Score Breakdown — 8.2 / 10
Tested 2025-10-20
Privacy First, Streaming Last
Mullvad is the gold standard for privacy-focused VPNs. While it lacks streaming capabilities and advanced features, its uncompromising approach to anonymity, flat pricing, and audit transparency are unmatched.
Tested over 14 days from three US and two European locations. Speed benchmarks with WireGuard on 1 Gbps connections. Streaming verification across major platforms. Privacy policy and audit documentation review. Payment anonymity assessment.
Full methodologyPros & Cons
What sets Mullvad apart — and where it falls short.
Pros
Flat €5/month — no discounts, no tracking, no upsells
Anonymous payments including cash sent by mail
Extensive independent audits — no-logs, infrastructure, apps
Owns AS numbers and IP ranges — no third-party dependency
Excellent WireGuard speeds on high-bandwidth servers
Port forwarding with ephemeral ports
Cons
No streaming support — Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ all blocked
Smaller server network (700 servers, 50 countries)
No ad blocker or dedicated IP options
Limited to 5 simultaneous connections
Plans & Pricing
$5.00 billed monthly
Features & Compatibility
Features
Protocols
Server Locations (60)
DNS Handling
Own DNS servers. All DNS queries routed through encrypted tunnel. Supports custom DNS including ad-blocking DNS.
Leak Protection
IPv6 and DNS leak protection enabled by default. Lockdown mode blocks all traffic when not connected to VPN. Multi-platform kill switch.
Obfuscation
Type: Stealth · Post-quantum ready
Streaming Support
Verified compatibility with major streaming platforms
P2P & Torrenting
All servers support P2P. Port forwarding was removed in May 2023. DAITA traffic analysis protection available on select servers.
In-Depth Overview
Mullvad has been operating since 2009 and is widely respected in the privacy community for its unwavering commitment to anonymity. Based in Sweden, the company operates under some of the strongest privacy protections in Europe, though Sweden is a member of the 14 Eyes alliance. Mullvad’s transparent operations and consistent audit history mitigate jurisdictional concerns.
The service operates 700+ servers across 50 countries. Rather than chasing server count, Mullvad focuses on quality: all servers run on 10 Gbps connections and support the WireGuard protocol exclusively (OpenVPN support has been deprecated in favor of WireGuard-only to reduce attack surface). The company owns its own AS numbers and IP ranges, reducing reliance on third-party infrastructure.
Mullvad charges a flat €5/month regardless of subscription duration — no discounts for long-term plans, no upsells, no gimmicks. Payment options include credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, bank transfer, and even cash sent by mail (instructions are provided on the website).
The service supports port forwarding via ephemeral ports and P2P traffic on all servers. Mullvad explicitly states it is not designed for bypassing geo-restrictions — it is a privacy tool, not a streaming unblocker.
Mullvad has undergone extensive independent auditing, including a complete no-logs policy audit by Assured AB and infrastructure penetration testing by Cure53.
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Intermediate