Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Mullvad | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Server count | 900+ in 40+ countries | 9,700+ in 112+ countries |
| Price | €5/mo flat (no annual discount) | ~$4.99/mo (annual) |
| Account creation | No email required — random account number | Email address required |
| Payment options | Cash, cryptocurrency, Monero, card | Card, PayPal, cryptocurrency |
| Free tier | No | Yes (3 locations, unlimited data) |
| Open source | Yes (all clients on GitHub) | Yes (all clients on GitHub) |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden (EU, 14-Eyes) | Switzerland (neutral, strong privacy) |
| No-logs audit | Cure53 (2021) | SEC Consult (2022) |
| Simultaneous devices | 5 | 10 |
| Streaming | Limited (not optimized) | Yes (Plus plan, selected servers) |
| Tor over VPN | DAITA feature (traffic analysis defense) | Stealth + Tor integration |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN (phasing out) | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth |
Our Picks
- No email required to create account
- Cash and Monero payment accepted
- Open-source apps (all platforms)
- DAITA: traffic analysis defense
- Cure53-audited no-logs
- Only 900+ servers in 40 countries
- No streaming optimization
- 5 device limit
- No free tier
- No annual pricing discount
- 9,700+ servers in 112+ countries
- Swiss jurisdiction — strongest neutrality
- Open-source apps (all platforms)
- Free tier (unlimited data, 3 servers)
- 10 simultaneous devices
- Proton ecosystem integration
- Email required for account
- Less anonymous than Mullvad by design
- Streaming only on paid Plus plan
Mullvad's Anonymous Account System
Mullvad's account system is unique in the VPN industry. When you sign up, you receive a randomly generated 16-digit account number — no email address, no username, no personal information collected. You top up your account by paying €5/month via cash (mailed in an envelope), cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Monero), bank transfer, or card. With a cash or Monero payment, Mullvad has no record linking the account to any personal identity. This is the strongest anonymity guarantee available from any mainstream VPN provider.
ProtonVPN requires an email address to create an account (used for account recovery and login). Even if you use a ProtonMail address, there is a chain of identity back to your Proton account. For most users this is acceptable; for users with genuine anonymity requirements (journalists, activists in hostile jurisdictions), Mullvad's account-less model is meaningfully stronger.
Sweden vs Switzerland: Jurisdiction Analysis
Both jurisdictions have strong privacy protections but in different frameworks. Switzerland is not an EU member and is not part of any intelligence-sharing alliance. It has a constitutional privacy right and a track record of rejecting foreign government data requests in court. Sweden is an EU member (GDPR applies), participates in the 14-Eyes intelligence alliance, and has domestic data retention laws — though Mullvad's technical architecture (no logs, no personal data) means there is nothing to retain or share even under legal compulsion.
For threat models involving state-level adversaries specifically targeting VPN providers, Switzerland's neutrality makes ProtonVPN's jurisdiction marginally preferable. For ordinary privacy use, both are more than adequate.
DAITA: Mullvad's Traffic Analysis Defense
Mullvad introduced DAITA (Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis) — a feature that adds artificial noise and patterns to VPN traffic to defeat machine learning-based traffic analysis attacks. Sophisticated adversaries with access to network traffic can sometimes identify VPN-protected destinations by analyzing traffic timing, volume patterns, and packet sizes even through encryption. DAITA randomizes these patterns to make traffic analysis significantly more difficult. This is a feature beyond what any other consumer VPN currently offers and is relevant only for users facing nation-state level surveillance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Mullvad anonymously?
Yes — more so than any other mainstream VPN. Mullvad requires no email address. You receive a random 16-digit account number. Pay with cash (mailed to their Swedish office) or Monero and Mullvad has no record linking the account to your identity. This is the strongest anonymity available from a consumer VPN service.
Does Mullvad work with Netflix?
Mullvad is not optimized for streaming and does not maintain dedicated streaming servers. It may work with some Netflix regions occasionally but this is not a supported use case. If streaming is a significant priority, ProtonVPN (Plus plan) or NordVPN are better choices.
Is ProtonVPN free?
ProtonVPN has a genuine free tier with no data cap, covering three server locations (US, Netherlands, Japan). Speeds are limited and streaming is not available on the free plan. The free tier is sufficient for privacy-focused everyday browsing without paying anything.
Which is more private, Mullvad or ProtonVPN?
Both have independently audited no-logs policies and open-source apps. Mullvad edges ahead on anonymity by design — no email required, cash payments accepted, minimal account data collected. ProtonVPN's Switzerland jurisdiction has a slight edge over Mullvad's Sweden/EU jurisdiction for state-level threat models. In practice, both are among the most privacy-respecting VPNs available.
Why does Mullvad cost the same every month with no annual discount?
Mullvad's flat €5/month pricing with no annual discount or promotional pricing reflects a deliberate product philosophy — they do not want to incentivize long-term commitments that create data retention obligations. Paying month-to-month means less personal data tied to your account. The simplicity also reduces the complexity of their billing system, which aligns with their minimal-data-collection approach.