Head to head

Mullvad vs NordVPN

No email, no name, cash in an envelope: the privacy purist's VPN. Against: the fast, well-audited default; renewal price is the catch.

Best plan
$5.60/mo · any term
$3.49/mo · 2 years + 3 months·
Up front
$67.20·
$94.23
Renews at
$67.20/yr·
$139.08/yr
Monthly
$5.60·
$14.99
Devices
5
10·
Countries
49
127·
No-logs audit
Cure53 / Assured 2024
Deloitte 2025·
Open source
yes·
no
Pay without a name
no email, cash·
crypto
Based in
Sweden (14 Eyes)
Panama (no alliance)·
Netflix
·
iPlayer
·
Torrenting
·
Blocked networks
·
Speed
·
Refund
14 days
30 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

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.

NordVPN

  • +Fastest in most 2026 tests
  • +Six independent no-logs audits
  • +Works where VPNs are blocked
  • –Renews at $139 a year after the intro term
  • –Apps are not open source
Visit NordVPNNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.