VSUNBIASED
Mullvad vs ProtonVPN: Privacy Champions
Both VPNs prioritize privacy over features. But they take different approaches. Here's an honest comparison with no affiliate incentive.
🎯 Quick Answer
MAXIMUM ANONYMITY
Mullvad
No email, cash accepted, police-raid tested.
BEST FREE OPTION
ProtonVPN
Unlimited free tier, Swiss jurisdiction.
📊 Head-to-Head
| Category | Mullvad | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €5/mo always | Free or $4.49/mo |
| Free Tier | ❌ | Unlimited data |
| Email Required | No | Yes |
| Cash Payment | ✅ | ❌ |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden | Switzerland |
| Speed | 798 Mbps | 756 Mbps |
| Streaming | ❌ Blocked | ✅ Works |
| Servers | 800+ | 4,500+ |
| Open Source | ✅ | ✅ |
| Devices | 5 | 10 |
🔒 Mullvad's Anonymity Edge
Mullvad takes anonymity to the extreme:
- ✓ No email needed — Just an account number
- ✓ Mail cash in an envelope — Complete payment anonymity
- ✓ 2023 police raid — Swedish police found nothing
- ✓ Same price for 14+ years — €5/mo since 2009
🇨🇭 ProtonVPN's Swiss Edge
ProtonVPN offers different strengths:
- ✓ Free tier — Unlimited data, no ads, no logs
- ✓ Swiss jurisdiction — Strong legal privacy protections
- ✓ Secure Core — Routes through privacy-friendly countries first
- ✓ ProtonMail integration — Part of the Proton ecosystem
- ✓ Streaming works — Unlike Mullvad
🎯 Who Should Choose Each?
Choose Mullvad if:
- ✓ Maximum anonymity is your goal
- ✓ You don't need streaming
- ✓ You hate subscription price games
- ✓ You want to pay anonymously
Choose ProtonVPN if:
- ✓ You want a free VPN
- ✓ You need streaming access
- ✓ You use ProtonMail
- ✓ Swiss law appeals to you
📌 The Bottom Line
Both are excellent privacy-focused VPNs. Mullvad wins for maximum anonymity purists. ProtonVPN wins if you want a free tier or need streaming. You can't go wrong with either.