Head-to-Head
Mullvad vs NordVPN
Mullvad vs NordVPN compared on privacy, anonymity, pricing transparency, and logging policies. Our 2026 VPN comparison for privacy-conscious users.
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security
Pros
- ✓No email or personal info required to sign up
- ✓Flat 5 EUR/month with no upselling tricks
- ✓Independently audited no-logs policy
- ✓Cash payment accepted for true anonymity
- ✓Open source clients on all platforms
Cons
- ✗No streaming server optimization
- ✗Smaller server network than NordVPN
- ✗No router app: a router needs a manual WireGuard setup
NordVPN
security
Pros
- ✓Massive server network across 60+ countries
- ✓Streaming-optimized servers for Netflix and more
- ✓Meshnet for private networking
- ✓Polished apps across all platforms
- ✓Threat Protection blocks malware and trackers
Cons
- ✗Aggressive marketing with misleading claims
- ✗Long-term subscription required for best price
- ✗Two company layers: nordvpn S.A. in Panama, parent Nord Security in the Netherlands
- ✗Account needs an email address and password, where Mullvad asks for neither
Privacy-first. Lock in founding pricing today.
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Lock in $9.99/mo for life →Our Verdict
Mullvad is the VPN for people who genuinely need privacy: anonymous signup, flat pricing, and verified no-logs. NordVPN is a consumer product optimized for streaming with marketing that oversells its privacy benefits. For real privacy, Mullvad is unmatched.
Mullvad and NordVPN: the facts side by side
| What | Mullvad | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €5 a month (about $5.68), the same rate whether you pay for one month or top up a year | Tiered plans (Basic, Complete, Ultra) with an introductory price for the first term and a higher renewal price |
| Account | A random account number; no username, password or email address | A Nord Account that signs in with an email address and a password |
| Devices | Up to 5 per account (more behind a router running WireGuard) | Up to 10 at the same time |
| Payment | Cash, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, bank wire, card, PayPal and local methods; crypto 10% off | Card, crypto or PayPal |
| Company | Mullvad VPN AB, Gothenburg, Sweden | nordvpn S.A. under Panama's jurisdiction; parent Nord Security in the Netherlands |
| No-logs evidence | Every VPN server runs from RAM with no disks (since 20 September 2023); Cure53's June 2024 audit of its VPN server setup (one OpenVPN and one WireGuard server) found no privacy issues | Deloitte Lithuania assurance of the no-logs statement, 10 November to 12 December 2025, the sixth independent check; full report for account holders only |
| Protocols | WireGuard only: OpenVPN left the apps and servers on 15 January 2026 | NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN over TCP or UDP, plus HTTP proxy and SOCKS5 |
Privacy: what each company knows about you
Mullvad asks for no personal information at all: no username, no password and no email address. You get a randomly generated account number, and you can pay in cash, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero, with cryptocurrency discounted 10 percent. Its policy lists no logging of traffic, DNS requests, connections, IP addresses or bandwidth, and since 20 September 2023 every Mullvad VPN server runs from RAM with no disks. Cure53 audited its VPN server setup, one OpenVPN and one WireGuard server, from 3 to 14 June 2024 and reported no privacy issues.
NordVPN accounts are Nord Accounts, signed in with an email address and a password, and paid by card, crypto or PayPal. NordVPN hired Deloitte Lithuania to check its no-logs statement between 10 November and 12 December 2025, its sixth independent check, and Deloitte concluded the systems are designed and implemented in line with that statement. The full report is only visible after logging in to a Nord Account.
Price: one flat rate against introductory offers
Mullvad charges €5 a month, the same rate for a single month or a year, for up to 5 devices. NordVPN sells tiered plans whose first term is discounted and then renews at a higher price. On 30 September 2026 its pricing page, as shown to a visitor in Spain, offered the 2 year Basic plan at €94.23 for the first 27 months, renewing at €139.08 a year, with a 30 day money back guarantee and up to 10 devices. Compare the renewal price, not only the first term.
Features and protocols
Mullvad removed OpenVPN from both its apps and its servers on 15 January 2026 and now uses WireGuard only; a router needs a manual WireGuard setup, and the Android app also runs on Android TVs. NordVPN supports NordLynx, NordWhisper and OpenVPN over TCP or UDP, lists thousands of servers across 225 locations, and adds Threat Protection Pro, which blocks malicious websites and trackers and scans downloads. On 29 September 2025 NordVPN said Meshnet, its private networking feature, is not going anywhere.
Which one to pick
Pick Mullvad if you want to hand over no personal details, pay one flat price and live with a smaller feature set. Pick NordVPN if you want more devices, a larger network and extras such as Threat Protection Pro and Meshnet, and you accept an email based account and renewal pricing.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these pages on 30 September 2026.
- Mullvad: Pricing
- Mullvad: No-logging of user activity policy
- Mullvad: We have successfully completed our migration to RAM-only VPN infrastructure (20 September 2023)
- Mullvad: Fourth infrastructure audit completed by Cure53 (27 June 2024)
- Mullvad: Removing OpenVPN 15th January 2026
- Mullvad: Bring Mullvad VPN to your TV (7 December 2020)
- Mullvad: WireGuard on a router
- NordVPN: NordVPN passes its no-logs assessment for the sixth time (3 February 2026)
- NordVPN Support: What is a Nord Account, and how do you use it?
- NordVPN Support: How many devices can I use with NordVPN?
- NordVPN Support: Where is NordVPN based
- NordVPN Support: The founders and owners of NordVPN
- NordVPN: Pricing
- NordVPN: Server locations
- NordVPN: Meshnet stays (29 September 2025)
More on VPNs from Open Real News
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between Mullvad and NordVPN?
- Mullvad is the VPN for people who genuinely need privacy: anonymous signup, flat pricing, and verified no-logs. NordVPN is a consumer product optimized for streaming with marketing that oversells its privacy benefits. For real privacy, Mullvad is unmatched.
- Which is better, Mullvad or NordVPN?
- Mullvad is the recommended choice. Mullvad is the VPN for people who genuinely need privacy: anonymous signup, flat pricing, and verified no-logs. NordVPN is a consumer product optimized for streaming with marketing that oversells its privacy benefits. For real privacy, Mullvad is unmatched.
- What are the pros of Mullvad?
- No email or personal info required to sign up. Flat 5 EUR/month with no upselling tricks. Independently audited no-logs policy. Cash payment accepted for true anonymity. Open source clients on all platforms.
- What are the pros of NordVPN?
- Massive server network across 60+ countries. Streaming-optimized servers for Netflix and more. Meshnet for private networking. Polished apps across all platforms. Threat Protection blocks malware and trackers.
- What are the cons of Mullvad?
- No streaming server optimization. Smaller server network than NordVPN. No router app: a router needs a manual WireGuard setup.
- What are the cons of NordVPN?
- Aggressive marketing with misleading claims. Long-term subscription required for best price. Two company layers: nordvpn S.A. in Panama, parent Nord Security in the Netherlands. Account needs an email address and password, where Mullvad asks for neither.
- Why choose Mullvad over the alternative?
- Mullvad is the recommended choice based on head-to-head comparison. Mullvad is the VPN for people who genuinely need privacy: anonymous signup, flat pricing, and verified no-logs. NordVPN is a consumer product optimized for streaming with marketing that oversells its privacy benefits. For real privacy, Mullvad is unmatched.
- Is Mullvad or NordVPN more private?
- Mullvad collects less to begin with: no email address, a random account number and the option to pay in cash or crypto. NordVPN ties the service to an email based Nord Account but has had its no-logs statement checked six times, most recently by Deloitte Lithuania in late 2025. Mullvad's servers run from RAM, and Cure53's 2024 audit of its VPN server setup found no privacy issues.
- Which is cheaper, Mullvad or NordVPN?
- Mullvad costs a flat €5 a month on any term. NordVPN's first term on a long plan can cost less per month, but it renews at a higher price, so compare the renewal rate rather than the introductory one.
- Does Mullvad still support OpenVPN?
- No. Mullvad removed OpenVPN from its apps and its servers on 15 January 2026 and now uses WireGuard only. NordVPN still offers OpenVPN over TCP and UDP.
- How many devices can I use with Mullvad and NordVPN?
- Mullvad allows up to 5 devices per account, or more when they connect through a router running WireGuard. NordVPN allows up to 10 devices at the same time.
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