Mullvad vs Proton VPN (2026): Which Is Better?
Mullvad and Proton VPN are the two privacy-first options here, and both have real pressure-test evidence: Mullvad survived a 2023 Swedish police raid with nothing to hand over, and Proton has fought data requests in court and won. Mullvad goes further on anonymity — no email required, cash accepted by post, a flat €5 that has never changed since 2009 — but it removed port forwarding in 2023 and covers only five devices. Proton is Swiss, foundation-owned, includes port forwarding, has the only free plan on this site with no data cap, and scores higher overall (8.9 against 6.7). We have not measured streaming for either; Mullvad does not attempt to be a streaming VPN.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityProton VPNMullvad 7.8 · Proton 9.5
- SpeedTieMullvad 0.0 · Proton 0.0
- StreamingTieMullvad 0.0 · Proton 0.0
- Apps & easeProton VPNMullvad 7.3 · Proton 8.8
- ValueProton VPNMullvad 3.7 · Proton 7.8
Sub-scores are provisional for Mullvad and Proton VPN — published audits, jurisdiction and public record rather than our own measurement; see the review; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose Mullvad if…
- You want to sign up with no identity at all — no email, cash accepted by post
- You want a flat price with no renewal jump, ever
- Streaming isn't why you're buying a VPN
Choose Proton VPN if…
- You want privacy credentials plus a VPN that also handles streaming and torrenting
- You want a free plan with no data cap, or port forwarding — Mullvad has neither anymore
- You use other Proton services (Mail, Drive, Pass)
Mullvad vs Proton VPN: the numbers
 Mullvad |  Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 6.7provisional — not tested by us | 8.9provisional — not tested by us |
| Rank · badge | Not ranked · Privacy purist | Not ranked · Best free tier |
| 2-year price / mo | $5.80 (1-year — no 2-year plan) | $3.49 |
| 1-year price / mo | $5.80 | $4.99 |
| Monthly price | $5.80 | $9.99 |
| Renewal | Flat €5 a month whatever the term, and the price has not changed since 2009 | Billed $83.76 for the first 24 months, then renews at $83.88 every 12 months |
| Money-back | 14 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 5 | 10 |
| Avg download speed | Not tested by us | Not tested by us |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden | Switzerland |
| Owner | Amagicom AB | Proton AG (Proton Foundation) |
| No-logs audit | Assured AB infrastructure audit, 2024 | Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 650+ in 49 countries | 12,000+ in 117 countries |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on all servers | P2P allowed on P2P servers (paid plans) |
| Free plan | No | no data cap, no ads, 1 device, auto-chosen country |
| Support | email, help centre | email, help centre, live chat (paid plans) |
| Visit Mullvad | Visit Proton VPN |
Full reviews: Mullvad · Proton VPN
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| Mullvad | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 12-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $5.80 | $3.49 |
| Then renews at / mo | $5.80 — no jump | $6.99 (+100%) |
| First term, up front | $69.60 | $83.76 |
| Total over 2 years | $139.20 | $83.76 |
| Total over 3 years | $208.80 | $167.64 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $5.80 | $4.66 |
| Money-back | 14 days — 14 days, and none at all on cash payments — we have not claimed one yet | 30 days — 30 days, published — we have not claimed one yet |
| Check Mullvad price | Check Proton VPN price |
Proton VPN is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $41.16 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Neither VPN has been speed-tested by us yet, so there is nothing to chart here.
Mullvad and Proton VPN have not been through our speed rig yet, so there is no region-by-region chart for this pair. Speed figures other people have published are on the Mullvad and Proton VPN review, attributed to whoever measured them.
Streaming, service by service
| Mullvad | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) |
| Netflix US | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix UK | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix JP | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix CA | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix AU | n/r | n/r |
| Prime Video | n/r | n/r |
| Disney+ | n/r | n/r |
| Hulu | n/r | n/r |
| Max | n/r | n/r |
| Paramount+ | n/r | n/r |
| Peacock | n/r | n/r |
| BBC iPlayer | n/r | n/r |
| ITVX | n/r | n/r |
| DAZN | n/r | n/r |
| n/r — no published result found | n/r — no published result found |
Security features
| Mullvad | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- MullvadHeld
2023 Swedish police search warrant. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: Assured AB infrastructure audit, 2024 · Sweden
- Proton VPNHeld
Fought data requests in court. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 · Switzerland
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- Mullvad1 category
In April 2023 Swedish police executed a search warrant at Mullvad's office and left with nothing, because there was nothing — no account names, no emails, RAM-only servers, and a 2024 audit by Assured. The strongest demonstration of a no-logs claim any provider can offer, and one no audit can match.
- Proton VPN2 categories
No data cap, no ads, no logs, open-source apps on every platform. Limits: one device, an auto-chosen country, no streaming or P2P.
Questions
Is Mullvad more private than Proton VPN?
Both have real pressure-test evidence: Mullvad survived a 2023 police raid with nothing to hand over; Proton has fought data requests in court and won. Mullvad's account design goes further — no email, cash accepted — but Proton scores higher overall (8.9 against 6.7) because it pairs strong privacy with features Mullvad doesn't offer, like port forwarding.
Which is better for streaming, Mullvad or Proton VPN?
We have not tested streaming for either. Mullvad doesn't try to be a streaming VPN and doesn't advertise it as one; Proton does advertise streaming support on its paid plans. Check the provider's own current claims rather than a number from us — blocks change weekly.
Which is cheaper, Mullvad or Proton VPN?
Proton on a 2-year plan at $3.49 a month; Mullvad's flat €5 (about $5.80) is cheaper than Proton's standalone monthly rate ($9.99) and better if you refuse to commit to a long plan — the price never changes either way.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the scoring rubric before any commercial consideration. Disclosure