ExpressVPN router support just became a lot more expensive. On March 31, 2026, the VPN provider discontinued support for non-Aircove routers, cutting off users who spent years relying on the service to protect every device on their network. This is not a minor update—it is a forced hardware upgrade that is driving customers away.
Key Takeaways
- ExpressVPN ended support for non-Aircove routers effective March 31, 2026, forcing legacy router users to upgrade
- Users can still manually configure VPN on DD-WRT, Tomato, TP-Link, and other platforms as a workaround
- Aircove routers include Wi-Fi 6 and cost significantly more than maintaining a legacy setup
- The cutoff is pushing customers toward app-based VPN on individual devices instead of network-wide protection
- ExpressVPN Aircove counts as one of 14 simultaneous connections per subscription
Why ExpressVPN Killed Router Support
ExpressVPN’s decision to discontinue the app for non-Aircove routers represents a hard pivot toward selling proprietary hardware. Rather than maintain compatibility with third-party routers like Netgear, Asus, or TP-Link, the company is now pushing customers toward its own Aircove router, which includes built-in VPN and Wi-Fi 6 technology. This is a classic vendor lock-in strategy—force users to buy your hardware or lose the feature entirely.
The business logic is clear: selling routers generates higher margins than supporting software on devices the company does not manufacture. But the strategy ignores a fundamental truth about router upgrades: most people do not replace them every few years. A user with a functioning router from 2020 or 2021 suddenly has no path forward except to spend several hundred dollars on new hardware or downgrade to app-based VPN protection on individual devices.
What Users Must Do Now
ExpressVPN has left three options on the table, none of them seamless. First, purchase an ExpressVPN Aircove router and replace your existing hardware. Aircove counts as one device out of the 14 simultaneous connections allowed per subscription, and new buyers receive a free 30-day trial. Second, download the ExpressVPN app on another compatible device—a phone, tablet, or computer—and use that instead of network-wide protection. Third, manually configure ExpressVPN on routers running DD-WRT, D-Link, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, or TP-Link firmware.
The manual configuration path is the least convenient. It requires technical knowledge most users lack and does not provide the same user experience as the native app. App-based protection only covers the device running it, leaving other phones, tablets, and smart home devices unprotected unless each one is individually configured. For customers who chose ExpressVPN specifically for router-level protection, both workarounds feel like downgrades.
ExpressVPN Router Support vs. Competitors
Other VPN providers have maintained broader router compatibility. Services that continue supporting third-party routers allow users to protect their entire network without forcing a hardware purchase. ExpressVPN’s move isolates it from competitors who understand that router support is a retention tool, not a cost center to eliminate. By cutting off legacy users, ExpressVPN is betting that the revenue from Aircove sales outweighs the customer goodwill lost.
This is a risky calculation. Customers who have already invested in a working router and an ExpressVPN subscription now face a choice: spend hundreds on new hardware, switch VPN providers, or accept reduced protection on their network. Many are choosing to leave.
The Real Cost of This Change
The March 31, 2026 cutoff date was not accidental—it was a hard deadline designed to force action. Users received notice but not much time to plan. For anyone running a small business or managing a household with multiple devices, losing network-wide VPN protection is not a minor inconvenience. It is a security gap.
ExpressVPN’s willingness to strand existing customers suggests the company is prioritizing new hardware revenue over customer retention. That calculation may work in the short term, but it erodes trust. A customer who feels forced to upgrade is a customer who will test competing services next renewal time.
Can You Still Use ExpressVPN on Legacy Routers?
Yes, but with limitations. Manual configuration on DD-WRT, Tomato, and TP-Link firmware is still possible, though it requires technical setup and does not include the same level of support or automatic updates. This option exists primarily for advanced users willing to troubleshoot on their own.
Should You Switch VPN Providers?
If you rely on router-level VPN protection and do not want to buy new hardware, switching makes sense. Your existing router likely works fine—the problem is ExpressVPN’s decision to stop supporting it, not any failure of the hardware itself. Competitors who maintain third-party router compatibility offer the same protection without the forced upgrade.
What Happens to My ExpressVPN Subscription After March 31?
Your subscription remains valid, but the router app stops connecting. You can continue using ExpressVPN on phones, tablets, and computers, or migrate to an Aircove router. The subscription does not automatically cancel or refund—you simply lose router access unless you upgrade hardware or reconfigure manually.
ExpressVPN’s decision to kill non-Aircove router support is a textbook example of prioritizing hardware sales over user experience. Customers who chose the service for network-wide protection now face an expensive upgrade or a downgrade to app-based VPN. This is not innovation—it is vendor lock-in, and it is costing them customers who had every reason to stay.
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Tom's Guide
