Proton VPN vs Mullvad: Which VPN Should You Choose?

Proton VPN and Mullvad differ noticeably in how you use them. Proton VPN offers a permanent Free plan with no traffic limit and a large server network, while Mullvad offers a fixed price of €5 per month regardless of the billing period.

Proton VPN supports more devices and countries, while Mullvad stands out for registration without an email and password, WireGuard and technologies that protect against traffic analysis.

Proton VPN and Mullvad by the numbers

Data and prices were verified in September 2026 against the official Proton VPN and Mullvad websites and may change.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad: free access and prices

Proton VPN Free can be used permanently with no traffic limit and no bank card. The plan supports one connection and free servers in 10 countries, and the server is selected automatically.

Mullvad has no Free plan or trial. The price is fixed — €5 per month regardless of the billing period. The money-back guarantee lasts 14 days, except for payments made with cash and cryptocurrency.

Proton VPN wins on free access, while Mullvad wins on the simplicity of a fixed price with no long-term plans.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad: servers and countries

Proton VPN Plus claims 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, so it noticeably exceeds Mullvad in the scale of its published network.

Mullvad has about 570 servers in 50 countries and 91 cities and publishes each server's status, provider and hardware ownership information.

Proton VPN has the edge on the choice of countries, but in practice what matters more is whether the specific location you need is available.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad: devices

Proton VPN Plus supports up to 10 simultaneous connections, Proton Free one. Mullvad lets you use one account on a maximum of 5 devices; for more you need a second account or a connection through a compatible router.

Proton VPN vs Mullvad: protocols and features

Proton VPN supports WireGuard, Stealth and Smart Protocol, with differences between platforms. Additional features include Secure Core, NetShield and VPN Accelerator.

As of January 15, 2026, Mullvad has fully switched to WireGuard. In addition, the service offers Multihop, DAITA, post-quantum tunnel protection and the QUIC and LWO obfuscation methods.

Proton VPN and Mullvad: privacy and no-logs

Both services claim they don't keep logs of internet activity, but they approach privacy differently.

In 2026, Proton VPN passed its fifth annual no-logs audit by Securitum. Its apps are open source, and its servers use full disk encryption.

Mullvad doesn't ask for a name, email or password at registration — a random account number is generated for the user. The service claims no-logs and regularly publishes independent audits of its apps and backend components.

Proton VPN stands out for its annual no-logs audits, Mullvad for minimizing data right at registration.

Which to choose: Proton VPN or Mullvad?

Proton VPN is worth considering if a permanent Free plan, a large server network, up to 10 connections, Secure Core or Stealth matter to you.

Mullvad is a good fit if a fixed €5 per month, registration without an email and password, WireGuard, DAITA or Multihop matter to you.

Need an alternative to Proton VPN or Mullvad?

Proton Free is limited to one connection and free servers in 10 countries, and Mullvad has no Free plan or trial.

If you would like to try a full-featured VPN without a bank card and choose the country yourself, consider VolnaLink: the service provides 8 hours of full access and locations in 100+ countries. In that time, you can test the VPN with your usual websites and apps and then decide whether you need a subscription.

See also: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN · NordVPN vs Proton VPN · Proton VPN vs ExpressVPN · NordVPN vs CyberGhost · NordVPN vs Surfshark · Surfshark vs ExpressVPN · Surfshark vs Proton VPN · Surfshark vs CyberGhost