Disclosure: VPNFin is reader-supported. If you buy a VPN through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our ratings — here’s our full disclosure.
Mullvad vs PrivadoVPN asks whether anonymity is worth paying for when a decent free VPN exists. Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month but asks for no email, accepts cash and has more than 10 audits in our table. PrivadoVPN, under Icelandic law since May 2026, offers 10 GB a month free and Premium from $1.11 a month on two years, with no audit in our table.
This guide compares anonymity, evidence, free use, streaming, torrent tools, price and fit.
Is Anonymity Worth Paying For?
Mullvad’s design means it never knows your name: you get a 16-digit number, and you can post cash. PrivadoVPN’s free plan costs nothing, but like most services it uses an account, and PCWorld notes it collects device and traffic data to enforce plan limits.
If you need anonymity, the €5 buys something PrivadoVPN does not offer; if you just want encryption on public Wi-Fi, the free plan may be enough.
Mullvad vs PrivadoVPN on Evidence
An audit checks systems against the privacy policy at a point in time.
Swedish police left Mullvad’s office empty-handed in April 2023, CyberInsider reported, and its audits run back years. PrivadoVPN has no audit in our table; one 2026 review calls its policy audited, which we could not confirm.
For proof, Mullvad is far ahead. Our VPN audit tracker compares records.
Free Use
Use it to check speeds on your own connection before paying anything.
PrivadoVPN’s free plan gives 10 GB a month at full speed on one device, then slower servers, across about 13 locations. Mullvad has no free plan or trial; its 14-day refund excludes cash and crypto payments.
For trying a VPN at no cost, PrivadoVPN is the only option here.
Streaming
Results change as services update their blocks.
VPNOverview found PrivadoVPN opening Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil and Japan in 2026, and Top10VPN found even its free plan opened US and UK Netflix. Mullvad does not try to unblock streaming, and testers often found services blocked.
For streaming, PrivadoVPN is the better fit by a wide margin.
Torrenting, Kill Switch and Blocking
Bind your torrent client to the VPN and check its IP before downloading.
PrivadoVPN includes a SOCKS5 proxy on Premium and allows P2P on selected servers. Mullvad stopped offering port forwarding in 2023, citing abuse, though it still allows P2P traffic.
Neither offers open ports; PrivadoVPN adds the proxy.
What Each Costs
Mullvad’s flat price means no surprise at renewal; PrivadoVPN’s long plans are cheaper but may renew higher.
Mullvad costs €60 a year, the same every year. PrivadoVPN Premium costs $1.11 a month on two years, and its free plan costs nothing; check its renewal at checkout.
PrivadoVPN is much cheaper. Our renewal price guide explains renewals.
Devices and Platforms
A router counts as one device on either.
Mullvad allows five devices on open-source apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Android TV. PrivadoVPN allows 10 on Premium and one free, and its Fire TV app works on all plans, while Linux is for Premium only.
Households needing more than five devices fit PrivadoVPN, or Mullvad with a router.
Jurisdiction
Iceland is outside the EU but inside the European Economic Area, where the GDPR applies.
Mullvad is based in Sweden, whose data retention law does not apply to VPNs in its current form, a 2026 review notes. PrivadoVPN moved from Switzerland to Iceland, which sits outside the EU but inside the European Economic Area.
Both are European; the audit record matters more than the address.
Who Each Is For
Both have simple apps, so testing takes only a few minutes.
Mullvad suits people who need anonymity and proof, and accept weak streaming and a flat monthly fee. PrivadoVPN suits people who want free or very cheap protection with streaming, and accept no audit.
Try PrivadoVPN free; pay for Mullvad when anonymity matters.
Mullvad’s lockdown mode stops all traffic if the tunnel drops. PrivadoVPN’s per-app kill switch held up in TechRadar’s stress tests, and its Control Tower blocks malicious sites, ads and other categories at the DNS level.
Test either by switching Wi-Fi off and on while connected.
Speed
Test from home.
Mullvad kept about 95% of connection speed on UK servers in Comparitech’s tests. PrivadoVPN’s free tier runs at full speed for the first 10 GB each month, then moves you to slower servers, the company told App Store users.
On paid plans, both should handle everyday browsing and video comfortably.
Mullvad’s DNS Change
On 2 November 2026 Mullvad shuts its public encrypted DNS and points users to Quad9, while the DNS built into its VPN app is unaffected. PrivadoVPN users do not need to do anything. Our TunnelBear vs PrivadoVPN comparison sets the two side by side.
Only people who set Mullvad’s DNS manually outside the VPN need to act.
How We Research
This page draws on CyberInsider’s report on Mullvad’s 2023 police visit, PrivadoVPN’s Wikipedia entry, VPNOverview’s, Top10VPN’s and PCWorld’s PrivadoVPN coverage and our Mullvad tables. We cross-checked these sources against each other, and where they conflict or something can’t be verified, we say so in the text rather than guessing. We checked time-sensitive figures, including prices in US dollars, on 8 October 2026. The main source we relied on is PrivadoVPN’s Wikipedia entry. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Mullvad vs PrivadoVPN FAQ
Mullvad for anonymity and audits; PrivadoVPN for a free plan and streaming.
Yes, 10 GB a month on one device.
No; it refunds within 14 days, except cash and crypto.
PrivadoVPN.
Not in our table; Mullvad has more than 10 audits.
The Verdict
Mullvad vs PrivadoVPN: Mullvad when anonymity and proof are worth €5 a month; PrivadoVPN for free or cheap protection that also streams.