Is Mullvad more private than Proton VPN?

At sign-up, Mullvad collects less because it doesn’t ask for an email. Both accept cash, and both publish open-source apps and say they don’t log your VPN activity. Mullvad is based in Sweden and Proton in Switzerland.

Is Mullvad or Proton better for torrenting?

Proton, for most torrent users. Mullvad removed all forwarded ports on July 1, 2023, so peers can’t connect to you first. Proton gives paid users one forwarded port on P2P servers, which helps with seeding and small swarms.

Does Mullvad or Proton work better for streaming?

Proton lists secure streaming as a paid-plan feature, while Mullvad’s product pages make no such promise. No VPN can guarantee every service all the time, so use your refund window to test the ones you watch.

Does Mullvad have a free plan like Proton?

No. Mullvad’s pricing page offers only the €5 monthly rate. Proton has a free plan with unlimited data, 1 device and random servers in 10 countries.

What are the refund windows for Mullvad and Proton?

Mullvad offers 14 days and Proton offers 30 days on its paid subscriptions. Neither refunds cash payments.

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Guide

6 min readNov 04, 2026

Mullvad vs Proton VPN: Price, Privacy and Torrenting Compared

Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month and asks for no email. Proton costs less over two years and keeps port forwarding, streaming and 140+ countries. Which one fits you.

Quick Answer

Choose Proton VPN for torrenting, streaming, 140+ countries and a lower two-year price: $83.76 against about $134.88 at public prices. Mullvad suits you if you want to sign up without an email and pay a flat €5 a month. Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023, while Proton still offers it on paid plans.

See the comparison Compare the real cost Test Proton for 30 days

Choose Proton VPN for torrenting, streaming, more countries and a lower long-term price. Both are open-source privacy VPNs, so features and cost decide it. Mullvad suits you if signing up without an email matters most.

One limit decides it for many torrent users: Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023, and Proton still has it on paid plans. If you stay two years, Proton’s public price also comes to about $51 less.

Official pages, November 4, 2026

Mullvad vs Proton VPN: Side by Side

Feature	Mullvad	Proton VPN Plus
Monthly price	€5 (about $5.62), always	$9.99 list price
Long-term price	No discount: €5 a month for as long as you stay	$3.49 a month on 2 years ($83.76), then $83.88 a year
Free plan	None	Yes: 1 device, 10 random countries
Money-back window	14 days (not for cash)	30 days (not for cash)
Devices	5	10
Network	566 servers in 50 countries	20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
Sign-up	No email requested	A Proton account
Cash or crypto	Cash, and crypto gets 10% off	Cash and Bitcoin
Based in	Sweden	Switzerland
Port forwarding	Removed on July 1, 2023	Paid plans, one random port on P2P servers
Streaming	Not promised on its product pages	Secure streaming on paid plans
Privacy extras	Multihop, DAITA	Secure Core, NetShield
Split tunneling	Yes	Yes, on paid plans

Mullvad Price vs Proton VPN Price

Mullvad charges one flat €5 a month, tax included, with no long plans and no renewal jump. Proton looks more expensive month to month and cheaper once you commit. The right choice depends on how long you’ll stay.

You pay for	Mullvad	Proton VPN Plus	Cheaper
1 month	$5.62	$9.99	Mullvad
24 months	About $134.88	$83.76	Proton, by about $51

Mullvad’s dollar figure uses the $5.62 shown on its pricing page.

Mullvad or Proton: Which Fits You?

Choose Proton VPN if

You’ll keep the VPN for a year or more
You torrent and want a forwarded port for better seeding
You want to watch streaming services with the VPN
You need more than 50 countries, or more than 5 devices
You want a free plan first, then 30 days to get a refund

Choose Mullvad if

You don’t want to give an email address
You want 10% off for paying in crypto
You only need a VPN for a month or two
You don’t torrent heavily, host anything or stream

Mullvad or Proton for Torrenting?

Torrent clients can still reach other peers through Mullvad, but other peers can’t start a connection to you. That can mean fewer peers and weaker seeding, especially on small swarms. Proton gives paid users one forwarded port on P2P servers. It usually changes when you reconnect, so you update it in your client or automate it.

Our pick for most people

Try Proton VPN Before You Decide

Mullvad gives you 14 days to ask for your money back. Proton gives you 30 days to test torrents, streaming and your usual servers on the paid plan.

Port forwarding + 140+ countries

Proton VPN

The features Mullvad doesn’t offer: a forwarded port for torrents, secure streaming and a much larger network. You also get a free plan to try first.

20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
P2P servers with one forwarded port
10 devices, compared with Mullvad’s 5
30-day money-back guarantee

−75%

Black Friday

2-year plan

Test Proton VPN for 30 Days

This page contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them, NAT Checker may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Sources (checked November 4, 2026):

• Mullvad: Pricing (€5 flat, 5 devices, 14-day refund, payment methods)
• Mullvad: Servers (566 servers, 50 countries)
• Mullvad: Why Mullvad VPN (no email, Sweden, audits, open source)
• Mullvad: Using the app (multihop, DAITA, split tunneling)
• Proton VPN: Pricing (public US price, renewal, 30-day guarantee)
• Proton VPN: Plans explained (servers, devices, features)
• Proton VPN: Port forwarding and BitTorrent support
• Proton VPN: Payment methods (cash and Bitcoin)

Mullvad vs Proton VPN FAQ

Proton VPN suits more people because it has port forwarding, streaming support, 140+ countries, 10 devices and a lower long-term price. Mullvad is the better fit if signing up without an email matters most to you.

Month to month, yes: €5 (about $5.62) against Proton’s $9.99 list price. Over two years, no: Proton’s public 2-year price is $83.76, and Mullvad comes to about $134.88. After that, Proton renews at $83.88 a year, which is more than Mullvad’s flat rate.

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