Mullvad Review
Reviewed by Carlos Gil · Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Updated 7 min readEditorially reviewed
Quick facts
- Starting price
- €5/mo on any term (about $5.61 at Mullvad's own conversion)
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Privacy-minded individuals who want an account with no email or password, a price that never jumps at renewal, and the option to pay in cash
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android; WireGuard configuration files for routers and other clients
BestStacked Score
Weighted average of 5 categories. Methodology below.
Quick answer
Is Mullvad worth it, and what does it really cost?
Mullvad encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through its servers, hiding your IP address from the sites you visit and your traffic from your local network. It costs €5 a month, including VAT, whether you pay for one month, a year or a decade, so there's no introductory discount and no renewal jump. Sign-up gives you a random account number instead of asking for an email or password, and you can pay in cash or cryptocurrency. An account covers 5 devices, there's no free plan or port forwarding, and support is by email only. Mullvad publishes independent security audits of its apps and infrastructure. A VPN is one layer of security, not anonymity, and it doesn't make a business compliant on its own.
- Best for
- People who don't want their VPN account tied to an email address, and who want the same price every month.
- Skip it if
- You need more than 5 devices, TV apps, port forwarding, live chat, or a cheap first year.
- Strongest capability
- Account-number sign-up with cash or crypto payment, plus DAITA traffic-analysis defense and quantum-resistant tunnels.
- Biggest limitation
- Support is email only, from a Sweden-based team during weekday office hours.
- Current cost
- €5 a month on any term, about $5.61 at Mullvad's own conversion; crypto payments get 10% off.
The Verdict
Mullvad does fewer things than the big VPN brands, on purpose. You get a random account number instead of an email sign-up, payment by cash, cryptocurrency, card or PayPal, and one price, €5 a month, that never changes at renewal. The app adds DAITA, Mullvad's defense against AI-guided traffic analysis, quantum-resistant tunnels, multihop, obfuscation, split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, and DNS through the tunnel. Its audit record is strong for a small company: Cure53, Radically Open Security, X41 D-Sec, Assured, NCC Group and Leviathan have assessed its infrastructure, apps, payment systems and protocol code. The limits are real: 5 devices, apps for computers and phones only, no port forwarding, no streaming or identity extras, a 14-day refund that excludes cash, and email-only support during Swedish office hours. Over a year or more it's the cheapest of the five VPNs we compare after their first terms end, but not the cheapest in year one. We score Mullvad 7.3/10.
Best for
People who want an account with no personal details, a stable price, and a VPN that does the core job without bundles.
Skip if
You need more than 5 devices, TV or console apps, port forwarding, live-chat support or a discounted first year.
AlternativesProton VPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN
The Background
What Is Mullvad?
Mullvad is a virtual private network run by Mullvad VPN AB in Gothenburg, Sweden, which says it has charged the same rate since it launched in 2009. A VPN encrypts the traffic between your device and a Mullvad server, so your internet provider or the Wi-Fi operator can't see which sites you visit, and those sites see the server's IP address instead of yours. Mullvad's server page listed 566 WireGuard and bridge servers in 50 countries and 91 cities on October 19, 2026, and marks which servers Mullvad owns and which it rents. There are apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus WireGuard configuration files for routers and other clients. Mullvad also makes Mullvad Browser with the Tor Project, free and open source. What a VPN doesn't do matters as much. It doesn't make you anonymous: the sites you sign in to still know who you are, and browser fingerprinting and cookies still work, which is why Mullvad suggests pairing it with a privacy-focused browser. It doesn't stop phishing or malware you install yourself. And it doesn't make a business compliant with GDPR, HIPAA or any other regulation; that depends on your own processes and contracts.
The Product
Mullvad Features: What You Actually Get
Numbered accounts and anonymous payment
Mullvad doesn't ask for a username, password or email. Signing up generates a random account number, and its no-logging policy says that number and the time left on it are all it stores for an account. You can pay by cash in nine currencies sent by post, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero (10% off), or by card, PayPal, bank transfer and several European payment methods, which do involve third parties that record who paid.
A journalist pays for a year in cash with a payment token, so the account isn't linked to a name or card.
DAITA and quantum-resistant tunnels
DAITA (Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis) is Mullvad's feature for making encrypted traffic harder to fingerprint by its patterns; it requires the Mullvad app and supported servers. Mullvad says you can choose quantum-resistant tunnels on all its supported platforms, and every DNS query goes through the encrypted tunnel.
A privacy-focused user turns on DAITA and quantum-resistant tunnels for the extra protection against future decryption.
Multihop, obfuscation and split tunneling
Multihop routes traffic through two or more servers in different locations and jurisdictions. Obfuscation, including Shadowsocks on desktop, helps where networks block VPNs. Split tunneling is listed on the Windows, macOS, Linux and Android download pages but not on iOS. The desktop apps include what Mullvad calls an advanced kill switch with tight firewall integration.
A traveller behind a restrictive firewall switches on obfuscation and multihop on a Linux laptop.
Deliberate omissions
Mullvad has no free plan or trial, no long-term discount, no port forwarding (its pricing FAQ answers simply "No"), no dedicated IP, no TV or console apps and no bundled password manager, antivirus or identity insurance. Accounts are capped at 5 devices. It also blocks outgoing traffic on TCP port 25 to limit spam.
A buyer who only wants the VPN, not a security suite, pays €5 a month and skips the upsells.
Feature recap
- One price: €5 a month on any term, VAT included
- No email, username or password; random account number
- Cash, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, card, PayPal and more
- DAITA, quantum-resistant tunnels, multihop and obfuscation
- Split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android
- 5 devices per account; no port forwarding or free plan
- Infrastructure, app and payment-system audits since 2023 listed on its blog
- Email-only support; 14-day refund (not for cash)
The Numbers
Mullvad Pricing: Every Plan Explained
Mullvad has one price, shown on mullvad.net/pricing on October 19, 2026: €5 a month including VAT, whether you buy one month, a year or a decade. The same page shows €5 as about $5.61, £4.21 or A$8.03. Cryptocurrency payments are discounted 10%, and prices through the App Store or official resellers may differ. There are no introductory offers and no sales.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Included Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 monthBest value | €5/mo | €60 a year if you top up monthly | Full VPN on 5 devices, DAITA, multihop, quantum-resistant tunnels, split tunneling (desktop and Android) | Trying Mullvad or paying as you go |
| 1 year | €5/mo | €60 paid up front, no discount | Same service; time is added to the account number | Fewer top-ups |
| Crypto payment | €4.50/mo (10% off) | €54 a year | Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero; not refundable under Mullvad's terms | People who want the most private payment route |
Pricing scenarios (our calculations from each vendor's published prices on October 19, 2026; Mullvad converted at its own displayed rate of about $5.61 for €5; tax as the vendor shows it). Mullvad costs €60 a year, about $67.32, every year. That's more than the first term of most rivals: Surfshark Starter's 2-year plan is $67.23 for 27 months and Proton VPN Plus is $83.76 for 24 months. But after those terms end, Mullvad is the cheapest of the five: Surfshark Starter renews at $79 a year, Proton VPN Plus at $83.88, ExpressVPN Basic at $99.95 and NordVPN Basic at $139.08. Over about three and a quarter years (39 months), Mullvad costs €195, about $218.79, against $146.23 for Surfshark Starter, $233.31 for NordVPN Basic and roughly $183.67 for 40 months of ExpressVPN Basic. You can stop at any time without losing a discount, because there isn't one. Refunds: Mullvad offers 14 days from payment, but its pricing page excludes cash and its terms exclude cash and crypto, and App Store or reseller purchases are refunded by the seller.
Privacy and transparency
No-logging policy, audits and Sweden
Mullvad's no-logging policy, last updated June 16, 2026, says it never stores activity logs of any kind and keeps as little data as possible. For an account it stores the account number and expiry date, plus the WireGuard public key and tunnel address if you use WireGuard. Payment records depend on the method: cash envelopes are shredded after the time is added, cryptocurrency records are trimmed after 20 days, and card, PayPal, Swish and bank payments pass through Stripe, PayPal or the bank SEB, which keep their own records. The policy also says Mullvad had 555,541 numbered accounts when it was written.
Mullvad's audits are security assessments rather than a no-logs assurance report like NordVPN's or ExpressVPN's. Its blog lists Cure53's audit of its VPN infrastructure in June 2024 (its fourth infrastructure audit), Radically Open Security's in August 2023, a third-party app audit published in December 2024, Assured's review of its web app in October 2025, X41 D-Sec's source-code audit of its payment and account API published in January 2026, an Assured audit of its GotaTun WireGuard implementation in March 2026, and Android app assessments under the MASA standard by NCC Group in 2025 and Leviathan Security Group in 2026. We read Mullvad's posts, not the full reports.
Jurisdiction, as Mullvad states it: it's based in Sweden, which it describes as a safe location for a VPN provider, and its terms are governed by Swedish law. Being in the EU means EU law, including the GDPR, applies to payment data it processes. Any audit is a point-in-time check; it can't prove what happens every day in between.
Read before you buy
Where Mullvad's pages differ
Refund exceptions: the pricing page says the 14-day money-back guarantee applies "except for cash payments," while the terms of service, updated January 20, 2026, say "We do not offer refunds for cash and crypto payments." If you plan to pay in cryptocurrency and might want a refund, go by the terms.
Payment methods: the pricing page lists Eps, Bancontact, iDEAL | Wero and Przelewy24 alongside cash, crypto, bank wire, card, PayPal and Swish; the terms list SEPA, iOS in-app purchases and Mullvad vouchers instead of the four newer methods; the no-logging policy lists only cash, the three cryptocurrencies, bank wire, card, PayPal and Swish.
Latest assessment: each app download page says the latest security assessment was by Leviathan in February 2026, while Mullvad's audits blog dates its post on Leviathan's Android MASA assessment June 1, 2026.
Scoring
How the score is built
BestStacked weights five sub-scores: ease of use 20%, features 25%, pricing 20%, support 15% and integrations 20%. For Mullvad they come only from Mullvad's documentation, not from testing, and are calibrated against our Proton VPN (7.9), NordVPN (7.8), Surfshark (7.9) and ExpressVPN (7.9) reviews. Ease of use 7.6: sign-up takes one click and there are no plan tiers to compare, but you must store the account number safely, and the 5-device cap and lack of TV apps mean more juggling. Features 7.6: DAITA, quantum-resistant tunnels, multihop, obfuscation and split tunneling on four platforms, but no port forwarding, no dedicated IP, no ad-blocking bundle and no split tunneling on iOS. Pricing 8.4: one VAT-inclusive price with no renewal jump, cash and crypto options and the lowest ongoing cost of the five, offset by no free plan, no first-year discount and a 14-day refund with payment exclusions. Support 6.0: email only, during weekday office hours in Sweden, with no live chat. Integrations 6.6: apps for five operating systems and WireGuard configs for routers, but no TV, console or browser-extension VPN apps. That works out to 7.3 out of 10.
The Tradeoffs
Mullvad Pros and Cons
What we love
- No email, username or password needed to sign up
- Same €5 a month on any term; no renewal jump
- Cash and cryptocurrency payments accepted
- DAITA, quantum-resistant tunnels and multihop
- Independent audits of infrastructure, apps and payment systems
- Cheapest ongoing cost of the five VPNs we compare
What could be better
- Email-only support during weekday office hours
- 5 devices per account
- No port forwarding, dedicated IP or free plan
- No TV, console or browser-extension VPN apps
- No split tunneling on iOS
- Refunds exclude cash, and crypto under the terms
The Audience
Who Should Use Mullvad?
Best for: people who want no personal details on the account
A random account number, cash or crypto payment and no email mean there's little to link the subscription to you, which is the main reason to choose Mullvad.
Best for: long-term users who hate renewal surprises
At €5 a month forever, Mullvad costs less each year than any rival's renewal price, and you can stop without losing a multi-year discount.
Skip if: you have many devices or need help fast
Mullvad covers 5 devices and answers by email during Swedish office hours. Surfshark has no device limit and 24/7 chat; ExpressVPN has 24/7 chat and TV apps.
The Methodology
How We Reviewed Mullvad
This is an editorial review, not a hands-on test. We didn't use Mullvad for this review and make no speed, streaming-unblocking or leak-test claims. It's based on Mullvad's own documentation on mullvad.net, all checked on October 19, 2026: the pricing page, the VPN feature page, the terms of service, the no-logging policy, the audits blog tag, the Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android download pages, the server list and the Mullvad Browser page. Competitor prices come from each vendor's own pricing page the same day. No rival's comparison pages were used. Where Mullvad's pages differ, we report both. Mullvad has no affiliate program, and BestStacked has no relationship with it; the score doesn't depend on one.
Our editorial evaluation considers product information, official documentation, pricing, features and professional experience. It is not a claim of documented hands-on testing.
Our review methodology →What changed
- : First published. Editorial review based on Mullvad's pricing page, VPN feature page, terms of service, no-logging policy, audits blog, download pages, server list and Mullvad Browser page, all on mullvad.net and checked October 19, 2026.
The Field
Mullvad vs The Competition
Prices below were read on each vendor's own pricing page on October 19, 2026, in USD unless noted, and are introductory where marked.
| Tool | Starting Price | Free plan | Best Feature | BS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvad | €5/mo on any term (about $5.61 at Mullvad's own conversion) | No | Numbered accounts and anonymous payment | 7.3/10 |
| Proton VPN | Free; VPN Plus $83.76 for the first 24 months, renews at $83.88/yr | Yes | A free plan and public no-logs audits | 7.9/10 |
| Surfshark | Starter $67.23 for the first 27 months, renews at $79/yr | No | Unlimited simultaneous devices | 7.9/10 |
| ExpressVPN | Basic $83.72 for the first 28 months, renews at $99.95/yr | No | Split tunneling on five platforms and TV apps | 7.9/10 |
| NordVPN | Basic $94.23 for the first 27 months, renews at $139.08/yr | No | Meshnet, Onion Over VPN and specialty servers | 7.8/10 |
Proton VPN: Proton VPN is the closest match on privacy: Swiss, open-source apps and a yearly Securitum no-logs audit. It adds a free plan, 10 devices, port forwarding and live chat on paid plans, but signing up needs an email address.Read our Proton VPN review →
Surfshark: Surfshark costs less than Mullvad in the first two years and has no device limit, 24/7 chat and split tunneling on iOS. After that, its $79 renewal is about $12 a year more than Mullvad.Read our Surfshark review →
ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN covers 10 devices with apps for TVs and consoles, 24/7 chat and a public KPMG privacy audit. It needs an email to sign up and renews at $99.95 a year.Read our ExpressVPN review →
NordVPN: NordVPN bundles many extras and accepts cryptocurrency, but signing up still creates a Nord Account, and Basic renews at about twice Mullvad's yearly cost.Read our NordVPN review →
In The Wild
How People Actually Use Mullvad
A privacy-focused individual
Generate an account number, pay €60 for a year in cash or crypto, and use Mullvad Browser alongside the VPN to reduce fingerprinting. Write the account number down; it's the only proof the time is yours.
A remote worker with a laptop and phone
Mullvad covers both, with split tunneling on a Windows, Mac or Linux laptop and Android. iPhone users can't split-tunnel, and help is by email only.
A family with tablets and a smart TV
Five devices and no TV apps make Mullvad a poor fit. Surfshark (unlimited devices) or ExpressVPN (TV apps, 10 devices) suit this household better.
The Ecosystem
Mullvad Integrations
A VPN's integrations are mostly platforms. Mullvad runs on these, and its configuration files work with the official WireGuard clients.
- →Windows, macOS and Linux apps
- →iPhone and Android apps (Android also as a signed APK)
- →WireGuard configuration files for routers and other clients
- →Mullvad Browser, built with the Tor Project (free)
- →In-app support requests (listed for the macOS and Android apps)
Split tunneling, Shadowsocks and the advanced kill switch are listed on some platforms and not others. Check the download page for your device before paying.
Common Questions
Mullvad FAQ
The Final Word
Should You Use Mullvad?
Mullvad suits people who want the VPN to know as little about them as possible: a random account number, cash or crypto payment, and one €5 price with no renewal surprise. Its feature set covers the core job well, with DAITA, quantum-resistant tunnels, multihop and split tunneling on four platforms, and its audit list is long for a company its size. The trade-offs are convenience: 5 devices, no TV apps, no port forwarding and email-only support in Swedish office hours. Over several years it's the cheapest of the five VPNs we compare, but in year one rivals' intro prices are lower. Look elsewhere if you want a free plan (Proton VPN), unlimited devices (Surfshark), TV apps and 24/7 chat (ExpressVPN), or Meshnet and specialty servers (NordVPN). We score Mullvad 7.3/10.
Yes, if
you want an account with no personal details, a flat price you can stop at any time, and a VPN without bundles
No, if
you need more than 5 devices, TV apps, port forwarding, live-chat support or a discounted first year
About the reviewer
Carlos Gil
Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Carlos Gil is the Founder & Editor of The Best Network, bestselling author of The End of Marketing, and a LinkedIn Top Voice. His digital marketing career began in 2008 and spans corporate roles at LinkedIn and BMC Software, consulting for global brands, creator partnerships, and building his own businesses.
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