Mullvad VPN

VS

Proton VPN

VPNs Comparison

Mullvad VPN vs Proton VPN: Side-by-Side Comparison

Mullvad VPN
Proton VPN
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.5/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
Free Tier
No
Yes
Trial Days
30-day trial
30-day trial
Pricing
Flat rate €5/month (~$5.50). No annual discount. No free tier.
Free tier available. Plus from $4.99/month (2-year). Proton Unlimited from $7.99/month.
Company
Mullvad VPN AB
Proton AG
Founded
2009
2017
Best For
Journalists, activists, and privacy extremists needing maximum anonymity with no account trail
Privacy advocates wanting an audited open-source VPN with free tier and Swiss legal protection

Pros & Cons

200 Jobs AI Will Replace
FREE REPORT

200 Jobs AI Will Replace

Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Mullvad VPN

Account number system requires no email or personal information to sign up
Accepts cash and cryptocurrency for truly anonymous account creation
RAM-only servers ensure no data persists after server reboots
DAITA technology defeats traffic analysis attacks invisible to standard VPNs
Flat €5/month pricing with no long-term contracts or discount tricks
No streaming-optimized servers - not designed for Netflix or content unblocking
Only 5 simultaneous device connections on a single account

Proton VPN

Based in Switzerland with the strongest legal privacy protections of any VPN jurisdiction
Open-source apps with published code independently audited by SEC Consult
Secure Core routes traffic through privacy-safe countries before exiting to destination
Free tier available with no data limits and no ads or tracking
Netshield ad-blocker and Stealth protocol included on all paid plans
Speeds on the free plan are noticeably slower due to server congestion
Fewer total servers than NordVPN or Surfshark limits server selection variety

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both Mullvad VPN and Proton VPN support Privacy workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Privacy is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for No Logs?

Both Mullvad VPN and Proton VPN support No Logs workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If No Logs is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both Mullvad VPN and Proton VPN support Encryption workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Encryption is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Kill Switch?

Both Mullvad VPN and Proton VPN support Kill Switch workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Kill Switch is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Verdict

Proton VPN edges out Mullvad VPN with a 4.6 vs 4.5 rating. Proton VPN's main advantage: Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. That said, Mullvad VPN may still be the better choice if Journalists, activists, and privacy extremists needing maximum anonymity with no account trail.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Try Mullvad Try for Free

Related Comparisons

Mullvad VPN vs NordVPN ExpressVPN vs Mullvad VPN Mullvad VPN vs Private Internet Access IVPN vs Mullvad VPN
200 Jobs AI Will Replace - Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.