Mullvad VPN Review 2026: we paid in cash

8.7 / 10 — Overall rating

Speed 9.0

Security 9.8

Streaming 7.5

Price 8.6

Ease of use 8.0

Mullvad at a glance

Mullvad VPN is a Swedish VPN service launched in 2009, run by Amagicom AB — a name derived from the Sumerian ama-gi, the oldest known word for “freedom”. With around 550 active servers in 39 countries, 5 simultaneous connections and a flat rate of €5/month (1 month, 1 year or 1 decade — your call), Mullvad is the most radically privacy-focused consumer VPN on the market.

Quick verdict: Mullvad isn’t the fastest VPN, nor the best for Netflix, nor the cheapest. It’s the only truly anonymous VPN — no email, cash payment by mail, 100% open-source code, audited 4 times by Cure53, and proven in practice during the April 2023 police raid (the Swedish police couldn’t seize anything). For a journalist, activist, paranoid developer or simply someone who wants a sober VPN with no aggressive marketing, it’s the rational choice. For Netflix on a Saturday night, look elsewhere.

Who is Mullvad?

Mullvad VPN AB is owned by Amagicom AB, a parent company 100% owned by its two founders: Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson. That’s a rare setup in the sector — no venture capital, no holding group (unlike PIA, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, all owned by Kape Technologies). No shareholder pressure, no forced strategic pivot.

The team is Swedish, the mascot is a mole (the word mullvad means “mole” in Swedish — the animal that digs out of sight). It’s the only VPN whose visual marketing has barely changed in 17 years: minimalist, sober, brutalist — a deliberate visual rejection of traditional VPN marketing (smiling young hipsters, green padlocks, “the world’s #1 VPN” promises).

Mullvad has been publishing a quarterly transparency report since 2014, listing every legal request received (and systematically declined for lack of data). It’s one of the oldest transparency commitments in the sector.

The anonymous account: how it really works

This is what sets Mullvad apart from every other serious VPN: no email is required to create an account. The process:

1. You go to mullvad.net/en/account/create
2. You click “Generate account number”
3. Mullvad gives you a random 16-digit number — that’s your only identifier
4. You note it down (on paper, in a password manager — never via email)
5. You pay (any method — see next section)
6. Time is added to your account

That’s it. No email, no name, no address required. Mullvad literally knows nothing about you, except the number it generated for you and the day balance attached to it.

Practical consequence: if you lose your account number, nobody can recover it. No “forgot password”, no support to call. That’s deliberate — the absence of an email means the absence of an attack surface to identify you.

Cash and Monero payments: we tested the envelope

Mullvad is one of the two VPNs in the world (alongside IVPN) to accept payment in cash by mail. The protocol is documented on their site:

1. Print or write down your account number on a piece of paper
2. Slip it into an envelope with a banknote (€5, €10, etc. — pricing is €5/month)
3. Send it to Mullvad’s address in Sweden (Gothenburg)
4. On receipt, Mullvad credits your account and shreds the paper
5. No digital link exists anywhere between your payment and your account

That’s absolute anonymity — your bank won’t know you pay Mullvad, your card provider won’t know, your real identity is associated with nothing. Only your act of mailing it (potentially the writing on the envelope, your post box if filmed) remains traceable.

Available payment methods, ordered by anonymity:

• Cash in envelope (most anonymous — Mullvad shreds the slip)
• Monero (XMR) — privacy-by-design cryptocurrency, untraceable
• Bitcoin / Bitcoin Cash (traceable but with no direct identity link)
• Credit card, PayPal, Swish, bank transfer (standard, but Mullvad ties the purchase to the amount and date — not to your IP or sessions)

It’s the combination of anonymous account + anonymous payment that makes Mullvad unique. No other VPN offers both.

Sweden jurisdiction and the 14 Eyes paradox

Here’s the classic objection to Mullvad: Sweden is a member of the 14 Eyes alliance (an extension of 5/9 Eyes for intelligence sharing). On paper, that’s a bad mark for a VPN.

In practice, the Swedish legal context is significantly more protective than that membership suggests:

• The LEK law (revised in 2022) prohibits electronic communications providers from proactively retaining connection data for their users.
• Providers are only required to respond to legal requests for data they actually possess.
• Mullvad possesses nothing (no logs, no timestamps, no session IPs) — so nothing to hand over.

This stance was tested in practice in April 2023: the Swedish police showed up at Mullvad’s headquarters in Gothenburg with a search warrant, as part of a criminal investigation. Mullvad welcomed them. The agents left without being able to seize any user data — there was literally nothing to take. The event was publicly documented by Mullvad on their blog.

That’s the concrete proof that the combination of jurisdiction + no-logs policy + RAM-only servers works in the real world. Very few VPNs have lived through this kind of real-world test.

Independent audits: the full timeline

Mullvad has been audited more times than any other consumer VPN:

Year	Firm	Scope
2018	Cure53	First complete audit (apps + infrastructure)
2020	Cure53	2nd infrastructure audit
2022	Cure53	3rd audit, extended to mobile apps
June 2024	Cure53	4th infrastructure audit (most recent)
Nov. 2024	X41 D-Sec	WireGuard / quantum-resistant cryptographic audit
Feb. 2025	NCC Group	Dedicated Android audit

All reports are public and accessible on the GitHub repo mullvad/mullvadvpn-app. That’s a frequency and transparency without equal. For comparison:

• NordVPN: 4 Deloitte/PwC audits between 2018 and 2023
• ExpressVPN: 2 KPMG audits between 2022 and 2023
• Proton VPN: annual audits by Securitum + SEC Consult

Mullvad beats everyone on audit density and auditor diversity (Cure53, X41, NCC Group — three different auditors in 18 months).

Technical security: WireGuard only, DAITA, quantum-resistant

WireGuard only (OpenVPN removed in 2025)

This is Mullvad’s most radical recent decision: OpenVPN was entirely removed during 2025. All OpenVPN servers are shut down. Mullvad now only supports WireGuard as its protocol.

The justification, defended on their blog: OpenVPN is more complex, harder to audit, more CPU-intensive, and its historical advantages (network compatibility) have become marginal in 2026. WireGuard is simpler, faster, more modern.

Concrete consequences:

• If you’re on a network that blocks WireGuard (rare in 2026, but it happens — some hotels, corporate networks, or China), Mullvad won’t work.
• No OpenVPN fallback possible. WireGuard or nothing.
• All serious competing VPNs still support both protocols (NordVPN, PIA, Proton VPN, etc.).

It’s a deliberate bet on simplification. If you’re a developer or sysadmin, you’ll likely applaud the decision. If you travel to China or use unreliable networks, it’s a deal-breaker.

DAITA: Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis

DAITA is a feature unique to Mullvad (and to the open-source Tor ecosystem by extension). It adds noise to VPN packets — regular random data — to defeat traffic analysis attacks based on packet size and timing.

Concretely: if an adversary (ISP, government, network attacker) tries to identify what you’re doing online purely from the patterns of your encrypted traffic (packet size, frequency), DAITA makes that work substantially harder. Useful if your threat model includes an attacker capable of observing your network traffic (not just your everyday ISP).

Available in 15 countries on ~40 servers in April 2026.

Quantum-resistant tunnels (PQ WireGuard)

Mullvad offers post-quantum (PQ) tunnels — combining WireGuard with a key exchange resistant to quantum computers (based on Classic McEliece and Kyber). Preventive: no quantum computer breaks RSA today, but communications captured now could be decrypted in 10-20 years if someone records them. PQ solves the problem.

Multihop, kill switch, RAM-only

• Multihop: routing through two consecutive servers (e.g. France → Sweden). Available via manual config or in the app.
• Kill switch: enabled by default on all apps. Strict — blocks the internet immediately if the VPN connection drops.
• 100% RAM-only servers: no persistent storage, reboot = wipe. Verified during the 2023 raid.

Performance: our April 2026 tests

Tests run from France (Paris) on a 1 Gbps fibre connection, WireGuard (the only protocol available).

Speed measurements

Destination	Without VPN	With Mullvad	Loss
France (Paris)	940 Mbps	820 Mbps	13%
Sweden (Gothenburg)	940 Mbps	760 Mbps	19%
Germany (Frankfurt)	940 Mbps	730 Mbps	22%
United Kingdom (London)	940 Mbps	700 Mbps	26%
United States (New York)	940 Mbps	590 Mbps	37%
Japan (Tokyo)	940 Mbps	410 Mbps	56%

Speed verdict: Mullvad is excellent in Europe (13-26% loss), notably towards Sweden for obvious geographical reasons. Towards the US, 37% is decent (better than CyberGhost or PureVPN, comparable to PIA), without reaching NordVPN’s 20%. Towards Asia, more loss — Mullvad doesn’t particularly optimise its intercontinental routes.

For everyday European or North American use, you won’t feel a thing. For competitive gaming towards Tokyo, pick NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Streaming and torrenting: honestly

Streaming: not built for this

Mullvad doesn’t actively fight against streaming platform geo-blocks. Their official position: they’re a privacy VPN, not a Netflix-bypassing tool. No “Netflix-optimized” servers, no daily updates to stay unblocked, no commitment.

In practice:

Platform	Works?
Netflix US	Hit or miss (1 server in 3-4)
Netflix FR	Often OK
Disney+	Hit or miss
BBC iPlayer	Rarely
Prime Video	Hit or miss
Hulu	Almost never

Streaming verdict: if unblocking Netflix matters to you, don’t pick Mullvad. Pick CyberGhost (the best for it), NordVPN or Surfshark.

Torrenting and P2P: very good

Mullvad is excellent for torrenting:

• No P2P restrictions on its servers
• No bandwidth cap
• Reliable kill switch (tested by killing the VPN during a download — internet blocked in under 100 ms)
• Anonymous account + anonymous payment = maximum privacy even in case of seizure

It’s one of the favourite picks of the seedbox & torrent community. Note: no port forwarding (Mullvad removed it in 2023 for security reasons).

Flat €5/month pricing: why no promo?

Mullvad offers three durations to buy — all at the same price per month:

Duration	Price/month	Total
1 month	€5	€5
1 year	€5	€60
1 decade (10 years)	€5	€600

No promo, no discount, no Black Friday offer. The rate is €5 regardless of how long you pay in advance. That’s deliberate — Mullvad considers that the standard VPN system (entry price at -88% for 3 years, then renewal at full rate) is misleading and that flat pricing is more honest.

Practical consequences:

• No need to wait for a Black Friday or Christmas promo
• No nasty surprise at renewal
• No marketing pressure to commit long-term
• You can buy more time whenever you want, with no auto-subscription

Payment methods: card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), PayPal, Swish, SEPA bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, cash by mail.

Note: no auto-renewal exists. When your time expires, the account is inactive until you top up. No card kept on file. No risk of accidental charges. It’s unique on the market.

Apps and compatibility

Mullvad offers native apps for:

• Windows (10, 11)
• macOS (10.13+)
• Linux: excellent support (deb/rpm + flatpak), full CLI, modern GUI
• iOS (15+)
• Android (8+): also available on F-Droid (no Google tracker)
• Routers (manual WireGuard config)

No browser extension (by choice: Mullvad recommends the system app, which is safer).

All apps are 100% open source on GitHub (mullvad/mullvadvpn-app). The repo has over 6,000 stars and accepts community contributions. The code is licensed under GPL v3.

The interface: sober, no gimmicks

The Mullvad app is deliberately minimalist: a big connection button, a world map, a list of countries/cities/servers, a settings menu. It’s the visual opposite of NordVPN or ExpressVPN. No marketing animations, no “Threat Protection Pro”, no upsell pop-ups — there’s nothing to upsell, you already pay for everything.

The interface is fully translated into English and many other languages. Documentation is exhaustive and public.

Mullvad Browser

Bonus in 2026: Mullvad also offers Mullvad Browser — a browser based on Tor Browser, configured to work with any VPN (not just Mullvad), maximising fingerprinting resistance. It’s a project co-developed with The Tor Project. No tracker, no telemetry. Available separately, free.

Mullvad vs Proton VPN vs IVPN: comparing the 3 purists

Criterion	Mullvad	Proton VPN	IVPN
Price	€5/month flat	€4.49 (2-year)	$6/month
Email required	No (number)	Yes	Optional
Cash in envelope	✅	❌	✅
Monero	✅	❌	✅
Open-source code	✅ 100%	✅ 100%	✅ 100%
Audits	Cure53 x4 + X41 + NCC	Securitum, SEC Consult	Cure53 x2
Jurisdiction	Sweden	Switzerland	Gibraltar
Connections	5	10	7
Streaming	Hit or miss	Good (Plus plan)	Weak
Free plan	❌	✅ unlimited	❌
OpenVPN	❌ (removed 2025)	✅	✅
Quantum-resistant	✅	✅	Partial
Overall rating	8.7/10	9.0/10	8.3/10

Comparison verdict:

• Mullvad: the most radical on anonymity. Ideal if you want maximum invisibility and accept losing Netflix.
• Proton VPN: the best compromise. More complete, ecosystem (Mail, Drive, Calendar), free plan, decent streaming. Trade-off: email required.
• IVPN: a Mullvad alternative for English speakers. Comparable but pricier and less audited.

If the question is binary — Mullvad or Proton VPN? — see our criteria for Proton VPN to decide. For absolute anonymity and tight budget, Mullvad. For everything else, Proton VPN.

Who is Mullvad for?

Mullvad is an excellent pick if you want the most radical anonymity possible on a consumer VPN, if you appreciate cash or Monero payment, if you’re a Linux user (the client is one of the best on the market), if you want transparent and stable pricing (no promo, no nasty surprise at renewal), if you’re a journalist, activist, researcher with a real threat model, or if you appreciate honest editorial ethics (Mullvad doesn’t pretend to be what it isn’t).

Look at an alternative if you want to watch Netflix US from France (CyberGhost, NordVPN), if you need absolute maximum speed (NordVPN), if you want a free plan (Proton VPN Free), if you rely on OpenVPN for network reasons (Mullvad no longer supports it), or if you want responsive customer support in your language (Mullvad replies in English and German — no other language chat).

Our final verdict

Mullvad is the most radically honest VPN on the market. It doesn’t claim to be the fastest. It doesn’t claim to unblock every platform. It doesn’t run a Black Friday -88% offer. It offers one price, one promise, one proof — repeated 4 times by Cure53, and confirmed by the Swedish police one morning in April 2023.

At €5/month flat, you pay exactly what you get: an encrypted WireGuard tunnel under a jurisdiction that protects, run by a company that literally knows nothing about you. For anyone who wants this very specific definition of a VPN, Mullvad has no real competitor.

Its real weaknesses: Netflix that doesn’t work, OpenVPN removed which reduces flexibility, limited speed towards Asia, and a minimalist customer support (no live chat, no French). For 90% of mainstream users who want a VPN for Netflix and to hide their IP at school, Mullvad isn’t the right choice — NordVPN, Surfshark or CyberGhost are.

For the remaining 10% — those who know exactly why they want a VPN, who can recite the difference between 5/9/14 Eyes, and who’d happily mail a €50 bill in an envelope to Gothenburg for a decade of peace — Mullvad is probably the best possible choice in 2026.

Trying Mullvad for 30 days (money-back guarantee) remains the most reliable way to make up your own mind about one of the last truly honest VPNs on the market.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mullvad VPN truly anonymous?

Yes. Mullvad is one of the rare genuinely anonymous VPNs — no email required, account identified by a random 16-digit number, payment possible in cash by mail or in Monero. Based in Sweden, audited by Cure53 (June 2024) and X41 D-Sec (November 2024). No data was seized during the April 2023 police raid.

Why did Mullvad remove OpenVPN in 2025?

Mullvad dropped OpenVPN to focus exclusively on WireGuard, which it considers faster, simpler to audit and technically superior. Since 2025, all OpenVPN servers have been shut down. It's a radical choice (few VPNs dare it) that simplifies security at the cost of protocol flexibility.

Does Mullvad work with Netflix?

Not really. Mullvad doesn't actively fight against geo-blocks from Netflix, Disney+ or others. A few servers work occasionally, but with no guarantees. If streaming is your priority, pick NordVPN, CyberGhost or Surfshark instead. Mullvad is built for privacy, not for bypassing Netflix.

How much does Mullvad VPN cost?

€5/month flat, regardless of duration. Mullvad is the only VPN to offer the same rate on 1 month, 1 year or 1 decade. No promo, no 'first-year discount', no marketing pressure. Simple and transparent.

Does Mullvad keep logs?

No. Mullvad's no-logs policy has been audited 4 times by Cure53 and confirmed by the April 2023 police raid — the Swedish police came with a warrant, and there was literally nothing to seize. No timestamps, no IPs, no user identifiers stored.

Does Mullvad accept cash payments?

Yes. You can send a banknote in an envelope to Mullvad's address in Sweden, along with your account number written by hand. Mullvad shreds the slip after crediting. It's the most anonymous payment method on the market — no digital link between your identity and your account.

What's the difference between Mullvad and Proton VPN?

Mullvad is more radical on anonymity (account without email, cash payment) but doesn't unblock Netflix. Proton VPN is more complete (free plan, Mail/Drive/Calendar ecosystem, streaming) but requires an email at signup. For a journalist or activist, Mullvad wins; for a general privacy-conscious use, Proton VPN is more suitable.

How do I cancel Mullvad?

Nothing to cancel — Mullvad doesn't work via auto-subscription. You buy time in advance (e.g. 12 months), and at expiry the account simply lapses. No auto-renewal, no card kept on file, no nasty surprises. It's the only VPN with this model.