Cryptostorm vs Mullvad VPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cryptostorm and Mullvad VPN share a 1.8 GPA, neither has a free plan, and Mullvad VPN starts cheaper, at about $5.59 a month against $6 a month.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cryptostorm
Token-based VPN with no accounts and published server configs
Mullvad VPN
Flat-rate Swedish VPN with anonymous numbered accounts
Which one is for you
Pick Cryptostorm if
- Fits if you want to pay with a token or in Monero and not hand over an email address
- Works for people who want OpenVPN or WireGuard configs they can read
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free trial, because it dropped the old one
- Tight if you have several devices: monthly tokens allow 1 at a time, and 5 needs the two-year token
- Watch out: the weekly token is not sold through every payment method
- Watch out: the company says it has no central office and keeps its entities' locations private
- Watch out: if a data center gets a spam complaint, the FAQ says all SMTP on that server may be blocked
Pick Mullvad VPN if
- Fits if you don't want your name or email tied to your VPN
- Works for a short trip abroad, as one month costs the same €5 rate as a year
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to try before paying, as there's no trial or free plan
- Watch out: the 14-day refund excludes cash payments, and the VPN page says crypto too
- Skip it if you torrent and need port forwarding, or want a dedicated IP; Mullvad offers neither
- Tight if you have more than 5 devices to cover
- Watch out: it's priced in euros, €5 a month, which the page converts to about $5.60
How we grade them
| 1.8GPACryptostormWeak | 1.8GPAMullvad VPNWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$6 a month, $52 a year for 4 devices, $94 for two years. That sits in the middle of the category, which runs $3.99 to $8 a month. | C€5 a month flat, about $5.60, whether you pay for one month or a year ahead, so two years come to €120. That's a little above the middle of what VPNs charge, with no first-term discount to expire. Paying in cryptocurrency takes 10% off. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free trial. The FAQ says the old one was discontinued. | FNothing free: there's no trial, and the 14-day money-back guarantee excludes cash and, on the VPN page, crypto payments too. A money-back guarantee isn't a trial anyway. |
| Features | COpenVPN and WireGuard, multihop, obfuscation, DNS blocking and port forwarding. The device limit is the gap: 1 device on weekly and monthly tokens, up to 5 on the two-year one. | CAnonymous numbered accounts, DAITA against traffic analysis, quantum-resistant tunnels, multihop, obfuscation and DNS blocking. But the listing names the gaps: 5 devices, no port forwarding and no dedicated IPs. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You buy a token and then set up OpenVPN or WireGuard connections yourself, which is a small learning curve. | C4.1 from about 1,500 App Store ratings, below most VPNs here. You sign up with a generated account number rather than an email, so keep that number somewhere safe. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, though the listing names no API or integrations. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with open-source apps. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a VPN you can pay for without an email address | a VPN with no email or name attached |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cryptostorm and Mullvad VPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cryptostorm starts at $6 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mullvad VPN starts at about $5.59 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Mullvad VPN starts $0.41 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 20 score higher than Cryptostorm for less, and 20 score higher than Mullvad VPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Cryptostorm | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $6 per month for 1 device; $52 per year for 4 devices | €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Cryptostorm | Mullvad VPN AB |
| Price read from | cryptostorm.is | mullvad.net |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cryptostorm
- The number of devices connected at once depends on the term bought: 1 on weekly and monthly tokens, up to 5 on the two-year token.
- No free trial; the FAQ says the earlier trial was discontinued.
- The company says it has no central HQ and keeps its business entities' locations private.
- When a data center complains about spam, the FAQ says all SMTP on that server may be blocked until it stops.
Mullvad VPN
- Priced in euros: €5 a month, which the page converts to about $5.60 at the current exchange rate.
- Covers up to 5 devices, and offers neither port forwarding nor dedicated IP addresses.
- No free trial; the 14-day money-back guarantee excludes cash payments, and the VPN page also excludes crypto payments.
Key features
Cryptostorm
- Anonymous tokens
- Access is by a token that is hashed before connecting, so a captured server cannot be used to identify clients, the site says. Monero payments need no email or JavaScript.
- OpenVPN and WireGuard
- Both protocols are supported, including OpenVPN ECC instances with post-quantum options, and connections can be made on any UDP or TCP port.
- Multihop
- Server-side multihop chains two endpoints, and the site says client-side multihop through another VPN or Tor is also possible.
- Obfuscation
- SSH, HTTPS and obfs4 tunneling make VPN traffic look like other traffic on restrictive networks.
- DNS ad and tracker blocking
- DNS-based blocking of trackers, plus DNS and WebRTC leak protection and a kill switch.
- Port forwarding and BitTorrent
- Port forwarding is supported and BitTorrent is allowed, with no data caps or throttling.
Mullvad VPN
- Anonymous accounts
- Signing up generates an account number; no email or other personal details are asked for, and cash or cryptocurrency are accepted.
- DAITA
- Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis, a feature in the app meant to make encrypted traffic harder to analyze.
- Quantum-resistant tunnels
- Quantum-resistant VPN tunnels can be switched on in the apps on every supported platform.
- Multihop and obfuscation
- Route traffic through two or more servers in different jurisdictions, and use obfuscation to get past firewalls that block VPNs.
- DNS content blocking
- Built-in toggles block ads, trackers and malware through Mullvad's DNS, except on Android, where custom DNS entries do the same job.
Plans
Cryptostorm
One week$1.86
for 1 week, as a recurring subscription or a single order
1 device at a time. Not sold through every payment method.
One month$6
per month, as a recurring subscription or a single order
1 device at a time.
Three months$16
for 3 months, as a recurring subscription or a single order
Up to 2 devices at the same time.
Six months$28
for 6 months, as a recurring subscription or a single order
Up to 3 devices at the same time.
One year$52
per year, as a recurring subscription or a single order
Up to 4 devices at the same time.
Two years$94
for 2 years, paid once, with no renewal
Up to 5 devices at the same time. Single order only, through PayPal, Monero, NOWPayments or BitPay.
Mullvad VPN
Flat rate€5
per month, whether you pay for 1 month, 1 year or longer
Every feature on up to 5 devices, VAT included. The page shows a dollar equivalent that moves with the exchange rate. No sales or term discounts.
Ways to pay less
Cryptostorm
No public discounts listed.
Mullvad VPN
- Other savings
10% off when paying with cryptocurrency
Mullvad discounts payments made in its accepted cryptocurrencies by 10%, citing lower fees and less administration.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cryptostorm or Mullvad VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mullvad VPN is cheaper to start with: about $5.59 a month, against $6 a month for Cryptostorm. Cryptostorm starts at $6 per month for 1 device; $52 per year for 4 devices, and Mullvad VPN starts at €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead.
Which has a free plan, Cryptostorm or Mullvad VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Cryptostorm nor Mullvad VPN has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.
