About OpenWRT Picker

What is this?

OpenWRT Picker is an interactive recommendation engine that helps you find the right OpenWrt-compatible router. It draws from the official OpenWrt Table of Hardware, which lists 2,800+ supported devices, and applies domain-specific scoring to match devices to your needs.

How the scoring works

When you take the quiz, your answers are used to filter and rank devices. The algorithm considers:

  • Driver quality (25%). Based on the device's target/subtarget and wireless driver. Well-supported chipsets like MediaTek Filogic with mt76 drivers score higher than chipsets with immature or limited open-source support.
  • Freshness (15%). Current-generation hardware ranks above older devices, all else equal.
  • Throughput headroom (15%). We estimate routing performance from the CPU, architecture, and ethernet capabilities, then compare to your stated internet speed.
  • Price value (15%). Better specs per dollar scores higher within your budget range.
  • Brand reputation (15%). Brands with strong track records of OpenWrt community support and reliable hardware score higher.
  • RAM/Flash adequacy (10%). More RAM and flash mean room for packages and better long-term support.

Install difficulty is used as a filter, not a scoring factor. Beginners only see devices with easy, GUI-based installation.

Affiliate disclosure

Some product links on this site are affiliate links. When you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the development and maintenance of this free tool.

Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations. The scoring algorithm is the same regardless of whether a device has an affiliate link.

Current affiliate programs:

  • GL.iNet (via AWIN) — GL.iNet router links go to the official GL.iNet store with a 10% discount applied automatically at checkout (regular products only)
  • Amazon Associates

Data sources

Device data comes from the OpenWrt Table of Hardware, which is community-maintained and updated nightly. Our database syncs automatically.

The driver quality scoring table is maintained manually based on community knowledge and upstream driver maturity. It currently covers ~20 major target/subtarget/driver combinations.