Mullvad VPN Review: Privacy At Its Finest

At the start of this Mullvad VPN review, we should emphasize Mullvad’s importance. It’s known by many as one of the most secure VPNs. Based in Sweden, Mullvad offers cutting-edge VPN technology, such as quantum-resistant encryption, advanced protocols, traffic obfuscation, and RAM-based VPN servers.

This provider’s subscription model is also anonymity-focused, and you don’t need to submit sensitive data to use it. Best of all, the provider doesn’t require commitment, so you can pay as you go. This sounds like a perfect VPN service, and we won’t say it’s not excellent, but in our experience, it also wasn’t flawless.

For this Mullvad VPN review, we tested all its features and used it extensively for more than three months. Do you want to learn more about it? Below are its pros and cons, and later on, we fully discuss our experience with it in 2026.

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Mullvad Pricing: How Much Does It Cost?

We’ll start this Mullvad VPN review with the price because of the unique pricing model. Anonymity starts here, as the provider generates an account for you. Once generated, you’ll get a 16-digit code that represents your sign-in credentials. No email is required. From here, the price is fixed at €5 or $5.93 a month.

This is a flat fee that gets you one month of VPN subscription. When you generate an account number (or simply an account), you can top it up with the amount of time you want to use the service. However, Mullvad lets you pick from the following presets as well: two months, three months, six months, and 1 year.

The price remains the same, so the 1-year plan will be $65, and so on. This pricing model allows the provider to preserve your anonymity and not require any info, as said. After you subscribe, you’ll download the app and sign in using the 16-digit code we mentioned. If you lose it, your account is lost to oblivion.

Money-Back Guarantee and Free Trial

As the provider doesn’t rely on commitment, it would be unfair to offer a free trial or a free plan. No, this isn’t a free VPN, so you must pay. However, it’s pretty generous with a 30-day refund policy, or better said, a money-back guarantee. You can easily get a refund if you’re unsatisfied or you no longer need it.

To do that, contact the VPN by email and provide it with the 16-digit code that represents your account. If 30 days haven’t passed, they’ll happily issue a refund.

Payment Methods

We discovered that Mullvad offers a heap of payment methods, and most are anonymous. As you can see, you can even pay using cash. This method isn’t eligible for a refund, but if you want to squeeze every drop of anonymity, this is the way to do it. You can send money by printing out your 16-digit account code on an envelope.

Now, you just put money in it and send it to the address found on the site. It takes a few days for it to arrive, and once Mullvad confirms it has received your money, your VPN plan is active. Other payment methods include crypto, credit/debit cards, PayPal, iDEAL, etc. Either way, Mullvad makes a purchase extremely simple.

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Ease of Use & Compatibility

In this Mullvad review for 2026, we’ll also address its compatibility and apps. This isn’t the prettiest VPN, but its apps look nice and are functional. As you can see, apps are identical across all supported platforms. The Windows app that we tested the most was responsive, and connection times were extremely short.

The same could be said about the VPN app for Android, whose speed and stability were top-notch. Mullvad also works on iOS, i.e., iPhones, where the native app was no less smooth and responsive, which we always commend.

Since we touched on devices, let’s review Mullvad’s compatibility. To be honest, it’s not the best around. The VPN works on the following platforms:

• Windows, macOS, and Linux computers and laptops
• iOS and Android phones and tablets
• Web browsers (Firefox- and Chrome-based browsers)

It covers all desktop and mobile platforms, which is fantastic. Linux support is average, as it works only on Debian, Ubuntu, and Fedora. We’d like to see support for Mint, which is also popular. More about better VPNs for Linux here. A worthy addition is the Mullvad Browser, which works on Windows.

It’s based on Tor and is great for avoiding fingerprinting and tracking. It excludes telemetry, with the option to block trackers and preserve your privacy while browsing. We tested it, and it works well. After trying Mullvad VPN on a few devices, its five simultaneous connections were insufficient.

Our team has a few phones and computers, so you see where we’re coming from. For more concurrent connections, you might want to use NordVPN. NordVPN’s ten are way better than five in Mullvad. Oh, and NordVPN also works with routers, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and gaming consoles. Mullvad, unfortunately, doesn’t.

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Security Features of Mullvad VPN: Is It Safe to Use?

To deepen our Mullvad VPN review, we’ll perform a security analysis. Our experience with it has been exquisite in this regard, thanks to the many security options and customization within the app. That said, you can expect numerous praises.

Basic VPN Features

Mullvad VPN’s anonymity is joined by a myriad of security features. Some active, some passive. Let’s start with the basic ones, and we’ll branch out.

• 256-bit encryption. The base of every reputable VPN. It’s the strongest, most reliable encryption that protects your traffic from monitoring and tracking. 256-bit encryption is impenetrable even by the most skilled hackers.
• Kill Switch. It restricts internet access if the VPN connection drops. It’s nice if you experience connection instabilities and still want to keep your IP address hidden. In our Mullvad test, the kill switch turned on in a timely manner when we deliberately cut off the VPN connection.
• Lockdown Mode. It’s a form of a kill switch that prevents internet access unless you connect to a VPN. If you’re disconnected, you can’t go online. When you change your IP address with a VPN, your internet connection is permitted.
• Split Tunneling. Mullvad VPN’s split tunneling is app-based. This means you can exclude specific apps from the VPN tunnel. You can’t do that with domains, which can be done with CyberGhost and Private Internet Access.
• DNS Content Blockers. It blocks online threats and websites. The list includes ads, trackers, malware, gambling, adult content, and social media. We used it mostly to block ads, trackers, and malware with great success. Unfortunately, blocked threats aren’t listed like with NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro.

Advanced Security Features

During our test of Mullvad VPN, we discovered the provider’s advanced features that privacy-aware users will love. Here’s what we think of them after trying Mullvad’s protocols and a few other functions.

🚇 Tunneling Protocols

Mullvad’s appeal lies in fully customizable VPN protocols. It doesn’t offer plenty, though; instead, you get two verified options like OpenVPN and WireGuard. However, you can tweak both to your heart’s content.

WireGuard

We prefer WireGuard as a faster, more reliable protocol. In our Mullvad VPN review, we loved the option to use specific ports like 51820 and 53, which were reliable in restricted networks. For example, you can use a custom port for added convenience. Obfuscation is another tweak in WireGuard that we tested.

We used it to get through some firewall blocks by setting it to Automatic. Mullvad uses the UDP-over-TCP method to circumvent VPN blocks and allow for easier website access. We’ll see how it works in China later in the Mullvad VPN review. The WireGuard protocol allows you to use a Quantum-Resistant tunnel.

This tunnel is invulnerable to quantum computer attack thanks to an extra key exchange with a quantum-safe algorithm combined with WireGuard’s encryption. After testing this tunnel, we saw no major differences in performance; in fact, it was identical. However, added security played a huge role.

Apart from that, we found the option to select the MTU size and enable MultiHop, which we’ll explain soon. MultiHop is identical to a Double VPN found in NordVPN. You can find more info about that in the NordVPN analysis.

OpenVPN

OpenVPN allows for a balance of security and speed, but in our experience, its focus is rather on security. Its UDP transport protocol is slightly faster, but we prefer TCP for reliability and the ability to sidestep firewall restrictions.

Unfortunately, OpenVPN can’t be customized further, making WireGuard a better option. An even better option is NordLynx found in NordVPN, whose speed and stability are superior to WireGuard found in this and a few other providers.

🧬 Bridge Mode/MultiHop

MultiHop routes your traffic through two secure VPN locations. It doubles your encryption and makes you untraceable at a small performance and speed cost. In our Mullvad VPN review, we found that MultiHop works with WireGuard, while the Bridge Mode works with OpenVPN.

Both do the same thing but have different names. In both cases, you can choose entry and exit servers. For example, an entry server can be in Sweden, while the exit server can be in South Africa. Your traffic will be routed first through the Swedish server and then the SA server. When is it useful, though?

It’s useful for extreme security if you mind the speed drop. In our test, this combination of servers reduced our download speed to 108 Mbps from 320+ Mbps without using a VPN. In comparison, connecting to South Africa without MultiHop or Bridge mode resulted in speeds of over 197 Mbps.

💾 RAM-Only Servers

Mullvad migrated its entire server network to RAM. Obsolete HDDs have become a thing of the past because they’re slow and prone to online threats. RAM servers prevent logging by losing all data with each server restart. In addition, they’re easier to maintain and update, ensuring all servers work smoothly.

🔏 Private DNS

The company uses a proprietary DNS service. We found that you can use a custom DNS server, but we rarely recommend this option. Besides, Mullvad operates per its no-log policy, so its DNS service is infinitely safer. This means it won’t monitor and collect your DNS queries and browsing history.

Free DNS services, on the other hand, are notorious for monitoring your online activities, collecting sensitive information, and selling it to data brokers for money. That said, a Private DNS service is another praise-worthy feature in this Mullvad VPN review for 2026. Now, let’s move on to practical IP and DNS leak tests.

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IP and DNS Leak Test: Great Results

Trying Mullvad’s servers was a joy because they did an amazing job of keeping our online footprints anonymous. We tested at least 20+ VPN locations with no IP and DNS leaks. You see the screenshots of the US VPN server that worked like a charm. The image below shows the ipleak.net website, with staggering results.

Our native IP address from Belgrade was concealed, and only the US IP and DNS addresses came up in the results. This was without MultiHop or other features, a standard connection, mind you. Browserleaks.com displayed identical results.

As said, we tested plenty more, but this in-depth review of Mullvad VPN would be buried in dozens of IP/DNS Leak Test images. You’ll have to trust our words.

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Does Mullvad VPN Keep Logs?

So, here’s the easiest million-dollar question. No, it doesn’t. This provider is a powerhouse of privacy. Its business model is about user protection and the prevention of identity exposures. Mullvad VPN is based in Sweden, which isn’t the best country for privacy. Sweden is a 14 Eyes Alliance country, as you may know.

This group of countries is notorious for surveillance and data retention. Such countries can endanger VPNs by forcing them to submit user logs and comply with the laws. In practice, this isn’t the case that often. Look at Surfshark and its Dutch jurisdiction (9 Eyes). This VPN is one of the safest we tested in 2026.

Mullvad is the same, so you shouldn’t worry. We explained how the sign-up process goes, which goes to show how privacy-friendly this provider is.

Mullvad’s Privacy Policy Review

The privacy policy analysis isn’t needed at this point. After reading it thoroughly, Mullvad explained what we said. It doesn’t collect email addresses, passwords, and usernames; instead using these so-called numbered accounts.

This instantly means the provider won’t store logs of your:

• IP address (originating and VPN-given)
• Browsing history
• DNS queries/DNS requests
• Consumed bandwidth
• Connection timestamps
• Traffic destination, and so forth.

Depending on the payment method, some of your private data will come in touch with Mullvad. However, the company is GDPR compliant and processes your personal data according to strict data-protection laws. Mullvad will have information about the number of current VPN connections.

This is mandatory to enforce the five simultaneous connections limit. This information isn’t stored on the server, and even if it was, it couldn’t identify you.

Third-Party Audits

We must mention a third-party audit that makes this Mullvad VPN review more favorable. Cure53 performed it in December 2020 on many pillars of the provider’s infrastructure. They confirmed that it stores no logs of anything we mentioned. However, they found six severe and six miscellaneous vulnerabilities.

Mullvad quickly resolved them and came back with stronger security. Later in 2022, the provider underwent another independent check-up from Assured AB. Again, this company examined its privacy policy and the internal/external security of its servers. While they found a few problems, the company was quick to fix them.

RoS also audited its no-log policy for the third time and discovered a few vulnerabilities that Mullvad rectified promptly. Since that audit in 2023, Mullvad has undergone at least five more, from Cure53, X41 D-Sec, and a few other third-party companies. It’s safe to say it’s among the most audited VPNs in 2026.

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Mullvad VPN Server Location Analysis

Things head towards a downward slope once we’re done with the security. One of our least favorite things in this Mullvad VPN review was its server fleet. With only about 590 servers in 50 countries, it can’t compete with the best VPNs on the market. We’re more about the server quality than quantity, to be clear.

However, as you’ll see in our speed test results, Mullvad isn’t the fastest option. Regardless, the provider offers 90 cities to pick from, so it’s not all bad. The server distribution is rather standard. It offers a heap of locations in the USA, Australia, Canada, and most notably, Sweden, as a sign of patriotism.

On its website, you can see the complete server list and server status. Interestingly, some servers are very frequently offline. In our experience, that number ranges from 20 to 30, so you have 570 servers available. Again, that number is much smaller than NordVPN’s 9,000 servers or ExpressVPN’s 3,000+ servers.

On the other hand, Mullvad owns many of its servers. You’ll find those in Germany, France, Finland, and a few European countries. However, as NordVPN and ExpressVPN have servers in 130 and 105 countries respectively, we think they’ll be much better in terms of variety. Oh, and the VPN doesn’t have any specialty servers.

Even dedicated IP addresses aren’t offered, which you can get with NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, Surfshark, and other cheaper options.

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Speed Tests: Mullvad VPN’s Performance Evaluation

This comprehensive test of Mullvad wouldn’t be complete without a speed evaluation. Our team loves performing these tests despite their time-consuming nature. The way we do it is this: we first measure our internet speed without the VPN.

After that, we tested Mullvad VPN for three days in a row, three times each day, using three server locations in the UK, the USA, and Japan. In our Mullvad VPN analysis, we let the provider choose the protocol automatically, but it was always WireGuard. We compiled the best results we got from each location:

UK Speed Test Results:

US Speed Test Results:

Japan Speed Test Results:

The results aren’t too impressive but not too shabby. This isn’t the quickest VPN, but servers in Europe displayed excellent results, as you see in the UK speed test result. However, after you go further, the speed reduction is more noticeable. We discovered that Mullvad VPN’s upload performance is amazing.

	UK Server	US Server	Japan Server
⬇️ DL Speed Loss	12.8%	37.2%	55%
⬆️ UL Speed Loss	4.9%	6.4%	9.4%

On the other hand, download speeds took a punch to the belly. Also, in practice, its higher latency on distant servers could be felt, especially when reloading more graphics-rich web pages that took a while to stabilize. We recommend NordVPN if you seek performance and lower latency for bandwidth-hungry activities.

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Streaming & Torrenting With Mullvad: Is It Good?

Streaming with Mullvad VPN has always been its weakness from our years-long experience. After trying this VPN on a variety of streaming services, we ended up disappointed. For instance, it can unblock Netflix US, but other catalogs won’t always work. Mullvad VPN can unblock BBC iPlayer, which is a relief.

The same applies to various TV channels, such as 9Now, which works only with an Australian IP address. We’ve received mixed results with other platforms, however. Also, in some scenarios, we experienced a bit of buffering and a few instabilities that were resolved in a matter of seconds.

Not the best experience, mind you, so again, NordVPN and ExpressVPN will likely suit you better. Torrenting-wise, this provider doesn’t disappoint. Trying a few European servers was a breeze. We used a server in Sweden to download Linux Mint in minutes. The speed drop was minimal, allowing us to download it quickly.

Bear in mind that Mullvad has no advanced P2P features. SOCKS5, Port Forwarding, and others can be found in more advanced VPNs. We’ll mention Proton VPN, which offers both for a lower monthly price.

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Using Mullvad VPN for Bypassing Censorship: Is It Efficient?

Mullvad isn’t the most popular VPN to use in China. However, this VPN can be good if you travel to this country. During our in-depth Mullvad review, we tested it in China with solid results when using WireGuard and obfuscation. After confirming our results with a few users, we concluded this wasn’t a coincidence.

A few more users reported that they’ve used Mullvad in Zhenshen and a few other cities with great success. Again, this was with WireGuard and obfuscation ON. Our testers used Mullvad in a few other censored regions too, such as the UAE, Qatar, Russia, and Iran. The provider displayed rather impressive results.

Performance-wise, some reductions were there, but they were far from deal-breaking. In some cases, you have to play around with server locations. Compared to NordVPN and its Obfuscated servers, Mullvad is slightly less efficient. Still, if you’ve already bought it, know that it’ll serve you more than fine.

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Customer Support

We’re near the end of this Mullvad VPN test, so let’s quickly review its customer support. It’s not great but not bad either. You’ll find plenty of help on its website, with a heap of FAQs, guides, and blog posts. We sometimes love reading these. The VPN doesn’t offer live chat support, which is a shame.

There’s only email support, which can be accessed by sending an email using your mailing client. The ticketing system is nonexistent. We’d love to see 24/7 live chat support, just like with NordVPN or ExpressVPN. However, after reaching out to Mullvad on a few occasions, we found that it’s quick to respond.

The response time is around 10-30 minutes, which isn’t bad for email support. On top of that, the support team is helpful. For instance, when one of our team members asked for a refund, they issued it the same day. The same goes for VPN-related questions that were answered precisely and without hesitation.

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Mullvad VPN Review: Final Thoughts

Mullvad ended up leaving a good impression. To answer the question from the start, this VPN can compete with the best providers. This is especially true for privacy and security, where Mullvad VPN proves its worth for the millionth time. We can’t say we’ve had problems in our Mullvad VPN review for 2026.

However, we were disappointed with its extremely small server fleet, subpar performance, and inconsistent unblocking. Mullvad also lacks apps for streaming devices, and is, at the end of the day, mostly privacy- and anonymity-focused. The bad news for the Swedish VPN is that you can get this and more in other VPNs.

Most notably, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Both are super-secure, with many more servers and faster, more convincing speeds. While Mullvad’s no-commitment model is flexible, it’s still a fixed-price deal that costs more than superior VPNs. In the end, Mullvad is good for privacy and anonymity, but rarely for more than that.