In a world where your every online move is tracked, logged, and monetized, finding a VPN that actually respects your privacy feels like searching for a needle in a digital haystack.
Enter Mullvad VPN, a Swedish service that's been quietly revolutionizing online privacy since 2009. While most VPN companies are busy chasing flashy marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements, Mullvad has stayed laser-focused on one thing: protecting your digital identity without compromise.
But is this minimalist, privacy-obsessed VPN actually worth your money? Can a service that refuses to even ask for your email address compete with the big names? Let's dive deep into everything Mullvad offers and find out if it's the right VPN for you.
What is Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad (Swedish for "mole"—a clever nod to VPN tunneling) is a virtual private network service that encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address. When you connect to Mullvad, your data travels through an encrypted tunnel to one of their servers around the world, making it virtually impossible for anyone—your ISP, hackers, advertisers, or even governments—to see what you're doing online.
But here's where Mullvad gets interesting: unlike virtually every other VPN on the market, Mullvad doesn't want to know who you are. No email address required. No personal information collected. Just a randomly generated account number and your choice of payment method. It's privacy taken to its logical extreme.
The Story Behind Mullvad: Privacy by Design
Mullvad VPN was founded in March 2009 by Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson, two Swedish entrepreneurs who started building the service in 2008 out of genuine idealism about privacy rights. The parent company, Amagicom AB (derived from the ancient Sumerian word "ama-gi," meaning freedom), was created specifically to house Mullvad and ensure it never loses its way.
What makes Mullvad's story compelling is what they haven't done. In a 2021 statement, the founders explicitly declared they have zero interest in selling the company, taking venture capital, or going public. They've grown organically without outside investment, which means they answer to nobody but their users and their principles.
Pricing: Refreshingly Simple (and Unchanged Since 2009)
Here's something you'll never see from Mullvad: confusing pricing tiers, fake "limited time" discounts, or sudden price hikes after your first year.
€5 per month. That's it.
Whether you pay for one month or sign up for ten years, the price remains €5 monthly (approximately $5.48 USD at current exchange rates, though this fluctuates with conversion rates). This flat-rate pricing makes Mullvad:
- More expensive than long-term competitors like Surfshark ($2.49/month for two years) or NordVPN ($3.09/month for two years)
- Significantly cheaper than month-to-month alternatives like NordVPN ($12.99/month) or ExpressVPN ($12.95/month)
- Perfect if you need a VPN for short periods—vacation, business trips, temporary projects
The pricing hasn't changed since Mullvad launched in 2009, which is almost unheard of in tech. While competitors keep raising prices and introducing complex pricing schemes, Mullvad has maintained the same €5 rate through inflation, expansion, and 15+ years of service.
Payment Methods: From Bitcoin to Actual Cash
Mullvad accepts cash, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, bank wire, credit card, PayPal, Swish, Eps transfer, Bancontact, iDEAL, and Przelewy24. That's more payment options than almost any competitor.
The standout feature? You can literally mail them cash. Generate a payment token on their website, put it in an envelope with your cash (they accept EUR, USD, GBP, SEK, NOK, CHF, CAD, AUD, NZD), and send it to Sweden. No bank records. No payment processor tracking. Complete anonymity from payment to usage.
Cryptocurrency users get a 10% discount due to lower processing fees—so if you pay with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, or Monero, your €5 monthly cost drops to €4.50.
There's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied (though cash payments are excluded due to anti-money laundering regulations).
Core Features: What You Get
Server Network
Mullvad operates 724 servers in 89 cities across 49 countries. This is smaller than giants like NordVPN (5,000+ servers) or Proton VPN (thousands across 120+ countries), but Mullvad's network is strategically placed and performs well even with fewer locations.
More importantly, all Mullvad servers run entirely from RAM—no hard drives storing data. When a server reboots, all data is wiped completely. This diskless infrastructure makes it technically impossible to store logs even if someone wanted to.
Supported Devices & Simultaneous Connections
Mullvad works on Windows 10+, macOS Mojave 10.14+, Linux (Debian 10+, Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora), iOS, and Android. You can use your account on up to 5 devices simultaneously—enough for most users but fewer than some competitors (ExpressVPN allows 8, Surfshark allows unlimited).
The apps are available in over 20 languages and feature a clean, intuitive interface that's easy to navigate even for VPN newcomers.
Security Protocols
Mullvad uses WireGuard as its primary protocol, with OpenVPN support being phased out completely by January 15, 2026. WireGuard is faster, more secure, and more efficient than older protocols—it's the modern standard that many VPNs are adopting.
The service uses AES-256 encryption (industry standard, used by governments and militaries worldwide) combined with perfect forward secrecy, meaning even if someone somehow compromised your encryption keys, they couldn't decrypt past sessions.
Kill Switch & DNS Leak Protection
Mullvad includes an automatic kill switch that blocks all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops. This prevents accidental data leaks during connection interruptions.
DNS leak protection is enabled by default, ensuring your DNS queries (which reveal what websites you're visiting) always go through Mullvad's encrypted servers rather than your ISP's servers.
Split Tunneling
Available on Windows, Android, and Linux, split tunneling lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which connect directly to the internet. This is useful when you need local network access or want to stream content that blocks VPNs while keeping your other traffic encrypted.
MultiHop (Double VPN)
For users who need extra security, Mullvad offers MultiHop connections that route your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one. Your traffic goes through the entry server, then through an exit server before reaching the internet—adding an extra layer of obfuscation.
Advanced Privacy Features
DAITA (Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis): Mullvad recently introduced DAITA, an innovative system that modifies data packet appearance to mitigate AI-powered traffic analysis. This cutting-edge feature helps protect against sophisticated surveillance techniques that use machine learning to identify VPN users.
Obfuscation: Mullvad offers Shadowsocks and other obfuscation technologies that disguise VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic. This helps users bypass VPN detection in countries with heavy censorship like China, UAE, Iran, and Egypt.
Lockdown Mode: A super-secure mode that blocks all non-VPN traffic even when the app isn't running, ensuring no data ever leaves your device unencrypted.
Mullvad Browser
Mullvad partnered with the Tor Project to create Mullvad Browser—a privacy-focused browser designed to minimize fingerprinting and tracking. It's free to download and use whether you're a Mullvad VPN customer or not, though it works best when combined with the VPN service.
Encrypted DNS Service
Mullvad operates its own public DNS resolver supporting DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT). The resolver uses QNAME minimization to limit information exposure and follows Mullvad's strict no-logging policy. It's available to everyone, not just Mullvad customers.
Security: Independently Verified
Talk is cheap in the VPN industry. Anyone can claim they don't log data or that they're ultra-secure. Mullvad backs up their claims with regular independent audits.
Recent Security Audits
2024 App Audit (X41 D-Sec): Between October and November 2024, German security firm X41 D-Sec spent 30 person-days auditing Mullvad's apps across all five platforms. They found six vulnerabilities (three high, two medium, one low) and three issues without direct security impact. The audit concluded that Mullvad apps "appear to have a high security level and are well positioned to protect from the threat model". All issues were promptly fixed.
2024 Infrastructure Audit (Cure53): In June 2024, Cure53 audited Mullvad's VPN infrastructure, focusing on OpenVPN and WireGuard servers. They found two issues (one medium, one low) plus several informational notes. Cure53 concluded they "attempted to identify any potential methods by which a user's VPN traffic anonymity or integrity could be compromised. No such issues were found".
Previous Audits: Mullvad has conducted external security audits biennially since 2018, with audits in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. This consistent commitment to third-party verification is rare in the VPN industry.
The Police Raid That Proved Mullvad's Claims
In April 2023, Mullvad faced the ultimate real-world test of their no-logs policy. Swedish police arrived at Mullvad's Gothenburg office with a search warrant, seeking to seize computers containing customer data. The result? Police departed without confiscating any equipment or obtaining any identifiable information, as Mullvad held no relevant records to seize.
This incident wasn't a PR stunt—it was a genuine law enforcement action in response to a German investigation. The fact that police left empty-handed because there was literally no user data to take is the strongest possible proof that Mullvad's privacy policies aren't just marketing fluff.
Privacy Policy: Actually Private
Mullvad's privacy approach is radical in its simplicity: they collect nothing. No email addresses. No usernames. No passwords. No payment information (unless you choose identifiable payment methods). No connection logs. No activity logs.
When you sign up, Mullvad generates a random 16-digit account number. That's your identity. If you pay with cash or cryptocurrency and access Mullvad only through public WiFi, there's no way to connect your real identity to your account.
Sweden's location in the EU means Mullvad falls under GDPR, which strictly limits data collection. However, Sweden is also part of the 14 Eyes intelligence alliance, which concerns some privacy advocates. The reality is that this doesn't matter much—Mullvad doesn't collect data that intelligence agencies would find useful anyway.
Performance: Solid Speeds, Some Variance
VPN speed depends heavily on your location, the server you connect to, and your base internet connection. Here's what testing reveals:
Nearby Servers: Excellent performance, typically maintaining 80-90% of base speeds. European users connecting to Swedish servers report minimal slowdown.
Medium Distance: Good performance. North American users connecting to US servers maintain 50-70% of base speeds, which is competitive with top VPNs.
Long Distance: Acceptable but slower. Connections to servers on opposite sides of the world show noticeable speed reduction, though this is normal for any VPN.
Independent testing found Mullvad maintaining average download speeds at 53% of base speeds and upload speeds at 49% of baseline across both OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. This makes Mullvad competitive but not the absolute fastest VPN available.
For most users, these speeds are more than sufficient for browsing, streaming HD video, and downloading files. Power users doing large file transfers or 4K streaming might notice the difference compared to speed-focused competitors.
Streaming & Torrenting: Mixed Results
Streaming
Here's where Mullvad disappoints: it doesn't work well for streaming. Testing revealed Mullvad failed to access Netflix and other streaming sites, as it's designed for privacy rather than bypassing geo-restrictions.
Mullvad doesn't play the cat-and-mouse game with streaming services, constantly updating IP addresses to bypass VPN detection. This is an intentional choice—constantly cycling IPs and focusing on streaming would compromise their privacy-first approach.
Mullvad recommends using split tunneling if you need to stream: keep your VPN on for sensitive activities while streaming directly through your regular connection. It's not an elegant solution, but it's honest.
Bottom line: If streaming Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, or other geo-blocked content is your primary VPN use case, look elsewhere. Mullvad isn't built for this.
Torrenting
Mullvad excels at torrenting. The company supports P2P traffic on all servers, with no restrictions or throttling. While Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023 due to abuse concerns (which may impact advanced users), basic torrenting works perfectly.
Mullvad's strict no-logging policy, strong encryption, and kill switch make it ideal for torrent users who want to download without exposing their real IP address to swarms or copyright trolls.
Advantages: Why Choose Mullvad?
True Privacy Commitment
Mullvad doesn't just talk about privacy—they've built their entire business model around it. The anonymous account system, cash payments, no-logging policy, and refusal to collect data aren't marketing gimmicks. They're fundamental design decisions that sometimes make the service less convenient but always more private.
Transparent Operation
Mullvad publishes the source code for their apps on GitHub. They conduct regular independent security audits and publish the results publicly. They're open about their ownership, their policies, and even their limitations. This transparency is rare in an industry full of opaque companies with murky ownership structures.
No Nonsense Pricing
€5 per month. Always. No surprise price increases. No confusing tiers. No fake urgency tactics. No affiliate marketing programs that incentivize reviewers to oversell the service. Mullvad's pricing is as straightforward as their approach to privacy.
Proven Track Record
Fifteen years in operation without a single data breach, leak, or privacy scandal. The 2023 police raid proved their no-logs claims hold up under real-world pressure. Multiple independent audits have verified their security. This isn't a new startup with something to prove—it's an established service with a track record.
Advanced Privacy Features
DAITA, obfuscation, MultiHop, diskless servers, encrypted DNS, and Mullvad Browser give privacy-conscious users tools that go beyond basic VPN functionality. These features are particularly valuable for users in countries with heavy surveillance or censorship.
No Long-Term Commitment Required
Unlike competitors that lock you into multi-year contracts for the best pricing, Mullvad's flat monthly rate means you can subscribe for exactly as long as you need without penalty.
Disadvantages: The Honest Drawbacks
Limited Streaming Support
If unblocking Netflix is your priority, Mullvad isn't your VPN. This won't change—it's a deliberate choice to focus on privacy rather than streaming.
Smaller Server Network
724 servers across 49 countries is respectable but significantly smaller than competitors offering thousands of servers across 100+ countries. This rarely causes practical problems, but users in underserved regions might find limited options.
Manual Renewal Required
No automatic billing means you need to remember to renew your subscription manually. Forget to renew, and your service stops. This is inconvenient, though it's done deliberately to store less payment information.
Limited Customer Support
Mullvad offers email support but no live chat or phone support. Response times are generally good, but if you need immediate assistance, you're out of luck.
No Password Recovery
Since you don't have a password (just an account number), losing your account number means losing access to your subscription. There's no recovery mechanism because Mullvad doesn't know who you are. This is the price of true anonymity.
Not Beginner-Friendly for Advanced Features
While basic usage is straightforward, Mullvad's advanced features (custom port selection, bridge configurations, SOCKS5 proxy settings) assume technical knowledge. Newcomers might find these options overwhelming.
Five-Device Limit
Five simultaneous connections is adequate for individuals or small households but limiting for large families or users with many devices. Competitors like Surfshark offer unlimited connections.
Use Cases: Who Should Choose Mullvad?
Perfect for:
- Privacy advocates who value anonymity above convenience
- Torrent users who want reliable P2P protection
- Users in censored countries who need obfuscation and VPN concealment
- Journalists, activists, lawyers, or anyone handling sensitive information
- Cryptocurrency users who want to pay anonymously
- Short-term VPN users who don't want long-term commitments
- Tech-savvy users who appreciate open-source software and transparency
- Anyone who wants a straightforward, no-BS privacy tool
Not ideal for:
- Streaming enthusiasts who want to access geo-blocked content
- Users who need 24/7 live chat support
- Large families needing many simultaneous connections
- Complete beginners who want extensive hand-holding
- Anyone prioritizing speed above all else
Setting Up Mullvad: Quick Walkthrough
- Visit mullvad.net and click "Get started"
- Generate an account number instantly—no signup form, no email required
- Download the app for your operating system
- Add time to your account using your preferred payment method
- Install the app and enter your account number
- Connect to a server and you're protected
The entire process takes 5-10 minutes and is remarkably straightforward despite Mullvad's technical sophistication.
Mullvad vs. The Competition
Mullvad vs. NordVPN: NordVPN offers more servers, better streaming support, and a friendlier interface. Mullvad offers superior privacy practices, simpler pricing, and greater transparency. Choose Nord for convenience, Mullvad for privacy.
Mullvad vs. Proton VPN: Both are privacy-focused, audited, and trustworthy. Proton offers more servers and better streaming. Mullvad offers simpler pricing and more anonymous payment options. Both are excellent choices for privacy advocates.
Mullvad vs. ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is faster, has more servers, and works better for streaming. Mullvad is cheaper month-to-month, more private, and more transparent. ExpressVPN is the premium all-rounder; Mullvad is the privacy specialist.
Mullvad vs. Surfshark: Surfshark is cheaper long-term and offers unlimited devices. Mullvad is more private, more transparent, and doesn't require long-term commitments. Choose Surfshark for budget-conscious families, Mullvad for serious privacy.
Final Verdict: The Privacy Purist's Gold Standard
Mullvad VPN is what happens when you build a VPN service with privacy as the only priority. No compromises. No distractions. No marketing fluff. Just relentless focus on protecting user anonymity and security.
But here's the thing: Mullvad never claimed to be a jack-of-all-trades VPN. It's a specialist tool for people who take privacy seriously. It's for users who understand that real privacy sometimes means sacrificing convenience. It's for those who want a VPN provider they can actually trust—not because of slick marketing, but because of consistent, proven commitment to privacy principles.
Mullvad earned the #2 spot in multiple VPN rankings for 2024-2025 and is consistently rated as the best budget VPN. More importantly, it's earned the respect of privacy advocates, security researchers, and technical users who understand what separates genuine privacy protection from security theater.
The 2023 police raid where officers left empty-handed because there was no user data to seize tells you everything you need to know about whether Mullvad's privacy promises are real. Multiple independent security audits confirming their claims adds further credibility. The unchanged pricing since 2009 shows they're not in this for quick profits.
Should you choose Mullvad?
If you need a VPN primarily for privacy, security, and anonymity—whether for general browsing, torrenting, bypassing censorship, or protecting sensitive communications—Mullvad is among the best choices available. The €5 monthly price is fair for what you get, especially with no long-term commitment required.
If you need a VPN primarily for streaming geo-blocked content, want unlimited device connections, or require extensive customer support, look elsewhere.
Mullvad VPN is a privacy tool that actually works as advertised. In an industry full of overpromising and underdelivering, that's remarkably refreshing. For users who value their digital privacy and want a VPN provider that shares that value, Mullvad is hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Mullvad VPN safe to use?
Absolutely. Mullvad uses military-grade AES-256 encryption, has passed multiple independent security audits, operates diskless servers, and maintains a strict no-logs policy verified by a real police raid. It's one of the most secure VPNs available.
Q: Can I use Mullvad VPN for Netflix?
Not reliably. Mullvad doesn't focus on bypassing streaming service geo-blocks, and most streaming platforms detect and block Mullvad's IP addresses. If streaming is your primary goal, choose a different VPN.
Q: How many devices can I use with Mullvad?
Up to 5 devices simultaneously on a single account. This covers most users but is fewer than some competitors that offer unlimited connections.
Q: Does Mullvad keep logs of my activity?
No. Mullvad maintains one of the strictest no-logs policies in the industry. They don't log your activity, connection times, IP addresses, or any personally identifiable information. This was proven when police raided their office and found no user data to seize.
Q: Can I pay for Mullvad anonymously?
Yes! You can pay with cash (mailed in an envelope), Monero, Bitcoin, or Bitcoin Cash for complete anonymity. Cryptocurrency payments also receive a 10% discount.
Q: What happens if I lose my account number?
Unfortunately, there's no recovery process because Mullvad doesn't know who you are. Write down your account number and store it securely. This is the trade-off for complete anonymity.
Q: Is Mullvad good for torrenting?
Excellent for torrenting. Mullvad supports P2P traffic on all servers, doesn't throttle speeds, and maintains the no-logging policy that keeps torrent users safe. While they removed port forwarding in 2023, basic torrenting works perfectly.
Q: How fast is Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad delivers good speeds, typically maintaining 50-80% of your base internet speed depending on server distance. It's competitive with top VPNs but not the absolute fastest option available.
Q: Does Mullvad work in China?
Yes, with obfuscation features enabled. Mullvad offers Shadowsocks and other obfuscation technologies specifically designed to bypass VPN blocking in censored countries like China, UAE, and Iran.
Q: Why is there no automatic renewal?
Mullvad eliminated automatic renewals to store less customer data. Not keeping payment information on file enhances your privacy. You'll need to manually add time to your account when your subscription ends.
Q: Can I get a refund if I'm not satisfied?
Yes. Mullvad offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all payment methods except cash (due to anti-money laundering regulations). Just contact support within 30 days if you're unsatisfied.
Q: What's the difference between Mullvad and other VPNs?
Mullvad prioritizes privacy above everything else. While other VPNs focus on streaming, speed, or user-friendly features, Mullvad focuses exclusively on anonymity and security. They're also unusually transparent, conducting regular audits and publishing source code.
Q: Is Mullvad legal?
Yes, using Mullvad is legal in most countries. VPNs are legal tools for privacy protection. However, some countries restrict or ban VPN use—know your local laws before subscribing.
Q: Do I need technical knowledge to use Mullvad?
No. Basic usage is straightforward—install the app, enter your account number, click connect. Advanced features require more technical understanding, but casual users can ignore these settings entirely.
Q: Does Mullvad sell my data?
No. Mullvad's entire business model is based on NOT collecting or selling user data. They don't have data to sell even if they wanted to. Their revenue comes solely from subscriptions.
Q: Can I use Mullvad on my router?
Yes. Mullvad supports router configurations, allowing you to protect all devices on your network simultaneously. This counts as one of your five device connections.
Q: What makes Mullvad different from free VPNs?
Free VPNs typically make money by logging and selling your data, showing ads, or limiting speeds/bandwidth. Mullvad collects no data, shows no ads, has no speed limits, and exists solely to provide privacy protection.
Q: Is the €5 monthly price worth it?
If privacy is your priority, absolutely. €5 is cheaper than most monthly VPN subscriptions and hasn't increased in 15 years. However, if you're willing to commit long-term, some competitors offer lower prices ($2-3/month for multi-year plans).
Q: Does Mullvad work with Tor?
Yes. You can connect to Tor through Mullvad or use Mullvad through Tor for enhanced anonymity. Mullvad even partnered with Tor Project to create Mullvad Browser.
Q: Will Mullvad slow down my internet?
All VPNs add some overhead due to encryption. Mullvad typically reduces speeds by 20-50% depending on server distance, which is normal for VPNs. For most activities (browsing, streaming HD video, downloading), you won't notice the difference.
Q: Can authorities force Mullvad to start logging?
Sweden's legal framework doesn't allow secret logging orders like some other countries. Even if ordered to log, Mullvad's technical infrastructure (diskless servers, no user identification) makes retroactive logging impossible without completely rebuilding their system—something they'd likely publicize rather than comply with.
