Mullvad VPN vs Orbot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot grades higher than Mullvad VPN: 3.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mullvad VPN grades higher on platforms. Orbot grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mullvad VPN
Flat-rate Swedish VPN with anonymous numbered accounts
Which one is for you
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
Pick Orbot if
- Fits if you want chosen apps on your Android phone to go through Tor
- Works for people on restricted networks who need Tor bridges
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pick a server in another country, as it uses the Tor network, not a server list
- Not for you if you need it on a laptop, because the pages read list no desktop app
- Watch out: choosing which apps go through Tor is described for Android only
- Watch out: traffic goes through Tor, not a commercial server network, so expect nothing like a normal VPN's speed or streaming access
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAMullvad VPNWeak | 3.0GPAOrbotVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$0, open source, no paid plan. The site only asks for donations. A free app anyone can install is the top of this category, where the cheaper quarter starts at $3.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AFree outright, with no plan, trial or cap to run into. |
| Features | 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. | CRoutes apps through Tor, with bridges for restricted networks and onion services. It is a smaller job than a VPN: the listing notes there are no country-selectable servers. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo rating on record, but it is an app you install and start. Nothing to set up in the listing beyond choosing which apps to send. |
| Platforms and 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. | CAndroid and iPhone only. The pages read list no desktop app and point to Tor Project software for other systems. |
| Best for | a VPN with no email or name attached | sending phone apps through Tor |
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: Mullvad VPN and Orbot. How we grade
Price against what you get
Mullvad VPN starts at about $5.59 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Orbot has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Orbot starts $5.59 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 20 score higher than Mullvad VPN for less, and none scores higher than Orbot 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
- Mullvad VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Mullvad VPN | Orbot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Starts at | €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead | Free |
| Free plan | None | The app is free and open source; the download page asks for donations to support development. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Mullvad VPN AB | Guardian Project |
| Price read from | mullvad.net | orbot.app |
| Checked | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Orbot
- Runs on Android and iOS only; the pages read list no desktop app, and point to Tor Project software for other systems.
- Per-app choice is described for Android only.
- Traffic goes through the Tor network, not a commercial server network, so there are no country-selectable VPN servers.
- The site says the app is free and asks for donations.
Key features
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.
Orbot
- Traffic through Tor
- Encrypts traffic from any app and routes it through the Tor network, which the site says leaves no central log of your traffic or IP address.
- Per-app routing on Android
- Android users can pick which apps go through Tor, so apps that object to Tor traffic can still be used normally.
- Tor bridges
- Offers a choice of Tor bridges to help stay connected on restricted networks.
- Onion services
- Lets any app connect to onion services, and lets the phone host an onion service itself.
- Several ways to install
- Available from Google Play, F-Droid, the Apple App Store, or as a direct APK download from the Guardian Project.
Plans
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.
Orbot
Orbot$0
A free app with no paid plans.
Ways to pay less
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.
Orbot
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mullvad VPN or Orbot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $5.59 a month for Mullvad VPN. Mullvad VPN starts at €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead, and Orbot is free.
Which has a free plan, Mullvad VPN or Orbot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Orbot has a free plan. Mullvad VPN does not.
Which platforms do Mullvad VPN and Orbot run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Mullvad VPN lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.