Mullvad VPN Quick informationOur ranking: 3.7 stars out of 5
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Mullvad VPN has constructed a strong fame for being among the finest privacy-focused VPNs in the marketplace. Its distinctive nameless consumer account quantity system, robust encryption and dedication to common third-party safety audits make it a best choice for these whose major concern is privateness.
Whereas it’s hampered by a small 641-server community unfold throughout simply 40 nations, Mullvad’s concentrate on privateness is one thing I wish to see extra of in different VPNs out there at this time.
Mullvad VPN pricing
| 1 month | 1 12 months | 10 years |
|---|---|---|
| $5.48 per thirty days | $5.48 per thirty days | $5.48 per thirty days |
Mullvad affords a flat charge of €5 or $5.48 per thirty days, no matter subscription size. Compared, different VPNs have various costs per plan and period.
Mullvad’s month-to-month subscription could be very inexpensive in comparison with different VPNs akin to NordVPN at $12.99 per thirty days and ProtonVPN at $9.99 per thirty days. When you’re trying to make use of a VPN for a restricted period of time, Mullvad VPN is among the most inexpensive choices.
Nevertheless, there’s a draw back to the flat charge — you don’t mechanically obtain a reduction or extra financial savings for selecting a long term, which different VPNs usually supply. Subsequently, Mullvad VPN isn’t essentially the most cost-effective possibility for long-term customers.
There isn’t a free model or free trial for Mullvad VPN, however there’s a 30-day money-back assure if subscribers aren’t glad with the service.
I commend Mullvad’s concentrate on privateness by way of its cost choices. Exterior of the standard selections like bank card or PayPal, Mullvad VPN helps you to pay with money, cryptocurrencies or purchasable bodily vouchers — all of which give customers with anonymity with their funds. This can be a nice possibility for privateness fanatics who wish to stay nameless.
Is Mullvad VPN protected and reliable?
Mullvad VPN comes with OpenVPN and WireGuard safety protocols — two of essentially the most safe and best-performing protocols at this time. As well as, Mullvad makes use of the gold-standard AES-256 encryption, features a built-in kill change and protects in opposition to DNS leaks.
It has a no-logs coverage that states that the VPN “by no means retailer[s] any exercise logs of any form.” Luckily, Mullvad has proven a powerful dedication to common unbiased safety audits to again their privateness claims. Its most up-to-date audit was performed by Radically Open Safety in August 2023, which “discovered no logging of consumer exercise information” inside Mullvad’s VPN infrastructure.
Some customers could categorical concern that Mullvad relies in Sweden, a member of the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance. Nevertheless, I argue that Mullvad VPN efficiently alleviated such considerations when the corporate was subjected to a search warrant in April 2023.
In response to Mullvad, six law enforcement officials from the Nationwide Operations Division (NOA) of the Swedish Police visited their places of work and needed to grab computer systems that held buyer information. Mullvad defined that, due to their no-logs coverage, “such buyer information didn’t exist.” This finally led to the law enforcement officials leaving empty-handed.
The corporate emphasised that even “if [the police] had taken one thing that might not have given them entry to any buyer info” due to their no-logs coverage.
Total, Mullvad VPN proves to be a protected and safe VPN service to make use of in 2024.
Key options of Mullvad VPN
Except for offering customers with a safe VPN connection and a community of servers around the globe, Mullvad affords a number of standout options that set it other than different VPN distributors.
Nameless account numbers
One other distinctive privateness function of Mullvad is its use of nameless account numbers.
Determine A
As an alternative of requiring clients to supply an electronic mail deal with, username or password, Mullvad mechanically generates a random account quantity for every consumer, serving as their important technique to log in and use Mullvad VPN. The 16-digit quantity can be used to let customers pay for his or her subscription.
This supplies a further layer of anonymity since customers received’t have to supply any kind of non-public or figuring out info to make use of Mullvad. On the minimal, most VPNs ask customers to supply an electronic mail deal with to make use of their service, so I recognize the added privateness of not needing to take action with Mullvad VPN.
Mullvad Lockdown mode
Determine B
Mullvad features a Lockdown mode function that blocks any web connection not secured by a Mullvad VPN server. Which means even when you by accident give up the Mullvad VPN app or disconnect from considered one of its servers for any cause, your information and site visitors will stay safe and blocked from unprotected networks.
In my testing, Lockdown mode labored as marketed and reliably minimize off the web on my machine each time I attempted to attach outdoors of the VPN.
DNS content material blockers
Determine C
You additionally get a set of content material blockers inside Mullvad’s app that permits you to prohibit entry to intrusive content material akin to adverts, grownup content material and malware.
Whereas opponents like ExpressVPN allow you to block adverts and trackers as nicely, I like that Mullvad provides you a bit extra choices within the sorts of content material you’ll be able to block. Particular callouts listed below are having the ability to block playing websites, grownup content material and even social media websites.
Velocity and efficiency: How briskly is Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad carried out nicely by way of pace and efficiency. I didn’t expertise any severe slowdown with my typical workflow that includes working in Google Docs, having a number of tabs open for analysis and streaming the occasional 1080p YouTube movies. I used to be additionally impressed with how dependable Mullvad’s connection was throughout an hour-long Google Meet name I attended whereas testing the VPN; I didn’t expertise any points with the connection.
When it comes to pace testing, Mullvad obtained extra modest numbers. For obtain speeds, it recorded a 40.8% drop in pace in comparison with my web service supplier, which is sweet however not nice. Add pace was noticeably worse, with an 89.7% lower in pace. When you or your corporation continuously uploads massive information, NordVPN could also be a greater decide because it has proven to supply sooner general speeds.
Regardless of the strong efficiency, I need to point out that speeds could differ extra with Mullvad VPN in comparison with different VPNs resulting from its smaller server community. I’ll dive into that extra within the subsequent part, however having extra servers normally permits for sooner efficiency.
All issues apart, my time with Mullvad VPN confirmed it could actually present fairly quick speeds with out concern.
Mullvad VPN servers and areas
Mullvad VPN’s server community is the place it sadly falls behind the competitors. Presently, Mullvad has 641 servers in round 40 nations; this server suite is sort of small in each the server quantity and nation unfold, contemplating {that a} fashionable VPN normally has round 3,000 servers in round 60 nations.
For context, ProtonVPN supplies round 3,090 servers throughout 71 nations, whereas CyberGhost VPN affords round 11,330+ servers throughout 100 nations.
Which means if Mullvad VPN doesn’t have a server location that’s near you, you could expertise slower speeds or impacted efficiency. This smaller server suite additionally means Mullvad received’t be a chief possibility for individuals who plan to unblock geo-restricted content material on-line.
If a big nation unfold is a precedence, CyberGhost VPN or Personal Web Entry will likely be higher choices as they supply servers from 100 and 91 nations, respectively.
Mullvad doesn’t categorize its servers for extra specialised use circumstances like NordVPN’s safer Double VPN servers or CyberGhost’s streaming-optimized servers.
Mullvad VPN app expertise
I examined Mullvad VPN on my Home windows laptop computer and located the desktop software to be very straightforward to make use of.
Determine D
Issues such because the server listing have been the place I anticipated them to be, and I had no hassle activating completely different options throughout the app’s VPN settings.
I actually like that Mullvad helps you to create a customized listing or group of prime servers. You possibly can put servers in lists and identify every group as you want. This may be helpful when you frequently entry content material from sure areas and wish to hook up with the suitable server location simply.
Determine E
Subjectively, I do really feel like Mullvad’s app is lagging behind by way of design because the cartoon-like interface seems a bit outdated. Nevertheless, I’ve no complaints in regards to the software’s efficiency because it labored with out a hitch.
Mullvad execs
- Inexpensive month-to-month plan.
- Constant unbiased audits.
- Nameless consumer account quantity system.
- First rate speeds and efficiency.
- Simple-to-use desktop software.
Mullvad cons
- Small server community of 641 servers.
- Helps servers from solely 40+ nations.
- Longer subscriptions will be costly.
- No free trial.
- Solely permits for 5 simultaneous gadget connections.
- Based mostly in Sweden (14 Eyes alliance).
Who’s Mullvad VPN finest for?
Mullvad VPN is finest for privateness fanatics who worth anonymity above all else. Its distinctive cost system and nameless consumer account quantity system are significant methods so as to add additional safety for end-users who wish to share as little information as attainable.
It’s a VPN service that gives first rate speeds and an intuitive software. It’s additionally an incredible decide for particular person customers who need robust encryption and safety for a brief period of time, particularly with its extra inexpensive month-to-month subscription.
Whereas its lack of an inexpensive long-term subscription and minuscule server community wanes compared to the competitors, Mullvad’s huge concentrate on privateness is a welcome taste to the VPN house as a complete.
Options to Mullvad VPN
When you discover that Mullvad VPN isn’t a match for you, I’ve listed three robust alternate options which will higher fit your wants.
Proton VPN
If you need a VPN that gives a full-fledged free model, give Proton VPN a attempt. Its free model affords limitless information and entry to 86 servers in three nations at no extra value. It additionally operates in privacy-friendly Switzerland, making it a chief possibility for these frightened about authorities surveillance.
In our full evaluation, ProtonVPN obtained 4.0 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN affords a no-nonsense VPN that has a well-designed software, quick speeds and safety for as much as eight simultaneous units. It additionally has servers throughout 105 nations and makes use of RAM-only server expertise for much more safety.
In our full evaluation, ExpressVPN obtained 4.4 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.
CyberGhost VPN
Customers who need an intensive server suite ought to have CyberGhost VPN on their listing. It affords greater than 11,000 servers throughout 100 nations and over 125 areas. It additionally has a beneficiant 24-hour free trial that permits you to take a look at its premium VPN with no bank card required. On prime of this, CyberGhost well categorizes its servers for streaming, gaming and torrenting.
In our full evaluation, CyberGhost VPN obtained 4.3 stars out of 5. To be taught extra, learn right here.
Evaluate methodology
My evaluation of Mullvad VPN concerned a complete evaluation of its options, value and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on time with Mullvad VPN on my Home windows laptop computer by a paid one-month subscription.
For pace, I used Ookla’s public Speedtest to measure obtain and add speeds. I additionally ran Mullvad by DNSLeakTest a number of instances to verify for any drops in its DNS leak safety.
I scored Mullvad VPN on the whole lot, from its safety protocols to its pricing, based mostly on an inner algorithm to get a ranking of three.7 out of 5 stars. In my scoring, I checked out Mullvad VPN each by itself and in relation to different VPNs out there.
