ExpressVPN vs. Mullvad 2026: Who Wins?

ExpressVPN vs Mullvad in 2024: A Battle of Leading VPN Providers

When it comes to choosing a virtual private network (VPN) service, two names that frequently come up are ExpressVPN and Mullvad. Both are highly regarded VPN providers, but they have distinct strengths that will appeal to different types of users. ExpressVPN is known for its vast server network and excellent streaming capabilities, while Mullvad focuses on privacy and security with features like anonymous account creation.

So in a head-to-head comparison, which VPN comes out on top – ExpressVPN or Mullvad? The answer will depend on your specific needs and priorities, but this in-depth guide will help you decide by comparing these two VPNs on key factors like pricing, performance, security, and streaming support.

Pricing
Let‘s start with pricing, as this is an important consideration for many VPN shoppers. Mullvad keeps things simple with a single flat-rate pricing plan of €5 per month (about $5.50 USD as of 2024). You get the same price whether you sign up for a month, a year, or more. This straightforward pricing is attractive for users on a budget.

ExpressVPN, on the other hand, offers tiered pricing plans with the monthly rate decreasing for longer commitments. As of 2024, ExpressVPN‘s 1-month plan costs $12.95, the 6-month plan is $9.99/month, and the annual plan is $8.32/month. While more expensive than Mullvad across the board, ExpressVPN offers more payment options including all major credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, and a variety of local methods.

Server Network and Features
A major differentiating factor between ExpressVPN and Mullvad is the size of their server networks. ExpressVPN boasts over 3,000 VPN servers spread across 160 cities in 94 countries. This massive global presence makes it easy to find a nearby server for optimal speeds and enables access to geoblocked content in many countries.

By comparison, Mullvad‘s server network is much smaller, with around 780 servers in 38 countries as of 2024. While still widespread enough for most needs, users looking to connect to less common locations will have fewer options with Mullvad.

Both VPNs support the standard VPN protocols including OpenVPN and WireGuard. But ExpressVPN also offers its own proprietary protocol called Lightway, which is designed to be faster, more secure, and more reliable than older protocols. Mullvad was an early adopter of WireGuard and has now made it the default protocol in its apps.

Privacy and Security
For users focused on privacy and anonymity, Mullvad has a key feature that sets it apart from ExpressVPN and most other VPNs. When signing up for an account, Mullvad does not ask for any personally identifying information – not even an email address. Accounts are tied to a randomly generated number and can be paid in cash or cryptocurrency for maximum privacy.

ExpressVPN requires an email address to sign up, but keeps no activity or connection logs that could trace activity back to an individual user. Both VPNs are based in privacy-friendly jurisdictions, with ExpressVPN in the British Virgin Islands and Mullvad in Sweden.

On the security front, both VPNs use industry-standard AES-256 encryption and offer a kill switch feature to block internet access if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. ExpressVPN goes a step further with its TrustedServer technology, which runs VPN servers entirely in RAM to eliminate the risk of data being stored on a hard drive.

Performance and Speed
To get a sense of real-world performance, we ran speed tests for both VPNs in mid-2024 across a variety of locations. We found that Mullvad consistently delivered faster download speeds compared to ExpressVPN, sometimes by a significant margin.

For example, on a 500 Mbps base connection, Mullvad achieved download speeds up to 375 Mbps (75% of the base speed). ExpressVPN topped out around 280 Mbps (56% of the base speed). Upload speeds were closer, but still favored Mullvad overall.

Of course, speeds will vary based on many factors like your location, the specific server you‘re connected to, and network congestion at the time. But in our testing, Mullvad was the faster of the two VPNs more often than not.

Streaming and Torrenting
If your main reason for using a VPN is to access geoblocked streaming content, ExpressVPN is the clear choice over Mullvad. ExpressVPN reliably unblocks a wide range of streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

Mullvad is much more limited for streaming. In our tests it only worked to unblock Netflix consistently in the US and UK. Other services like Hulu and Disney+ detected and blocked Mullvad, displaying proxy error messages.

Both ExpressVPN and Mullvad allow torrenting on all of their servers and tout fast P2P speeds. In our P2P performance tests, however, Mullvad was faster across the board.

Customer Support
Another key difference between these VPNs is the level of customer support they offer. ExpressVPN provides 24/7 live chat support along with email support and a detailed knowledge base on their website. In our experience, ExpressVPN‘s support agents are knowledgeable and quick to respond around the clock.

Mullvad only offers customer support via email. While the support team is helpful, responses are limited to business hours, meaning you may have to wait to get help with an issue. Mullvad‘s online support center is not as extensive as ExpressVPN‘s but still provides setup guides and answers to common questions.

Conclusion
So, ExpressVPN or Mullvad – which VPN is better? As is often the case, there‘s no universally perfect choice. But for most users, the decision will come down to a few key priorities.

Go with ExpressVPN if:

• You want a large global server network
• Accessing geoblocked streaming content is a top priority
• Having instant customer support is important to you

Choose Mullvad if:

• You want the simplest possible pricing
• Anonymity is your main concern
• You want a fast, modern VPN at a lower price than the premium providers

Ultimately, both ExpressVPN and Mullvad are strong choices backed by solid track records and transparent practices. By assessing your VPN needs and comparing them to the strengths of these two providers, you can select the VPN that will work best for you.