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Mullvad VPN Review

Our rating
Security Read more toggle icon
90%
Features Read more toggle icon
70%
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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.

    Pros

  • pro icon Open-source apps
  • pro icon Flat subscription rate
  • pro icon Based in Sweden

    Cons

  • con icon Not a great streaming VPN
  • con icon No live chat support
  • con icon Only 5 device connections
Price Starting At: 5.72 $ / monthly 68.64 $ / annually
For New Users: 30 -day money-back guarantee
Number of servers: 762+
General information
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
Capabilities
Unlimited Bandwidthcross iconKill Switchcross iconSplit Tunnelingcross iconZero Data Loggingcross iconFree Version / Trialcross iconMobile Appcross iconBrowser Extentioncross iconNetflix Approvedcross iconFirestick Compatiblecross icon
Payment options
  • American Express
  • Bancontact/Mister Cash
  • Bank Wire Transfer
  • Bitcoin
  • EPS
  • GiroPay
  • iDeal
  • Mastercard
  • Mastercard Debit
  • Paypal
  • Przelewy24
  • Swish
  • Visa
  • Visa Debit
  • Visa Electron
Geolocations available
  • 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

90%

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.

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Mullvad VPN Features

70%

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.

Summary

4
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Table of content

How Much Does Mullvad VPN Cost?

Mullvad VPN is unique in that its pricing model is one flat monthly rate that never changes. There are no yearly or 24-month long plans; instead, Mullvad VPN costs 5 EUR per month, which works out to around $5.72 each month, and this price hasn’t changed since 2009. This is a fair price, given that some VPN providers charge as much as $13 per month to use their services.

Since Mullvad offers a flat rate for its VPN service, it never has special promotions or sales, which means you won’t be able to get the VPN at a reduced price. However, if you pay with Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency, you can save 10% since there are no costly administration fees.

What Payment Methods Does Mullvad VPN Accept?

Something that sets Mullvad VPN apart from other VPN services is the fact that it encourages anonymous payments from its customers. Mullvad accepts the following payment methods:

You can also pay for a Mullvad VPN subscription with cash; how you may ask? You can send the cash and your unique payment token to the Mullvad headquarters. Mullvad accepts various currencies, including EUR, USD, GBP, SEK, DKK, NOK, CHF, CAD, AUD, and NZD.

Is There a Mullvad VPN Refund Policy?

Yes, Mullvad VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t satisfied with the VPN service before the end of the first month, you can get your money back, assuming you haven’t paid in cash.

Is Mullvad VPN Legit?

Yes, Mullvad VPN AB is a legitimate VPN service owned by the parent company Amagicom AB. Both companies were founded by Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson, and Mullvad VPN has a detailed history of its business readily available on its website.

Is Your Data Safe with Mullvad VPN?

Mullvado VPN is one of the most transparent VPNs on the market regarding its data logging practices and how it keeps users safe. We can safely state that users data will be secure with Mullvad VPN due to the following reasons:

Overall, we’d say that Mullvad VPN keeps your data safe and is very open regarding how it does just that.

Is Mullvad VPN Fast?

Fast connection speeds are significant when it comes to choosing a VPN service. Fortunately, Mullvad VPN’s server offerings provide good connection speeds, in large part thanks to the provider’s use of the WireGuard VPN protocol and OpenVPN.

The OpenVPN and WireGuard servers don’t just provide security but fast speeds. We ran speed tests and enjoyed a great connection speed on a US server; our speed without a VPN was 35Mbps, and when connected to the VPN server, it dropped ever so slightly to 33Mbps. So, with Mullvad, speed isn’t an issue. If you want even faster speeds, you can take advantage of the port forwarding feature tool in the app.

What Devices Can You Use Mullvad VPN on?

Mullvad VPN offers support for the following devices:

The Mullvad VPN apps have been audited and have been found to be leak-free and secure. However, the available features in each Mullvad VPN app vary. For example, the Android app doesn’t include the kill switch, and the iOS version doesn’t come with split tunneling. However, the Android version does allow users to activate local network sharing or not, meaning they can be visible to other devices on their network.

Each VPN subscription allows up to five simultaneous connections, meaning you can protect five devices at once.

Can Mullvad VPN Work with Netflix?

Unfortunately, the one area in which Mullvad fails to excel is its streaming unblocking capabilities. Mullvad cannot unblock Netflix libraries and doesn’t offer a lot of support when it comes to bypassing blocks on other streaming services. Instead, Mullvad VPN provides a guide on how users can still access their local Netflix library by using the split tunneling feature on the VPN app.

Does Mullvad VPN Support Torrenting?

Although Mullvad VPN isn’t the best VPN for streaming, it supports torrenting on all of its servers. What’s more, Mullvad offers an abundance of features to ensure you stay safe and private while on torrent platforms:

All of the above factors ensure that you stay secure and private while torrenting over Mullvad’s network.

Is There Good Customer Support with Mullvad VPN?

Mullvad offers a comprehensive help section on its website, including FAQs and guides on claiming a refund or using the VPN app. If you don’t find the answer you are looking for, you can contact the Mullvad team via the customer support email.

Unfortunately, there is no live chat option on the website, something which many other VPN services offer.

The Bottom Line – Is Mullvad VPN Worth it?

So, is Mullvad a good VPN? More importantly, is it worth using? The answer to both is yes.

Mullvad offers excellent security features, a decent-sized server network, and easy-to-use apps. Moreover, it doesn’t request identifiable information at sign-up and uses an account number system to keep users safe and anonymous.

However, if you are more interested in unblocking foreign content than staying safe online, Mullvad may not be the best option since it isn’t what we’d call a streaming VPN.

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Author Madeleine Hodson

I’m Madeleine, and I'm a writer that specializes in cybersecurity, tech products, and all things related to the internet. I have a keen interest in VPNs and believe that everyone deserves internet freedom and security. I wr...
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