There’s a very good reason why Mullvad is one of the most frequently recommended VPN services out there right now, it’s because simply – it’s one of the best. Few VPNs offer so much in the way of personal privacy as it does. Which is no surprise, Mullvad has for a long time been one of the pioneers of the industry. Mullvad is based out of Sweden and has over a decade of experience having launched back in March 2009. Mullvad, which is the Swedish word for mole, was an early adopter of OpenVPN and WireGuard and the service is updated regularly to integrate all the latest innovations. Unfortunately, there is no free trial but Mullvad offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in the unlikely event that you’re not completely satisfied with the service.
| Bandwidth | Unlimited |
|---|---|
| # connected devices | 5 |
| Kill switch |
You won’t feel like you’re ever being restricted whilst using Mullvad, the VPN can be set up on an unlimited number of devices and although accounts are limited to five simultaneous connections this is about average for VPN providers. Mullvad also features unlimited bandwidth, which is perfect for those looking for a VPN that can handle plenty of P2P sharing and online streaming.
What makes Mullvad really stand out is that it has a vast amount of safety features. For example, after connecting to its VPN, users can immediately head to Am.I.Mullvad.net and see just how secure their connection is with detailed information on how to boost security even further. The service always has DNS leak protection turned on and with a built-in kill switch for added robustness. Mullvad is only available with OpenVPN or WireGuard and the company will drop any protocol it doesn’t find fits its strict safety standards.
Mullvad is one of the few VPN services to subject itself to an independent security audit, the results were hugely positive but if future users have any lingering uncertainties, they can read the report for themselves through the Mullvad website.
| Countries | US, UK, CA, AU, NZ, JP, DE, HK, SV,BR |
|---|---|
| # countries | 45+ |
| # servers | 600+ |
| # IPs |
One of the few criticisms you may find about Mullvad’s service is the slow server speeds that some users have encountered. In fact, go to its FAQ page and you’ll see that it’s one of the most frequent questions it receives. The Mullvad website does offer some possible solutions to anyone who experiences slower connections, but we still found that its speed lags behind other VPNs on the market. It’s not all bad news, testing out of Western Europe we were happy to see that servers from all the way in East Asia still maintained a good speed, unlike some other VPNs whose networks can suffer major losses at greater distances.
Mullvad also has over 370 servers from 31 different countries worldwide. For such a major hitter in the VPN industry this figure is still surprisingly low compared to some of its competitors and it could be an explanation for why many users experience slow speeds with Mullvad.
| SSL | |
|---|---|
| OpenVPN | |
| PPTP | |
| L2TP |
It’s no surprise that Mullvad has a fantastic privacy policy and it’s one that should become the model for the rest of the industry. When a new user signs up for Mullvad they’re given an account number and that is all a user ever needs from that point on. Most importantly, this means that Mullvad doesn’t have to store any email addresses, usernames, or passwords. Of course, Mullvad must store at least some data from online payment but it also accepts cash payments as well as Bitcoin for even greater anonymity.
Mullvad stores no activity logs of any kind, no connections, no IP addresses, no bandwidth or anything like that. The only thing Mullvad does check is the amount of simultaneous connections to make sure a user doesn’t go over the five connections allowed. One final thing to note is that Mullvad makes the bold and reassuring claim that it will shut down its service should Swedish laws change and force it to spy on its users.
| Web app | |
| Mobile optimized | |
| macOS | |
| Linux |
| Xbox One | |
|---|---|
| PlayStation | |
| Apple TV | |
| Chromebook |
Mullvad is available for Android, iOS, Windows 7 and above, macOS, and Linux. We tried out the Mac app, which simply sits in the taskbar, and found it to be efficient, easy-to-use, and you’ll be connected to a server in no time at all.
Unfortunately, Mullvad doesn’t have any dedicated apps for Android and iOS so mobile users will need to connect to Mullvad’s servers after first downloading the OpenVPN app. We tested it out on Android and found it to be an awkward process for mobile users. Users need to download configuration files from the Mullvad website and import them into the OpenVPN app to find a connection. The main drawback is that if you want to change your region or any other options then you’ll need to repeat the process and download and import yet another configuration file. If you use your VPN exclusively for mobile use this could be a big turn off.
Mullvad has a unique pricing plan for users with only one option ever available, a set price of €5 a month (approximately $5.50). That price stays the same whether you want to use it for just one month or even for a hundred years. This does make it one of the pricier VPN options available, but it means you won’t be tied down to a longer subscription or have to pay a large sum upfront. Mullvad also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Mullvad accepts a variety of payment methods including credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, and even cash. It should be noted that users paying with cash won’t be entitled to a refund due to anti-money laundering laws. However, users paying with Bitcoin will get a 10% discount off Mullvad due to lower fees and less administration.
| Visa | |
| Mastercard | |
| American Express | |
| Discover |
| 24/7 | |
| Live chat | |
| Phone |
You can find Mullvad on Facebook and Twitter as well as having its own Onion service available. The Mullvad website has a regularly updated blog detailing all the latest news and information so users will know exactly what’s going on. Unfortunately, Mullvad doesn’t have a live chat function but any issues can be resolved through email.
Mullvad’s website also hosts an extensive FAQ page that covers every aspect of the VPN service. That’s not all, its help page hosts plenty of handy guides for users beyond that, like setting up encrypted emails to how to best set up their browser. The online tutorials are very clear and well-written and although we did find the Android user guide to be out of date, the guides are good enough that even the most novice user will feel like a VPN expert.
A lot of VPNs boast about their privacy and security, but we think Mullvad really backs up its claims with some excellent safety features. Users won’t need to worry about their data because not only is Mullvad so safe and secure, but it also takes so little information that the thought will never cross your mind.
Mullvad isn’t perfect however, for some the price maybe a deterrent but if you’re concerned about online security then you’ll want to pay the extra for the safety that Mullvad guarantees. Server speeds are still an issue, this is perhaps due to the relatively small amount of them and if you’re wanting a VPN exclusively for your phone, then beware that Mullvad doesn’t have a native app.
If you’re concerned about your privacy and security online then download Mullvad and you’ll never have that worry again, in that respect it might be the best VPN available.
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