Mullvad VPN Review 2026: Is It Really Safe and Fast?

Mullvad VPN is recognized as one of the most secure VPNs. Based in Sweden, Mullvad offers cutting-edge VPN technology, such as quantum-resistant encryption, DAITA for defeating AI-guided traffic analysis, and a new GotaTun engine based on WireGuard written in Rust that reduces memory overhead. Its subscription model is also anonymity-focused, and you can subscribe without an email.

Best of all, Mullvad VPN doesn’t require commitment, so you can pay as you go. This sounds like a perfect VPN, and we won’t say it’s not excellent, but in our experience, it also wasn’t flawless. For this Mullvad VPN review 2026, we re-tested all its features in July and tested the new ones to see how they hold up. Below are its pros and cons, features, price, and more, all adequately revised.

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Mullvad VPN Review 2026: Quick Look

💸 Starting price	$5.90 per month
🔖 Money-back guarantee	14 days
🌐 Protocols	WireGuard
🥸 No-log policy	Yes
💾 Servers	567 servers in 50 countries
⏸️ Double VPN/Multi-hop	Yes
🦠 Malware/ad/tracker protection	Yes
📺 Streaming performance	Mixed results
🔁 Torrenting	Allowed on all servers
⚡ Speed	Good (could be improved)
⚙️ Ease of use	Beginner-friendly
💯 Third-party audits	Yes (regularly audited)
💻 Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
#️⃣ Simultaneous connections	5
☎️ Customer support	Email, help center

Mullvad Pricing 2026: Is It Affordable?

We’ll start this Mullvad VPN review with the price because of the unique pricing model. Anonymity starts here, as the VPN generates an account for you. Once generated, you’ll get a 16-digit code (your sign-in credentials). No email is required. From here, the price is fixed at €5 or $5.90 a month.

This is a flat fee that gets you one month of VPN subscription. When you generate an account number (or 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 VPN to preserve your anonymity and not require any info. 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 VPN 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 has a 14-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 14 days haven’t passed, they’ll happily issue a refund. It’s worth noting that Mullvad’s money-back guarantee was 30 days. But just recently, it cut down the grace period to 14 days.

Payment Methods

We discovered that Mullvad offers a heap of payment methods, and most are anonymous. 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. You can send money by printing out your 16-digit account code on an envelope.

Now, you 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 simple.

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Mullvad VPN Review: Ease of Use and 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. Apps are identical across all supported platforms. The Windows app that we tested the most was responsive, and connection times were brief.

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. Linux support is average, as it works 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, on Windows. It’s based on Tor and is great for avoiding fingerprinting and tracking. It excludes telemetry, with the option to block trackers.

We tested it, and it just works well, and even displays blocked threats in real-time, which we always like to see. After trying Mullvad VPN on a few desktop and mobile devices, its 5 simultaneous connections were insufficient. We have a few phones and computers, so you see where we’re coming from.  For more connections, you might want to use NordVPN, with 10 simultaneous connections.

NordVPN also works with routers, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and gaming consoles. Mullvad, unfortunately, doesn’t, and its compatibility sucks compared to some of the, may I say, way less expensive VPNs around.

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Is Mullvad VPN Safe? Security Examined

To deepen our Mullvad VPN review, we’ll perform a security analysis. Our experience with it has been solid, 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.  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.

WireGuard (GotaTun Engine, QUIC Obfuscation, DAITA)

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, as well. With WireGuard, you can also enable QUIC Obfuscation, which tunnels WireGuard through the HTTP/3 transport tunnel and, in return, masks your VPN connection.

In January 2026, Mullvad removed OpenVPN, leaving only WireGuard on the table, and in my book, that’s a solid move. WireGuard is so improved here that it actually makes OpenVPN a bit unnecessary. A case in point is its new GotaTun engine. GotaTun is Mullvad’s version of WireGuard written in Rust, optimized for energy efficiency (good for mobile users) and stable connection speeds.

I re-tested WireGuard in July and saw an 8% speed increase in one of my speed tests, but more about that later in the review. Additionally, WireGuard in Mullvad has quantum-resistant encryption, which I also praised in NordVPN. It’s impervious to quantum computer attacks, offering stronger protection. Finally, there’s DAITA (Defense Against AI-Guided Traffic Analysis), introduced in 2024.

While not a new feature by any means, DAITA is way ahead of its time. As the name implies, it shields you from AI traffic tracking by mixing in fake data with your traffic and keeping a constant packet size.

MultiHop and Shadowsocks

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, MultiHop performed really well, and we actually didn’t lose that much speed. When OpenVPN was available before, Mullvad offered the Bridge Mode, which was similar. Now, you only have MultiHop.

I’d say it’s just as good as the Bridge Mode before it. I could choose entry and exit servers and fully customize my experience. To further hide my VPN connection and improve privacy, I went to Settings and enabled Shadowsocks. This, in combination with MultiHop, honestly hit my connection speed quite a bit (I lost 30% from the native speed by using a Sweden-USA combination in New York), but the privacy I was getting was well worth it.

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

We found that you can use a custom DNS server, but we rarely recommend this option; rely on the in-house option instead. Mullvad operates on a no-log policy, so its DNS is 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. Now, let’s see if Mullvad is really safe and secure in IP/DNS leak tests.

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Mullvad VPN 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. It’s 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 5 simultaneous connections limit. This information isn’t stored on the server, and even if it was, it couldn’t identify you.

Third-Party Audits

Mullvad has undertaken many third-party audits since 2018. But I’d be crazy for discussing them all here. I’ll discuss these four major ones instead:

• 2025: Assured Security Consultants penetration test
• 2024: Cure53 infrastructure audit
• 2023: Radically Open Security audits on RAM servers
• 2022: Assured AB infrastructure audit
• 2020: Cure53 infrastructure audit

Mullvad is a frequently audited VPN, and conducts third-party testing pretty much every few months. In 2025 alone, Mullvad was audited three times by MASA, X41 D-Sec, and Assured Security Consultants, for example. Since 2018, Mullvad has passed dozens of audits on its apps, infrastructure, RAM servers, and new technology implementation. Because of this, it’s one of the most trusted VPNs.

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Is Mullvad VPN Fast? Speed Test Results

This comprehensive test of Mullvad wouldn’t be complete without a speed test. The way we do it is we first measure our internet speed without the VPN. I was in Serbia at the time, on a 342/20Mbps DL/UL network.

After that, I tested Mullvad VPN for 3 days, 3 times each day, using 3 server locations in the UK, the USA, and Japan. As explained, Mullvad only offers WireGuard as the main protocol, but for this speed test, I wanted to see how its GotaTun engine worked in terms of performance. I said that, compared to the previous test, I saw an 8% increase in the speed on one of the tests. Here’s which one.

	📥 DL Speed Results	📤 UL Speed Results	⏱️ Latency
UK Server	322.49 Mbps	18.69 Mbps	65 ms
US Server	217.16 Mbps	18.39 Mbps	151 ms
Japan Server	149.22 Mbps New	17.80 Mbps	292 ms

The UK server was the fastest for me, and there, I saw an 8% increase in DL speeds after Mullvad introduced GotaTun. I restested other servers, but haven’t seen improvements. On the Japanese server, I actually lost an additional 3% of my initial speed. Upload speeds mostly remained the same, with latency going one or two milliseconds lower than before. Mullvad isn’t the fastest VPN.

	UK Server	US Server	Japan Server
📉 DL Speed Loss	5.8%	36.6%	56.4%
📉 UL Speed Loss	4.9%	6.4%	9.4%

And while it performs well and is fairly decent for streaming and gaming, I wish its latency were lower, especially when playing games on slightly more distant servers. NordVPN was a bit more reliable in my tests, often having 10-15% lower latency than Mullvad, enough for gaming to be more enjoyable.

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Is Mullvad VPN Good for Streaming and Torrenting?

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, 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.

Netflix US	BBC iPlayer	Disney+ US	Hulu US	Prime Video US	HBO Max US
✅ Works	✅ Works	❌ Blocked	❌ Blocked	❌ Blocked	❌ Blocked

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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Mullvad VPN Review: Server Locations

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 580 servers in 50 countries, it can’t compete with the best VPNs. 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 bad. The server distribution is 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 10 to 20, so you have ~550 servers available. Again, that number is much smaller than NordVPN’s 9,400 servers or Proton VPN’s 20,000+ 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 135 and 105 countries, 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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Mullvad VPN Review: Bypassing Censorship

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 2026: Final Thoughts

Mullvad left a good impression. It can compete with the best VPNs, especially in terms of privacy and security, where it proves its worth. We can’t say we had problems in our Mullvad VPN review 2026. However, we were disappointed with its small server fleet, inconsistent performance, and flimsy unblocking. Mullvad also lacks apps for streaming devices, and is 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 Proton VPN. Both are super-secure, with more servers and faster, more consistent 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 mostly good for security and privacy in 2026.

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Mullvad VPN Review FAQ