Proton VPN vs Mullvad: Two Privacy-First VPNs Compared

Proton VPN vs Mullvad compared on price, privacy and features. One is a full bundle with a free tier; the other is a flat €5 service with no email.

By Galactic News Editorial · Published 2026-11-08T10:24:41+00:00 · Updated 2026-11-08T10:24:41+00:00

Proton VPN vs Mullvad: Two Privacy-First VPNs Compared

Proton VPN vs Mullvad is a choice between two privacy-first services with very different ideas about what a VPN should be. Proton VPN offers a free plan, a large server network, and a bundle of other privacy tools. Mullvad offers one flat price, no email address, and cash payments by mail. Both publish independent audits of their no-logs policies. Neither service asks you to trust a marketing claim alone.

This comparison looks at price, privacy, features, and everyday use. It draws on each provider's own pricing and feature pages, plus published audit records. It does not claim firsthand speed tests. Prices change often, so check the checkout page before you pay.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad at a Glance

The two services differ most in structure. Proton VPN is a tiered product from a Swiss company that also sells encrypted email, storage, and a password manager. Mullvad is a single-purpose VPN from a small Swedish company. It has one plan, one price, and no tiers.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad on Price

Price is where the two services split most clearly. Proton VPN has a free tier. Mullvad has a single flat rate that never changes.

Proton VPN Plus costs $9.99 a month on a monthly term. Longer terms cut that figure. Recent checks of the official pricing page put the two-year term at $3.49 a month ($83.76 for 24 months) and the one-year term near $4.99 a month. The plan then renews at $83.88 a year. Proton Unlimited, which adds premium Mail, Drive, Calendar, and Pass, costs $12.99 a month, or $7.99 a month on a two-year term.

The free plan is the real draw for many readers. It has no data limit and no ads. It covers one device and servers in 10 countries, chosen at random. Speed is described as medium. Paid features such as Secure Core, NetShield, streaming support, and P2P are not included.

Mullvad charges €5 a month, including VAT. The rate is the same for one month, one year, or a decade. Mullvad states that the price has not changed since the service launched in 2009. The company runs no sales. The only discount is 10% for cryptocurrency payments. At the rate shown on Mullvad's pricing page in November 2026, €5 converts to about $5.57.

Over a year, Mullvad costs €60. Proton VPN Plus on a two-year term costs about $83.76 for the first two years, then $83.88 a year. On a monthly term, Proton costs far more. The cheapest path depends on how long you plan to stay.

Privacy and Trust in the Proton VPN vs Mullvad Comparison

Both services build their case on audits and open code. Proton VPN's apps are fully open source. Its no-logs policy has been checked by the security firm Securitum every year since 2022. The fifth audit, published in 2026, found no logging of browsing activity, DNS queries, or connection metadata on the servers examined. Proton is based in Switzerland and is owned mainly by the non-profit Proton Foundation.

Mullvad's apps are also open source. The company has commissioned audits from firms including Cure53, and it publishes the full reports. Mullvad's no-logging policy states that the only account data it keeps is the account number, its expiry date, and WireGuard key details. The company is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has operated since 2009.

The sign-up process is the biggest privacy difference. Proton VPN asks for an email address to create an account. Mullvad generates a random 16-digit account number and asks for nothing else. No username, no password, no email. Mullvad also accepts cash sent by mail, plus Bitcoin, Monero, bank wire, cards, and PayPal.

One event deserves a mention. In 2023, Swedish police visited Mullvad's offices with a search warrant. Mullvad reported that officers left with nothing, because the company held no customer data to seize. The episode is often cited by privacy reviewers as a real-world test of a no-logs claim.

Features in the Proton VPN vs Mullvad Comparison

Proton VPN is the broader product. Secure Core routes traffic through hardened servers in Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before it exits in your chosen country. NetShield blocks ads, trackers, and malware domains at the DNS level. The Stealth protocol disguises VPN traffic on networks that block VPNs. Tor over VPN is available. Paid plans support streaming, P2P with port forwarding, and split tunnelling.

Mullvad is narrower by design. It uses WireGuard only. OpenVPN support was removed in January 2026. It offers multihop connections and split tunnelling. Its DAITA feature adds defence against traffic analysis on WireGuard connections. It does not offer port forwarding, which it removed in May 2023 after finding it was used to facilitate abuse. It does not bundle email, storage, or a password manager.

The Proton VPN vs Mullvad feature gap is widest in extras. Proton bundles email, storage, and a password manager. Mullvad offers none of those. Server count is another gap. Proton lists 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries. Mullvad lists servers in around 50 countries. For most users, the practical difference is choice of exit country. Proton covers far more locations, including many smaller countries. Mullvad covers the major regions and most of Europe.

Device limits also differ. Proton paid plans allow 10 devices at once. Mullvad allows 5. A household with many phones, laptops, and tablets may hit Mullvad's limit first.

Everyday Use: Apps, Speed, and Support

Both services offer apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Proton also offers browser extensions and router support. Mullvad's apps are known for a plain interface with few settings. Proton's apps carry more options, which some users like and others find busy.

Speed claims are hard to compare fairly. Neither provider's marketing speed figure is an independent test result. Proton advertises a VPN Accelerator feature that it says can raise speeds by up to 400%. Mullvad makes no comparable speed claim. Real-world speed depends on your location, your internet plan, and the server you pick. A short trial is the honest way to judge speed for your own connection. Only Proton offers a free plan for that purpose.

Support differs too. Proton offers live chat and priority support on paid plans. Mullvad offers email support from an in-house team. Neither service offers phone support.

Who Should Pick Which Service

In the Proton VPN vs Mullvad decision, start with your priorities. Pick Proton VPN if you want a free plan to start, the widest choice of server countries, streaming and P2P support, or the wider Proton bundle of email and storage. The two-year price is competitive, and the free tier is genuinely usable.

Pick Mullvad if you want the simplest possible deal: one price, no email, no long contract, and the option to pay in cash. It suits readers who value account anonymity above extra features and who do not need port forwarding or a large server list.

Readers who torrent with port forwarding should note the difference. Proton supports it on paid plans. Mullvad removed it permanently. That single fact decides the question for some users.

Bottom Line

Proton VPN vs Mullvad is not a contest with one winner. Proton is the fuller service: a free tier, more servers, more features, and a bundle of privacy tools. Mullvad is the purer service: one flat price, no email, no sales, and a minimal data footprint. If you want features and flexibility, choose Proton. If you want simplicity and anonymity, choose Mullvad. Either way, check the current price at checkout, and use the money-back window to test the service on your own connection.