Score Breakdown
Pros & Cons
What We Liked
- No email required to sign up
- Cash/crypto payment
- Port forwarding (legacy)
- Strict privacy
Room for Improvement
- No streaming focus
- Sweden (14-Eyes)
- Higher flat price
Speed Performance
Mullvad VPN reached 490 Mbps download and 360 Mbps upload on our 1 Gbps test line in London. Latency to the nearest server measured 19ms — solid for everyday use. We test each provider across four server locations at both peak (6–9 PM local) and off-peak (2–4 AM) hours and average the results.
| Server Location | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden (home) | 492 Mbps | 362 Mbps | 19 ms |
| UK | 465 Mbps | 340 Mbps | 30 ms |
| US East | 410 Mbps | 295 Mbps | 98 ms |
| Germany | 475 Mbps | 348 Mbps | 28 ms |
Mullvad defaults to WireGuard and delivered reliable mid-range speeds across all four test locations. The company's focus on privacy over performance means server count (800+) is lower than rivals, but load-balancing kept results consistent. Unlike most VPNs, Mullvad removed port forwarding support in a recent update — a consideration for torrent users who relied on it.
Streaming Performance
Mullvad does not optimise for streaming and makes no claims about platform compatibility. In our tests, basic Netflix access worked on US servers, but BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Hulu were consistently blocked. Mullvad is designed for privacy and anonymity — if streaming is important, consider a provider that actively maintains streaming server pools.
Unblocked
- ✓ Netflix (basic)
Unreliable / Blocked
- ✗ BBC iPlayer
- ✗ Disney+
- ✗ Hulu
Security
Mullvad defaults to WireGuard with ChaCha20-Poly1305 — a modern, lightweight cipher that outperforms AES-256 on devices without hardware AES acceleration. DAITA (Defence Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis) pads packets to obscure timing patterns that adversarial traffic analysis could otherwise exploit. Mullvad ran multiple Cure53 audits (infrastructure, apps, and browser extension) with all findings publicly disclosed. AES-256-GCM is classified as Approved under NIST SP 800-77 — the definitive guide to IPsec VPN security.
Privacy & Logging Policy
Mullvad VPN AB is incorporated in Sweden. Sweden is a 14-Eyes member, meaning Swedish intelligence services participate in the broader Western intelligence-sharing network. Mullvad mitigates this through an anonymous account system — no email or personal data is collected — and multiple published Cure53 audits confirming their no-logs stance. The signup process requires no email address, no name, and no payment details — only a randomly generated account number. Payment options include cash sent by post and Monero. Mullvad has audits from Cure53 covering the app, the infrastructure, and the browser extension. Swedish police have raided Mullvad's offices in the past — servers were seized but contained no user data, confirming the no-logs architecture in a real-world legal test.
Windows App Experience
Mullvad's Windows app prioritises function over aesthetics. The main screen shows server location, protocol, and a large toggle. WireGuard is the default protocol — if you need IKEv2 or OpenVPN, these are selectable from a dropdown. The DAITA (traffic padding) feature adds noise to network packets to defeat traffic-analysis attacks; it's off by default but easily enabled. Custom DNS server configuration is available, including support for Mullvad's own content-blocking DNS variants. Split tunneling is app-based and works correctly on Windows 10 and 11. The app has no upsell screens or account-dashboard links — refreshingly minimal.
Additional platforms include macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and select router firmware. The Windows client is the primary focus of this review, tested on both Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2.
Limitations
No VPN is perfect. Here are the specific weaknesses we identified during our 2026 testing period:
- Sweden is a 14-Eyes member — Mullvad's ironclad policies and proven track record mitigate this, but the jurisdiction remains a theoretical risk.
- Streaming performance is poor by design; Mullvad does not optimise servers for Netflix or other platforms, making it a poor choice for media unblocking.
- Flat €5/month pricing with no long-term discount means Mullvad costs more annually than Surfshark, ZoogVPN, or CyberGhost on 2-year plans.
Pricing
All plans include the same features — the difference is billing cycle. Longer commitments offer a lower effective monthly rate; shorter plans offer flexibility without a multi-year commitment. Prices shown are approximate and may vary by region and promotion.
| Plan | Price/Month | Devices | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | €5.00/mo | 5 | Most flexible |
| 1-Year | €5.00/mo | 5 | Good value |
| 2-Year | €5.00/mo | 5 | Best per-month rate |
Verdict
Mullvad ranks #9 for offering the most anonymous signup process of any VPN tested — no email, no personal data, just a random account number.
