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English e-mail support
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No chat support
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No phone support
Mullvad is a Swedish-based VPN service that has been around since 2009. The VPN prides itself on promoting online privacy, and this is evident in the excellent security features it provides and the fact it has been accepting Bitcoin payments since 2010.
One of the best aspects of Mullvad VPN's service is that its software is open-source. This means that users can view the code, which is good in terms of security; it often results in issues being discovered and resolved quickly.
Despite Mullvad VPN being considered one of the best VPNs in terms of keeping its users safe and the privacy features it offers, it is still not one of the most well-known VPNs on the market. However, this isn't to say it doesn't provide a great and reliable service. In fact, we'd argue that Mullvad is the perfect VPN for privacy and security-conscious individuals who want something with no frills.
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Open-source apps
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Flat subscription rate
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Based in Sweden
Pros
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Not a great streaming VPN
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No live chat support
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Only 5 device connections
Cons
| Max Speed: | 1000 Mbps |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Shared |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 5 |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | Not available |
| Information sharing: | 14 Eyes Member |
| OS support: | Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Router support: | |
| VPN Promotion: | Get VPN from Mullvad VPN for 5.72$ per month |
Kill SwitchSplit TunnelingZero Data LoggingFree Version / Trial
Mobile AppBrowser ExtentionNetflix ApprovedFirestick Compatible - American Express
- Bancontact/Mister Cash
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Bitcoin
- EPS
- GiroPay
- iDeal
- Mastercard
- Mastercard Debit
- Paypal
- Przelewy24
- Swish
- Visa
- Visa Debit
- Visa Electron
- Albania
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia [FYROM]
- Moldova
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
Mullvad VPN Security
The area in which Mullvad VPN excels most is definitely privacy and security. Firstly, when you sign up for a Mullvad account, you don't need to share any information. Unlike other VPN services, Mullvad doesn't request your name, email address, or other personal data, meaning you can keep your identity private; instead, users are given a unique account number. Furthermore, Mullvad VPN accepts Bitcoin payments, meaning you can ensure your purchase is not easily linked to you.
As well as not requesting or storing personal information such as names and email addresses, Mullvad VPN also operates a strict no-logs policy. It doesn't monitor or log anything related to VPN traffic, DNS requests, VPN timestamps, or bandwidth consumption.
When you're using Mullvad VPN, your internet activity will be protected entirely thanks to Mullvad's AES-256 bit encryption and its use of the strong OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. There is even automatic WireGuard key rotation which ensures that the encryption keys are always different, which offers extra security and ensures the VPN tunnel is always secured to keep your browsing data private.
Not only does Mullvad VPN employ the best tunneling protocols, but its app also contains an automatic kill switch that will cut off your internet access if the VPN connection drops. Moreover, Mullvad states that the app prevents leaks by integrating with the system firewall, which offers users an additional layer of security.
The excellent security features don't stop there; there is a built-in ad and tracker blocker, multihopping which allows users to tunnel their data via several servers for more security, and in-app problem reporting. The Mullvad VPN apps themselves have undergone several independent audits to reassure users that they are safe to use.
Finally, Mullvad VPN is based in Sweden, a country that enjoys excellent data privacy laws. This means that the VPN company does not need to comply with strict data retention rules which is excellent news for VPN users who live in countries like the US (which heavily monitors citizens' internet use).
Overall, there isn't a lot to fault Mullvad VPN for in terms of security; it operates the best VPN protocols, doesn't store any activity logs, and operates WireGuard servers. If you want to keep your online activity completely private and secure, Mullvad VPN is a great option.
Mullvad VPN Features
Mullvad VPN excels in the area of security but that doesn't mean that it doesn't offer additional useful features. Mullvad comes with plenty of great tools to ensure that its users have an enjoyable VPN experience at all times.
Firstly, Mullvad VPN is compatible with various operating systems including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. It even has the Mullvad Privacy Companion, its browser extension for Firefox users; the best thing about this browser extension is that it is free for anyone.
Each Mullvad VPN user can install the VPN on up to five devices simultaneously. While this isn't the largest number of simultaneous connections we've seen, it is the industry standard and the number that many other VPN services offer.
The Mullvad app is easy to use regardless of which version of the app you download. The desktop app for Windows and macOS can be set up within a few clicks and the mobile apps for iOS and Android can be downloaded via the system's respective app stores. However, the iOS app and Android app lack some of the additional features that the desktop apps have, such as multihopping.
Other additional features, some of which are unavailable for iOS users, include split tunneling. The split tunneling feature enables users to decide which internet traffic goes through the VPN tunnel and which go through your regular network.
There is also a custom DNS server, and a shadowsocks proxy. The custom DNS server is great for streaming, but won't provide the same level of encryption, and the shadowsocks feature can be activated by enabling bridge mode on the app. Furthermore, all apps support port forwarding which is great news for users who want faster speeds when carrying out activities like torrenting.
Speaking of torrenting, all Mullvad VPN servers support P2P networking, making it a great option if you like to download the latest films. However, Mullvad is not the best VPN if you want to unblock streaming services that aren't available in your country or on your network.
Although Mullvad doesn't operate the largest server network, its 760+ servers are based in 65 cities across 38 countries. This gives users plenty of options in terms of foreign IP addresses and means users in restricted regions can overcome internet censorship. Around 160 of these servers are owned by Mullvad itself, with the owned servers all based in Europe.
Overall, Mullvad VPN is a decent option in terms of additional features. Mullvad may not offer as many extras as other VPN providers in the VPN industry but it provides all the services that we believe users need for a good online experience.
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