Mullvad VPN Review 2025: Private and Secure, But Good for Streaming?

Mullvad VPN Review 2024: Excellent Privacy and Security, But Is It Worth the Price?

Mullvad is a bare-bones VPN service that puts privacy and anonymity above all else. While it lacks some of the features and polish of its bigger-name competitors, its steadfast commitment to protecting user data and identity makes it an appealing choice for security-conscious users.

In our comprehensive Mullvad review for 2024, we‘ll take a deep dive into the Swedish-based VPN‘s strengths, weaknesses, and overall value. From speed tests to streaming performance to company practices, find out everything you need to know before subscribing.

Pricing and Subscriptions

One of the first things you‘ll notice about Mullvad is its simple, transparent pricing model. There are no long-term discounts, special deals, or tiered plans. Everyone pays a flat rate of €5 per month (about $5.50 USD as of 2024), whether you subscribe for one month or one year.

This approach has its pros and cons. On one hand, the price never changes and there‘s no need to commit long-term to get the best deal. Mullvad‘s monthly rate is quite affordable compared to top premium VPNs like ExpressVPN ($8.32/month) and NordVPN ($11.95/month).

On the other hand, you won‘t find any promotions or opportunities to save by subscribing for one or two years. Private Internet Access, for example, drops to just $2.19/month if you pay for 2 years upfront. Surfshark is even cheaper at $2.05/month for 2 years.

So while Mullvad offers good value, it‘s not the cheapest VPN option – especially if you‘re looking for a long-term subscription. The provider also doesn‘t offer a free trial, but all plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

An interesting thing about Mullvad is that it accepts anonymous forms of payment, including cash and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. Most other VPNs require a credit card or PayPal at minimum. For the privacy-obsessed, the ability to pay anonymously is a big selling point.

Server Network

Mullvad currently offers 780+ servers spread across 39 countries. While this is a respectable number, it pales in comparison to what the big players offer. NordVPN and CyberGhost each have 5000+ servers in 60+ countries, while ExpressVPN has 3000+ servers in 94 countries. More servers typically means better speeds and reliability.

The majority of Mullvad‘s servers are located in Europe and North America, with a handful in Asia, Oceania, and other regions. Popular server locations include the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, France, and Australia. The full server list is publicly available on Mullvad‘s website.

One downside is that Mullvad doesn‘t offer any specialty servers for streaming, P2P, or double VPN. It‘s a standard VPN network without bells and whistles. Each server tells you the current user load and whether it‘s owned or rented by Mullvad.

Speaking of, Mullvad operates its own bare metal (physical) servers in addition to renting servers from carefully vetted providers. The company says owning its hardware offers "unparalleled security and anonymity for our users."

All servers run on RAM only, with no data ever stored to disk. Everything is wiped on reboot. Mullvad has also had its server infrastructure and code audited by reputable third-party cybersec firms.

Security and Privacy

When it comes to protecting user privacy and security, Mullvad goes above and beyond. The provider has one of the strongest no-logging policies we‘ve seen, promising to never store any activity or connection logs, IP addresses, or user bandwidth.

Even if Mullvad was forced to hand over records, it would have almost nothing to give authorities. The only data it keeps is the total number of current connections on each server—no identifiable info. This stance has been independently verified by multiple outside audits.

On the technical side, Mullvad utilizes secure AES-256 encryption with 4096-bit RSA authentication keys. The Windows, macOS, and Linux apps default to the fast, modern WireGuard VPN protocol, with OpenVPN available as an alternative. iOS and Android use OpenVPN only.

The apps include an automatic kill switch to block internet access if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly, as well as built-in DNS leak protection. The Windows and Android apps also offer split tunneling, allowing you to choose which apps use the VPN and which don‘t.

Mullvad‘s apps are open source, which means anyone can audit the code for security holes or potential logging. Mullvad also undergoes periodic third-party security audits and publishes the results on its website for transparency.

But the company truly stands out for the measures it takes to protect user privacy and anonymity:

• No email or personal info required to sign up. Just generate an account number.
• Accepts anonymous payment methods like cash and bitcoin.
• Owns and operates many of its servers directly for stronger security.
• Public transparency reports and third-party audits.
• Located in Sweden, which has robust data privacy laws.
• Open-source apps that anyone can audit.

While many VPNs claim to be "no-logs", few go to Mullvad‘s lengths to walk the walk. If staying as anonymous as possible online is important to you, this is one of the best VPNs to trust. Even top-tier VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN require an email address to sign up.

Speed

To test Mullvad‘s speed and reliability, we ran tests from a 100 Mbps connection using servers in North America, Europe, and Asia. Our baseline speed without a VPN averaged 98 Mbps download and 53 Mbps upload.

When connected to the fastest Mullvad server, we measured 88 Mbps download and 49 Mbps upload – only about a 10% decrease. That‘s an excellent result, especially given our relatively high baseline speed.

European servers (tested from the UK and Germany) dropped our speeds to around 75-85 Mbps, while US servers from coast to coast ranged from 68-80 Mbps. Even connecting to a distant server in Japan still gave us a respectable 55 Mbps download speed.

While not quite as consistently fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN in our experience, Mullvad delivers more than enough for buffer-free HD streaming, fast torrenting, and seamless browsing. We never had issues with slowdowns or random disconnections during our testing.

Streaming

Despite not making any big claims or guarantees, Mullvad is a decent VPN for streaming. We successfully unblocked US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video on the first attempt using Mullvad servers.

However, it struggled with a few services like Hulu and Disney+. We also occasionally ran into the infamous Netflix proxy error, requiring us to switch to a different server. The lack of dedicated streaming servers means you may need to try a few locations to find one that works consistently.

Mullvad also doesn‘t unblock as many Netflix libraries as a VPN like CyberGhost. We could only access the US, UK, and Canadian catalogs. Competitors often work with a dozen or more countries.

So while Mullvad gets the job done, it‘s not the most reliable option for heavy streaming compared to services that invest a lot into this feature. But if you just want to watch US Netflix sometimes, it does the trick.

Torrenting

Thanks to its strong privacy and lack of logging, Mullvad is an excellent choice for safe, anonymous torrenting and P2P filesharing. The provider allows unrestricted torrenting on all servers with no bandwidth limits.

We recommend enabling the kill switch while torrenting to prevent your real IP address from leaking if the VPN disconnects. The fast speeds are also ideal for quickly downloading large files.

Mullvad also works well with Kodi and Plex for streaming downloaded content. While it doesn‘t have a dedicated app for either platform, you can easily share a VPN connection from Windows or a virtual router.

Customer Support

In keeping with its rather minimal approach, Mullvad offers email support only. There‘s no 24/7 live chat or even a user forum for troubleshooting. Email responses were helpful but often took several hours to arrive.

The Mullvad website includes setup guides for all supported devices as well as a small FAQ section. But ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer significantly more online documentation and video tutorials by comparison.

While the service is very user friendly overall, those who prefer prompt human support may be better served elsewhere. It‘s not a huge weak point but certainly an area for improvement.

Mullvad Compared & Worth It?

In the crowded VPN market, Mullvad stands out most for its steadfast commitment to privacy, security, and anonymity. It keeps zero logs, accepts anonymous payments, and makes all apps open-source. Annual audits and transparency reports show it‘s not just talk.

You won‘t find fancy features like double VPN or fancy streaming optimizations. But for users who just want a trustworthy, easy-to-use VPN that "just works," Mullvad absolutely gets the job done at a reasonable price. Performance is solid across the board.

Still, many users will likely prefer the bigger server networks, streaming servers, and prompt support of top all-around VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. And if you‘re looking for the absolute cheapest long-term option, Mullvad can‘t beat Surfshark or Private Internet Access.

But if maximum privacy is your top concern, Mullvad should be on your shortlist. You‘d be hard-pressed to find a VPN provider that does more to protect user identities and data.

Mullvad Pros:

• Excellent privacy and security practices
• Anonymous payment and signup options
• Easy to use, open-source apps
• Solid speeds and reliability
• Affordable flat monthly fee
• Effective for streaming and torrenting

Mullvad Cons:

• Smaller server network than competitors
• No specialty streaming or P2P servers
• Limited live customer support options

We hope this in-depth review helps you decide whether Mullvad VPN is the best fit for your needs in 2024. While not perfect for everyone, its privacy strengths and simple pricing help it remain a compelling choice in an increasingly complex market.