maintains massive lists of the sites that fall into each category. This allows you to simply check off boxes to allow appropriate educational and kids sites and services or deny access to more adult-themed sites.
Dynamic Filtering
While almost all parental control routers will let you block a website based on its address, some of the best ones go the extra mile and provide the ability to dynamically block websites based on what’s actually on them. So, for example, a website that contains a lot of explicit language or extreme graphic content would be blocked even if the website address isn’t on the blocked list. Since even the best parental control services can’t keep up with adding every new website to their lists as soon as they pop up on the internet, dynamic filtering adds an extra layer of protection against those sites that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
Screen Time Controls
A good parental control router isn’t just about what your kids can access but also about when they can access it. Some of the better parental control routers also offer the ability to limit how long your kids can access various sites and services, rather than simply letting you set a schedule.
About Our Trusted Experts
Jesse Hollington is a freelance writer with over 10 years of experience writing about technology and three decades of experience in information technology and networking. He’s installed, tested, and configured just about every type and brand of router, firewall, wireless access point, and network extender in places ranging from single-family dwellings to office buildings. Jeremy Laukkonen is an experienced tech journalist with a background in automotive repair that has taught him the importance of breaking down complex technical subjects in understandable ways. He specializes in VPNs, antivirus, and home electronics, including parental control routers. Bill Thomas is a Denver-based freelance writer who covers technology, music, film, and gaming. They tested the Netgear Orbi on this list and liked that the company’s partnership with Disney allowed for robust parental controls on the router. Andrew Hayward is a Chicago-based writer who has been covering technology and video games since 2006. He tested the Nest Wi-Fi router on our list and appreciated its large coverage area and integration features for smart home devices. Erika Rawes is a tech reviewer that’s been writing for Lifewire since 2019. She has previously been published in Digital Trends and USA Today, and she specializes in consumer technology, such as parental control routers.
