Mullvad vs Proton VPN 2026: Two EU VPNs, Two Privacy Philosophies
Mullvad asks for no name. Proton gives you a free tier. Both are European, both are open-source. Which VPN actually fits your threat model?
TL;DR: 
🇸🇪Mullvad VPN is the purist’s choice for maximum anonymity — no email, no name, cash payments. Both cost €5/month.
Which matters more: knowing nothing about you, or protecting everything you do online?
That’s the real choice between Mullvad and Proton VPN. Both are European. Both are open-source. Both charge €5/month. But they solve privacy from opposite directions.
At a Glance
| 🇨🇭Proton VPN | 🇸🇪Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ | Geneva, Switzerland | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Jurisdiction | Non-EU (Switzerland) | EU (Sweden) |
| Servers | 17,800 in 129 countries | ~700 in 49 countries |
| Free tier | Yes (10 countries) | No |
| Price | €5/month (Plus) | €5/month flat |
| Signup requires | Email address | Nothing |
| Open source | Yes (all apps) | Yes (all apps) |
| Protocol | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Kill switch | Yes (toggle) | Always on (can’t disable) |
| Streaming | Yes (Netflix, Disney+) | No |
| Ad blocker | NetShield (DNS + tracker blocking) | DNS-based |
| Audit | Yes (apps + Secure Core) | Yes (infrastructure + apps) |
Two Privacy Philosophies
Mullvad and Proton VPN both protect your traffic. But their definitions of “privacy” are fundamentally different.
Mullvad: Identity Elimination. Mullvad doesn’t want to know who you are. No email. No name. Your account is a random number. You can mail cash in an envelope to a Swedish office. The company ran without a website for its first years. Privacy through absence of data.
Proton: Ecosystem Protection. Proton wants to protect everything you do. VPN is one layer in a stack that includes encrypted email, calendar, cloud storage, and a password manager. You create an account with an email, and Proton protects all your data under Swiss privacy law. Privacy through encryption and legal jurisdiction.
Neither approach is wrong. They serve different threat models.
Your threat model decides your VPN. If you’re a journalist, activist, or whistleblower who needs maximum anonymity, Mullvad is built for you. If you’re a professional or business that wants a complete privacy toolkit with one subscription, Proton makes more sense.
Jurisdiction: Switzerland vs Sweden
Switzerland is not in the EU, which means it’s not subject to EU data retention directives. Swiss privacy law (the Federal Act on Data Protection) is among the strongest in the world. Swiss courts have repeatedly blocked foreign requests for user data. Proton has fought and won several cases in Swiss courts.
Sweden is in the EU and subject to the EU Data Retention Directive. However, Sweden has strong privacy traditions and Mullvad stores no data to hand over. In April 2023, Swedish police raided Mullvad’s office with a search warrant. They left empty-handed — Mullvad’s RAM-only servers had nothing to seize.
Both jurisdictions sit firmly outside US CLOUD Act reach. That’s the key difference from NordVPN (Panama), ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands / Kape Technologies), and most US-based VPNs.
Privacy Features Head-to-Head
Proton’s Strengths
- Secure Core. Routes traffic through hardened servers in Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before exiting. Even if the exit server is compromised, your IP stays hidden.
- NetShield. DNS-level ad, tracker, and malware blocking. Three levels: off, block malware, block everything.
- 17,800 servers. 25x more than Mullvad. Means less congestion and more geo-options.
- Stealth protocol. Designed to bypass VPN blocks in restrictive countries. Disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS.
- Free tier. Unlimited data, no speed caps, 10 countries. No credit card. One of the few honest free VPNs.
- Full ecosystem. VPN is just one piece. Proton Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar all share the same Swiss account and encryption infrastructure.
Mullvad’s Strengths
- RAM-only servers. No hard drives. Data disappears on reboot. Physically impossible to store logs.
- Anonymous payments. Cash, cryptocurrency, or bank wire. No PayPal, no credit card required.
- Always-on kill switch. Can’t be disabled. If the VPN drops, internet stops. No exceptions.
- Multihop (bridge mode). Route traffic through two servers for extra obfuscation.
- DAITA (Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis). Adds cover traffic to prevent pattern analysis. Few other VPNs even attempt this.
Speed and Server Network
Proton VPN wins here by raw numbers. 17,800 servers in 129 countries vs Mullvad’s ~700 in 49. More servers means less user congestion and closer server options.
Both use WireGuard as the default protocol, which delivers near-native speeds on modern connections. In practice, speed differences between the two are minimal for everyday browsing and video calls.
Where it matters: if you travel frequently or need servers in specific regions (Africa, South America, Southeast Asia), Proton covers far more ground. Mullvad’s network is concentrated in Europe and North America.
Pricing: Identical, but Different
Both charge €5/month. That’s where the similarity ends.
| Mullvad | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | €5 | €10 (or €5 on annual) |
| Annual | €5/mo (no discount) | €5/mo (billed €60/year) |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Crypto discount | ~10% off | No |
| Devices | 5 | 10 |
| Refund | 30 days | 30 days |
Mullvad’s pricing hasn’t changed since 2009. No upsells, no tiers, no “first year cheap then double” tricks. You pay €5 and get everything.
Proton VPN’s monthly price is €10, dropping to ~€5 on an annual plan. But the free tier means you can try it forever at zero cost. And if you already use Proton Mail, Drive, or Pass, the VPN Unlimited plan bundles everything.
Try Proton VPN free →When Proton Wins
- You want one account for everything. VPN + Mail + Drive + Pass + Calendar under one Swiss roof. No other VPN offers this.
- Free tier for testing. No commitment, no credit card, unlimited data. Start today and upgrade when ready.
- Streaming matters. Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer across multiple countries.
- Largest European server network. 17,800 servers in 129 countries. Better for travel, remote work, and specific geo needs.
- You value convenience alongside privacy. Proton proves you don’t have to sacrifice usability for security.
When Mullvad Wins
- Maximum anonymity. No account data exists. Period.
- Cash or crypto only. Your payment can’t be traced back to you.
- You don’t need streaming. Mullvad doesn’t try to unblock Netflix and doesn’t pretend to.
- Journalist or activist threat model. When the stakes are real, Mullvad’s proven zero-data architecture matters.
- Simplicity. One price, one tier, no decisions. Connect and forget.
Verdict
Both Mullvad and Proton VPN are among the best VPNs in Europe. Both are open-source, independently audited, and headquartered in privacy-respecting jurisdictions.
Pick Mullvad if anonymity is non-negotiable and you don’t need a free tier or streaming.
Pick Proton VPN if you want the best all-round European VPN with a free tier, massive server network, and a privacy ecosystem that goes beyond just VPN.
For most people reading this, Proton VPN is the better starting point. The free tier lets you test it without risk, and the paid plan matches Mullvad’s price while offering 25x the servers.
Start with Proton VPN free →Disclosure: We earn a commission if you sign up for Proton VPN through our links. Mullvad deliberately has no affiliate program — we recommend it purely on merit. Our comparison is honest regardless of commissions.