When it comes to VPNs that prioritize privacy and transparency, Mullvad and Proton are two names that immediately stand out. Both take highly transparent approaches, offering open-source software, strict privacy policies, and anonymous payment options. While they share many impressive features, there are important differences that set them apart. Proton takes the lead thanks to its broader suite of security tools and more robust infrastructure overall. That said, Mullvad is a strong contender, offering truly anonymous account creation at a remarkably affordable price. Below, I break down both VPNs in terms of value, performance, user experience, and feature set to show where each one shines.
Price: Proton’s Free Plan Can’t Be Beat
Mullvad has the most straightforward pricing structure among the VPNs I have tested and is one of the best cheap VPNs. It is 5 euros (approx $5.80) per month—no tiers, recurring subscriptions, sales, or long-term discounts. The company doesn’t even accept recurring automatic payments, since that would require storing user payment data. That low price gets you a privacy-first VPN with 5 simultaneous connections, mult-hop servers, and browsing backed by post-quantum encryption (PQE). Best of all, you can pay for Mullvad without inputting identifying credit card information. The company accepts payments with cryptocurrency and even cash by mailing it to Mullvad along with your unique account identifier.
(Credit: Mullvad)
Proton’s premium plans start at $9.99 for the Plus tier, which includes only the VPN and supports 10 simultaneous device connections. Next up is Proton Ultimate at $12.99 per month, which includes a whole suite of excellent private productivity tools. Those extra apps include access to Proton Pass, the company’s password manager. Then there is Proton’s encrypted mail service, Proton Mail. Next up is Proton Drive, a fully encrypted file safe that protects your data from AI data scraping. Likewise, Proton Docs and Sheets are relatively new cloud-based office applications that prioritize privacy.
(Credit: Proton)
While Proton can’t directly compete with Mullvad when it comes to paid plans, it offers an exceptional free tier with no data or time limits. You can use the full VPN for free on a single device and gain access to a handful of servers. It’ll be slower than the premium version due to more user congestion, and you may not be able to reliably access streaming content. Even so, it’s hard to beat unlimited free VPN protection from a trustworthy service like Proton.
It’s a close call between Proton and Mullvad. Mullvad may be the best choice if you want a straightforward, affordable VPN service with no gimmicks or subscriptions that just works. On the other hand, Proton offers a wide selection of privacy tools available for free. It’s by a slim margin, but I’m giving the win to Proton due to its free plan.
Winner: Proton
App Design: Proton Is More Consistent Across Platforms
While some elements of VPN app designs are subjective, I do my best to keep the evaluations in this section as objective as possible.
Proton’s design is sleek and fairly easy to navigate for beginners. It features a digital map front and center, making it clear where you’re connected. The purple and black design is modern and streamlined without being too busy or intense on both desktop and mobile platforms. Settings are well organized, with useful descriptions for each and links back to support articles for complete tutorials.
(Credit: PCMag/Proton)
Mullvad has a simple, dark-blue design with large button-based menus. You also get a map on the main dashboard, but it’s a bit small on desktop because the window size doesn’t change significantly between mobile and desktop. It is easy to navigate, and all features are clearly labeled, but it’s a bit cramped due to the small window.
(Credit: PCMag/Mullvad)
Proton wins this matchup by having a better experience across all platforms and a larger dashboard on desktop versions.
Winner: Proton
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Server Count and Locations: Proton’s Global Network Triumphs
Server counts can be nebulous, and these figures can change daily. At the time of writing, Proton has 18,602 servers operating in 129 countries. Mullvad is a much smaller company with an equally small server network. Mullvad has roughly 700-800 servers spread across 49 countries.
Proton is the clear winner, with a significantly larger server network and broader country coverage. Mullvad delivers a modest network for the price, but it pales in comparison with Proton’s server infrastructure.
Winner: Proton
Speed and Performance: Mullvad Speeds Ahead
Proton reduced my download speeds by 20.11% and similarly reduced my upload speeds by 43.21%. However, I saw a significant impact on my latency score when connected to Proton’s network, with a 351.26% increase.
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Mullvad performed excellently during our latest round of tests. It reduced my download speeds by 10.57%, my upload speeds by 4.23%, and increased my latency by 15.90%. Those scores put it up there with the fastest VPNs. I test every VPN to see how it impacts my speed and latency, and you can view the full results in the chart below:
Mullvad beats Proton in all three key categories, making it the winner of this category. Just keep in mind that my speed tests aren’t the final verdict on overall performance. Your experience will vary based on your local connection, nearby server congestion, and other factors.
Winner: Mullvad
Streaming: Both Proton and TunnelBear Provide Reliable Access to Global Content
I test whether or not a VPN can access Netflix’s library of content from five regions across the globe, including Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK, and the US. The full breakdown of my testing results can be found in the chart below:
Both services accessed all five catalogs without encountering any restrictions, making this a tie.
Winner: Tie
And The Winner Is…
Mullvad VPN is a strong choice, and for good reason—it’s affordable, privacy-focused, and the company is impressively transparent about how it handles data. That said, it falls a bit short when compared with Proton. Proton matches Mullvad in privacy commitment but goes further, offering more apps, broader coverage, and robust infrastructure—all at a reasonable price. While it isn’t quite as affordable as Mullvad, it provides significantly more value for a modest monthly subscription. On top of that, Proton lets you try it for free without requiring any payment details. With all this in mind, Proton VPN comes out on top in this comparison.
