Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Mullvad VPN has constructed a stable fame for being the most effective privacy-focused VPNs available on the market. Its distinctive nameless person account quantity system, robust encryption and dedication to common third-party safety audits make it a best choice for these whose major concern is privateness.

Whereas it’s hampered by a small 641-server community unfold throughout simply 40 nations, Mullvad’s concentrate on privateness is one thing I need to see extra of in different VPNs accessible immediately.

Mullvad VPN pricing

Mullvad provides a flat charge of €5 or $5.48 per 30 days, no matter subscription size. Compared, different VPNs have various costs per plan and length.

Mullvad’s month-to-month subscription may be very inexpensive in comparison with different VPNs corresponding to NordVPN at $12.99 per 30 days and ProtonVPN at $9.99 per 30 days. In the event you’re trying to make use of a VPN for a restricted period of time, Mullvad VPN is without doubt one of the most inexpensive choices.

Nevertheless, there’s a draw back to the flat charge — you don’t routinely obtain a reduction or further financial savings for selecting a long run, which different VPNs sometimes provide. Subsequently, Mullvad VPN isn’t essentially the most cost-effective possibility for long-term customers.

There isn’t a free model or free trial for Mullvad VPN, however there’s a 30-day money-back assure if subscribers aren’t glad with the service.

I commend Mullvad’s concentrate on privateness when it comes to its cost choices. Outdoors of the standard decisions like bank card or PayPal, Mullvad VPN helps you to pay with money, cryptocurrencies or purchasable bodily vouchers — all of which offer customers with anonymity with their funds. It is a nice possibility for privateness fanatics who need to stay nameless.

Is Mullvad VPN protected and reliable?

Mullvad VPN comes with OpenVPN and WireGuard safety protocols — two of essentially the most safe and best-performing protocols immediately. As well as, Mullvad makes use of the gold-standard AES-256 encryption, features a built-in kill change and protects towards DNS leaks.

It has a no-logs coverage that states that the VPN “by no means retailer[s] any exercise logs of any sort.” Luckily, Mullvad has proven a powerful dedication to common impartial safety audits to again their privateness claims. Its most up-to-date audit was performed by Radically Open Safety in August 2023, which “discovered no logging of person exercise knowledge” inside Mullvad’s VPN infrastructure.

Some customers might categorical concern that Mullvad is predicated in Sweden, a member of the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance. Nevertheless, I argue that Mullvad VPN efficiently alleviated such issues when the corporate was subjected to a search warrant in April 2023.

Based on Mullvad, six cops from the Nationwide Operations Division (NOA) of the Swedish Police visited their workplaces and needed to grab computer systems that held buyer knowledge. Mullvad defined that, due to their no-logs coverage, “such buyer knowledge didn’t exist.” This finally led to the cops leaving empty-handed.

The corporate emphasised that even “if [the police] had taken one thing that will not have given them entry to any buyer info” due to their no-logs coverage.

General, Mullvad VPN proves to be a protected and safe VPN service to make use of in 2024.

Key options of Mullvad VPN

Other than offering customers with a safe VPN connection and a community of servers world wide, Mullvad provides just a few standout options that set it aside from different VPN distributors.

Nameless account numbers

One other distinctive privateness function of Mullvad is its use of nameless account numbers.

Determine A

As an alternative of requiring prospects to supply an e mail handle, username or password, Mullvad routinely generates a random account quantity for every person, serving as their most important method to log in and use Mullvad VPN. The 16-digit quantity can be used to let customers pay for his or her subscription.

This gives a further layer of anonymity since customers received’t have to supply any sort of non-public or figuring out info to make use of Mullvad. On the minimal, most VPNs ask customers to supply an e mail handle to make use of their service, so I recognize the added privateness of not needing to take action with Mullvad VPN.

Mullvad Lockdown mode

Determine B

Mullvad features a Lockdown mode function that blocks any web connection not secured by a Mullvad VPN server. Which means even in the event you unintentionally give up the Mullvad VPN app or disconnect from considered one of its servers for any cause, your knowledge and visitors will stay safe and blocked from unprotected networks.

In my testing, Lockdown mode labored as marketed and reliably minimize off the web on my machine each time I attempted to attach exterior of the VPN.

DNS content material blockers

Determine C

You additionally get a set of content material blockers inside Mullvad’s app that permits you to limit entry to intrusive content material corresponding to adverts, grownup content material and malware.

Whereas opponents like ExpressVPN allow you to block adverts and trackers as effectively, I like that Mullvad offers you a bit extra choices within the kinds of content material you may block. Particular callouts listed here are with the ability to block playing websites, grownup content material and even social media websites.

Velocity and efficiency: How briskly is Mullvad VPN?

Mullvad carried out effectively when it comes to pace and efficiency. I didn’t expertise any severe slowdown with my common workflow that entails working in Google Docs, having a number of tabs open for analysis and streaming the occasional 1080p YouTube movies. I used to be additionally impressed with how dependable Mullvad’s connection was throughout an hour-long Google Meet name I attended whereas testing the VPN; I didn’t expertise any points with the connection.

When it comes to pace testing, Mullvad acquired extra modest numbers. For obtain speeds, it recorded a 40.8% drop in pace in comparison with my web service supplier, which is sweet however not nice. Add pace was noticeably worse, with an 89.7% lower in pace. In the event you or your online business steadily uploads massive information, NordVPN could also be a greater decide because it has proven to supply sooner total speeds.

Regardless of the stable efficiency, I need to point out that speeds might range extra with Mullvad VPN in comparison with different VPNs as a result of its smaller server community. I’ll dive into that extra within the subsequent part, however having extra servers often permits for sooner efficiency.

All issues apart, my time with Mullvad VPN confirmed it could actually present fairly quick speeds with out situation.

Mullvad VPN servers and areas

Mullvad VPN’s server community is the place it sadly falls behind the competitors. At present, Mullvad has 641 servers in round 40 nations; this server suite is sort of small in each the server quantity and nation unfold, contemplating {that a} trendy VPN often has round 3,000 servers in round 60 nations.

For context, ProtonVPN gives round 3,090 servers throughout 71 nations, whereas CyberGhost VPN provides round 11,330+ servers throughout 100 nations.

Which means if Mullvad VPN doesn’t have a server location that’s near you, you might expertise slower speeds or impacted efficiency. This smaller server suite additionally means Mullvad received’t be a major possibility for individuals who plan to unblock geo-restricted content material on-line.

If a big nation unfold is a precedence, CyberGhost VPN or Personal Web Entry will likely be higher choices as they supply servers from 100 and 91 nations, respectively.

Mullvad doesn’t categorize its servers for extra specialised use circumstances like NordVPN’s safer Double VPN servers or CyberGhost’s streaming-optimized servers.

Mullvad VPN app expertise

I examined Mullvad VPN on my Home windows laptop computer and located the desktop software to be very straightforward to make use of.

Determine D

Issues such because the server listing had been the place I anticipated them to be, and I had no hassle activating totally different options inside the app’s VPN settings.

I actually like that Mullvad helps you to create a customized listing or group of high servers. You possibly can put servers in lists and identify every group as you want. This may be helpful in the event you commonly entry content material from sure areas and need to connect with the suitable server location simply.

Determine E

Subjectively, I do really feel like Mullvad’s app is lagging behind when it comes to design because the cartoon-like interface seems to be a bit outdated. Nevertheless, I’ve no complaints concerning the software’s efficiency because it labored and not using a hitch.

Mullvad execs

• Inexpensive month-to-month plan.
• Constant impartial audits.
• Nameless person account quantity system.
• Respectable speeds and efficiency.
• Simple-to-use desktop software.

Mullvad cons

• Small server community of 641 servers.
• Helps servers from solely 40+ nations.
• Longer subscriptions might be costly.
• No free trial.
• Solely permits for 5 simultaneous system connections.
• Primarily based in Sweden (14 Eyes alliance).

Who’s Mullvad VPN finest for?

Mullvad VPN is finest for privateness fanatics who worth anonymity above all else. Its distinctive cost system and nameless person account quantity system are significant methods so as to add further safety for end-users who need to share as little knowledge as potential.

It’s a VPN service that gives respectable speeds and an intuitive software. It’s additionally an incredible decide for particular person customers who need robust encryption and safety for a brief period of time, particularly with its extra inexpensive month-to-month subscription.

Whereas its lack of an inexpensive long-term subscription and minuscule server community wanes compared to the competitors, Mullvad’s massive concentrate on privateness is a welcome taste to the VPN area as an entire.

Options to Mullvad VPN

In the event you discover that Mullvad VPN isn’t a match for you, I’ve listed three robust options which will higher fit your wants.

Proton VPN

If you’d like a VPN that gives a full-fledged free model, give Proton VPN a attempt. Its free model provides limitless knowledge and entry to 86 servers in three nations at no further value. It additionally operates in privacy-friendly Switzerland, making it a major possibility for these apprehensive about authorities surveillance.

In our full assessment, ProtonVPN acquired 4.0 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN provides a no-nonsense VPN that has a well-designed software, quick speeds and safety for as much as eight simultaneous units. It additionally has servers throughout 105 nations and makes use of RAM-only server know-how for much more safety.

In our full assessment, ExpressVPN acquired 4.4 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.

CyberGhost VPN

Customers who need an in depth server suite ought to have CyberGhost VPN on their listing. It provides greater than 11,000 servers throughout 100 nations and over 125 areas. It additionally has a beneficiant 24-hour free trial that permits you to check its premium VPN with no bank card required. On high of this, CyberGhost well categorizes its servers for streaming, gaming and torrenting.

In our full assessment, CyberGhost VPN acquired 4.3 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.

Evaluation methodology

My assessment of Mullvad VPN concerned a complete evaluation of its options, value and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on time with Mullvad VPN on my Home windows laptop computer via a paid one-month subscription.

For pace, I used Ookla’s public Speedtest to measure obtain and add speeds. I additionally ran Mullvad via DNSLeakTest a number of instances to examine for any drops in its DNS leak safety.

I scored Mullvad VPN on every little thing, from its safety protocols to its pricing, primarily based on an inner algorithm to get a ranking of three.7 out of 5 stars. In my scoring, I checked out Mullvad VPN each by itself and in relation to different VPNs accessible.