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Mullvad vs Proton VPN: An Honest 2026 Comparison

How this comparison was researched

No hands-on speed, leak, or streaming testing yet. This comparison is built from provider-published specs, published audit reports (Proton: yearly Securitum audits 2022-2026, latest published June 2026; Mullvad: Cure53, X41, and NCC infrastructure audits), and pricing pages, all verified October 2026. Scores shown are launch scores (audit record plus jurisdiction plus pricing honesty), not test scores. Testing status is labeled explicitly throughout.

Side by side

Prices are provider-published snapshots, Oct 2026; verify at checkout.

Privacy architecture: where they genuinely differ

Mullvad's model

Data not collected cannot be seized. RAM-only infrastructure, anonymous account numbers with no email, and cash or Monero payments mean there is very little to hand over in the first place. The trust model is minimal: you do not need to believe their promises because there is less to promise about.

Proton's model

Swiss jurisdiction, yearly public no-logs audits since 2022, Secure Core multi-hop routing, and open-source apps that independent parties can inspect. The trust model is maximal and verifiable: you are asked to trust, but you are given receipts every year.

The honest take

Mullvad minimizes the trust you need to extend; Proton maximizes the trust you can verify. Different philosophies, both legitimate, and which one you prefer says more about your threat model than about either product.

Price honesty: flat vs promo pricing

Mullvad charges 5 EUR/month forever: no intro trick, no renewal jump, no countdown timer. Proton VPN Plus starts at $2.99/month on the 2-year plan and renews at $83.88/year. Proton is cheaper per month than Mullvad over two years, but the renewal is the caveat: set a reminder. Over a 2-year window, Proton Plus costs about $71.76 in intro pricing vs about $130 equivalent for Mullvad at 5 EUR/month: Proton wins on price, Mullvad wins on pricing honesty.

Streaming, torrenting, and everyday use

Streaming

Proton VPN is the clear pick. Mullvad does not prioritize streaming and is inconsistent at unblocking major libraries by design. If streaming matters to you, this row alone decides the comparison.

Torrenting

Both are P2P-friendly. Proton has port forwarding on paid plans, which Mullvad removed in 2023: for torrenting specifically, that tips it to Proton.

Censorship resistance

Proton offers Stealth protocol; Mullvad offers its own obfuscation options. This is spec-level comparison only: no test claims from us.

The free-tier question

Proton's unlimited free plan is genuinely usable and funded by paid users: it is the honest funnel, letting you test indefinitely before spending anything. Mullvad has no free tier and no trial beyond the 14-day money-back window. If you want to try before you buy, only one of these lets you.

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Who should buy which

Buy Mullvad if you want maximum signup anonymity, flat honest pricing, and do not care about streaming. Buy Proton VPN if you want audited transparency, streaming, 10 devices, or a free tier to start. Consider instead: Check NordVPN's price for the deepest audit record plus streaming (six Deloitte and PwC no-logs audits, latest published February 2026), or Check Surfshark's price for unlimited devices on a budget.

Questions, answered