Comparison
Mullvad VPN vs Proton VPN
Two of the most credible open-source VPNs take opposite paths to the same goal: Mullvad strips identity out of the equation entirely, while Proton VPN builds trust through annual audits and a genuinely usable free tier. The right choice depends on whether anonymity or accessibility comes first.
| Pricing | ||
| Price | €5/mo flat One price since launch — no tiers, no renewal hikes, no annual-discount games. | Free · Plus $9.99/mo Free tier has no data cap; Plus unlocks the full network and streaming. |
| Free tier | — No free plan; the flat €5 rate is the only offer. | Yes, no data cap No credit card required; servers in a rotating set of countries. |
| Anonymous payment | Card, cash or crypto Cash can be mailed in an envelope; accounts are randomly generated numbers. | Standard payment methods Accounts are not tied to payment identity, but sign-up uses an email account. |
| Privacy & security | ||
| Account model | Numbered account, no email No email, username or subscription profile is ever collected. | Email-based account Free tier requires no credit card; Swiss jurisdiction sits outside EU/US retention mandates. |
| Independent audits | Regular Cure53 + X41 audits Fourth Cure53 infrastructure audit (2024) found no way to compromise traffic anonymity; reports published in full. | 5 consecutive no-logs audits Securitum audits annually since 2022, most recently May 2026, plus a SOC 2 Type II attestation (2025). |
| Trackers in Android app | 0 tracker signatures Exodus Privacy static analysis of v2025.11 found none. | 1 tracker signature Exodus Privacy lists 1 tracker and 12–13 permissions. |
| Experience | ||
| App Store rating | 4.1 (1.4K ratings) A smaller, privacy-focused user base. | 4.6 (77K ratings) One of the most widely reviewed VPN apps on the App Store. |
| Streaming support | — Deliberately skips the streaming-unblocking arms race; built privacy-first. | Included with Plus Plus plan adds streaming support, 10 devices and the NetShield ad and malware blocker. |
| Install size & languages | 49 MB · English +20 more Lightweight clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. | 270 MB · English +33 more Larger client with a broader language set and a network spanning 140+ countries on Plus. |
The bottom line
Choose Mullvad VPN if
Choose Mullvad if anonymity is your first requirement — numbered accounts instead of email sign-ups, cash payment accepted, and a flat €5/month that never changes. Its fully open-source clients and repeatedly published audit reports make it the most credible option for people who want a VPN that knows nothing about them.
Choose Proton VPN if
Choose Proton VPN if you want a genuinely usable free tier or a VPN that fits into a wider encrypted ecosystem alongside Proton Mail. Five consecutive independent no-logs audits, Swiss jurisdiction and streaming support on the Plus plan make it the safer default for most everyday users.