Proton VPN vs Mullvad VPN: which wins in 2026?
Head-to-head on the facts that decide the purchase: real prices in the provider's own unit, minimum, KYC, proof, payment and terms - every number sourced in the linked reviews.
Short answer: Mullvad VPN wins overall (8.9/10 vs 6.6/10). Facts checked 2026-09-28.
 Proton VPN |  Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score (0-10) | 6.6 | 8.9 |
| Kind | Commercial VPNs | Commercial VPNs |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland | Sweden |
| Logging claim | Strict no-logs (Swiss) | We do not keep activity logs of any kind |
| Logging evidence | independently audited | unknown |
| Intro price | $3.59 /month | $5.71 /month |
| Renewal price | $9.99/mo | $5.71/mo |
| Personal info | none | none |
| Anonymous payment | btc, xmr · fiat | btc, xmr · fiat |
| Audits | Securitum 2024, Securitum 2023 | X41 D-Sec 2024, X41 D-Sec 2021 |
| Owner | unknown | unknown |
| Facts checked | 2026-09-28 | 2026-09-28 |
// Score breakdown
Mullvad VPN leads on privacy & logging (+2), ownership & track record (+2), censorship resistance (+2), honest value (+5.5).
why 6.6/10?
why 8.9/10?
// Proton VPN at a glance
The most honest mainstream deal in 2026: open-source apps, real audits, a genuinely usable free tier with no data cap, and a transparent renewal model - and in September 2026 it even moved its encrypted DNS trust to Quad9 and published the reasoning. You pay for it in renewal prices (roughly $10/mo if you don't prepay), the Secure Core infrastructure is a black box you must trust Proton's word on, and the 2021 Proton Mail IP-logging case proved Swiss products are still subpoenaable.
++ What holds up
- Only one of the ten with fully open-source clients + published Securitum audits
- Genuinely free tier (unlimited data, no ads, no logs) - verified on own site 2026-09-27
- Expansion to ~145 countries with owned infrastructure (2026-04)
- ProTUN: Rust-based WireGuard core with public technical write-up (fetched 2026-09-27)
-- What to watch
- Renewal pricing jumps ~3x vs intro; site shows $0.00 placeholders unless JS runs
- No port forwarding - a real loss for self-hosters vs PIA/Windscribe (confirmed by community defections from Surfshark to Proton for the opposite reason)
- Support is increasingly AI-gated (HN: '4 days no human support')
- Email/account still required even for the free tier
// Mullvad VPN at a glance
The most honest VPN on the internet, and in 2026 still the one this industry is measured against: numbered accounts, cash or Monero accepted, open-source clients, a no-logs policy page updated June 2026, and Swedish police walking away empty-handed in 2023. The price of that integrity is a small network (566 servers / 50 countries, verified live), zero streaming chops, no port forwarding since 2023, and community grumbling that it is 'a bit behind' - which is exactly what a non-marketing VPN looks like.
++ What holds up
- Flat EUR 5 forever - verified on the live pricing page, 1 month = 1 year = 1 decade
- No-logging policy + open-source GPLv3 clients (Wikipedia + policy page fetched 2026-09-27)
- Anonymous account generation, no email, crypto AND cash accepted (r/VPN voices repeatedly cite this as the differentiator)
- 2023 Swedish police search warrant found nothing to seize - the no-logs claim survived law enforcement
-- What to watch
- Small network: 566 servers, 50 countries (verified live) - thin coverage outside Europe
- Streaming is effectively unsupported and routinely detected (r/VPN threads)
- Port forwarding removed in 2023 - a hard loss for self-hosters that HN voices still mourn
- No warrant canary, no multi-year pricing tiers, no affiliate program - fewer enticements, that's the point
// FAQ
Which is cheaper, Proton VPN or Mullvad VPN?
Proton VPN is cheaper at $3.59 month versus $5.71 month.
Which has better logging evidence, Proton VPN or Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad VPN has the stronger logging evidence; Proton VPN relies on claims alone.
Which renewal price is honest, Proton VPN or Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad VPN renews cheaper: $5.71/mo vs $9.99/mo for the cheaper, (2.8x the intro price) for the other.
Which needs less KYC, Proton VPN or Mullvad VPN?
Both have the same KYC stance (none).
Which has the longer track record?
Mullvad VPN has the longer track record (since 2003).
Scores and facts: meta-reviews with dated sources - Proton VPN · Mullvad VPN. Method: how we verify. More: all providers compared.