Mullvad
A Swedish privacy VPN that gives you a random account number instead of asking for your email or name.
Best for people who want their VPN provider to know as little about them as possible
Facts checked November 4, 2026
The short answer
Mullvad suits you if privacy is the reason you want a VPN. You sign up by generating an account number, you can pay in cash or cryptocurrency, and every server runs from RAM with nothing stored on disk. The price has been €5 a month on every term since 2009, so what you pay in the first month is what you pay years later. It covers only 5 devices, has no free plan or streaming promises, and refunds stop at 14 days and exclude cash, crypto and App Store payments.
Choose it if
- You don't want to give a VPN company your email address, name or card details
- You want to pay by cash in the post or with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero, which also takes 10% off
- You dislike long contracts and renewal hikes: one month costs the same per month as a year or a decade
- You want settings aimed at surveillance, such as DAITA against traffic analysis, multihop and quantum-resistant tunnels
- You run a privacy-focused Android phone without Google services and want an F-Droid or signed APK install
Skip it if
- You want to try a VPN for free; Proton VPN has a free plan with no data cap, on one device
- You need more than 5 devices on one plan; Surfshark and Private Internet Access set no device limit
- You want port forwarding for torrent seeding or hosting; Mullvad removed it in 2023, and Private Internet Access still has it on selected servers
- You mainly want a VPN for streaming; Mullvad makes no claims about Netflix or other services
- You need split tunneling on an iPhone or iPad, where Mullvad's app can't do it
Main features
Account number sign-up
You click once to generate a random account number, and that number is your login. Mullvad asks for no username, password or email address, so keep the number somewhere safe.
Cash and cryptocurrency payments
You can post cash in nine currencies or pay in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero for 10% off. Mullvad says it runs its own full node for each coin and hosts its own wallets.
RAM-only servers
Mullvad finished moving its VPN servers to run from memory in September 2023, so a restart leaves nothing on disk. It owns some servers and rents the rest as dedicated machines it doesn't share with other customers.
DAITA
Short for Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis, it hides patterns in your traffic so someone watching the connection has a harder time working out which sites you visit. Mullvad warns it uses more data and battery, and it routes you through a DAITA server with multihop when your chosen location lacks one.
Multihop
Your traffic enters one Mullvad server and leaves from another in a different location. Newer apps let you pick When needed, Always or Never; the iOS app had these modes first, in version 2026.4.
Quantum-resistant tunnels
You can switch on quantum-resistant tunnels, meant to protect traffic that someone records today and tries to decrypt with a quantum computer later. Mullvad says it works on every platform it supports.
Obfuscation for blocked networks
The anti-censorship setting can disguise your connection when a network blocks VPNs. UDP-over-TCP helps on hotel or mobile networks, and the Android app adds Shadowsocks, QUIC and LWO for more restrictive locations.
Kill switch and lockdown mode
The kill switch is always on and cuts your internet if the VPN drops. Lockdown mode goes further and blocks traffic after you disconnect or quit, although Mullvad warns that on a Mac it can't stop apps that start before it.
Split tunneling
Pick apps that skip the VPN, such as a banking app that blocks VPN addresses. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, but not on iPhone or iPad.
DNS content blockers
Switches in the app block ads, trackers, malware, gambling, adult sites and social media at the DNS level while you're connected. Mullvad notes that DNS blocking can't catch every ad, including YouTube's.
Pricing
Prices in euros including VAT, as shown on mullvad.net on November 4, 2026. Mullvad sets no separate US dollar price: its pricing page showed €5 as equal to $5.62 that day, and the dollar figure moves with the exchange rate. Mullvad says it runs no sales or promotions, though resellers may price differently. You can also pay by card, PayPal, bank wire, Swish, several European bank transfer methods, or cash in euros, dollars and seven other currencies.
Mullvad VPN
€5 / month
Every feature on up to 5 devices; buy one month, a year or a decade ahead at the same rate
Mullvad VPN, paid in cryptocurrency
10% off / month
The same account paid in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero; crypto payments can't be refunded
Reviews
Write a reviewNo reviews yet. If you use Mullvad, yours would be the first.
Alternatives to Mullvad
| Product | Choose it instead if | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | You want to start on a free plan with no data cap, or need up to 10 devices on a paid plan | Free |
| Private Internet Access | You want port forwarding for torrents and no device limit, and don't mind a US-based provider | $2.03 a month on the 3-y... |
| Surfshark VPN | You want unlimited devices, a built-in ad blocker and a cheap first term, and accept a higher renewal price | $2.49 a month on the 2-y... |
| Windscribe VPN | You want a free plan with 10GB a month on unlimited devices, or to pay only for the few countries you use | Free |
Questions people ask
Is there a free version of Mullvad?
No. Mullvad has no free plan and no free trial, and it says free services nearly always cost you something else. Your protection is a 14-day money-back guarantee, which covers card, PayPal, Google Play, Swish and SEPA bank wire payments but not cash, cryptocurrency or App Store purchases, which Apple handles.
How much does Mullvad cost in US dollars?
Mullvad charges €5 a month including VAT and sets no dollar price. Its pricing page showed that as $5.62 on November 4, 2026, but your card statement will depend on the exchange rate and your bank's fees. The rate is the same whether you pay for one month or ten years.
How do I sign up for Mullvad without an email?
Generate an account number on Mullvad's website or in the app, then add time to it with any payment method. The number is the only thing you need to log in on your devices. If you lose it, Mullvad has an account recovery page, but write the number down.
How many devices can I use with Mullvad?
Up to 5 at once, and Mullvad won't sell extra devices on the same account. You can buy a second account, or set up Mullvad on a router with WireGuard so every device behind the router shares one connection. Mullvad has guides for OpenWrt and pfSense and says Asus, FRITZ!Box, GL.iNet and TP-Link routers with WireGuard can import its configuration files.
Does Mullvad keep logs?
Mullvad says it keeps no activity logs: no traffic, DNS requests, connection times, IP addresses or bandwidth per user. It tracks how many devices each account has connected in memory only, to enforce the 5-device limit. In April 2023 Swedish police arrived at its Gothenburg office with a search warrant for customer data and left without taking anything, after Mullvad showed that no such data existed.
Has Mullvad been independently audited?
Yes, often. Recent reports include Cure53's infrastructure audit in June 2024, an X41 D-Sec audit of the account and payment services published in January 2026, and a Leviathan Security Group assessment of the Android app published in June 2026. Mullvad publishes the reports on its blog and says most of the software it develops is open source, on GitHub.
Can I use Mullvad for torrenting or streaming?
Mullvad doesn't advertise either. It removed port forwarding in 2023 after people abused it to host malicious services, which matters if you seed torrents. It makes no claims about Netflix or other streaming services, and we have not tested them.
Is Mullvad Browser the same as Mullvad VPN?
No. Mullvad Browser is a separate, free browser for Windows, macOS and Linux that the Tor Project built for Mullvad, designed to reduce tracking and fingerprinting. You can use it without the VPN, but Mullvad recommends pairing it with a VPN because the browser alone doesn't hide your IP address.
Sources we checked 30
- mullvad.net/en/pricing for €5 flat price on every term, VAT, $5.62 equivalent, 10% crypto discount, payment methods, cash currencies, 5 devices, refund summary, no free plan, no sales checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en for platforms, company name and Gothenburg address, Mullvad Browser developed by the Tor Project checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/about for parent company Amagicom AB, founders and ownership, March 2009 launch, RAM-only milestone checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/servers for server list: 566 servers in 50 countries and 91 cities checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/server-list for all servers run from RAM, owned or dedicated rented servers, no logs on servers checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/we-have-successfully-completed-our-migration-to-ram-only-vpn-infrastructure for RAM-only migration completed September 2023 checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/vpn for DAITA, multihop, quantum-resistant tunnels on all platforms, obfuscation, independent audits checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/using-mullvad-vpn-app for kill switch, lockdown mode and macOS warning, DAITA behavior, multihop, quantum-resistant tunnel, UDP-over-TCP, custom DNS, local network sharing checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/using-mullvad-vpn-on-android for Android obfuscation methods (LWO, QUIC, Shadowsocks, UDP-over-TCP), social media blocker, kill switch, split tunneling checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/split-tunneling-with-the-mullvad-app for split tunneling on Windows, Linux, macOS and Android, not iOS checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/how-use-mullvad-cli for DNS content blocker categories (ads, trackers, malware, gambling, adult content) checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/dns-over-https-and-dns-over-tls for DNS blocklist categories and the public encrypted DNS shutdown date checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/shutting-down-our-public-encrypted-dns-servers-and-sponsoring-quad9-instead for public DNS servers replaced by Quad9 sponsorship, November 2, 2026 switch date checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/introducing-multihop-modes for multihop modes and app versions per platform checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/download/vpn for platforms, Windows 10 or later 64-bit, WireGuard configuration files checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/download/vpn/ios for App Store, in-app purchases, automatic WireGuard key rotation checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/download/vpn/android for Android 9.0 or later, Google Play, F-Droid and signed APK, in-app support requests checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/running-wireguard-router for router setup, OpenWrt and pfSense guides, routers that import WireGuard files checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/no-logging-data-policy for what Mullvad logs and does not log, in-memory connection counting, payment data handling checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/refunds for 14-day refund by payment method; no refunds for cash, crypto or vouchers; App Store refunds through Apple checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/faq for 5-device limit, no extra devices, router workaround, Swedish data retention rules, port forwarding disabled checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help for support by email and help center, account recovery checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/removing-the-support-for-forwarded-ports for port forwarding removal, May 29, 2023, and the reason checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/mullvad-vpn-was-subject-to-a-search-warrant-customer-data-not-compromised for April 18, 2023 police search and outcome checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/blog/tag/audits for audit list with dates and auditors checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/open-source for open-source projects on GitHub checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/browser for Mullvad Browser: Tor Project, desktop platforms, free, works without the VPN checked November 4, 2026
- mullvad.net/en/help/mullvad-browser-extension for browser extension works with Firefox-based browsers only checked November 4, 2026
- protonvpn.com/free-vpn for Proton VPN free plan: no data limit, 1 device; paid plans up to 10 devices checked November 4, 2026
- privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features for Private Internet Access port forwarding on selected servers and device coverage checked November 4, 2026