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VPN COMPARISON

Mullvad vs NordVPN (2026): Which VPN Is Better for Privacy?

Published 1 August 2023 · Updated 25 October 2026

Blue and grey Ethernet cables plugged into a network patch panel

Mullvad and NordVPN are two of the best-known VPNs, but they're built around very different ideas. NordVPN is a large, feature-rich consumer brand with heavy marketing and a huge server network. Mullvad is a small Swedish company whose whole product is designed so that it knows as little about you as possible.

This comparison is updated for October 2026: current pricing, recent audits, ownership, and each company's record when things went wrong. Our conclusion hasn't changed: for privacy, Mullvad is the better choice. NordVPN suits people who care more about streaming and live chat than anonymity.

Quick comparison

MullvadNordVPN
Owned byIts two founders, through Amagicom ABNord Security
Based inGothenburg, SwedenOperates under Panamanian jurisdiction; parent company based in the Netherlands
Sign-up detailsNone: a random account numberEmail address
PriceFlat €5 a month, any lengthDiscounted 1- and 2-year plans; monthly costs more
Pay anonymouslyCash by post, Monero, Bitcoin, vouchersCrypto accepted; email still required
Money-back guarantee14 days30 days (initial purchase on its website)
Open-source appsYes, all appsLinux app only
Notable incident2023 police search found no customer data2018 server breach, disclosed in 2019
StreamingNot a focusActively marketed
SupportEmail24/7 live chat and email

Ownership and jurisdiction

Mullvad is run by Mullvad VPN AB in Gothenburg, Sweden. According to Mullvad's about page, it is wholly owned by its founders, Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson, through the parent company Amagicom AB, and the service has run since March 2009. There are no outside investors to answer to.

NordVPN says on its support site that it "is based and operates under the jurisdiction of Panama", while its parent company, Nord Security, "is based in Europe, in the Netherlands". Nord Security is a much larger, venture-funded group that also owns Surfshark following a 2022 merger.

Neither jurisdiction makes a provider trustworthy on its own. What matters more is what the company can hand over when asked.

Our pick: Mullvad. Simple, founder-owned structure with no investors pushing for growth.

Privacy and anonymity

Mullvad asks for nothing. You tap "create account", get a random 16-digit account number, and that number is your only login. There's no email, name or password. You can pay with cash posted in an envelope, Monero or Bitcoin, or redeem a voucher bought elsewhere, so the payment doesn't have to identify you either. Our guide to buying Mullvad anonymously in Australia walks through each option.

NordVPN requires an email address to create a Nord Account. It accepts cryptocurrency, but your account is still tied to an email, and most people use one linked to their identity.

Both say they don't log your browsing. The difference is how much they know about who you are.

Our pick: Mullvad, clearly.

Track record: the 2023 police visit and the 2018 breach

Mullvad, April 2023. On 18 April 2023, at least six officers from the Swedish Police's National Operations Department arrived at Mullvad's Gothenburg office with a search warrant, intending to seize computers containing customer data. Mullvad reported that it explained "such customer data did not exist" and, after the officers consulted the prosecutor, they left without taking anything. It was the first time in more than 14 years that Mullvad had received a search warrant.

NordVPN, 2018. An attacker gained access to a single NordVPN server in a rented data centre in Finland in early 2018, through an insecure remote-management system the data centre provider had installed without telling NordVPN. NordVPN said it was one of more than 3,000 servers at the time, that no usernames or passwords could have been obtained, and that it ended its contract with the provider. It only became public in October 2019, and NordVPN was widely criticised for not disclosing it sooner. It has since expanded its audits.

Our pick: Mullvad. Its no-data model was tested by a real search warrant and held.

Audits and transparency

Mullvad publishes its audit reports in full. Recent ones include:

All Mullvad apps are open source on GitHub, so anyone can check what they do. Mullvad also completed the move to RAM-only VPN servers in 2023, so servers have no hard drive that could retain data after a reboot.

NordVPN has had its no-logs policy assessed six times: by PwC in 2018 and 2020, and by Deloitte in 2022, 2023, 2024 and, most recently, between November and December 2025. Those are reputable firms, but the assessments are point-in-time, and the full reports are only available to NordVPN customers after logging in. Most of NordVPN's apps are proprietary; its Linux app is the exception and is open source.

Our pick: Mullvad, for publishing everything and open-sourcing every app.

Security features

Both use WireGuard-based connections (NordVPN's version is called NordLynx), both have a kill switch, and both now offer post-quantum encryption, which protects against traffic recorded today being decrypted by future quantum computers. Mullvad turned on its quantum-resistant tunnels by default on every platform in 2025. NordVPN brought post-quantum encryption to all its apps in May 2025, though it only works with the NordLynx protocol.

Mullvad extras:

NordVPN extras:

NordVPN has more features; Mullvad's are fewer but focused on privacy.

Our pick: Mullvad for privacy; NordVPN if you want an all-in-one security suite.

Ease of use and performance

Mullvad's apps are deliberately simple: pick a location, connect. NordVPN's are polished but busier, with maps, add-ons and upsells. Both are fast, being WireGuard-based. NordVPN has thousands of servers worldwide; Mullvad lists around 560 in 50 countries on its server page, including in Australia. Either is quick enough for browsing, calls and HD video.

Our pick: Even. NordVPN wins on choice of locations; Mullvad on simplicity.

Pricing

Mullvad costs a flat €5 a month, whether you pay for one month or a year. There are no introductory deals, no automatic price rises and no lock-in. Crypto payments get a 10% discount, one account covers up to five devices, and there's a 14-day money-back guarantee (Mullvad pricing).

NordVPN uses tiered plans (Basic, plus higher tiers that bundle other Nord Security products), with the biggest discounts on one- and two-year terms. The month-to-month price is much higher, and discounted introductory prices renew at a higher rate, so check the renewal price at checkout. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on initial purchases made on its website.

Our pick: Mullvad, for a price that's simple and honest.

Streaming and geo-blocking

NordVPN markets itself for streaming, with a SmartPlay feature designed to help services work when you're connected. If watching overseas catalogues is your main reason for a VPN, NordVPN will usually be the easier option.

Mullvad makes no streaming promises. Mullvad's own help guide notes that if a service like Netflix detects a VPN IP address, it may show only its own original content or an error.

Our pick: NordVPN.

Customer support

NordVPN offers 24/7 live chat (starting with an AI chatbot that hands over to a human) and email. Mullvad offers email support and detailed help guides, but no live chat.

Our pick: NordVPN.

The verdict

Choose Mullvad if your reason for using a VPN is privacy: hiding your browsing from your internet provider (which in Australia must keep metadata about your connections for at least two years), using public Wi-Fi safely, or not giving yet another company your identity. It asks for nothing, charges a flat price, publishes its audits and source code, and its no-data claims have been tested by an actual search warrant.

Choose NordVPN if you mainly want streaming, live chat support and lots of extra features, and you're comfortable giving it an email address.

For our full ranking, including Proton VPN and IVPN, see the best VPN for privacy in Australia. A VPN is one layer of privacy, not the whole thing: our phone privacy checklist covers the rest.

You can buy Mullvad VPN from us as a 6-month voucher for up to five devices, and redeem it without giving us or Mullvad an email address.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mullvad better than NordVPN?

For privacy, yes. Mullvad needs no email or personal details, publishes its audits and source code, and a 2023 police search found no customer data to take. NordVPN is better for streaming and offers 24/7 live chat.

Was NordVPN ever hacked?

Yes. In early 2018, an attacker accessed one NordVPN server in a Finnish data centre through an insecure remote-management system installed by the provider. NordVPN said no login details could have been obtained. It disclosed the breach in October 2019.

What happened when police raided Mullvad?

On 18 April 2023, Swedish police arrived with a search warrant to seize computers holding customer data. Mullvad explained no such data existed, and the officers left without taking anything.

How much does Mullvad cost compared with NordVPN?

Mullvad is a flat €5 a month for any term. NordVPN discounts long-term plans, but its monthly plan costs more and introductory prices renew higher.

Is Mullvad good for Netflix?

Not reliably. Mullvad doesn't promise streaming access, and Netflix may block VPN addresses. If streaming is your priority, NordVPN fits better.

What is Mullvad DAITA?

Defense Against AI-guided Traffic Analysis. It adds cover traffic and pads packets to one size, so an observer such as your internet provider can't easily tell which sites you visit from traffic patterns.

Disclosure: Privacy First sells Mullvad VPN vouchers and includes 6 months of Mullvad with our GrapheneOS phones. Mullvad has no affiliate programme and didn't pay for this comparison.

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