Mullvad VPN vs PrivateVPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, PrivateVPN grades higher than Mullvad VPN: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
PrivateVPN grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
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
PrivateVPN
Subscription VPN on 10 connections with three term lengths
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 PrivateVPN if
- Fits if you want one account across up to 10 devices
- Works for people who want to pay by PayPal or crypto and use P2P
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try before paying, as there's no free tier or trial
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.90
- Watch out: the cheap 36-month price renews at $72 a year
- Watch out: the 30-day refund doesn't apply to renewals, crypto payments or App Store purchases
- Watch out: prices include VAT and move with the tax country you pick, and the offer shows no end date
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAMullvad VPNWeak | 2.2GPAPrivateVPNFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CSign-up is $72 for the first 36 months, but the listed renewal is $72 a year, or $6 a month, in the middle of the category's $3.99 to $8. Monthly is $9.90. |
| 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. | FNo free plan or trial. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, which isn't a trial, and it doesn't cover renewals, crypto or App Store purchases. |
| 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. | B10 connections, 200+ servers in 63 countries, P2P and port forwarding, a kill switch page, 24/7 support. Nothing in the listing's own gaps touches the core VPN job. |
| 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 store rating on record. Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux that you install and use. |
| 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. | BMac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Kodi and routers. Phones and computers, but no API or integrations. |
| Best for | a VPN with no email or name attached | one VPN on up to 10 devices |
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 PrivateVPN. 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. PrivateVPN starts at $6 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
PrivateVPN scores higher, and starts $0.41 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 14 score higher than Mullvad VPN for less, and 1 scores higher than PrivateVPN 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 is open source, according to its own site.
- Mullvad VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- PrivateVPN also covers file sharing.
At a glance
| Mullvad VPN | PrivateVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead | $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72 |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Mullvad VPN AB | PrivateVPN Global AB |
| Price read from | mullvad.net | privatevpn.com |
| Checked | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
PrivateVPN
- The $72 sign-up price covers a 36-month first term. The page then shows $72 billed every 12 months, which is the figure recorded as the renewal price.
- Prices on the page are marked as including VAT and depend on the tax residence chosen at checkout.
- The 30-day refund does not apply to renewals, to cryptocurrency payments or to purchases made through the App Store.
- The pricing page is marked as a limited offer with no end date shown.
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.
PrivateVPN
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Every plan allows 10 devices at once, with unlimited bandwidth.
- Servers in 63 countries
- The pricing page and the locations page list 200+ server locations in 63 countries.
- Apps for most systems
- The download page lists macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Kodi and routers.
- P2P and port forwarding
- PrivateVPN has a page for torrenting and file sharing over the VPN, and a port forwarding feature page.
- 24/7 support
- The pricing page lists 24/7 customer support on every plan.
- Payment options
- Checkout takes card (through Stripe), PayPal and cryptocurrency (through Coinify).
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.
PrivateVPN
12 Months (36 months at sign-up)$72
per year at renewal, after a first term of 36 months
The '12 Months + 24 Months extra' offer: the first 36 months cost $72 ($2 a month), then the page shows $72 billed every 12 months.
3 Months$17.99
per 3 months, billed every 3 months
Shown as $6 a month, billed every 3 months.
1 Month$9.90
per month, billed monthly
Renews monthly at $9.90.
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.
PrivateVPN
- Other savings
12 Months + 24 Months extra for $72
The limited offer gives 36 months for $72 up front ($2 a month); the page then shows $72 billed every 12 months. No end date is displayed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mullvad VPN or PrivateVPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mullvad VPN is cheaper to start with: about $5.59 a month, against $6 a month when paid by the year for PrivateVPN. Mullvad VPN starts at €5 per month, the same rate for any length paid ahead, and PrivateVPN starts at $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72.
Which has a free plan, Mullvad VPN or PrivateVPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Mullvad VPN nor PrivateVPN 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.