Head to head
ExpressVPN vs Mullvad
Best streaming record and the easiest apps; you pay for it. Against: no email, no name, cash in an envelope: the privacy purist's VPN.
Best plan
$2.99/mo · 2 years + 4 months·
$5.60/mo · any term
Up front
$83.72
$67.20·
Renews at
$99.95/yr
$67.20/yr·
Monthly
$14.99
$5.60·
Devices
10·
5
Countries
113·
49
No-logs audit
KPMG 2024
Cure53 / Assured 2024
Open source
no
yes·
Pay without a name
crypto
no email, cash·
Based in
British Virgin Islands (no alliance)·
Sweden (14 Eyes)
Netflix
·
iPlayer
·
Torrenting
Blocked networks
·
Speed
Refund
30 days·
14 days
Free tier
no
no
A dot marks the better number on that row. Numbers carry their dates on each provider’s page.
Which one, for which job
- Best VPN for streaming
ExpressVPN
- Best VPN for privacy
ExpressVPN (close)
- Best VPN for travel
ExpressVPN
- Best VPN for torrenting
ExpressVPN
- Best cheap VPN
ExpressVPN
- Best monthly VPN
Mullvad
- Best VPN for multiple devices
neither · ExpressVPN, Mullvad filtered out
- Best VPN for China and blocked networks
ExpressVPN
- Best VPN for gaming
ExpressVPN
- Best free VPN
neither · Mullvad, ExpressVPN filtered out
- Best VPN for the UK
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
- +Most consistent streaming unblocker
- +Obfuscation on every server, nothing to configure
- +P2P on all servers
- –Highest renewal of the group ($99.95 a year on Basic)
- –Owned by Kape, which also owns two rivals
Visit ExpressVPNNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.
Mullvad
- +No email, no name, cash accepted
- +Open source, regularly audited, survived a police raid
- +One flat price, no renewal trap
- –Only 5 devices
- –Weak for streaming and makes no claim otherwise
Visit MullvadNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.