Comparisons VPN Comparison 2026
Proton VPN vs Mullvad: which VPN is better?
Two VPN providers side by side. They differ in 21 of 26 criteria. Here you can see where, and which one suits whom.
- Updated October 2026
- Compare all 9 providers
At a glance
Proton VPN
Best for: Anyone who values privacy, and anyone who wants to start for free.
- Free plan with no data limit and no ads
- Open source, based in Switzerland
- No-logs policy independently audited four times
Better than Mullvad at: Free plan, Streaming officially supported, TVs and routers
Price: from €3.49 (2 years)
Visit Proton VPNAdMullvad
Best for: Anyone for whom anonymity comes first.
- Account without email, just an account number
- Cash and Monero accepted
- Fixed price of €5 with no teaser offers
Better than Proton VPN at: Account without email address
Price: €5, always the same
Visit MullvadAll criteria compared
Highlighted rows show where the two differ.
| Criterion | Proton VPN | Mullvad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Free plan | Yes, no data limit, 1 device, 10 countries | No |
| Lowest monthly price | from €3.49 (2 years) | €5, always the same |
| Price with monthly billing | €9.99 | €5 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 14 days (not for cash) |
| Provider & privacy | ||
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Sweden (EU) |
| Owned by | Proton AG (independent) | Mullvad VPN AB (independent) |
| No-logs policy independently audited | Yes, most recently 2025 (Securitum) | Yes |
| Open-source apps | Yes | Yes |
| Known incidents | None known | None known. A police search in 2023 found no data. |
| Account without email address | Proton account required | Yes |
| Anonymous payment (cash, crypto) | Yes, cash by post, Bitcoin | Yes, cash, Bitcoin, Monero |
| Technology | ||
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth | WireGuard (OpenVPN discontinued in January 2026) |
| RAM-only servers | n/a | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-hop (via two servers) | Yes (Secure Core) | Yes |
| Ad and tracker blocker | Yes (NetShield), from Plus | Yes (DNS filter) |
| Obfuscation for restricted networks | Yes (Stealth) | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | 5 |
| Server countries | over 140 | 50 |
| File sharing (P2P) allowed | Yes, from Plus | Yes |
| Streaming officially supported | Yes, from Plus | No |
| Extras | Tor over VPN, bundled with Mail, Drive and Pass | DAITA against traffic analysis |
| Platforms | ||
| Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android, iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| TVs and routers | Yes | Routers via WireGuard configuration |
Strengths and weaknesses
Proton VPN
VPN from Switzerland with open-source apps, a repeatedly audited no-logs policy and the best free plan with no data limit.
- + Free plan with no data limit and no ads
- + Open source, based in Switzerland
- + No-logs policy independently audited four times
- + Secure Core routes traffic through specially protected servers
- – Free plan: 1 device and randomly chosen countries only
- – Monthly plan comparatively expensive
Mullvad
The privacy VPN from Sweden: a fixed price, no account with email, and you can even pay with cash by post.
- + Account without email, just an account number
- + Cash and Monero accepted
- + Fixed price of €5 with no teaser offers
- + Open source, RAM-only servers
- – No official streaming support
- – Only 5 devices
- – Fewer countries than the big providers
Our verdict
Both are a good choice, but for different needs. Proton VPN is best for: anyone who values privacy, and anyone who wants to start for free. Mullvad is best for: anyone for whom anonymity comes first.
All information comes from the providers’ websites and the sources listed in the full comparison, as of October 2026. Links marked “Ad” are affiliate links.